On a recent stretch of 90-something degree days I found myself craving ice cream around the clock. If I could have brought myself to eat ice cream for breakfast, I probably would have (but I have a teeny tiny bit of will power). Since I didn’t want to eat real deal ice cream several times a day, I thought I would research vegan options and use a little coconut milk because its a little healthier, right? Right?! At least it made me feel better about indulging more often than normal in ice cream bliss.

Visions of 50 different ice cream flavors danced in my head, but this option stood out. It had me at cookie dough and sealed the deal with peanut butter. Of course making ice cream takes a little a lot prep work, so you aren’t going to be able to eat it immediately. You may need to freeze your ice cream bowl, if that is the type of maker you have or purchase. You will need to soak the cashews for at least 6 hours or overnight and chill the cream base. Once you make the ice cream, it needs to harden a little in the freezer. It’s a process, but once you have the cone you’ve been dreaming about, it’s all worth it. Just keep that in mind and anticipate a hot summer night with the wind in the trees and a waffle cone in your hand with the ice cream you churned (at the press of a button or move of a lever).

*True story – I was given an ice cream bowl attachment for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer at one of my showers 6 YEARS AGO and never broke it out of the box. It seemed like one of those really fun things to scan for my bridal registry, but since we lived in a smallish apartment, the ice cream maker was stored at my parent’s until we moved into a house. Fast forward to now when I realized I had it hidden away in a cabinet and should probably give it a go. If you are looking for ice cream maker options, here are my top picks. My Kitchen Aid attachment is not on there. It refused to work after two batches and I still haven’t figured out why. An all in one machine seems like a much better option and they aren’t too pricey, but I’ve listed a splurge maker as well.

ice cream maker 1 // ice cream maker 2 // ice cream maker 3 // old fashioned ice cream maker

Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

for the ice cream:

• 1 1/4 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight (or at least 6 hours), then drained
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 15-ounce can full fat coconut milk (reserve 2 tablespoons for cookie dough)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 3 tablespoons vegan butter (such as earth’s balance soy sticks)
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dairy free mini chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life chips)
• About 1-2 tablespoons coconut milk