Having just shared recipes for tropical coconut mango ice cream and decadent coffee ice cream, now it’s the turn of this light and refreshing peach ice cream recipe! This homemade peach ice cream is soft, smooth, creamy, and packed with peachy flavor – all without any dairy or eggs! In fact, I spent ages deciding between calling this just peach or peaches and cream ice cream. Whenever peaches are in bounty, this will be a new go-to treat of mine, along with my two-layer raspberry-peach and lemon tart, citrus peach smoothie bowl, and peach iced tea. The simple combination of coconut cream and cashew base makes for a super decadent treat, but that still doesn’t overtake the subtle peachy flavor. I’ve used a similar combination previously to make mini stuffed Magnum bars, which are still one of my favorite ice cream treats to date (along with homemade strawberry sorbet when I want something fruity!). Best of all, this vegan peach ice cream recipe doesn’t require an ice cream machine. It is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and can be made with unrefined sugars. There are no preservatives or nasty add-ins either, just all-natural ingredients for a smooth and creamy result. There are also tons of ways to adapt the recipe with add-ins (check out my list of suggestions below)! Want more frosty, fruity treat inspiration? You might like my 100% fruity ice-lollies, yogurt fruit lollies, or even pistachio and avocado ice cream (I mean, it’s technically a fruit!).
The ingredients
This recipe for peach ice cream is very simple and requires just five ingredients and a pinch of salt.
Peaches: use fresh, ripe peaches for the best flavor and results. If you plan to include the skins (lots of extra nutrients), I recommend using organic peaches. Coconut Cream: you can either use the thick cream scooped out from a chilled can of coconut milk (use a brand without tons of fillers) or make homemade coconut cream. Alternatively, you can use a vegan heavy cream – but I recommend whipping it first, then folding the blended peach/cashew mixture into it for lighter, creamier results. Cashew cream: I make homemade cashew cream (method below) with raw cashews, water, and a high-speed blender/food processor. This makes for a super decadent vegan peach ice cream. Sugar: I used regular sugar for this peach ice cream for a simple, clean flavor. However, feel free to use an unrefined option like coconut sugar, maple syrup, and date syrup, though the taste will vary. Honey also works particularly well with peaches (use dandelion “honey” for a vegan version). Vanilla: I used a vanilla pod, cut in half, and the seeds scraped into the recipe. Salt: just a little will help enhance the flavors in this peach homemade ice cream.
Topping options
Berries and fruits – raspberries, pear, orange, mango, sour cherries (fresh or grilled/caramelized). You can even use peach slices. Pomegranate molasses and other syrups. Ginger pulp crackers (or ginger syrup). Whipped cream (I use whipped coconut cream, which is dairy-free). Crushed biscuits – you can also use whole cookies like gingerbread cookies or digestives to make a peach ice cream sandwich. Fresh mint, rosemary, sage, or lemon balm. Nuts – almonds, walnuts, pecans (raw, toasted, or candied). Coconut – shredded or flakes, raw or toasted. Granola. Condensed milk or coconut condensed milk.
Optional add-ins
There are several ways you can play around with this homemade peach ice cream recipe. For any spices/extracts, add them when blending (amounts will vary to personal preference). For any ‘crunchy’ bits, I recommend folding them into the blended ice cream before re-freezing/serving.
Cinnamon Almond extract Chili powder Lime zest (and juice) Toasted coconut Crushed biscuits – like Graham crackers, gingerbread, or digestive (linked above) Chocolate chips (dark or white) Crushed nuts (pistachios, almonds, etc.) Alcohol (like Peach schnapps or Bourbon) Candied ginger Other fruit (like raspberries, nectarines, pineapple, banana) Dried fruit (raisins, dates, apricot) Peaches and cream ice cream – I’d keep some of the coconut cashew creams to one side before mixing in the peaches. Then lightly fold it into the blended peach mixture, so the ice cream is swirled with the ‘cream’ mixture.
How to make peach ice cream
Step 1: Prepare the peach mixture
First, wash and cut the peaches, removing the stones. Then add all of the peaches in a large pan along with the sugar and a vanilla pod – first slice it in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and then optionally add the entire pod, too. Heat the mixture over medium heat just for about 10-15 minutes to soften the fruit and dissolve the sugar. Then set aside to cool, removing the vanilla pod (it can be washed, dried, and re-used).
Step 2: Prepare the cashew cream
If you haven’t already, prepare the cashew cream. To do this, first, soak the cashew nuts. You can do this for 30 minutes in boiling water or for several hours (or overnight) in room temperature water. I tend to do this the night before, so they’re ready to go. Blend the soaked cashews with water (or the leftover liquid from the can of coconut milk after removing the thick cream).
Step 3: Blend the vegan peach ice cream Ingredients
Add all of the peach ice cream ingredients to your food blender and blend into a smooth puree. It might have a few small specs from the peach skins but should be nice and smooth. You can have a smoother mixture if you peel the peaches first, but the vegan peach ice cream color will be lighter. When it’s fully blended, give the mixture a taste and adjust the sweetness if needed.
Step 4: Freeze the peach ice cream
There are a couple of ways you can go about finishing off the peach ice cream. Ice tray method: pour the blended peach ice cream mixture into a silicone ice-cube tray (easier to remove) and transfer it to the freezer until solid. This will take several hours but can be left up to a day in the freezer. Large container method: this method is a little more hands-on as it requires you to manually agitate (mix) the ice cream several times during the freezing process – as I did with this caramel ice cream. If you use the second method, then you can ignore the following steps.
Step 5: Blend the peach ice cream cubes
Transfer the frozen peach ice-cream cubes to your food processor and blend into a soft, smooth consistency. Serve immediately or, if it’s a little soft, place it in an ice-cream container in the freezer for a further 30-60 minutes and then top with your toppings of choice and enjoy!
How to store and serve
I recommend enjoying this homemade peach ice cream within two weeks for the best flavor, though it should be fine for up to one month. Make sure to store it tightly covered to avoid the formation of ice crystals. Remove it from the freezer for 5-10 minutes before serving to scoop it out more easily. Enjoy the vegan peach ice cream alone, with the toppings of your choice, or over desserts like pancakes, fruity crumbles, etc.
Recipe notes
Keep the ratio: be careful with reducing and substituting ingredients in this peach ice cream recipe. The ratio used provides the best results, and I can’t guarantee super creamy results otherwise. Adding alcohol: be careful when experimenting with adding alcohol, as alcohol lowers the freezing point of ice cream and will yield creamier results in the correct ratio, but prevent the peach ice cream from freezing at all if too much is used! For even creamier, flavorful results: you can reduce the peach puree by ⅓-½ on the stovetop for a more concentrated flavor and less water content, i.e., creamier, richer homemade peach ice cream! If you plan on doing this, increase the amount of peaches (for example, use ⅓ extra if you plan to reduce by ⅓, so the final amount of puree is the same). The peach skins: you can make this recipe with or without the peach skins. When using organic peaches, I always include the skin – it’s extra nutrients and color and barely noticeable since it gets blended so finely. Though, of course, there will still be a few ‘specks of it in the peach ice cream. The color of your ice cream will also vary based on the peaches used and if skins are included. Chunky peach ice cream: if you want bigger chunks of peach in your ice cream, then hand mash a little of the peach pulp (skins not included) and fold it into the blended mixture. Using roasted peaches: if you roast your peaches before blending them, you’ll end up with more caramelized depth to the flavor.
More fun dessert recipes
Chocolate dessert hummus Vegan Pumpkin Pie (Keto, paleo, no-bake) Thai coconut sticky rice with mango Avocado chocolate mousse Coconut Mango Ice Cream Vegan Coffee Ice Cream
If you try this homemade peach ice cream recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
