Vegan Matcha Chip Ice Cream

When the sun starts shining brightly and the brilliant blue skies beckon us to open our windows, it’s a sign that summer has begun and dairy-free ice cream is on its way. The sensation of holding a hefty, crisp cone of cool, creamy ice cream on a hot and steamy day is super satisfying. We hope that our vegan matcha chip ice cream recipe totally hits the spot for you this season.

Even if you’ve never made homemade ice cream in your life, this recipe is simple enough for a beginner and easy to understand. Once you’ve got your inner bowl chillin’, all you need to do is blend up your dreamy ice cream ingredients, pour into the bowl when it’s super cold, and turn on your machine. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can have your own fantastic dessert right from the freezer!

Must Have Matcha

Why is everyone so wild about matcha? Is it the glorious green color, the slightly exotic scent, or the pretty cool health benefits that makes this ingredient so irresistible? In just a single gram (or half a teaspoon) of this tempting and tasty tea, you’ll find:

• Over 300 mg of plant-based protein
• 272 mg of amino acids
• 50 mg of lipids
• Rich in minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, and iron.
• Full of vitamins and antioxidants such as vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, and K.
• A slow release of natural caffeine (68 mg), which means its amount is between a regular cup of tea (32 mg) and a cup of coffee (94 mg) for one teaspoon of matcha powder.

Adding a superfood like this to a sweet snack is a delicious way of boosting your daily nutrition. Don’t you agree?

Where Can I Find Vegan Chocolate Chips?

That’s a good question! Vegan-friendly chocolate chips are easier to find that you might think. Don’t be put off by the warning on the back of a package that states, ‘May contain traces of milk, etc.’ This just means that the facility that the chocolate is made is also makes food items that include milk as an ingredient. If milk, butter, other dairy items are not in the ingredients list, you’re safe.

If you don’t mind the extra work, you can always use your favorite vegan chocolate bar and chop it into little chunks. Or, you can make up a batch of chocolate bark and break that into perfect size pieces. 

Some popular brands of dairy-free chocolate chips include: 

• Trader Joe’s (semi-sweet or dark)
• Whole Foods (365 brand semi-sweet chunks)
• Enjoy Life (semi-sweet or dark)
• Lily’s (semi-sweet or dark)
• Equal Exchange (bittersweet)

How to Serve Up Your Vegan Matcha Ice Cream

Once your delicious ice cream is concocted, your only concern might be getting brain freeze. Other than that, you can come up with some cool and creative ways to share or serve your ice cream. Here are some of our most fun and festive ideas:

• Calm Your Chocolate Craving – Add extra chocolate chips, chunks, or shavings to the top of your sweet scoops. You may even want to try cacao nibs or a sprinkling of cocoa powder. Super, duper chocolate-y!
• Soothe Thee With Smoothie – Mix a couple of scoops of matcha chip ice cream to a blender, along with a little plant-based milk, a cup of baby spinach, and a cup of frozen fruit. Whiz it up for a wonderfully cool and creamy treat! Serve in a pretty glass with a reusable straw.
• Pop on Top of Pie – Homemade ice cream and warm piece of pie are the perfect pair. You can even substitute a gooey maple blondie or a tangy fruit tart if you prefer those instead. The ultimate party favorite is to make a giant chocolate chip cookie and smother it with as many scoops of ice cream as you wish. Yum!
• Satisfy With a Super Sundae – If you’re like me and you love different tastes, textures, and temperatures all in one bowl, a sundae would be a really special snack. Start with a base layer of super ripe bananas, add 2-3 scoops of ice cream, and add the most tempting toppings such as coconut whipped cream, warm vegan nutella, a large scoop of strawberry jam, and a handful of candied walnuts. Lastly, don’t forget the cherry on top!

Equipment You’ll Need

• Measuring Spoons
• Measuring Cups
• Ice Cream Maker
• Blender
• Rubber Spatula

Simple Storage

Storing any leftover vegan matcha chip ice cream is super easy. Scoop remaining ice cream into a freezer safe container with a secure lid. If stored properly, your homemade dessert should last at least 2-6 months in the freezer. You can also use an ice cube tray with a cover for quick and easy mini ice cream treats!

Vegan Matcha Chip Ice Cream

★★★★★ 5 from 6 reviews

• Author: Michelle Cehn
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Ice Cream Maker
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

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Description

The perfect vegan matcha ice cream that takes just minutes of effort and tastes like you got it from an ice cream shop! You’ll need an ice cream maker (and make sure you freeze the basin for at least 24 hours in advance of making this). 

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Ingredients

• 2 cans of coconut milk
• 5 tablespoons of sugar
• 7 tablespoons of agave nectar
• 3 tablespoons of matcha powder
• ⅛ teaspoon of of salt
• ½ cup of chocolate chips, roughly chopped (or mini vegan chocolate chips)

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Instructions

1. Advance Prep: Freeze the ice cream maker bowl for at least 24 hours before beginning (or follow ice cream maker directions). This is an essential step for getting the right ice cream consistency!
2. In a blender, add the coconut milk, sugar, agave nectar, matcha powder, and salt and blend until completely smooth. Pour into a bowl, cover, and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour to chill (longer is fine too).
3. Set up your ice cream maker with the fully-frozen canister, turn it on, and gently pour in the chilled matcha mixture. Allow ice cream maker to run until the matcha mixture turns from liquid to thick soft serve. This usually takes about 10-15 minutes, but look for visual signs of readiness and follow your ice cream maker’s instructions as the time can vary significantly. 
4. As soon as the ice cream maker is done, using a spatula, quickly scoop all the soft ice cream into a storage container and gently fold in the chocolate. The ice cream will be very soft (similar to soft serve) and will melt quickly, so work fast and cover and transfer to the freezer as soon as you’re done!
5. Allow to chill in the freezer for at least 4 hours (or overnight) before enjoying!

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Equipment

ice cream maker

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Keywords: vegan, vegetarian, dessert, matcha, Japanese, plant-based, easy, dairy-free

If you try this Vegan Matcha Chip Ice Cream, let us know what you think by leaving a comment and rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more vegan recipe inspiration.

More Cool and Creamy Vegan Desserts to Try:

• Vegan Rocky Road Ice Cream
• Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream
• Minimalist Mango Berry Nice Cream
• Strawberries n’ Cream Smoothie
• Matcha Vegan Cupcakes

Vegan Matcha Chip Ice Cream recipe by Michelle Cehn and photos by JJ Steele, copyright of World of Vegan™, all rights reserved. Article written by Gina House and edited by Amanda Meth. Please note that this article contains affiliate links which means shopping through them really helps to support World of Vegan!