There is no better combo than sweet and salty, and this Salted Honey Ice Cream hits the mark on both. It's completely dairy free and can be made in either the Ninja Creami or a traditional ice cream maker.
I've been wanting to make a salted honey ice cream for awhile and finally got around to it. I'm a salt fanatic, so whenever I can make a dessert with a salty kick, I'm in. This homemade ice cream recipe definitely hits the salt mark, but can be adjusted based on your preference. This ice cream is excellent if you have POTS/Dysuatonomia or if you need an electrolyte boost in the hot summer weather because the honey and salt combo is great for balancing those levels.
Why You'll Love this Salted Honey Ice Cream
- Allergy friendly: this creamy honey ice cream is dairy free, gluten free, and paleo. Made with only a handful of basic ingredients, it's allergy friendly while being full of flavor. Since this recipe contains honey, it's not fully vegan, but it does not contain any egg yolks.
- It's healthy: honey is filled with anti-oxidants and antimicrobial benefits! It truly is one of natures super foods. This dairy free honey ice cream is also made with coconut milk, so we're getting a great dose of healthy fats. Coconut milk contains MCT (medium-chain triglycerides) and lauric acid which are good for anti-inflammatory benefits and supporting the immune system!
- Supports electrolytes: the honey and salt combo is actually great for supporting electrolyte balance, making this dessert perfect for hot summer days when you've been sweating a lot. I often consume a spoonful of honey with lots of salt on top before/after workouts or when I'm feeling extra tired.
- Easy to make: I originally developed this recipe to be made in a traditional home ice cream maker (like the Cuisinart ice cream maker), but have since also created a Ninja Creami version. It's easy to make no matter what ice cream maker you have at home and there is no egg mixture to worry about!
Dairy Free Salted Honey Ice Cream Ingredients
- Coconut milk: stick to full fat coconut milk for the best texture.
- Honey: any honey will do, although I advise sticking to a lighter variety for best results. Darker honey can have a much richer flavor which is almost over-powering in this recipe. Lighter honey varieties provide a mellow sweetness that pairs well with the coconut milk.
- Coconut sugar: just a little bit of coconut sugar goes into the ice cream base to balance the flavors.
- Arrowroot or tapioca starch: to keep this recipe egg free and easy to make, starch helps thicken the ice cream base for the best texture of the ice cream once churned. You can leave this out if making in the Ninja Creami.
- Sea salt: we will be using plenty of salt in this honey ice cream. Stick to flaky salt in this recipe.
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Salted Honey Ice Cream
Traditional ice-cream maker:
- Make sure the ice cream maker bowl has been frozen for at least 24 hours before churning.
- Combine milk, honey, coconut sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt in a blender until combined.
- Pour the milk mixture into a medium saucepan over medium heat. While the ice cream base is heating up, whisk the starch and reserved coconut milk together. Once the base has warmed, add the starch mixture and whisk occasionally until the mixture has thickened. You'll find it starts to thicken on the bottom and edges of the pan first and will coat the back of a spoon. Don't let it boil.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature then place in the fridge, whisking every 30 minutes until completely cooled (about 2 hours).
- Transfer ice cream mixture to ice cream maker and churn per manufacturer's instructions until you have a soft-serve consistency. Towards the end of churning, drizzle in the 2 tablespoon of honey and some more salt so they streak through the ice cream.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for several hours to harden completely. When ready to serve, drizzle with more honey and salt as desired.
Ninja Creami:
- To make Ninja Creami honey ice cream, you will cut the recipe in half.
- Blend all ingredients together and pour mixture into a Ninja Creami cup to the max fill line. Add the lid and freeze on a level surface for 12-24 hours.
- When ready to spin, microwave the base for 30 seconds or run the outside under hot water for a 1-2 minutes then spin on the lite ice cream setting.
- If needed, add a splash of milk and re-spin (I love when it's a soft serve consistency!).
- Use a knife to swirl in the remaining honey and salt or just drizzle on top when ready to serve. I do not suggest using the mix-in function as that will completely mix in the honey without leaving streaks of it through the ice cream.
Substitutions and Variations
- Milk: for a lower fat version, use half full fat coconut milk and half milk of choice (like almond milk or oat milk). This will result in a less creamy texture, but still taste good.
- Vanilla: for a stronger honey vanilla ice cream, use vanilla bean paste instead of extract.
FAQ
The type of honey does not matter, but you can really taste the difference if you use a high-quality honey, like a local variety. I use my favorite one from a local honey store. I do suggest sticking to a lighter colored honey for the best honey flavor in this ice cream, as the darker ones have a deeper, richer more molasses type of flavor which I don't think pairs as well.
This does not matter if you use a blender to blend all ingredients, but be sure to use liquid honey for the drizzle. You can melt your solid honey on a very low heat until it's liquid. When you heat honey, it cooks off all it's nutrients so you want to try and avoid microwaving it or heating it too much.
Honey is not considered vegan, so no. Using maple syrup or agave will not result in the same outcome. If you're looking for a vegan ice cream made with maple syrup, try my Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream recipe.
How to Serve This Salt and Honey Ice Cream
Serve with an extra drizzle of honey and pinch of salt as desired. This ice cream tastes great over other desserts, like my Blueberry Crumble Pie, Strawberry-Peach Crumble, or Pear and Persimmon Cobbler. It also tastes fantastic over fresh berries. It truly elevates whatever you pair it with and has become one of my favorite ice cream flavors.
More Delicious Ice Cream Recipes
Ninja Creami Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream
Easy Dairy Free Vanilla Ice Cream
If you try this recipe, please leave a rating and review. Comment below what ice cream flavor you'd love to see next!
Dairy Free Salted Honey Ice Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cans full fat coconut coconut milk ¼ cup reserved
- ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp honey
- 2 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 3 teaspoon flaked salt, divided I use Maldon Sea Salt
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch or tapioca
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Traditional Ice Cream Maker
- Blend the coconut milk (except the ¼ cup reserved), ¼ cup honey, the coconut sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a blender until combined.
- Heat over medium heat. While the ice cream base is heating up, whisk the starch and ¼ cup reserved coconut milk together in a small bowl. Once the base has warmed, add the starch mixture and whisk occasionally until the mixture has thickened. You'll find it starts to thicken on the bottom and edges of the pan first and will coat the back of a spoon. You may get some small bubbles, but don't let it boil.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour into a glass dish and place in the fridge, whisking every 30 minutes until completely cooled (about 2 hours).
- Once your base has cooled, transfer to ice cream maker per manufacturers directions. I have this Cuisinart ice cream maker and it takes about 15 minutes for the ice cream to finish churning.
- Once done churning, transfer half of the ice cream into your freezer safe dish. Drizzle with 1 tbs of honey and ½-1 teaspoon of salt and use a knife to marble it into the ice cream. Top with the remaining ice cream and complete the same process with the last tablespoon of honey and another ½-1 teaspoon of salt.
- Freeze for several hours to harden completely and remove about 10+ minutes before serving to soften slightly. Enjoy!
Ninja Creami
- To make Ninja Creami honey ice cream, you will cut the recipe in half, using just 1 can of coconut milk and leaving out the starch (you can sub this with protein powder if desired). Or you can use the same recipe and just fill two pints!
- Blend all ingredients together (use ¼ teaspoon of salt) and pour mixture into a Ninja Creami cup to the max fill line. Add the lid and freeze on a level surface for 12-24 hours.
- When ready to spin, microwave the base for 30 seconds or run the outside under hot water for a 1-2 minutes then spin on the lite ice cream setting. If needed, add a splash of milk and re-spin.
- Use a knife to swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon of honey and ¼-1/2 teaspoon salt or just drizzle on top when ready to serve. I do not suggest using the mix-in function as that will completely mix in the honey without leaving streaks of it through the ice cream.
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