No Churn, Dairy Free Blueberry Ice Cream

Reasons I love July: beach days that go too late, tomatoes that finally taste like something, fireworks over the water, and blueberry season.

Full transparency, I was actually planning to make blueberry cereal bars for a breakfast recipe this month. But I posted a poll, and an overwhelming majority of you voted for blueberry ice cream instead. So here we are.

This version is vegan, no-churn, and doesn’t require any special equipment. No eggs, no custard, no ice cream maker — just a coconut milk and Siggi’s dairy-free vanilla yogurt base, whisked by hand every 30 minutes to keep it creamy instead of icy, swirled through with a bright, jammy blueberry compote.

Why coconut milk and coconut yogurt

I tested this a few different ways. Straight coconut yogurt on its own is a lovely tangy froyo, but it freezes harder and icier without enough fat to keep it scoopable. Cashews blended smooth make an incredibly rich base, but they need soaking time and a high-speed blender. Splitting the difference — coconut milk for richness, Siggi’s dairy-free vanilla yogurt for tang and that toothsome frozen-yogurt quality — gave the best texture with the least effort.

No ice cream maker? No problem

This recipe skips the machine entirely. Instead, you whisk the base by hand every 30–45 minutes for the first few hours in the freezer, which breaks up ice crystals the same way churning would. A shallow container (a loaf pan works great) and a hand mixer or immersion blender make this go faster.

The blueberry swirl

Fresh or frozen blueberries both work here. Simmer them down with a touch of maple syrup and lemon juice until they break down and thicken slightly, then let the compote cool completely before swirling it in.

Recipe

Makes about 6 servings

For the base

• 1½ cups full-fat coconut milk (canned)

• 1½ cups Siggi’s dairy-free vanilla yogurt

• ¾ cup maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ¼ tsp fine sea salt

• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

For the blueberry compote

• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• Juice of ½ lemon

Instructions

1. Make the compote. Combine the blueberries, maple syrup, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries break down and the mixture thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.

2. Cool completely. Let the compote cool, then chill in the fridge while you prep the base.

3. Whisk the base. In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and lemon juice until smooth.

4. Freeze. Pour the base into a shallow, freezer-safe container (a loaf pan works well) and place in the freezer.

5. Whisk every 30–45 minutes. After about 45 minutes, once the edges start to firm up, whisk vigorously or blend with a hand mixer to break up ice crystals. Repeat 3–4 times over the next few hours.

6. Swirl in the compote. During one of the later whisking rounds, once the base has thickened, swirl in the chilled blueberry compote with a knife or spatula.

7. Final freeze. Smooth the top, cover, and freeze until firm, about 6–8 hours or overnight.

Note: If it freezes a little too firm, let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before scooping.

Enjoy and let me know if you make it!