Indulge in this guilt-free, homemade, healthy, naturally sweetened, vanilla ice cream! It’s refined-sugar free and loaded with health benefits that taste as good, if not better, than store bought comparisons.
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At the beginning of 2024, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. While I was relieved to know that there was an answer to what was going on with my body, I was also weighed down with the realization that I would have to be even more mindful of my diet and lifestyle.
In an attempt to eliminate modern wheat and refined sugars, I have gone completely gluten-free with the exception of einkorn flour. I have also eliminated refined sugars from my diet, with the exception of making our homemade kombucha.
I have felt so much better and my labs are showing huge improvements with these lifestyle changes.
When summer time was approaching, I began thinking about all the summer BBQs, popsicles, camp fires, and ice cream. I didn’t want to be along and not included in these yummy foods with all their refined sugar.
So I thought about making fruit jello dessert and raspberry coconut bars. I found a great organic BBQ sauce, naturally sweetened with dates, no cane sugar or artificial sweeteners. When the family has smores, I won’t mind saying no, they are sticky and messy anyway. Popsicles are easy to make at home and naturally sweeten with honey.
Then there is ice cream… My husband loves ice cream. We couldn’t have that temptation in our freezer all summer.
While walking around Costco, I saw the Ninja Creami for sale. I had priced them the year before, but didn’t really have a desire for one, since I was eating store bought ice cream. Well, seeing it for sale, and knowing that I wouldn’t be partaking in store bought ice cream anymore, got me so excited.
This would be a win for everyone! I could create my own recipes, vanilla, chocolate, and more. Then naturally sweeten the ice cream while adding loads of healthy ingredients!
SOLD!
Is there such thing as no sugar ice cream?
Technically yes. You could omit every natural sweetener (berries, honey, maple syrup, and of course cane sugar) and just mix heavy cream or coconut cream and egg yolks with a pinch of salt. This would be a truly sugar-free ice cream. However, it would of course, not be sweet, but you would have a cold, creamy ice cream that is nutrient dense!
What is the alternative to sugar in ice cream?
When making homemade ice cream, some natural sugar alternatives include: maple syrup, honey, berries, and dates.
What is the best natural sweetener for refined sugar free ice cream?
Can I substitute honey for sugar when making ice cream? Absolutely! The honey mixes well with the cream and other ingredients giving the end result a smooth and creamy texture.
Can I use maple syrup instead of sugar in ice cream? I use this regularly due to the maple syrup giving a finished rich and robust flavor to the ice cream.
My go-to substitutes for refined sugar in ice cream are honey and maple syrup. This is because of the ease in substitution, pour and mix!
Why not replace sugar with stevia when making ice cream?
This is a point of controversy in the health food world. I think that if it works for you in your kitchen then use it. However, I’ll share my reasonings for why I avoid it.
While stevia is plant-based and is a zero-calorie sweetener, it is still a highly refined product. Oftentimes, stevia blends contain additives that can cause dysregulation to gut health.
Some may say, well honey and maple syrup can dysregulate gut health too because it spikes blood sugar. However, this is contrary to the scientific findings.
Maple syrup has anti-inflammatory properties that can actually aid in the reduction of an inflamed and dysregulated gut, and protects against liver damage. (Unlike cane sugar which attributes to fatty liver disease.)1, 2
For the benefits mentioned above, it is vital that you use a real maple syrup where the only ingredient is maple syrup and preferably organic.
Likewise, raw honey supports digestion, is an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, promotes wound healing, is an antioxidant, and has prebiotic benefits for regulating the microbiome in the gut. It also reduces gut infection and inflammation, and stimulates the growth of beneficial microbes in the gut.3
The best honey to get these benefits mentioned above from is a raw, local honey.
While on my journey to healing my Hashimoto’s, I am personally choosing to stick to nature as close as possible and avoiding stevia and other processed sweeteners for the reasons listed above.
How to make naturally sweetened vanilla ice cream
My method for making ice cream requires these equipment items:
Ingredients need for creamy, naturally sweetened vanilla ice cream!
- Raw milk
- Raw cream
- Egg yolks
- Maple syrup (or local, raw honey)
- Ground vanilla bean (or vanilla extract)
- Salt
As a good rule of thumb, it is best practice to source quality food products such as organic, grass fed, wild caught, local, non-GMO, and made at home with the most basic of ingredients. This will help to have more nutrient dense meals that will not only taste better, but nourish your family while reducing toxins and unnecessary chemicals. Get tips from this article on how I grocery shop and meal plan for my family of six and do our best to only bring home quality ingredients.
Easy steps for making naturally sweetened vanilla ice cream
- Add all your ingredients to your Ninja Creami 24 ounce pint containers.
- Using the immersion blender, blend all the ingredients until fully combined. This will take about 30-45 seconds. Make sure that your liquid does not exceed the first line: freeze fill line.
- Cover your pint with the lid and place in your freezer, on a flat, level surface for a minimum of 24 hours.
- After 24 hours, you can remove from the freezer and take off the lid. Place the container in the outer bowl of the Ninja Creami and place the bowl lid into the lock position.
- Slide the bowl container into the machine and lock into place on the machine.
- Press the power button, select full, select ice cream, and push in the button to start churning.
- After 2 minutes you can release the bowl, slide out and release the lid. If your ice cream is not the consistency you desire, but is crumbly, you can reinsert and follow steps 5-6 again.
- If you want to add mix-ins instead then start by making a hole in the center to the bottom and add them to that hole. Then reinsert and select full, mix-in. It should start automatically.
- If your ice cream is still crumbly add a about a tablespoon of cream to the top and re-spin.
- You can serve immediately! Be sure to rinse your bowl lid and blade immediately for easier clean up.
What to do with leftover in your pint container.
If you have leftovers in your pint, make sure to smooth out the surface with the back of a spoon so that it is flat and level before putting it back into the freezer. Again, make sure it is on a flat, level surface before refreezing. This will prevent damaging your equipment when you re-spin your leftover ice cream.
Mix-in ideas to naturally sweeten your vanilla ice cream
Strawberry cheesecake
After your first spin of the vanilla ice cream make a hole down the center and add the following three ingredients:
- Cream cheese: you want to cut a piece long enough to reach the bottom. I use about 2 Tablespoons worth in a long piece.
- Strawberries: slice these and press down on two sides of the cream cheese block.
- Cookie: I like this gluten free, refined-sugar free cookies by simple mills. They use mostly organic ingredients and coconut and honey are the sweeteners. They taste just like honey graham crackers to me.
Then place the bowl lid back on and set it in the machine. Once locked in place, select full and mix-in. Once finished you will have a yummy strawberry flavored cheesecake!
What are your favorite mix-ins for vanilla ice cream? Please share your ideas in the comments below!
My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:
Proverbs 24:13
The Best Naturally Sweetened Vanilla Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 Scale
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (175g) Milk (whole, raw)
- 1 cup (250g) Heavy cream (raw)
- 3 Egg yolks
- ¼ cup (85g) Maple syrup (or local, raw honey)
- ½ tsp Ground vanilla bean (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
- ¼ tsp Salt (Redmond's real salt)
Instructions
- Add ¾ cup (175g) Milk, 1 cup (250g) Heavy cream, 3 Egg yolks, ¼ cup (85g) Maple syrup , ½ tsp Ground vanilla bean , and ¼ tsp Salt (Redmond's real salt) to your Ninja Creami 24 ounce pint containers.
- Using the immersion blender, blend all the ingredients until fully combined. This will take about 30-45 seconds. Make sure that your liquid does not exceed the first line: freeze fill line.
- Cover your pint with the lid and place in your freezer, on a flat, level surface for a minimum of 24 hours.
- After 24 hours, you can remove from the freezer and take off the lid. Place the container in the outer bowl of the Ninja Creami and place the bowl lid into the lock position.
- Slide the bowl container into the machine and lock into place on the machine.
- Press the power button, select full, select ice cream, and push in the button to start churning.
- After 2 minutes you can release the bowl, slide out and release the lid. If your ice cream is not the consistency you desire, but is crumbly, you can reinsert and follow steps 5-6 again.
- If you want to add mix-ins instead then start by making a hole in the center to the bottom and add them to that hole. Then reinsert and select full, mix-in. It should start automatically. If your ice cream is still crumbly add a about a tablespoon of cream to the top and re-spin.
- You can serve immediately! Be sure to rinse your bowl lid and blade immediately for easier clean up.
Notes
Strawberry cheesecake mix-in
After your first spin of the vanilla ice cream make a hole down the center and add the following three ingredients:-
- Cream cheese: you want to cut a piece long enough to reach the bottom. I use about 2 Tablespoons worth in a long piece.
-
- Strawberries: slice these and press down on two sides of the cream cheese block.
-
- Cookie: I like these gluten free, refined-sugar free cookies by simple mills. They use mostly organic ingredients and coconut and honey are the sweeteners. They taste just like honey graham crackers to me.
What to do with leftover in your pint container.
If you have leftovers in your pint, make sure to smooth out the surface with the back of a spoon so that it is flat and level before putting it back into the freezer. Again, make sure it is on a flat, level surface before refreezing. This will prevent damaging your equipment when you re-spin your leftover ice cream.References
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/maple-syrup-good-for-you
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/maple-syrup
- Schell, K. R., Fernandes, K. E., Shanahan, E., Wilson, I., Blair, S. E., Carter, D. A., & Cokcetin, N. N. (2022). The Potential of Honey as a Prebiotic Food to Re-engineer the Gut Microbiome Toward a Healthy State. Frontiers in nutrition, 9, 957932. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.957932
Rebekah Lebahn says
Thank you for sharing this! We recently bought a Ninja Creami!! I have had fun experimenting with flavors! I made this one for the family and they loved the creamy rich texture! Being sugar free makes it a perfect alternative to enjoying a summer treat ☀️ thank you!
Ashley says
I am so happy your family loved the ice cream recipe. The raw ingredients make it more nostalgic with that creamy rich flavor. It is a great base for adding mix-ins and making it your own. Thank you for sharing!!