This Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream is creamy, luscious and bursting with pumpkin pie flavor! You’d never guess it’s dairy-free and vegan. A great seasonal celebration for Halloween and Thanksgiving too.
This allergy-friendly post is sponsored by Enjoy Life Foods. All opinions are my own.
I’m getting so excited for Halloween! The recent recipes for Creepy Shirley Temples, Swampy Frog Egg Pudding and Witch Hair Pasta were a clue I suppose. During this past week I surprised my family by pulling out all our decorations collected over the years and completely tricking out the house (inside and out). It changes the mood and gets everyone excited for spooky fun to come!
As thrilled as we are for Halloween, it’s a dreaded holiday for many with food allergies. The big concern when I was growing up was if someone gave us an apple and the fear there was a razor blade in it. These days unless you know someone personally, fresh foods are off the table. And if you have food allergies the options can narrow to the point of Trick-or-Treating being a total nightmare.
We typically give out glow bracelets but this year I’m so excited because Enjoy Life Foods, purveyors of allergy-friendly foods, has just come out with semi-sweet chocolate Mini Chips Snack Packs and dark chocolate Morsels (regular size) Snack Packs. They are ‘allergy-friendly’, gluten-free and free from the top 8 allergens. Most importantly of course, they taste great.
If you are free from food allergies yourself this may not seem like a big deal but especially for kids affected with food allergies having products available to allow Trick-or-Treating safely is huge! You may have seen teal pumpkins over the past few years in the media? Houses which have non-food treats for ghouls or goblins can place a teal pumpkin on the porch so families know that house is a safe option for Trick-or-Treating. Now these snack packs offer the same option for those affected with the top 8 allergens.
I was lucky to save enough of the new snack packs from my kids devouring them (they come 12 individual packs in a larger bag) to use them in a fun seasonal dessert recipe: Vegan Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream. Also free of the top 8 allergens, this ice cream (and I can call it that since it’s made with coconut cream) tastes just like pumpkin pie filling. It’s creamy and luscious with the flavors of the season. Those who aren’t coconut lovers, never fear. Though it’s made with coconut milk and coconut cream, the coconut flavor isn’t prominent. In fact, my kids thought I had made it with traditional cow milk.
A sprinkle of the mini chips on top makes this dessert perfection with the rich chocolate flavor! Something else we’ve loved using the mini chips for is No Cook S’mores. Great to make at home or for lunchbox fun. Graham Crackers (or Enjoy Life Vanilla Honey Graham cookies) spread with marshmallow fluff (I have a homemade organic marshmallow fluff recipe; it does include an egg and I’ve seen egg-free recipe on the internet too) and dipped in the mini chips (or the dark morsels too).
Sprinkle them on yogurt, on celery filled with peanut butter (if nuts aren’t an issue for you) or by themselves for a sweet treat on the go. So any options to use these Snack Packs; have fun figuring out new ideas in your house!
Recipe
Vegan Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pumpkin Puree (canned or homemade)
- 1 13.6-ounce can Unsweetened Coconut Milk (full fat)
- 2 54.-ounce cans Unsweetened Coconut Cream
- ¼ cup Maple Syrup
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Topping: Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips (1 snack pack per two servings of ice cream)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except the vanilla extract in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking to incorporate all ingredients. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Making the ice cream with a machine: Place the mixture in the refrigerator to fully chill. Process through an ice cream maker to the manufacturers instructions. Spoon the ice cream into a freezer-safe container to allow to fully freeze overnight. Making the ice cream without a machine: Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Pour into a freezer-safe container and seal or cover with plastic wrap. Freeze until firm (6 hours to overnight depending on your freezer).
Nutrition
Amy Desrosiers says
I have never tried vegan ice cream before, but from the looks of this I am missing out! I need to try delving into using more coconut-based ingredients.
Toni Dash says
You wouldn’t even know it wasn’t dairy Amy!
Brianne says
Ok this looks amazing. I am definitely making that pumpkin ice-cream! I love this time of year!
Crystal says
Nothing better than pumpkin and chocolate this time of year. That is, until you make it ice cream! Sounds like the perfect fall treat, especially here where it’s still in the 80’s.
Toni Dash says
Ironically I just heard we too are expecting temps in the mid 80’s tomorrow in Colorado too! So much for fall.
Lane & Holly @ With Two Spoons says
I vote for ice cream all year round! Pumpkin sounds like the perfect flavor for this time of year!
Reesa Lewandowski says
I had no idea Enjoy LIfe sold these mini candies! My family loves their chocolate – they were all surprised to hear it was vegan!
Megan @ MegUnprocessed says
Looks incredibly good!
Ada says
That looks amazing! I am from Poland where we didn’t really celebrate halloween when I was little girl so I didnt really eat too much stuff with pumpkin . They I moved to USA for a bit and I felt in love with it! Now I know how to make delicious pumpkin soup or pumpkin pie so now I need to try your recipe 🙂
Toni Dash says
I DO live in the US Ada and will confess I really did not like pumpkin until I became an adult. There are so many fun ways to eat it too, sweet and savory!
Amanda Love says
That’s awesome! Everyone at home loves ice cream and it would be nice to make something this healthy for them! It’s going to be a huge hit with the kids!
Jeanine says
Yum what a creative idea for ice cream. I need to try pumpkin so I can see if I’d like this. I do love me a good ice cream!
Toni Dash says
I hope you’ll love it Jeanine!
Dawn gibson-thigpen says
how super cool is this. i have a few friends who just went vegan and they would totally appreciate this recipe. i will pass along.