Vegan Cookie Dough Ice Cream (Dairy Free & Egg Free!)

Classic vanilla ice cream is packed with unbaked chocolate chip cookie dough bites, in this homemade vegan cookie dough ice cream!

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

An extra smooth and creamy ice cream base.
It features MORE cookie dough pieces than other recipes.
The chunks of chocolate chip cookie dough stay soft and chewy, even when frozen.
Includes gluten free, sugar free, and coconut free options.
You’re not sacrificing flavor just because it’s vegan. My non vegan friends love this dairy free ice cream too.

The recipe is perfect for a hot summer day, and it’s equally satisfying in the winter. (That’s why we have fireplaces.) Scoop the frozen dessert into ice cream cones, or devour it with a spoon.

And no judgment if you eat all of the chocolate chip cookie dough first!

Also try this Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Step by step recipe video

Ninja Creami Cookie Dough Ice Cream Pint

Did you know cookie dough ice cream wasn’t invented until 1991?

(Thank you, Ben & Jerry’s.)

This really makes me wonder what we all did before that time.

I’m trying to remember a world without cookie dough ice cream, but it’s almost as difficult as trying to remember what the world was like before the internet.

Thankfully we don’t have to think about it, and if you are currently living in a cookie-dough-less home, all you have to do is whip up the recipe below to instantly add some cookie dough deliciousness to your life.

The recipe could not be easier. You need just five ingredients plus cookie dough!

Plant Based Milk – Use your favorite! Coconut milk gives you a rich, velvety texture. But if you don’t want any coconut taste, soymilk or barista style oat milk are also great options. Unsweetened almond milk works if you want a low calorie option with much less saturated fat than your average pint of cookie dough ice cream from the grocery store.

Cashew Butter – This can be either raw or roasted cashew butter. It adds a buttery quality to the ice cream and should not be left out. However, you can swap it for nut free sunflower butter if desired. I also love almond butter or macadamia nut butter here.

Sweetener – The recipe works with either a granulated or liquid sweetener. You can choose white or brown sugar, or unrefined coconut sugar, date sugar, pure maple syrup or agave. Granulated erythritol, xylitol, or monk fruit all work for sugar free cookie dough ice cream. As a bonus, they help the ice cream to not freeze solid.

Vanilla Extract – To achieve the most authentic flavor and no artificial aftertaste, I recommend pure vanilla extract as opposed to imitation vanilla flavoring.

Salt – Including the salt is crucial. Without it, your ice cream will taste flat and overly sweet.

Chocolate Chips (optional) – I like to throw in a handful of mini chocolate chips near the end. Dairy free chocolate chips should be readily available at most grocery stores or health food stores. If you cannot find any, make your own Sugar Free Chocolate Chips.

Instead of cashew butter, use smooth or crunchy peanut butter in the base. Replace the cookie dough pieces with dough from this Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies recipe.

You can whip up this recipe in a high speed blender, ice cream machine, or a Ninja Creami. Prepare the ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific model. (Many ice cream makers require freezing ahead of time.)

Make up a batch of vegan cookie dough. This can be done the night before or a few days in advance to save time.
Cut into small bite size pieces or cookie dough balls, and freeze until hard.
Combine the nondairy milk, cashew butter, sweetener, vanilla extract, and salt in a large measuring cup or a Ninja Creami container. Stir with a spoon or immersion blender until evenly mixed.
If using an ice cream machine, simply pour the liquid into the appliance and process into ice cream. If using a high speed blender, pour into an ice cube container and freeze, then blend the frozen cubes into ice cream. Or if using a Ninja Creami, freeze the container and then process on the Lite setting.
Take your unbaked cookie dough pieces out of the freezer and stir into the vegan cookie dough ice cream. I also sometimes throw in a handful of chocolate chips.
Scoop out the vegan ice cream and enjoy as soft serve. Or for a firmer ice cream texture, freeze for about a half hour. Serve in bowls or ice cream cones.
Store any leftover ice cream in the freezer, and thaw before scooping.

Frequently asked questions

Does it taste like coconut?

My #1 complaint (right above an icy texture) with vegan ice cream recipes and store bought nondairy frozen desserts is that they often taste like coconut when you aren’t looking for that flavor profile. You can easily avoid this here by using a different plant based milk. However, the coconut cookie dough version is really good too!

How do I keep the cookie dough from turning into a mushy clump?

A great tip is to freeze the vegan cookie dough pieces ahead of time. This will prevent the bites from breaking apart as you mix them into the ice cream.

Is this recipe gluten free?

It can be! For gluten free cookie dough ice cream, just be sure to use certified gluten free oat flour or your favorite gluten free cookie dough that’s safe to eat raw.

Do you need an ice cream maker?

No ice cream machine is required for the recipe. You can instead use a high speed blender (like a Vitamix or Blendtec) or a Ninja Creami machine.

This no bake and egg free vegan cookie dough recipe makes about 1 cup.

You need half a cup for the cookie dough ice cream below, giving you plenty of extra if you want to make more ice cream or snack on the raw cookie dough!

6 tbsp cup oat flour (45g)
2 tbsp rolled oats (12g) or 1 1/2 tbsp additional oat flour
1/4 cup sugar or sugar free granulated sweetener (45g)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp dairy free mini chocolate chips (25g)
1 1/2 tbsp salted vegan butter (20g), melted
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Melt the vegan butter. Then set it aside to cool. Meanwhile, add all dry ingredients to a medium mixing bowl. Stir well to evenly incorporate the baking soda and salt. Now stir in the butter and vanilla to form a cookie dough texture. If too dry, stir in just a teaspoon or two of water as needed.

Press the dough into a ball. Refrigerate until firm enough to cut cleanly into small bite size pieces. For optimal freshness, store vegan cookie dough in the refrigerator or freezer.

Dairy Free Cookie Dough Ice Cream (Eggless Frozen Dessert)

The recipe was adapted from my Keto Ice Cream and Coconut Milk Ice Cream.

The recipe works in an ice cream machine, high speed blender, or a Ninja Creami. Prepare your machine ahead of time if necessary. (Some ice cream makers need to be frozen days in advance.)
1. To make vegan cookie dough ice cream, first make the cookie dough. This step can be done days in advance to save time. Either use the vegan chocolate chip cookie dough recipe above or any plant based cookie dough.
2. Cut the cookie dough into bite sized pieces, or roll into tiny balls. Freeze until hard.
3. In a large measuring cup or Ninja Creami container, combine the nondairy milk, nut butter, sweetener of choice, vanilla, and salt. Whisk with a spoon or immersion blender until fully mixed.
4. If using an ice cream machine, pour into the machine and process according to manufacturer’s instructions for your machine. If using a high speed blender, pour into ice cube containers and freeze. Then use the tamper to blend into ice cream. Finally, if using a Ninja Creami, freeze until solid and then blend on the Lite setting.
5. Stir the raw cookie dough bites into the ice cream, along with optional chocolate chips.
6. Enjoy as soft serve, or freeze about a half hour if you want a firmer ice cream texture.
7. Freeze leftover vegan ice cream, and thaw before scooping into bowls or ice cream cones.