The Best Vitamix Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe (think: Wendy's Frosty!)
New and exciting! This recipe is part of our new Printable Ebook: “7 Vitamix Recipes to Make First.” Check it out!
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This recipe tastes exactly like a Wendy’s Frosty. Better, actually.
If you’re looking to quench that craving, but are also not down with dairy… this recipe is for you.
Throw a few ingredients into your your Vitamix and within minutes you’ll have a perfect homemade Frosty.
The original plan: Make chocolate ice cream
Lenny: “A reader requested we make vegan chocolate ice cream. Can we do that?”
Shalva: “Absolutely!”
(By the way, we love taking requests! Just email us at hello@lifeisnoyoke.com, fill out this form, or comment on a post with what you’d like to see us make.)
It was not a difficult challenge. But a challenge nonetheless.
If you don’t know me, I am not one to back down from a challenge. Especially a kitchen-related one.
Prove it? How about this video where my friend, Val, challenged me to make date bars in our Vitamix?
Spoiler: mission accomplished!
Chocolate ice cream did not seem hard. We’ve made a bunch of ice creams already: Coffee Ice Cream, Pumpkin Ice Cream, Banana Ice Cream, Coconut Ice Cream, and even Black Forest Ice Cream.
So yeah, I can handle ice cream. Chocolate couldn’t be that hard. (Actually, I was surprised we didn’t have a recipe for it already.)
And the timing was right.
We’ve been using the new Vitamix Explorian E310. It comes with a 48 oz container which I knew would be perfect for making a reasonable amount of frozen dessert.
(Pictured above is the Vitamix E310 (review) and what looks like the 48 oz container that comes with it, but not. It’s a 32 oz. A mix-up on our end that didn’t impact the results. But it’s worth noting if you noticed the difference between E310 photos and this one. And worth noting that it worked fine because all Legacy containers, if you have any laying around like we do, work with this new machine.)
Here’s the chocolate, date, and cashew mixture. Look at that beautiful spiral… just what I was looking for.
But then came the frozen ingredients. I thought I had the ratios correct, I mean I’ve made ice cream in our Vitamix a million times.
It doesn’t happen very often anymore, but this was a fail. I’m used to getting scoopable orbs that Lenny can photograph.
This recipe? Just wasn’t the consistency of chocolate ice cream.
You know what it was though? A Frosty!
The Result: We made a Frosty! This is a Frosty! Wow!
A delectable, soft-serve-like, melty, yet somehow thick, creamy, chocolatey mess. It’s a dang Frosty, just like the ones you’d get at Wendy’s.
It may be the most delicious thing we’ve ever made.
The intention was dark chocolate ice cream. Instead we got the exact texture, color, and flavor of one of our favorite treats from childhood.
We didn’t realize just how much we missed Frosty’s until we took our first bite. Yum!
So, even though this is technically a fail. I’m holding my head up high because I just had a (perfect, homemade, dairy-free) Frosty for breakfast! If we had only known, we’d have made some fries to dip!
And before the recipe, just one more thought.
This Recipe is Reason Enough to Buy a Vitamix Today
We don’t say that often.
Many of our recipes would work fine in a Vitamix alternative.
This one, though. This Frosty recipe?
Not sure you could get the creamy, soft-serve consistency without one.
And if you can, tell us. This recipe should be in everybody’s life.
Go make yourself a batch of this Frosty soft serve deliciousness today. So, so good.
Recipe
Perfect Homemade Frosty!
A dairy-free copycat recipe for a creamy Frosty.
Cashews, Cocoa Powder, Coconut Milk, Coffee, Vanilla,Ingredients:
- brewed coffee - 1/2 cup
- dark chocolate chips - 1/2 cup
- cocoa powder - 2 Tbsp.
- salt - 1/4 tsp.
- vanilla - 1/2 tsp.
- dates (pitted) - 1/4 cup
- raw cashews - 1/2 cup
- coconut milk (canned, full-fat)* - 1 cup (before freezing)
- ice - 4 cups
Instructions:
*COCONUT MILK – This ingredient comes in an aluminum can and can be found in the Asian food section of your grocery store. It has a thick white creamy head and a liquidy base. Stir the contents of the can and measure one cup before freezing. We use full-fat (as opposed to lite) coconut milk for this recipe.
PREP
- Measure 1 cup of coconut milk and freeze into ice cube tray overnight
CHOCOLATE
- In a small saucepan add the coffee and chocolate chips
- Heat on low while stirring until almost smooth
- Turn off heat
- Add cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla
- Stir
BLEND
- Pour the warm chocolate mixture into the Vitamix container
- Add the dates and cashews
- Ramp from variable speed 1 to 10
- Blend on high for 60 seconds until smooth
- Let cool for 10-20 minutes
ICE IT
- Add coconut milk cubes and ice to the cooled mixture
- Blend on high for 30-60 seconds
- Push ingredients with the tamper from the corners into the blade
- Pour or scoop into a serving dish
- Snap a pic and tag #lifeisNOYOKE
- Enjoy!
Useful tips for Perfect Homemade Frosty!
You cannot taste the coffee flavor, it is used just to enhance the chocolate flavor. Feel free to use decaf if you’re having this for dessert!
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I would like to leave out the coffee, but if I do, should I substitute in an equivalent amount of some other liquid? What would you suggest?
We often use decaf but if that is not an option I would use 1/2 cup of any nut milk of choice. Should be an okay sub.
Hello! I would like to leave out the coffee also but should I sub in an equivalent amount of liquid?
I would love to make this! Have been having fun with frappucinos (minus the coconut milk as it is off limits for my heart health). Is there something I could substitute in this recipe for the full fat coconut milk to give this a creamy texture?
By the way, I too was thinking of giving hazelnuts a try. I just love their flavor profile (and just a couple of days ago I made another batch of Vitamix Nutella…yum)). Just LOVE all the good things I can make in my Vitamix! Looking forward to any suggestions you might have.
We sometimes use a block of tofu to give us a creamy texture when coconut or nuts are off limits. Give it a try and let us know how it goes!
This is soooooo luxuriously delicious. I didn’t add the Coffee because i was having it with my 2 year old.
She says a few words already and one word she kept saying (after she devoured the ice-cream) was Wow Mama!!
So so happy to have come across this recipe.
Pure Joy and Million Thanks
Kavita
“Wow mama” is high praise from a 2 year old!
My grandkids have nut allergies can I leave the cashews out?
We haven’t tried that because the creaminess and thickness comes from the texture of the cashews. Let us know if it works for you.
HI!
LOVE YOURES RECIPE SO MUCH I LEARN FROM YOU SO MUCH!!
I LIKE TO TRY THIS RECIPE I LOOK AT THE EARLY COMMENTS WHO SAY THEY FREEZ THE FROSTY.
HOW CAN I FREEZ THE FROSTY AND WHEN I THEW IT WOULD IT FORM AN ICE CRYCTLE? FREEZING WOUNT DAMAGE THE CREAMI TEXTURE OF IT?
AND WHAT YOUER TIPS TO FREEZ IT CORECTLY?
THNAK YOU SO MUCH:
LIRAZ {FROM ISRAEL}.
Shalom, Liraz! When we want to serve this for dessert we make it earlier in the day. We use a cookie sheet and scoop out individual scoops then we take them out of the freezer 5 minutes before serving. If you are doing this method the same day this should work great with no ice crystals. If you are serving in a few days I would put the scoops into something that seals and take them out for closer to 10 min before serving.
Has anyone noticed how if you only make the first half of the recipe you have a different decadent dessert? Brownie batter! The finished product is nice, but I’m not crazy about the crunch of the ice crystals. Just stop before the coconut milk and ice and you’ve got the perfect vegan brownie batter to eat off a spoon!
Well that sounds absolutely delicious! I do always sneak a bite between steps. Are you using a high powered blender (like a Vitamix) for this recipe? You shouldn’t have any ice crystals, should be super silky.
LOVE this recipe! Made it multiple times now and it’s so good every time! I’m preggo and love this as a healthier alternative for my ice cream cravings! And it makes a huge batch, freezes well and is just as tasty after thawing for a few minutes!
Have never thought to freeze it before! Maybe because we never have any leftovers 😂
Is there a substitute for cashews? Severe cashew allergy but only to cashews all other nuts are fine. So happy I stumbled across your website. Hoping your website will help me love my Vitamix which I do not love as much as I was hoping…..
I haven’t tried subbing out the cashews (they are what give this recipe it’s smooth and fatty texture). Perhaps almonds would work?
Our job is to make you love your Vitamix! Here’s a video that should help: 7 Vitamix Recipes to Make First
Macadamia nuts are usually a good sub for cashews!
Great idea, Kiki 🙂
Thank you both for the responses! We will try both suggestions. This is will be the perfect treat for the hot weather we are experiencing. I am learning a lot from your website and emails! Thank you! I have discovered that I do need a smaller container and that is part of my problem with making most recipes the 64 oz is just too big.
Omg I used hazelnuts!!! Sooo good. Gives a slight Ferror Rocher flavor 🙂
Hazelnuts!!! Never would have thought of that. YUM!
this is a phenomenal recipe! i love that i can freeze it and it’s delicious after a few minutes of thawing- thank you!
Our absolute pleasure!
Did it work with the oat milk? My daughter in law doesn’t like anything coconut flavored.
We haven’t personally tried it with oat milk. But if you try it, make sure it’s as thick as possible.
Could I use thick oat milk, made in the vitamin, instead of coconut? My kids hate coconut, and yes they can taste it.
Haha, kids are SO good at identifying ingredients. Yes, I think a thick oat milk would work, the thicker the better (as you’re trying to mimic very creamy coconut milk).
My partner and I finally bought a Vitamix because we were inspired by your recipes! I can’t have any caffeine (even “decaf”), is there a substitute for the brewed coffee?
So happy we could inspire you to take the plunge! The coffee just enhances the chocolate flavor, should still be delicious without it.
There is a freeze dried product called “Roma”, I don’t remember what it is made from, soybeans, maybe? But it is a pretty good substitute for coffee. I used it to replace coffee when I was having issues with the caffeine there for a while years ago. You should be able to get it at Walmart, Whole Foods, or a health food store.
I just bought a Vitamix & came across your website *THANK GOSH!* as I am now feeling more confident about trying my first recipe.
One question on this recipe, neither myself or my 3yo child can have coffee (I’m allergic) can you suggest a substitute please?
We’re happy you found us too! Tons of Vitamix recipes to explore.
You can absolutely just skip the coffee. It just makes for a richer chocolate taste (something I learned from baking). Add 1/2 cup more ice to keep the same consistency and you should be good to go!
Hi John Larner here, we made the frosty chocolate ice cream and love it. from megee1@verizon.net
Thank you we appreciate all you do with vitamix.
Hi John, we’re so glad you enjoyed it! One of our favorites, especially in the summer 🙂
Thank you so much for this, I’ll have to try this soon! I do have a Vitamix so I’ll use it for this, but I’m thinking it should be possible to make it in a food processor if you soak the dates in hot water first, to soften them up.
Let us know if it works in your food processor, we gave ours up when we got our Vitamix.
Oops – question #2: did you use a full fat coconut milk? Do you think it would make a difference if using ‘lite’?
We did use full-fat coconut milk. Guessing that helped with the creamy texture. You can certainly try with the lite stuff, there’s plenty of other goodness in the recipe that it may not be that noticeable. Enjoy!
What does it mean by full-fat coconut milk? Is it the white cream part not the clear liquid portion? And is it a cup of that or a cup in ice cube form??
Taylor, we just mean a can of the full-fat vs lite coconut milk. Mix up the can before pouring into ice cube tray (both white creamy part and liquid). The measurement is for 1 cup of coconut milk before freezing.
Hi! Can’t wait to try this, need to get to the store 🙂 Just 1 question: are you saying 1/2 cup of brewed coffee? Or 1/2 cup of instant coffee or coffee grounds? (Sorry, stupid question but I want to be sure.)
Ah, I should have clarified. Brewed coffee, you actually can’t taste it, just helps bring out the chocolate flavor. We used decaf this time around 🙂