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    Home » Recipes » Sweets

    Vanilla Date Ice Cream (No Added Sugar)

    Published: Jan 19, 2019 Modified: Jun 26, 2023 by Candice This post may contain affiliate links.

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN RECIPE
    Three scoops of ice cream in a clear glass.
    Three scoops of ice cream and an ice cream scooper on top of a bin of ice cream.

    Indulge in the delightful simplicity of homemade vanilla date ice cream! This easy-to-make treat combines heavenly vanilla with the natural sweetness of dates. With just a few ingredients, you can enjoy a velvety ice cream that will satisfy your cravings.

    There are no added sugars, only the natural sugars in the dates, which I think makes it even more incredibly delicious!

    Three scoops of ice cream and an ice cream scooper on top of a bin of ice cream.
    Jump to:
    • 🌟Why You’ll Love This Recipe
    • 🧾Ingredients in This Recipe
    • 👩‍🍳How to Make This Recipe
    • 📋Ice Cream Recipe FAQs
    • 🍨 Related Recipes
    • Vanilla Date Ice Cream (No Added Sugar)

    🌟Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    • No added sugar - Zero refined sugar is added to this recipe, but it still has plenty of great flavors.
    • Naturally sweet and delicious - The Medjool dates in this recipe are the hero. Medjool dates are deliciously sweet and chewy fruits with a caramel-like flavor and they give plenty of sweet goodness to the ice cream. And you can easily turn it into this date milkshake.
    • Successfully make ice cream at home - This thorough step-by-step guide will help you produce the best ice cream right at home. Some of my other favorite flavors are matcha ice cream and my number one favorite, hojicha gelato.
    • Perfect, creamy texture - This ice cream has a perfect creamy texture, and the amount of dates in this recipe helps achieve that texture. You can change the ratio of cream to milk to get more of a thick gelato consistency if you like!

    🧾Ingredients in This Recipe

    Dates, eggs, milk, and other labeled ingredients to make date ice cream on a countertop.
    • Egg yolks - These will need to be separated out from the egg whites.
    • Medjool dates - These fruits act as the natural sweetener in the ice cream.
    • Whole milk - Use whole milk and not alternatives like skim or 2%. If you're looking for a dairy-free ice cream, try this dairy-free coconut hojicha ice cream or this matcha banana nice cream.
    • Vanilla - You can use vanilla bean or vanilla extract.
    • Heavy cream - This helps the ice cream achieve that thick creaminess.
    • Optional pistachios - For topping and giving your ice cream some crunch on top.

    See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    👩‍🍳How to Make This Recipe

    Before starting your ice cream, put the bowl of your ice cream maker in the freezer. It is best if you leave it in the freezer overnight.

    🤩 Pro Tip

    Although you can make ice cream without an ice cream maker, most methods yield a less smooth texture. You can try freezing the ice cream base into an ice cube tray and blending them together, but the end result isn't perfect.
    However, if you don't have an ice cream maker, I recommend making semifreddo, instead. You can use this semifreddo guide for any flavor, or make this Strawberry Matcha Semifreddo.

    A hand holding an egg yolk in an egg shell over a glass bowl with egg yolks in it.
    • Whisk the egg yolks together until combined and set this bowl aside.
    Chopped dates with a knife on a black cutting board.
    • Roughly chop the dates. Set half aside.
    Dates and milk blending together in a food processor.
    • Add the other half of the dates to a food processor with the milk. Run the processor until both are well combined, which takes about 3-4 minutes.
    Ice cream base and chopped dates in a metal pot.
    • If using a vanilla bean, slice lengthwise, scrape out the specks of vanilla, and add the bean and specks to the milk mixture. For vanilla extract, just add it in. Warm the milk & date mixture with the vanilla and roughly chopped dates until it lightly simmers. Use a whisk to break up the chunks of dates.

    🤩 Pro Tip

    Make your ice cream more of a gelato consistency by using 2 cups of milk and 1 cupAdd the other half of the dates to a food processor with the milk. Run the processor until both are well combined, which takes about 3-4 minutes. of cream. The texture will be less like ice cream, and more like gelato. Also delicious, and a choice I make every once in a while to reduce the fat in the recipe!

    Tempering egg yolk mixture with ice cream base in a metal pot with a metal whisk.
    • Temper the whisked egg mixture with the milk/date/vanilla mixture. Once mixed, return the mix to the saucepan and cook until thickened, stirring slowly and constantly. The temperature should get to 170F.
    Plastic container with ice cream base inside.
    • Next, remove the ice cream liquid from the heat. Add in the cream. Leave to chill in the refrigerator overnight.
    Ice cream on a paddle over an ice cream maker.
    • The next day, add your chilled ice cream to your ice cream maker. Churn it (stir setting) until it is the thickness of soft serve ice cream, which takes 20-25 minutes.
    Ice cream being spread in a metal bread loaf pan.
    • Transfer the vanilla date ice cream to a container you can freeze, cover it with parchment paper or a cover, and freeze overnight.

    After freezing overnight, you are ready to scoop and serve. This ice cream doesn't freeze as hard as other homemade ice creams because of all the dates, so be sure to give it that full freeze or enjoy it like a soft serve!

    For extra tasty flavor and texture, top the scooped ice cream with roughly chopped pistachios before serving.

    📋Ice Cream Recipe FAQs

    How does an ice cream maker work?

    An ice cream maker churns a mixture of cream, sugar, and any flavorings like vanilla by continuously stirring to freeze it slowly. It helps to create creamy ice cream through the process of rapid cooling and adding air into the mixture.

    What do I use to churn ice cream?

    I use the KitchenAid mixer ice cream attachment. It works great and does not require a separate appliance like most ice cream makers. However, it does take up quite a bit of room in the freezer. So plan ahead when you want to make ice cream!

    What's the difference between ice cream, gelato, sherbet, & sorbet?

    The difference between ice cream & gelato is the milk-to-cream ratio. Ice cream is 1:1, and gelato is 2:1. Sorbet does not have dairy. Instead, it is fruit and water-based. Sherbet has some dairy but is still fruit and water-based like sorbet. It is also almost always less than 2% fat.

    If there is no added sugar, then is it sweet?

    You might think that if there is no added sugar, it isn't sweet. But that isn't true at all! Dates are considered a whole food, but are actually 80% sugar. So take precautions if trying to minimize your sugar intake.

    Does ice cream have eggs?

    Yes, and they are an essential ingredient! Eggs add texture and stability to ice cream mixtures by emulsifying the fats and preventing ice crystals from forming. You can find vegan ice creams without eggs but the texture is noticeably different, partly from the lack of eggs.

    Three scoops of ice cream in a clear glass.

    🍨 Related Recipes

    Summertime is cold dessert time! Tantalize your tastebuds with these frozen sweet recipes.

    • Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream
    • Yellow soft serve in a cognac pedestal glass.
      2-Ingredient Dole Whip – Just Like Disneyland!
    • Scoops of yellow ice cream with rose petals.
      Persian Saffron Rose Ice Cream
    • London Fog Gelato Ice Cream

    I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m up to.

    Three scoops of ice cream and an ice cream scooper on top of a bin of ice cream.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 17 votes

    Vanilla Date Ice Cream (No Added Sugar)

    Enjoy the simple perfection of this vanilla date ice cream! Zero added sugars, great flavor, and an incredible texture.
    Prep Time30 minutes mins
    Resting Time6 hours hrs
    Total Time30 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American, Persian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher, Vegetarian
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 641kcal
    Author: Candice

    Ingredients

    • 5 egg yolks
    • 300 g Medjool Dates pitted and rough chopped
    • 1 ½ cups whole milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean
    • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Put the bowl of your ice cream maker in the freezer.
    • Whisk the yolks together and set aside.
    • Add half of the dates to a food processor with the milk. Run until well combined, 3-4 minutes.
    • Warm the milk & date mixture with the vanilla and rough chopped dates until it just lightly simmers. Use a whisk to break up the chunks of dates. (If using a vanilla bean, slice lengthwise, scrape out the specks of vanilla, and add the bean and specks to the milk mixture.)
    • Temper the egg mixture with the milk/date/vanilla mixture.
    • Return to the sauce pan and cook until thickened, stirring slowly and constantly. It should get to 170F.
    • Remove from heat. Add the cream. Chill in the refrigerator overnight.
    • The next day, add your chilled ice cream to your ice cream maker. Churn (stir setting) until it is the thickness of soft serve ice cream, 20-25 minutes.
    • Transfer to a container you can freeze, cover with parchment paper, and freeze at least 4 hours.
    • Optional: Top with roughly chopped pistachios before serving!

    Video

    Notes

    This ice cream doesn't freeze as hard as other homemade ice creams because of all the dates, so be sure to give it that full freeze or enjoy it like a soft serve!
    Although you can make ice cream without an ice cream maker, most methods yield a less smooth texture. You can try freezing the ice cream base into an ice cube tray and blending them together, but the end result isn't perfect.
    If you don't have an ice cream maker, I recommend making semifreddo, instead. You can use this semifreddo guide for any flavor, or make this Strawberry Matcha Semifreddo.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 641kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 355mg | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 770mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 1896IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 249mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you try this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and/or comment! And tag @ProportionalPlate on TikTok or Instagram... I'd love to see what you're making.
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    1. Leila

      June 27, 2023 at 9:45 am

      5 stars
      The sweetness from the dates in this ice cream is truly something special. Totally worth the use of what felt like a million dates 😂 We will definitely be making this on repeat all summer. Natural sugars for the win!

      Reply
      • Candice

        June 27, 2023 at 12:47 pm

        Yay! So glad you enjoyed it, Leila... thank you for taking the time to share!

        Reply
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    Meet Candice

    On this blog, I get to share the food that I love, and get to enjoy in my own home. My Persian Jewish heritage influences most of my recipes, and my travels inspire them. And I'm sure you'll notice my love for everything matcha. Welcome, and enjoy!

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