It sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? Dairy free ice cream… well, I suppose it is, and we should formally call these treats ‘dairy free frozen desserts’ (but that doesn’t sound as good to me!). If you’re not too concerned about the calories, I actually think some of these dairy free options are even better than ice cream made with dairy! The base used to create the decadent treats varies, but is typically made from nuts (e.g. cashew, almond, peanuts) or coconut milk.
Look for these labels:
- dairy free
- non-dairy
- vegan
Here’s a list of the ones I’ve tried that are easily found at your local grocery store. I’ll update this post as I work my way through the freezer section of my local grocery stores!
So Delicious: offering a wide selection of almond, soy, coconut and cashew based frozen treats and frozen desserts (hooray if you can find them all!)
- The Dark Chocolate Truffle is delectable! Rich and creamy with a dark chocolate base and shaved chocolate. At 200 calories in half a cup, it’s definitely a treat, but it’s well worth it.
- Salted Caramel Cluster is delicious if you like salty and sweet together! Another very rich and creamy treat… so far I think the So Delicious frozen desserts could give ice cream a fair challenge!
Coconut Bliss: offering a wide selection of frozen treats and frozen desserts with a coconut base
- I have a tub of Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge in my freezer… I’ll get back to you soon!
Halo Top: a low calorie option with a coconut base
- The Birthday Cake flavour was not great. This frozen dessert has a mealy, or fine grainy texture to it. It also tasted a tad bitter. If you don’t like chocolate and want a low calorie option then this could work for you, but I’m guessing their other non-dairy flavours will taste better even with the grainy texture. I’d personally rather have 2 or 3 times the calories for something I’d enjoy much more!
Fiasco Gelato: a Calgary born company, they offer a selection of dairy-free sorbetto that is easy to find at Calgary grocery stores. I’ve tried a number of these flavours over the year and I think my favourites still are the creamy coconut and dark chocolate.
- Raspberry Lime
- Mango Pineapple
- Strawberry Rhubarb
- Creamy Coconut
- Dark Chocolate
- White Peach Iced Tea
- Blueberry Basil
- Zesty Lemon
I still have to try:
- Haagen Dazs
- Ben & Jerry’s
- Almond Dream (almond milk base)
- Tofutti (soy base)
Many ice cream parlours now cater to the dairy free folk as well, recognizing that there are many people who just can’t tolerate dairy but still want to experience the same texture and mouth feel. This is awesome for those of us who don’t just want a fruit sorbet or a popsicle!
Calgary ice cream parlours with dairy free, rotating/seasonal options include:
- Village Ice Cream – such as: vegan banana split, chocolate coconut milk
- Made by Marcus – such as: chocolate fudge brownie, huckleberry lavender, salted caramel cashew date
- Sweet Tooth Ice Cream – such as: taro coconut milk ice cream
I have an ice cream attachment for my KitchenAid mixer… when the day comes that I have enough room in my freezer to fit it, I will attempt dairy free ice cream and let you know how it goes.
What are your favourite dairy free options? Do you have a favourite recipe to make your own? Please share your comments with us!
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