Five Non-Dairy Ice Cream Brands That Knock Dairy Ice Cream into the Dust
No one can resist an abundance of ice cream scoops carefully stacked upon each other, all slowly melting and blending together to create one ultimate flavor of ice cream goodness. One of the biggest fears of mine when I became vegan, was to no longer have the opportunity to indulge on those weekly ice cream adventures.
Although I enjoy all things chocolate, ice cream has remained one of my favorite desserts of all time. After I made the switch to veganism, and once I learned how much creativity vegan cuisine had up its sleeve, I knew that there were going to be some irresistible non-dairy ice cream brands out there. Not to my surprise, with only minimal searching, I was able to find some of the most delicious non-dairy ice cream brands that knock dairy ice cream into the dust! I hope that you find this list to be helpful, whether you are vegan, lactose intolerant, or just looking for some non-dairy deliciousness!
Price Per Pint: $9.99
My favorite flavor(s): Coffee, Dark Chocolate
Van Leeuwen, a small business that began in Brooklyn in 2007, has grown into a, "mini ice cream empire with stores and trucks in NYC and LA." The artisan ice cream establishment prides itself on making each unique flavor from a handful of local ingredients. In each of the stores, Van Leeuwen has a wide variety of vegan ice cream flavors, pastries, and even sundaes! The vegan flavors are made with, "house made cashew milk, organic coconut milk, organic extra virgin coconut oil, organic cane sugar, pure cocoa butter and organic carob bean." I have tried almost every vegan flavor, and they are utterly irresistible, especially on top of a sugar cone. Specifically, the coffee flavor is out of this world and is hands down the best coffee ice cream I have ever tasted. Their flavors can be considered slightly "pricey," but with the amount of locally sourced ingredients made to make these out-of-this-world flavors, the ice cream is worth its price.
Price Per Pint: $9.99
My favorite flavor(s): Peanut Butta Cups
Three Little Birds, an all-vegan artisan ice cream brand, creates mouthwatering ice cream flavors in small batches in the East Village. On their website, the founders advocate that, "each batch is individually taste-tested before and after the freezing process...All mix-ins and sauces are developed exclusively for their specific ice cream flavors and made in single batches no larger than a quart." The base of these unique flavors is created with cashew milk, which offer an irresistibly creamy texture. They sell single-serving ice cream cups, pints, and even offer soft-serve at Dunwell Doughnuts in the Lower East Side! I am a huge fan of the Peanut Butta Cups flavor, which has the perfect amount of peanut butter flavor, and peanut butter chunks inside.
Price Per Pint: $6.99
My favorite flavor(s): Chocolate Cookies n' Cream
For thirty years, So Delicious has offered a myriad of dairy-free yogurts, creamers, beverages, and dairy-free ice cream flavors, all created with various bases such as coconut, soy, cashew, and almond. The company, "is committed to doing the right things for people, animals, and the planet," and avoids artificial colorings, flavors, and hydrogenated oils, in order to create delicious non-dairy products. This brand can easily be found in supermarkets and is just as affordable as its dairy counterparts. Personally, my favorite flavor is the Chocolate Cookies n' cream, which is made with cashew milk, cocoa, and Oreo chunks.
Price Per Pint: $6.99
My favorite flavor(s): Lotta Mint Chip, Birthday Cake
Nada Moo, a made up word that stands for "no dairy," is a family-owned business that has created an array of coconut-milk based ice cream flavors since 2007. All of their flavors are USDA organic, non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, fair-trade certified, and utterly delicious! The ice cream pints can easily be found in various stores and is just as affordable as its dairy counterparts. My favorite flavor is the Lotta Mint Chip, which says a lot because I normally dislike mint-chip flavors. It is light, creamy, refreshing, and speckled with mini dark chocolate chips to satisfy all cravings.
Price Per Pint: $5.99
My favorite flavor(s): Caramel Almond Brittle, Chocolate Fudge Brownie
The widely known ice cream brand, Ben and Jerry's was created by two men, Ben and Jerry (surprise!) in a renovated gas station in 1978. Although Ben and Jerry's has previously been widely known for their dairy ice cream flavors, in 2016 they created a dairy-free line made with almond milk to appeal to their vegan customers, stating on their website, "Vegan friends, whether you’ve been waiting for three decades or three days for certified vegan non-dairy decadence, it’s time to rejoice! We partnered with Vegan Action to certified that our non-dairy doesn’t include animal products of any kind—including eggs, dairy or honey. We admire you for your commitment and hope you love the magnificent vegan chunks & swirls we’ve loaded into these bad boys." It is refreshing not only to have the taste of exquisite vegan flavors but to also see a company which revolves around dairy to make a step in the right direction and make a line of vegan ice cream! I am a huge fan of the Chocolate Fudge Brownie, as well as Caramel Almond Brittle, which is vanilla ice cream swirled with caramel and almond brittle, which ultimately provides a sweet, salty, and texturally interesting ice cream flavor!