Creamy Dairy-Free Coffee Ice Cream with Oreos

Give me coffee, I’m a happy girl. Give me ice cream, I’m an even happier girl. But give me coffee ice cream with Oreos and I’m probably going to binge eat and then pass out.

Just being honest.

My all-time favorite ice cream flavor combination has always been coffee ice cream with big chunks of chocolate sandwich cookies throughout. I fell in love with the combination when I worked at Baskin-Robbins in high school, and all these years later, not much has changed.

So when I got my first ice cream maker, I knew exactly what I needed to make.

I wanted something creamy, full of coffee flavor and loaded with cookie pieces—but I also wanted to experiment with making it dairy-free using coconut milk instead of traditional cream.

The result was this Coconut Milk Coffee Ice Cream with Oreos.

And despite this being one of my first attempts at homemade ice cream, I somehow hit it out of the park.

#notconceitedjustconvinced

Why You’ll Love This Dairy-Free Coffee Ice Cream

First of all: coffee + chocolate cookies. Do I really need to keep selling this?

But beyond the obvious, this recipe is:

• Dairy-free
• Made with full-fat coconut milk
• Rich and creamy thanks to an egg yolk
• Packed with coffee flavor
• Loaded with chunks of chocolate sandwich cookies
• Easy to customize with your favorite mix-ins

You will taste a slight hint of coconut, but I’ve always loved how it works with the coffee and chocolate flavors.

And if you’ve tried homemade coconut milk ice cream before and found it a little icy, the egg yolk is important here.

What You’ll Need

You only need a handful of ingredients to make this homemade dairy-free coffee ice cream.

Full-fat coconut milk: Don’t use light coconut milk here. The higher fat content is important for getting that rich, creamy texture we’re after.

Brewed coffee: Use coffee you actually enjoy drinking because you’ll definitely taste it in the finished ice cream.

Coconut sugar: Adds sweetness and works really well with the deeper coffee flavor.

Egg yolk: My not-so-secret weapon for creamier homemade ice cream. More on that below.

Cinnamon: Just enough to add a little warmth without turning this into cinnamon ice cream.

Oreos or chocolate sandwich cookies: And don’t crush them too finely. I want actual chunks of cookie in my ice cream.

The Secret to Creamier Coconut Milk Ice Cream

The egg yolk.

When I originally created this recipe, I experimented with making the egg optional so the ice cream could also be vegan. But if I’m telling you how I actually think you should make it, use the egg yolk.

My grandma always taught me that adding an extra egg to cake mix made it more moist, and apparently I carried that logic straight into my ice cream experiments.

Turns out, Grandma was onto something.

The egg yolk adds richness and helps create a creamier texture, which is especially helpful when you’re making ice cream with coconut milk instead of heavy cream.

So while this recipe is dairy-free, it isn’t vegan—and I think it’s better for it.

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Do You Need an Ice Cream Maker?

For this recipe, yes.

I developed it using an ice cream maker, which churns the chilled coconut milk mixture while it freezes and helps give it that creamy ice cream consistency.

If you’ve been thinking about making homemade ice cream more often, this is one kitchen appliance I actually think is worth owning. I personally have made several different ice cream flavors.

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A few things that make homemade ice cream easier:

Ice cream maker

This is the important one. If you’re going to buy one thing specifically for making homemade ice cream, make it the machine.

Reusable ice cream container

Not necessary, but much nicer for storing homemade ice cream than trying to cram it into whatever container you can find in the kitchen.

Ice cream scoop

Especially helpful because homemade ice cream tends to freeze a little firmer than what you buy at the grocery store.

What Kind of Coffee Should I Use?

Use whatever coffee you genuinely enjoy drinking.

There’s enough coffee in this recipe that it isn’t simply a background flavor. If you start with bad coffee, freezing it isn’t magically going to make it taste better.

You can also use decaf coffee if you want all the flavor without as much caffeine.

I’d brew it fairly strong, especially if you’re a serious coffee person like me.

How to Make Dairy-Free Coffee Ice Cream

Start by combining your full-fat coconut milk, brewed coffee, coconut sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan.

You’ll want to heat the mixture gently while stirring until the sugar has dissolved.

Next comes the important part: tempering your egg yolk.

Rather than dropping a raw egg yolk directly into a pot of hot coconut milk—which is a great way to accidentally make coffee-flavored scrambled eggs—you’ll gradually whisk a small amount of the warm mixture into your egg yolk first.

Once the yolk has slowly come up in temperature, whisk it back into the rest of your coconut milk mixture.

Allow everything to cool, then refrigerate the mixture for at least eight hours. I prefer letting it chill overnight.

Once completely chilled, add the mixture to your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.

About 10 minutes before it’s finished churning, start adding your crushed Oreos.

And when I say crushed, I don’t mean pulverized.

Leave some big chunks.

That’s half the fun.

 

Tips for the Best Homemade Coffee Ice Cream

Use full-fat coconut milk. This isn’t the recipe for light coconut milk. You need the fat for texture and richness.

Don’t skip the egg yolk. I’ve tried giving it the optional treatment before, but I think the ice cream is noticeably creamier with it.

Temper the egg carefully. Add the warm coconut mixture gradually while whisking so you don’t scramble your yolk.

Chill your base completely. Don’t rush this step. Eight hours is good; overnight is even better.

Add your cookies toward the end. This keeps them from being completely broken apart by the ice cream maker.

Keep some big cookie pieces. This is a hill I’m willing to die on.

Let it soften before scooping. Homemade coconut milk ice cream freezes fairly firm. Give it around 10 minutes on the counter before serving.

Can I Make This Without the Oreos?

Absolutely.

Leave them out and you’ve got a really good dairy-free coffee ice cream.

You could also replace them with:

• Chopped dark chocolate
• Chocolate chips
• Brownie pieces
• Chocolate-covered espresso beans
• Another favorite cookie

Or add Oreos and chocolate chunks.

There are no rules in my kitchen.

Does Coconut Milk Ice Cream Taste Like Coconut?

A little.

I wouldn’t tell you that coconut milk magically stops tasting like coconut once you freeze it.

But between the coffee, cinnamon, coconut sugar and chocolate cookies, the coconut isn’t the dominant flavor here. Personally, I really like how it works with everything else.

If you absolutely hate the flavor of coconut, though, this probably isn’t the homemade ice cream recipe I’d choose for you.

How to Store Homemade Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Transfer the finished ice cream to an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze until it reaches the consistency you like.

Because homemade ice cream doesn’t contain all the stabilizers you find in many commercial ice creams, it can freeze pretty solid.

Before serving, take the container out of the freezer and let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes.

That little bit of patience makes it significantly easier to scoop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this coffee ice cream vegan?

No. Although it’s made with coconut milk and contains no dairy, this recipe uses an egg yolk to create a richer, creamier texture.

If you’re specifically looking for vegan coffee ice cream, this isn’t the recipe I’d recommend modifying—the egg is part of what makes the texture work so well.

Is this coffee ice cream dairy-free?

Yes. The creamy base comes from full-fat coconut milk rather than milk or heavy cream.

Why do you put egg yolk in homemade ice cream?

Egg yolk adds richness and helps create a smoother, creamier texture. It’s especially useful here because we’re making the ice cream without dairy.

Can I use decaf coffee?

Absolutely. You’ll still get the coffee flavor without as much caffeine.

Why is my coconut milk ice cream so hard?

That’s normal with many homemade coconut milk ice creams. Without the stabilizers found in commercial ice cream, homemade versions can freeze harder.

Let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before scooping.

Can I make this without an ice cream maker?

I wouldn’t recommend it for this particular recipe. It was developed using an ice cream maker, and churning is an important part of getting the intended texture.

Coffee + Oreos Forever

Coffee ice cream with chocolate sandwich cookies was one of my favorite flavor combinations long before I ever attempted making ice cream myself.

Apparently working at Baskin-Robbins as a teenager really leaves an impression.

And while my homemade version is a little different from the ice cream I scooped back then, the important part hasn’t changed:

lots of coffee flavor and plenty of big cookie chunks.

Let me know if you make it!

Xx Sylvia