Vegan Coffee Caramel Peanut Butter Ice Cream
There was a point in time where I drank coffee in the morning like it was water. I would have 3 32 oz mugs before noon from the time I was in college until about 4 years ago. I liked coffee, but I always drank it so fast (because I am busy most mornings) that I hardly ever got to enjoy it, it was more of a routine. You would think I would have been bouncing off the walls with all of that caffeine but it became normal to me. All until one Sunday I got ill, and afterwards I just didn't like drinking coffee anymore. It might have had something to do with the fact that I had made a coffee flavored cake that day. But whatever the case, I stopped drinking my coffee every morning cold turkey. I did have headaches for a while which made me realize that I was addicted to it and it probably wasn't good for my body at that volume. I don't drink it anymore, but I do still love it in desserts like tiramisu. I do love the smell of freshly ground coffee as well, it is a happy comforting smell, it reminds me of being in my Grandma's kitchen, and lazy weekend mornings.
Back in the day when I drank all that coffee, I discovered a delicious flavor pairing. Coffee, caramel and peanut butter. I had a caramel flavored stevia that I used to use in my coffee, and I ate peanut butter in my oatmeal every morning, so one day, I was enjoying them together and I noticed how good they tasted together! I made a few desserts with that flavor combination and they were so good! I was thinking about that the other day and I decided that some coffee caramel peanut butter ice cream would be really good. It is really hot and sticky here lately. Like come home after every run drenched hot (and not because I ran through a sprinkler). So I am making ice cream every week. And of course I have to make different flavors to keep it interesting. I have been making a lot of fruity ones, so the coffee caramel peanut butter was a nice trade off.
It is super simple to make, just blend, freeze and enjoy. But if you wanted something less smooth, I think adding chopped peanuts would be delicious for crunch. This is good even alone, but to be more decadent (because I was in that sort of mood) I topped mine off with some raw date caramel thinned out a little so it was pourable. It was simply heavenly! Trust me, you must try out these flavors together, you will love it! The salty peanut butter is so good with the sweet caramel and aromatic coffee.
Vegan Coffee Caramel Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Makes 4 cups
Ingredients:
- 2 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk
- 1 ½ cups soft medjool dates, pitted (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes and drain well
- before using in the recipe)
- ½ cup organic peanut butter
- 1 1/2 Tbsp very finely ground organic coffee (use your favorite kind) or 2 Tbsp coffee extract
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour through a fine meshed strainer over a bowl to remove any bits, pressing until all of the smooth base has gone through.
- Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to package directions. Once it has finished, pour into a freezer safe container with a lid, and freeze for about 4 hours or until firm enough to scoop. Enjoy!
*Note, if you do not have an ice cream maker you may also freeze it this way. Pour into a bowl, and place in the freezer. Whisk once every half hour until it has frozen to the consistency of soft serve. Then pour into your freezer safe container.
*If your ice cream gets hard, let sit out about 15-20 minutes before scooping.
