dairy free vanilla ice cream, two ways 🍨

Happy Thursday! I hope you’re all having a great. I started my week off with a very brief trip to Cincinnati for a Stellar Eats meeting, which went very well but absolutely threw off my sleep and my body’s circadian rhythm (going back and forth between PST and EST within 30 hours is not for the faint of heart). But alas we persevere! I went into major hermit mode for the rest of the week as I try to wrap up a couple of big projects before a friend’s 30th birthday this weekend and then a girls trip to CDMX on Sunday. And not to be that person but I am announcing something VERY cool next week so stay tuned. LIFE IS GOOOD!!!

I am thrilled to report that for today’s recipe, I have cracked the code on making homemade dairy-free vanilla ice cream at home. Vanilla ice cream is one of those things that I find myself always wanting to have at the ready for topping a fruit crisp, sandwiching between two cookies or simply enjoying on a summer night with olive oil and flakey sea salt.

As such, I wanted to find a way to make a truly delicious and creamy dairy-free version myself and avoid the mediocre $8 tubs from the grocery store. I’m sharing two different versions today — one is a simple, shortcut method and one is a slightly more involved “custard” style ice cream. Both are fabulous and relatively easy to throw together (the night before) with a Ninja Creami, though a traditional ice cream maker or KitchenAid attachment would also work. Before we get into it, let’s do….

• I’ve talked about this incessantly on my Instagram stories (to the point that it’s likely getting irritating), but I am not being dramatic when I say the Brick has changed my life. I’ve received SO many questions about it in my DMs, and the short of it is: this has not only given me hours and hours of my time back, but it has also completely changed how I think about social media usage and my habit/frequency around using it for numbing, boredom or avoidance. I feel more present and productive than I have in a very long time and couldn’t recommend it enough. Okay getting off my high horse now!

• Is everyone aware yet of the best dry shampoo ever made? I kept seeing it all over Instagram and can confirm that it is, in fact, that good. I can’t believe I’m admitting this on the Internet but this product has made me go a full WEEK in between hair washes as of late. Not sure what other convincing you need…

• I can’t stop listening to Daughter From Hell. I’m a Gracie stan and I’m not afraid to say it! So far my favourites are Look At My Life, Good Reason, Humming, Minibar, What If It’s Right (so basically…all of them…..)

• Carla Lalli is releasing a new book that is part divorce memoir and part cookbook, and I haven’t been this excited to pre-order a cookbook in a while. Also, if you haven’t read her piece about what it takes to put together a cookbook shoot, it’s fascinating and I’d highly recommend it.

Onto the recipe(s)!

quick/shortcut style: