Fancy Vegan Ice Cream Recipes For Adults

Think ice cream is mainly for kids? These fancy vegan ice cream recipes are the ultimate adult dessert indulgence!

By Lora O’Brien

The sun is finally beginning to shine, the hum of bees and singing birds are the soundtrack to our days and our windows and doors and thrown wide open in the hopes of enticing a little breeze inside. But what does summer really mean? Two words, people: Ice. Cream.

Sure, I know. ‘I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream,’ right? But there’s a big difference between adult’s and children’s palates.

While the latter are pretty much happy with anything with sugar in it, adults can discern more subtle flavours. Think: the subtlety of a herb added to a fruity sorbet. Or perhaps a complex spice, like cardamom, added to a simple vanilla base.

We can also appreciate the work that goes into making something as complex as a Baked Alaska, or as clever as a deconstructed Black Forest cake ice cream.

And then there’s the booze.

There’s nothing quite as refreshing on a hot day than a sorbet – especially one that’s got some alcohol content!

So you can see what I mean when there’s a big difference between the kinds of ice cream flavours that kids like, and fancy vegan ice cream recipes for adults, right?

Here, I’ve found some elegant vegan ice cream dishes that are perfect for serving up after a gourmet vegan meal, or for entertaining the grown-ups when it’s absolutely sweltering outside.

Fancy Vegan Ice Cream Recipes For Adults

1. Deconstructed Black Forest Cake Ice Cream

The Black Forest cake is a thing of wonder: chocolately layers tempered by a bittersweet cherry base, and lashings of fresh cream. This vegan recipe recalls a deconstructed version of the cake with its chunks of fudgy, brownie pieces and dark sweet cherries.

Serve this up in a bowl and it will seriously wow any of your guests when you confess to having made this yourself.

Get the recipe here.

Fancy Vegan Ice Cream Recipes For Adults

2. Chocolate Tahini Ice Cream Sandwiches

Two gooey tahini based cookies form the foundation of this grown up ice-cream treat. Chocolate is beautifully offset by the nuttiness of the tahini – its savory edge counteracts the sweetness of the ice cream in this recipe.

And if you’re feeling really fancy, you can always roll the vegan ice cream sandwich in toasted sesame seeds for an added Middle Eastern crunch. It’s the perfect ending for a dinner of vegan mezze!

Get the recipe here.

Fancy Vegan Ice Cream Recipes For Adults

3. Chai Ginger Ice Cream Sandwiches

Vegan chai ice cream has the perfect combo of ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ flavours. The base of this ice cream is cashew nuts, which really gives a delicious texture, but sandwiched between two spicy vegan ginger cookies…this is next level delicious! In fact, the ice cream or the cookies on their own are incredible enough. Combined? They’re explosive!

Get the recipe here.

Fancy Vegan Ice Cream recipes for adults

4. Vegan Chocolate Brownie Sundae

Fancy vegan ice cream recipes don’t get better than this! The beauty of this sundae is the mix of textures: you’ve got the cool ice cream, the creamy coconut whip, the tart cherries, crunchy waffle cup, and the chewy brownies. Need I say more? Well, maybe: you could add some hot chocolate sauce to make this vegan dessert extra-orgasmic!

Get the recipe here.

vegan ice cream sundae

5. Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream Sandwiches

This is one of those fancy vegan ice cream recipes that would be perfect to serve up after a dinner party. The chocolate cherry sandwiches look more like a cake, and they’re pretty much as tasty as they look!

Fresh fruit ice cream is sandwiched between biscuits made from buckwheat groats and gooey dates. Feel like indulging a little more? Roll the sides in chopped Bing cherries!

Get the recipe here.

Fancy Vegan Ice Cream Recipes For Adults

6. Peach Bourbon Ice Cream Sandwiches

How Southern USA is this recipe? The base is a lemon cornbread cookie, and the ice cream between them is seriously boozy with bourbon.

The addition of alcohol is quite ‘adult’, but there’s more of a scientific reason than you think! The booze in this will keep the ice cream super soft and creamy even after you’ve frozen it, meaning no shards of ice crystals, ever.

So you don’t even have to defrost this – just scoop and eat. And yes, the booze does seem to make the heat more bearable!

Get the recipe here.

Fancy Vegan Ice Cream Recipes For Adults

7. Double Chocolate Ice Cream With Coconut Caramel

How adorable are these, in their halved coconut bowls? This double chocolate ice cream used cashews and coconut milk as its base, which by now you’ll know creates a creamy and smooth consistency. But the best part is the rich, buttery coconut caramel made from reduced coconut milk and coconut sugar.

Oh, and afterwards, you can dig into the coconut and devour that, too!

Get the recipe here.

Fancy Vegan Ice Cream Recipes For Adults

8. Boozy Cherry Garcia Ice Cream

Warning: it may look cute in a cone, this one really isn’t for kids! And that’s because fancy vegan ice cream recipes often involve a touch of alcohol.

Not only does the cashew-based ice cream come with a nice hit of bourbon, but the cherries here are also drunk in booze.

Not a fan of bourbon? You can sub in Grand Marnier (as I did). Result!

Get the recipe here.

Fancy Vegan Ice Cream recipes for adults

9. Vegan Baked Alaska

This is normally one of the more complicated fancy vegan ice cream recipes to make. It’s certainly one that kids wouldn’t appreciate as much as adults. But here, they recommend store-bought ingredients, including the vegan ice cream, so that takes a load off!

If you’re so inclined, there is a homemade brownie recipe included, and you will need to make the meringue. But wow – hearing the ooohs and ahhhs when you serve this at a dinner party is totally worth the effort!

Get the recipe here.

vegan baked alaska

10. Pistachio & Cardamom Coconut Ice Cream

This is another bit of the Middle East in a bowl! Traditional flavours like rosewater, cardamom and pistachio congregate in a deliciously, nutritious bowl. Sweetened with agave, this is a sugar-free recipe.

I think it’d look even more amazing sprinkled with edible rose petals. .

Get the recipe here.

Fancy Vegan Ice Cream recipes for adults

11. Raspberry Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ice cream sandwiched between two vegan brownies, and then dunked into raw chocolate and cacao nibs – I’m calling that heaven! The raspberries are mashed with maple syrup and a splash of bourbon – mostly to keep the berries from freezing and going too solid, and also because we’re adults, so why the hell not?

This is also one of the prettiest fancy vegan ice cream recipes. I predict these not hanging around too long if you decide to make these for guests this summer.

Get the recipe here.

Fancy Vegan Ice Cream Recipes For Adults

12. Really Rummy Raisin Ice Cream

This is one of those fancy vegan ice cream recipes that’s a bit controversial. Not everyone loves this combo. And let’s face it – kids hate this flavour! And with good reason. It takes like a cocktail! And that’s exactly why I love this recipe. It has a whole THIRD of a cup of rum (I may have added a touch more to mine…) and that, combined with coconut cream, is simply heavenly, my friends!

Get the recipe here.

Fancy Vegan Ice Cream Recipes For Adults

13. Date Almond Ice Cream

Peach and almond really compliment one another, so this recipe is definitely one for those of you that love that combo of flavours. This is one of those fancy vegan ice cream recipes that’s easy to make, too. It has very few ingredients, but the recipe is a prime example of how healthy, wholesome ingredients really do stand alone beautifully.

Get the recipe here.

date almond vegan ice cream

14. Mint Chip Ice Cream

When I was a kid, I remember trying chocolate mint ice cream and thinking one thing: TOOTHPASTE! Now, as an adult, I think: AHH! This is one of my favourite fancy vegan ice cream recipes.

This is just one of the most refreshing, palatable ice creams out there. And the fact that it’s based on avocado makes it super-healthy, too.

Get the recipe here.

Fancy Vegan Ice Cream Recipes For Adults

15. Vanilla Bean Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches

Since folded waffles were the first ice cream cones, it seems to make sense to use them as the basis for an ice cream sandwich, right? The simple vanilla ice cream is gently sweetened with maple berry mash, all of which contrasts nicely with the nutty crunch of the waffle. This is one of the best fancy vegan ice cream recipes for serving up to guests. Very little mess!

Get the recipe here.

Fancy Vegan Ice Cream Recipes For Adults

16. Fig, Blackberry, Mint & Lemon Ice Cream

This is kind of a tutti fruti for adults! Juicy blackberries and plump figs work so well together, but the touch of lemon and mint will add a really fresh flavour to this, making it really cooling in summer.

Get the recipe here.

Fig, Blackberry, Mint & Lemon Ice Cream

17. Purple Grape & Rosemary Sorbet

Grape flavoured foods are definitely one of my favourite, after watermelon. But I was a little hesitant when I saw it also has rosemary. Rosemary and grapes…together? But I soon discovered YES! They’re very complimentary – and adult-like – when combined. In fact, this sorbet is one of the most elegant fancy vegan ice cream recipes around!

Get the recipe here.

Purple Grape & Rosemary Sorbet

18. Peach, Cherry & Berry Sorbet

Peach sorbet is both sweet and tart at the same time, so this can be enjoyed by those with either a sweet or savory tooth, as neither tone is too overbearing.

And the best part? If you’ve got no peaches, you can sub fresh for frozen. But if you’re using ripe, fresh fruit, be sure to add lots of ice to make this sorbet come to life.

Get the recipe here.

Peach, Cherry & Berry Sorbet

19. Pear & Strawberry Sorbet

This sorbet is another of the easiest fancy vegan ice cream recipes to make. It has just four ingredients: strawberries, pears, agave nectar and lemon juice. This is a simple enough dish to be served either between courses at a formal meal, or for dessert. And not to mention the fantastic redness in this sorbet is stunning.

Get the recipe here.

Pear & Strawberry Sorbet

20. Vegan Fig and Wine Ice Cream

Is this one of the most adult of all the fancy vegan ice cream recipes or what? Posh, even, depending on the wine you use. Figs and red wine combine in this creamy concoction to make the perfect, grown-up dessert for a dinner party.

Personally, I would serve this with a fig compote rather than a chunk of fruit, but that’s just me.

Get the recipe here.

Fancy Vegan Ice Cream recipes for adults

21. Beer Sorbet

Wow! Who knew you could make sorbet from…beer?! I mean, could anything be more refreshing on a hot summer’s day?

I kind of love this simple recipe – but I couldn’t help but wonder: how would Guiness or stout do in this…? (pretty well, I’m guessing!)

Get the recipe here.

Beer Sorbet

22. Vegan Raspberry Champagne Floats

Girls coming over for brunch? Serve these up and let the party begin! The recipe calls for any commercial vegan ice cream – but of course, you can make your own from, say, the recipe above in number 12.

This is one of those fancy vegan ice cream recipes that’s basically a party in a glass!

Get the recipe here.

Vegan Raspberry Champagne Floats

23. Matcha Ice Cream

The richness of matcha green tea meets the saltiness of pistachios in this wonderfully sophisticated ice cream.

You’ll need to get some proper matcha tea powder (don’t even think about subbing in green tea!) But that’s easy enough to do! Just click here.

Get the recipe here.

Fancy Vegan Ice Cream recipes for adults

24. Mojito Popsicles

Fancy vegan ice cream recipes come in Popsicle form, too! Got a party coming up? You can’t serve up anything better than these cocktails-on-a-stick!

They’re super easy to make, and have all the tartness of lime, coolness of mint, and the sweetness of cane sugar. Not to mention the alcoholic kick!

These are much easier to serve than actual drinks, and the best part? No smashed glasses at the end of the fiesta!

Get the recipe here.

Mojito Popsicles

25. Strawberry Thai Basil Sorbet

Fancy vegan ice cream doesn’t get fancier than this!

This is another flavour combo that will have you thinking whaaaat?! But some flavours just go together most unexpectedly – and herbs do quite well in sweet dishes.

The wonderful thing about sorbets is that they really so require minimal ingredients, and little preparation beforehand.

Like the other sorbets before this, you could serve this between courses, or as a dessert on its own.

Get the recipe here.

Fancy Vegan Ice Cream recipes for adults

Lora O'Brien
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