Coconut milk gets blended with cashews, vanilla, and charred marshmallows to form a thick, creamy ice cream base loaded with the quintessential s’mores flavor of marshmallows roasted over a campfire. Crumbled graham crackers and a thick swirl of homemade chocolate sauce make for the ultimate s’mores experience in every bite!
Let’s celebrate the (unofficial) last weekend of summer with s’mores!
But, like, let’s keep it frozen because, HELLO, HEATWAVE.
The past few weeks have been feeling cooler, as if fall was right around the corner, and yet here we are again with temps on the verge of 100 degrees and the undeniable urge to eat ice cream for every meal.
So, let’s do just that.
Here’s what you’ll need:
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Marshmallows. Since they’re the flavor and sugar base of the ice cream, choose the best quality ones you can find. I like this brand or the ones sold at Trader Joe’s (which I suspect are actually the same exact ones). They’ll get toasted until nearly charred for maximum campfire flavor (this can happen in the oven under the broiler, or over a gas stove with a fork or skewer), then blended up into the ice cream.
Coconut milk. Two cans. Full fat; we want this ice cream as creamy as possible. If you’re totally coconut averse, some high quality (read: organic and grass-fed, if you can swing it) half + half would do the trick here, too, though would obviously negate the vegan/dairy-free nature of this recipe. You do you, friends.
Cashews. This might seem like an unusual ingredient in ice cream, but the cashews blend up with the coconut milk to form an extra rich, thick, creamy, scoop-able texture that just isn’t achievable with straight up coconut milk. And, since we’re using raw cashews, they’re virtually flavorless.
Vanilla Extract. For it’s flavor AND alcohol content, which helps keep ice cream from freezing into a solid block.
Salt. Just a pinch- this ice cream needs it with all those sweet ‘mallows.
4-Ingredient Chocolate Sauce. You’ll only need half a batch, but I’m guessing you can figure out what to do with leftovers.
Graham Crackers. Again, grab the best quality you can find/ones you love munching on. Graham bunnies/animals/etc would work just as well here, too. They’re getting crushed up so it’s all the same in the end. There are some pretty tasty gluten-free ones on the market, too, if you need to keep this ice cream GF.
An Ice Cream Maker + a Food Processor or High-Powered Blender. I’ve had this ice cream maker for years and love how simple it is to use and how little space it takes up in my cabinet when I’m not using it. I used this blender for the ice cream base but love my food processor, too!
That’s it! Just 7 ingredients (that’s only 4 more than it takes to make an actual s’more) and about 30 minutes stand between you and a soft, creamy, totally s’mores-tasting ice cream.
The flavor of toasted marshmallows + chunky graham crackers + melty rich chocolate sauce + creamy coconut milk is seriously such a winning combo. As this ice cream sits out, the chocolate swirl starts to melt into the ice cream, melding with the toasted marshmallow flavor, just like the melty, drippy, ooey-gooey s’mores it was based off of.
If you’re a s’mores lover, you are going to FLIP over this ice cream. If you try it out, let me know what you think by leaving a comment below or taking a picture and sharing it with me on Instagram! I love seeing my recipes in your kitchen.
Enjoy the last few moments of summer, Friends!
- 12 large marshmallows
- 2-14oz cans full-fat coconut milk*
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/8tsp (aka a large pinch) sea salt
- 4 large graham crackers**
- 1/2 a batch of my 4-Ingredient Chocolate Sauce
- 1. Be sure the base of your ice cream maker has even in the freezer for 24 hours, or as long as the manufacturer recommendation, before using.
- 2. Toast marshmallows until slightly charred, either by placing them all on a sheet pan in the oven under the broiler for 2-4 minutes, flipping once to brown both sides, or on an open flame on your gas stovetop with a metal skewer or a long fork.
- 3. Once marshmallows are toasted, put them in the bowl of a food processor or high-powered blender with the coconut milk, cashews, vanilla, and salt. Blend until cashews and marshmallows are completely pureed and mixture is creamy.
- 4. Pour the pureed marshmallow ice cream base into your ice cream maker and churn according to it's directions (mine took about 30 minutes, total).
- 5. While ice cream churns, break the graham crackers into small chunks and mix together the chocolate sauce.
- 6. Pour graham cracker chunks into the ice cream maker once ice cream is done and churn for another minute, or until combined. Then, scoop ice cream into a freezer-safe dish (I used a loaf pan), spreading half of the ice cream into the pan, drizzling over half of the chocolate sauce, then spreading the rest of the ice cream on top and drizzling with remaining chocolate sauce. Scoop and eat immediately, or put pan in the freezer to firm up for at least an hour. Ice cream keeps in the freezer for 2 weeks, though it will freeze quite solid after a day in the freezer, and should be taken out 10-15 minuets before eating to let it soften slightly before scooping.
- *If desired, 3 1/3 cups of half & half or light cream can be used in place of the coconut milk (though would obvsiouly negate the dairy-free/vegan nature of this recipe)
- **Choose gluten-free graham crackers, if needed! If using a graham cracker bunny, bear, or other small shape, you'll need a heaping 1/2 cup.