Celebrate the best of summer with creamy mulberry ice cream. This dairy-free treat features vibrant swirls of real mulberries and a rich cashew base. (No dairy or eggs in sight!)
Made with just seven simple ingredients, including freshly foraged mulberries, it's the perfect way to cool off. Use your ice cream maker to create scoopable, dreamy ice cream that's sure to impress.
My childhood summers were filled with mulberries.
Barefoot, I'd race down the hill in my parents’ backyard to our three mulberry trees, heavy with fruit. I stood beneath their branches picking until my hands, mouth, and feet were dyed bright purple.
While mulberries were usually eaten right there in the sun, I’d put a handful or two in a baggie for later to extend the joy.
And with mulberries, that’s a must. The season is short. Once the fireflies’ glow begins to fade, you know that mulberries are next to slip away.
(I’d leave for summer camp with mulberries still on the trees. By the time I returned, they were gone.)
This year, I decided to make that fleeting flavor last a little longer by turning mulberries into ice cream, using a raw cashew base and my trusty ice cream maker.
This recipe takes a bit of pre-planning: freezing the ice cream bowl, blending and chilling the base, foraging the berries, cooking the mulberry compote, and refrigerating it until cold. But the results are so worth it.
This velvety ice cream combines creamy vanilla with ribbons of jammy mulberries. (Want a more consistent purple hue? You'll find that option below too.)
In this post:
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.
Raw cashews: Raw cashews are what make this ice cream so rich and indulgent. Choose raw cashew pieces, as opposed to whole, for better value.
Non-dairy milk: Use plain and unsweetened non-dairy milk. Store-bought cashew milk is my go-to. (I haven’t tried this recipe with homemade cashew milk.)
Mulberries: Because of their delicate nature, mulberries are rarely sold in grocery stores. Look for them in trees locally in the spring and early summer.
Any color of mulberries will work for this recipe – from white to dark purple. (Although, you’ll obviously get a more dynamic color differentiation with a purple hue versus white.)
Pantry staples: Sugar, salt, and vanilla. Use pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla.
Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is my preferred, but it’s not a make-or-break in this recipe.
Special equipment you’ll need
To make homemade mulberry ice cream, here's the special equipment you will need:
Ice cream machine: I use a 1.5 quart Cuisinart ice cream maker. The bowl needs to freeze for at least a day before making ice cream. (If you have a different type of machine, prepare your ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s instructions.)
Don't rush it. The results won't be great if the ice cream maker bowl isn't fully frozen. If you have the freezer space, just store the bowl there so it's ready for ice cream anytime.
Blender: A high-speed blender is the easiest option for making the cashew ice cream base. If you don't have a high-speed blender, see the notes section of the recipe card for workarounds to use with a standard blender.
Bread loaf pan: A metal bread loaf pan is handy for holding the ice cream in the freezer, but if you have another freezer-safe container that you prefer, that's fine too. (These ice cream containers look like a good option!)
Ice cream scoop: An ice cream scoop with lever release makes scooping a lot easier.
Step by step instructions
This section shows how to make this recipe at a glance with process photos of the steps. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
Before starting, remember to freeze the ice cream maker bowl for at least 24 hours.
1. In a small to medium-sized pot, stir together mulberries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt.
2. Stir frequently over a medium heat until the compote starts to thicken. You can break up the mulberries as much or as little as you like, depending on if you want whole berries or just sauce.
(If you’d like it fully blended, you can even use an immersion blender to make it smoother.)
Allow it to cool to room temperature. Then move it to the refrigerator to chill for several hours.
3. In a high-speed blender, combine the following:
- Raw cashews
- Non-dairy milk
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
Blend until creamy with no crunching sounds. Put the mixture in the refrigerator to chill for 1 to 12 hours.
4. Once the ice cream and mulberry sauce have fully chilled, start your ice cream machine.
Pour the vanilla base into the machine, and let it churn for 20 minutes, until it has the texture of soft serve.
Keep an eye on it. If your ice cream base is very cold & thickened enough from the fridge, it may be ready in as little as 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Once the ice cream is thick, turn off the machine. Spoon half of the ice cream into a bread loaf pan or other container.
6. Spoon the mulberry compote over the top in an even layer.
7. Add the remaining vanilla ice cream, and swirl with a knife. Cover with plastic wrap and aluminum foil (or a fitting lid, if using a different container).
Move the ice cream to the freezer, and freeze for at least 12 hours.
8. After 12 hours, the ice cream will be very hard. Allow it to warm slightly on the counter for 10 minutes or more before scooping it to serve.
For purple ice cream
If you’d like ice cream that’s entirely purple (instead of white with purple streaks), here’s how you do it:
Once the ice cream reaches soft serve texture, pour the chilled mulberry compote into the ice cream maker while it's still churning.
It will loosen the ice cream somewhat. Let it churn a few minutes more.
Then add it to a bread loaf pan or other container, and cover with a layer of plastic wrap and aluminum foil (or whatever lid fits it). Freeze for 12 hours before enjoying.
Serving ideas
This homemade vegan ice cream is terrific in a bowl or scooped inside of a sugar cone.
It also pairs well with any of these dishes:
- Dolloped alongside other vegan summer desserts like warm vegan pear crisp or rhubarb crisp bars
- Sandwiched between two oatmeal cookies
- Served in a parfait glass with crushed vegan graham crackers & a dollop of non-dairy whipped cream
- Topped with crunchy nuts like candied pecans, pistachios, or slivered almonds.
Storage instructions
Store vegan mulberry ice cream in a covered container in the freezer. Enjoy within a couple of weeks to avoid freezer burn.
FAQ
Your best bet is foraging for mulberries locally when they are in season in your area. They’re rarely sold in stores, because they’re very delicate with a short shelf life.
No, don’t worry about removing the stems. They are very tender and won’t affect the flavor or texture.
Most likely, yes. While I haven't personally tested this recipe with frozen mulberries, they should work well since the berries are cooked down into a compote before being swirled into the ice cream base.
You can add them straight from the freezer to your stovetop. No need to thaw first, but you’ll likely have to cook down the sauce a little longer.
Sure! This ice cream recipe is more lightly sweetened than many recipes. If you like a sweeter dessert, you can double the sugar in the compote and/or the ice cream base.
I don’t think so. Mulberry seeds are quite small (unlike blackberries), and I like the extra texture and crunch they provide.
However, if you don’t like mulberry seeds, feel free to strain the mulberry sauce with a fine mesh sieve before adding it to your ice cream.
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!
📖 Recipe
Mulberry ice cream recipe (vegan & cashew-based)
Ingredients
For the mulberry compote
- 8 ounces mulberries
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
For the ice cream base
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews *see notes below
- 1 ½ cups non-dairy milk plain & unsweetened (I use Silk cashew milk)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the mulberry compote
- Bring a medium-sized pot to a medium heat. Add mulberries, ¼ cup sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Combine with a spoon, stirring regularly, until a lot of the liquid has cooked off, and the compote has condensed. This can take anywhere from 6 to 18 minutes, depending on the juiciness of your berries. If necessary, lower the heat to maintain a simmer.(If you'd like whole mulberries in your ice cream, don't mash them up too much. If you'd like a saucier compote, smash them with a spoon while they cook.)
- Remove the pot from heat, and allow it to cool. It will thicken more while it sets.
- Once it has cooled to about room temperature, transfer the compote to a covered container, and move it to the fridge to chill for several hours. (Or transfer it to a coIt needs to be completely cold before using it in the ice cream.
To make the ice cream
- In a high-speed blender, combine raw cashews, non-dairy milk, ¼ cup sugar, and vanilla extract. Blend until it's completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary. (You'll know it's done when you don't hear any crunching sounds.)Don't have a high-speed blender? Blending raw cashews can be a challenge for standard blenders. See the notes section below for workarounds to use with your standard blender.
- Move the pitcher to the refrigerator, and allow the ice cream base to cool and thicken for 1 to 12 hours. (If the ice cream base is too warm, the machine won't be able to churn it into ice cream.)
- Once the ice cream base has fully chilled, add the frozen bowl to the ice cream machine. (Mine is 1.5 quart.) Start it running. As it turns, pour your ice cream base into the top. Allow it to churn until it becomes the texture of soft serve. (This usually takes about 20 minutes, but if your ice cream base is especially cold and condensed, it may take as little as 8 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on it, and take a taste test out of the top with a spoon to see how set it is.)
- Once the ice cream has thickened to the texture of soft serve, turn off the machine. Scoop about half of the mixture into a bread loaf pan or other freezer-safe container. Then spoon the chilled mulberry compote on top of it in an even layer. Finish with the remaining half of the ice cream, and use a butter knife to swirl the purple mulberry sauce in the vanilla ice cream.
- Cover the pan with a layer of plastic wrap. Then add an additional cover of aluminum foil. (If you're using a container with a lid, you can use that instead.)
- Put the ice cream into the freezer, and allow it to freeze for at least 12 hours to set up.
- When you're ready to enjoy it, be aware that it may be frozen solid. You may need to let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes or more before scooping into it. Once it's soft enough, scoop the ice cream into bowls and enjoy! (Put any leftovers back into the freezer in a covered container.)
Watch how to make it
Notes
- Grind the dry, raw cashews first in a clean coffee grinder until they become the texture of flour. (Because of the amount of cashews, you may need to grind in batches.) Then put them into the blender with the other ingredients. (My favorite option!)
- Soak the raw cashews in water overnight and drain before following the recipe.
- Cover the cashews in boiling water and let them soak 10-20 minutes before draining and using.
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