Vegan strawberry hemp ice cream! It is high in protein (8.6 g per 1/2 cup) creamy, rich, nourishing, straightforward-to-prepare, and is made without nuts, coconut or banana.

Vegan Ice Cream made with Hemp Hearts

It’s back to school time at our house.

So I did what every good mother does: I made ice cream!

While not entirely true (I made the ice creamSunday, served it Monday), it is no lie that this is one decadent-tasting frozen treat. It is the reliable way to use up some late-summer strawberries, too.

Oh, and by the way: I made this dreamy ice cream withhemp.

Benefits of Vegan Hemp Ice Cream

This heavenly ice cream is:

Vegan (dairy free, egg-free)
Paleo
LOADED with two essential fatty acids (Omega-3 and Omega-6)
High in protein (8.6 g per 1/2 cup!)
Nut-free
Coconut-free
Banana-free

You may have heard of–or tried–a variety of other vegan ice creams, including options made with soy, coconut milk, and cashews, or “soft-serve” ice cream made with frozen bananas. Now you can add hemp to the list. Specifically, hemp milk and hemp hearts.

Hemp milk has a rich consistency, making it an excellent choice for creamy concoctions such as this ice cream. Look for it in tetra packs where other non-dairy milks are shelved.

However, it’s the hemp hearts–shelled hemp seeds–that take this dessert creamy.

What Do Hemp Hearts Taste Like?

Hemp hearts are similar to cashews in their neutral flavor–they remind me of pine nuts–so it was more of a hop than a leap to consider trying them in an ice cream recipe.

Additionally, I had a specific request from a reader, who asked if I knew of a nut-free and coconut-free ice cream (other than banana-based ice creams). She has children with allergies to both. I had a big bag of hemp hearts in the freezer, so it was time to experiment!

I love fruit ice creams in the summer, and my son feels the same. Strawberry ice cream in time for the first day of school became the plan!

Making the ice cream is plain. First, combine the hemp hearts and hemp milk in a covered container and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Blend both the milk and hearts in a blender, along with the remaining ingredients, until smooth, and process in an ice cream maker.

In no time, you have ice cream that is as good for you as it is irresistible!

Enjoy it straight away, or pack into an airtight container and freeze until very firm.

I am confident it would be smashing made with other late-season options, too, like peaches, blackberries or nectarines, so feel free to swap in your go-to fruit.

More Straightforward Vegan Ice Creams To Try:

Mango Banana Coconut Ice Cream
Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream {5 ingredients}
3-ingredient Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream
1-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream
2-Ingredient Strawberry Sorbet

Strawberry Hemp Heart Ice Cream {Vegan, Paleo}

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 7 cups

Ingredients

2 cups hemp hearts hulled hemp seeds
3-1/2 cups hemp milk or nondairy milk of choice
1-1/2 cups strawberries hulled
1/2 cup pure maple syrup see options in notes
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Method

In a covered container, combine the hemp hearts and hemp milk. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours (do not drain).
In a blender, process the hemp hearts and milk, strawberries, maple syrup , lemon juice, vanilla and salt until blended and smooth.
Transfer mixture to an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions. Serve right away (softer serve) or pack into an airtight container and free to desired firmness.

Notes

Sweetener options: An equal amount of natural cane sugar can be used in place of the maple syrup . If not vegan, 1/3 cup honey can be used in place of the maple syrup . Storage: Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Enjoy these final days of summer, everyone!