Hooray, summer! Time to break out the (homemade, dairy-free) ice creams, popsicles, and other frozen treats.
*laughs*
Who am I kidding? I have been pretending it is popsicle season for a few months, ever since we were able to sit outside in only a light jacket, and barely shiver, while eating them.
No matter what the season, you could probably always use more healthy lunch ideas for kids, too. We make healthy lunches fun with our favorite bento lunch box. Dairy-free smoothies are delicous breakfast or snacks year round too!
As for ice cream, I consider it a seasonless treat. Give me a warm blanket, and let me eat it in January. But, as the weather gets warmer I am even more inclined towards eating it.
Whether or not you think frozen fruits are best in the summer or not, I am sure you can agree they are a fantastic way to cool off. They taste great dipped in Cashew Cream.
RELATED: Energy Efficient Summer Cooking
You need not rely on heading to the store and getting frozen treats with less than ideal ingredients though. You can easily make them yourself. Especially if you have an ice cream machine. But, even if you don’t, this list includes popsicles and no-churn/blender ice cream treats.
What makes this list unique though? Every single recipe is dairy free!
I was a little afraid that I wouldn’t be able to find a good variety of dairy-free frozen treats. Most ice creams are, after all, based on cream. But, my fellow bloggers did not let me down. They showered me with a huge variety of frozen treats. Everything from the classic mint chocolate chip, to deliciously unique flavors such as persimmon, lemon mint, and blueberry basil rum.
These recipes are all made from real, natural foods. Some are sweetened with white sugar (you can use organic unbleached), but I kept those to the ones where it wasn’t a huge portion of the recipe. Of course, they’re all free of artificial sweeteners.
(Pssst – if you want to avoid white sugar completely, honey is super easy to sub into frozen deserts like this: simply use 2/3 the amount of light flavored honey.)
Absolutely keep the kids involved; most frozen recipes are kid-friendly on all sides (the eating and the preparing!) and they’ll love knowing that they helped make a really fun dessert.
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10 Snacks Your Kids Can Make
Packed with our favorites for the road, like
- Pumpkin Pie Bars (grain-free)
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Dairy-Free Dessert Recipes for Summer
*WARNING* Do NOT go through this list while hungry
Dairy-Free Ice Cream
I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream.
- Coconut Raspberry Ice Cream (pictured; photo used with permission)
- Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
- Chai Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Ice Cream
- Dairy Free Coconut Ice Cream
- Lemon Poppyseed Ice Cream
- Coconut Coffee Ice Cream
- Chocolate Ice Cream with Magic Shell
- Lavender Ice Cream
- Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream
- Persimmon Coconut Ice Cream
Even More Dairy-Free Ice Cream Recipes
Because I have never been told “Debra, that is too many dairy-free ice cream recipes!”
- Lemon Blueberry Banana Ice Cream (pictured; photo used with permission)
- Nutella Banana Ice Cream
- Orange Julius Ice Cream
- Strawberry Ice Cream
- Sea Salt Caramel Coconut Ice Cream
- Pumpkin Ice Cream (nut free)
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
- Rum Raisin Ice Cream
- Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream
- Almund Joye Ice Cream
(Almost Completely) Fruit Sweetened Frozen Treats
Want some frozen treats that are fruit sweetened (or very very nearly only fruit sweetened)? Here you go!
- Completely sugar-free popsicle recipes that kids can make
- Layered Whole Fruit Popsicles (pictured; photo used with permission)
- Easiest Grape Sorbet
- Dye-Free Memorial Day Strawberry, Pineapple & Blueberry Ice Cream
- Sweet Potato Soft Serve
- Strawberry Dole Whip
- Pineapple Clouds
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream
- 9 more “insanely refreshing” popsicle recipes
Dairy-Free Gelato and Sorbets
Because other great things come from the ice cream machine than just ice cream.
- Blueberry Basil Rum Sorbet (pictured; photo used with permission)
- Chocolate Gelato
- Spiked Chocolate Mint Gelato
- Lemon Nana Sorbet (lemon mint)
- Cantaloupe Basil Sorbet
Dairy-Free Popsicle Recipes
…or “sitles” if you ask my two-year-old. Whatever you call them, they are almost always incredibly easy and well received.
- Chocolate Toasted Coconut Popsicles (pictured, photo used with permission)
- Citrus Mojito Pops
- Coconut Cream Popsicles
- Chocolate Covered Banana Popsicles
- Whole Fruit Strawberry Popsicles
- Cookie Dough Pops
- Melon Berry Popsicles
- Carrot Halwa Popsicles
- Strawberry, Honey, and Chile Popsicles
- Watermelon Lime Mint Popsicles
- Nutella Fudge Pops
- Probiotic Fruit Popsicles (the pops pictured above with my kids)
Dairy-Free Cakes, Sandwiches, and Bars
As if ice cream on its own wasn’t awesome enough…
- Coconut Caramel Klondike Bars (pictured; photo used with permission)
- Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Chocolate Chip Banana Ice Cream Cake
- Strawberry Ice Cream Cake
- Paleo Ice Cream Sandwiches
You might also be interested in learning how to make gluten and dairy-free pastry, and this dairy-free smoothie recipe or gluten-free and dairy-free diet tips.
Nicki says
This post has my mouth watering and my printer smoking. I think a KS frozen treat cookbook is definitely needed in my kitchen. (Hint, Hint)
Debra Worth (Contributing Writer) says
Great word picture. Glad you were able to find recipes you liked!
nutrition mate says
I’m not the ice-cream lover type, honestly. You asked 😉 I eat ice-cream about 2-3 times every summer and it’s totally enough for me. However, last summer we often ate blended frozen fruits (mixed with a bit of coconut milk or almond milk). I didn’t mind them, but it wasn’t my idea… I just went with the flow 😀 Strawberry is my favourite.
Debra Worth (Contributing Writer) says
I have done similar things to that. Yum! Like a super thick smoothie.
Brenda says
What brand popsicle molds do you use/suggest?
Debra Worth (Contributing Writer) says
Brenda, I love the norpro popsicle molds.