Vegan Pumpkin Ice Cream is a sweet treat that is perfect at any time of year. It’s made using coconut milk and real pumpkin puree. Let me show you how to make it in a blender, food processor, or ice cream maker! Everyone loves this dairy-free frozen treat.

two bowls of vegan pumpkin ice cream served with cinnamon sticks.

If you’re looking for another way to add pumpkin spice into your life, then you’ve got to try this recipe for Vegan Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream!

This recipe uses both real pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice for a super delicious dairy-free pumpkin dessert. I used full fat coconut milk to replace dairy cream for the ice cream base.

You don’t have to wait for the autumn season to make this recipe. It’s perfect for both warm and cold weather seasons (or any time of year).

Why You Need This Recipe

  • This vegan ice cream recipe uses full-fat coconut milk as the base with maple syrup to sweeten. There’s no need for cream or dairy milk. This recipe has a total of five simple ingredients which makes it just so easy to make.
  • Even if you’ve never made homemade ice cream before, this recipe is quite easy. You essentially just blend the ingredients and then freeze (or churn in an ice cream machine).
  • Make this vegan pumpkin ice cream recipe around the holidays or at any time of year. If you like the flavor of pumpkin spice, then you’ll love this pumpkin dessert. You may also want to check out my recipes for Vegan Pumpkin Pudding, Pumpkin Energy Bites, or Vegan Pumpkin Fluff.

Key Ingredients

ingredients for pumpkin ice cream
  • Full-fat canned coconut milk replaces heavy cream in this dairy-free ice cream recipe.
  • Pure pumpkin puree adds a nice pumpkin flavor to the nice cream, plus beta carotene and fiber! Don’t use pumpkin pie filling for this recipe, use 100% pumpkin puree.
  • Real maple syrup adds sweetness and helps make this pumpkin ice cream taste like fall.
  • Vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice add that characteristic pumpkin pie flavor.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact measurements.

Recipe Substitutes

  • Don’t have pumpkin pie spice? Just use the same amount of ground cinnamon instead!
  • You can also use coconut cream instead of coconut milk, but you’ll need to add about one cup of water or plant milk to get the right texture (soy milk will give you the best texture, but you can use others if you prefer).

Recipe Steps

Step One

Freeze your ice cream bowl overnight if you are going to use an ice cream machine. 

Gather your ingredients for your nice cream recipe including coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin puree.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

chilled pumpkin ice cream mixture.

Step Two

Blend the ingredients in a blender or food processor and chill for 30 minutes.

Chilling the mixture before freezing it will help speed up the process.

Step Three

Then, you just pour the mixture into an ice cream churner. Or, if you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container. You’ll then need to freeze the mixture and use a fork to break up the ice crystals.

In almost no time, you have a creamy and delicious pumpkin pie flavored ice cream with no preservatives or additives.

If you’re craving a pumpkin spice latte but it’s too hot, try this dairy free pumpkin ice cream instead! It’s perfect for fall flavors even when it’s not yet fall.

pumpkin ice cream inside ice cream maker.

Step Four

When I make homemade ice cream, I usually transfer the mixture from the machine to the freezer to firm it up a bit before serving (so it’s less like soft serve and more like traditional ice cream).

By the way, I also get a lot of questions about how to make homemade ice cream without an ice cream maker. It can be done! It’s a little bit more time-consuming, but I wrote a blog post about how to make ice cream without an ice cream maker.

Serve your ice cream plain, or with pie. You can also add your favorite toppings such as dairy-free whip cream, nut butter, or banana slices.

I hope your whole family loves this healthier ice cream that is perfect for any time of the year.

pumpkin ice cream ready to be scooped.

Recipes Tips

  • If your ice cream is in the freezer for longer than 12 hours, you may need to defrost it on the countertop for 10-20 minutes to let is soften before scooping. 
  • If you don’t have an ice cream maker, be sure to read my post on how to make homemade ice cream without a machine.

Recipe FAQs

Do I need an ice cream maker to make homemade ice cream?

It will make your life easier, but you don’t have to have one! They’re less than $70 on Amazon, but I totally get it if you don’t want another appliance or you don’t want to spend the money. I have the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker.

Feel free to make homemade dairy-free ice cream by freezing your mixture and stirring it every 30 minutes or so to help incorporate air and create a creamy texture. Read my whole tutorial on making homemade ice cream without an ice cream maker.

Can I use light coconut milk for this recipe?

Yes, but I only tested it using full-fat milk. It will probably taste more like ice milk than ice cream.

Can I use real fresh pumpkin that I cook at home in this pumpkin ice cream recipe?

Yes, but I have not tested it that way. I have only made this recipe using canned pumpkin puree.

Can I use coconut cream instead of coconut milk?

Yes, but you’ll need to add about 1 cup of plant milk such as soy milk or almond milk to help get the right consistency for your ice cream base.

two parfait glasses with pumpkin ice cream.

More Vegan Ice Cream Recipes You Might Like

Don’t miss my round-up of vegan and dairy-free ice cream recipes.

Don’t Miss These Vegan Pumpkin Recipes!

Vegan Pumpkin Brownies (Gluten-Free)

Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Vegan Pumpkin Pudding (Healthy & Delicious)

Homemade Pumpkin Seed Milk (Dairy-Free & Vegan)

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

And, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!

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bowl of ice cream with a gold spoon

Vegan Pumpkin Ice Cream (Blender or Food Processor)

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5 from 3 reviews

Print Recipe

Vegan Pumpkin Ice Cream is a sweet treat that is perfect at any time of year. It’s made using coconut milk and real pumpkin puree. Blend the ingredients in a blender or food processor and then churn in an ice cream maker or using the freezer method.

  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 13.5–ounce can of full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/3 cup of real maple syrup
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree from a can

Instructions

  1. Combine the coconut milk, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, and pumpkin puree into a high-speed blender or food processor and process until smooth.
  2. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and refrigerate until chilled (at least 2 hours).
  3. Pour the chilled mixture into an ice-cream make and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
  4. You may need to freeze the ice cream an additional hour or so to harden.

Notes

  1. If your ice cream is in the freezer for longer than 12 hours, you may need to defrost it on the countertop for 10-20 minutes to let is soften before scooping. 
  2. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can use ground cinnamon instead.
  3. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, be sure to read my post on how to make homemade ice cream without a machine.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/2 cup
  • Calories: 182
  • Sugar: 10.9 g
  • Sodium: 12.1 mg
  • Fat: 14.4 g
  • Saturated Fat: 12.7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 14.5 g
  • Fiber: 2.2 g
  • Protein: 1.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and is a certified holistic nutritionist. She is a top wellness and food blogger with over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send her a message through her contact form.