As soon as I realized that coconut milk was on the table for me and that chocolate was off, my goal became to write a low histamine ice cream recipe that I could tweak for different flavor cravings.
I started off trying to make a vanilla, and once that succeeded, I started trying to make mint, and then coffee, and then peaches and cream. This recipe features fresh antihistamine spearmint leaves with vanilla & bits of chopped macadamia nuts.
For other refreshing and nutritious dessert recipes, also try my blueberry nice cream and blueberry coconut milk popsicles.
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✔️ Why This Recipe is Great
Low Histamine Dessert. This sweet treat is the perfect dessert to enjoy while on a low histamine diet. Check out other low histamine desserts here.
Spearmint Leaves. Though I made this with spearmint leaves, you could replace them with peppermint leaves or maybe even basil & bits of candied ginger for a bit of a twist.
🥥 Ingredients
Coconut Milk: my preferred non-dairy milk, coconut milk also brings a lot more fat to the table than most nut and seed milks, making it a delectable base for ice cream.
Vanilla Powder: taking the place of the more typical vanilla extract, vanilla powder is whole desiccated vanilla pods, dehydrated and alcohol-free.
Monk Fruit Extract: in place of a bunch of refined sugar, this recipe relies upon monk fruit, a calorie-free sweetener extracted from a fruit native to northern Thailand, lo han guo. It's been proven to be 200x sweeter than white sugar, and combined with sate syrup, it forms the low-sugar sweetener for this recipe.
Fresh Mint: this is the main flavor of this ice cream; with the addition of toasted macadamia nuts, this becomes more like a mint chip ice cream (but low histamine!).
See recipe card for exact ingredients and quantities.
🍨 How to Make Low Histamine Ice Cream (Step-by-Step)
Step 1) If you're using an ice cream machine whose bowl needs to freeze overnight, that's the first thing you should have done last night; I'll assume you did and that you're now ready for step 2.
Step 2) Shake your coconut milk before opening, and then open & pour both cans into a large pot over low heat. Add the honey, monk fruit, vanilla, and salt, and stir everything until the honey & salt have dissolved and the mixture looks homogenous (all the same). Turn off the heat.
Step 3) Wash your mint leaves, taking them off of stems, if necessary, and then chop them into a very fine mince; it's okay if some pieces are a little bigger and some almost start to form a paste.
Step 4) Add the mint leaves to the coconut milk mixture and stir until well-combined. This is where you should add the chopped toasted nuts, if you're using them.
Step 5) Assemble your ice cream machine and then turn it on and start pouring in the mixture. Refer to the instructions on your machine for how long to let the mixture stay in, and then serve and enjoy.
Pro-Tip
IF YOU'RE NOT USING A MACHINE: whip together the mixture for about 5 minutes on high or with very vigorous and constant movement if not using an electric mixer. Place the bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes and then take it out and whip it again for 2 more minutes, and then freeze for at least four more hours before enjoying.
🌿 Variations
- Honey-Free Mint Ice Cream: Replace the honey with additional monk fruit extract or allulose for a lower-sugar, low histamine option.
- Extra-Minty Ice Cream: Increase the fresh mint leaves slightly for a bolder mint flavor without using extracts.
- Mild Mint Flavor: Use fewer mint leaves and steep them briefly for a softer, more subtle mint taste.
- Vanilla-Mint Ice Cream: Add a touch more vanilla powder to create a smoother, dessert-style mint profile.
- Nut-Free Version: Omit the toasted macadamia nuts for a simple, creamy mint ice cream suitable for nut-sensitive diets.
- Crunchy Mint Ice Cream: Swap macadamia nuts with toasted coconut flakes (unsweetened) for crunch while staying low histamine.
- Ultra-Creamy Ice Cream: Use full-fat coconut milk only and chill the mixture thoroughly before churning for the creamiest texture.
🧊 Freezing
This ice cream with stay good in the freezer for at least 3 months and up to 6 months, if properly stored in an air-tight container.
👨🏻🍳 Expert Notes & Tips
Other Milks: I would not recommend trying to sub anything else for the coconut milk, unless you can tolerate high quality organic dairy, due to the differences in fat content.
Steeping: If you're familiar with ice cream making, you may be wondering if you can just infuse the coconut milk with the mint leaves. My answer is that I haven't tried it yet, but that if you do try that, steep just ¼ cup of leaves into the milk, and then chop up another ¼ cup to stir into the ice cream at the end.
🍧 What to Do With Homemade Ice Cream
- ice cream sandwiches with low histamine cookies
- enjoy it with fresh or frozen fruits
- use it as the base for smoothies
- have it as a snack with granola on top
🙋 Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, when made with fresh mint leaves and dairy-free ingredients, this mint ice cream can fit a low histamine diet, though individual tolerance may vary.
Yes, replace the honey with monk fruit or allulose to make it fully vegan.
An ice cream maker gives the best texture, but you can make a no-churn version by freezing and stirring the mixture every 30–45 minutes.
Fresh mint is recommended for the best flavor and lower histamine tolerance; dried mint may be more concentrated and less predictable.
This usually means the mixture wasn’t chilled enough before freezing or needed more fat—using full-fat coconut milk helps.
Have you tried this recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Easy Fresh Mint Ice Cream Recipe
Equipment
- ice cream machine
Ingredients
- 2-14 oz. cans of organic coconut milk
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ teaspoon pure monk fruit extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla powder
- ¼ to ½ cup fresh mint leaves packed
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- optional ⅓ cup toasted macadamia nuts, chopped
Instructions
- If you're using an ice cream machine whose bowl needs to freeze overnight, that's the first thing you should have done last night; I'll assume you did and that you're now ready for step 2.
- Shake your coconut milk before opening, and then open & pour both cans into a large pot over low heat. Add the honey, monk fruit, vanilla, and salt, and stir everything until the honey & salt have dissolved, then turn off the heat.
- Wash your mint leaves, taking them off of stems, if necessary, and then chop them into a very fine mince; it's okay if some pieces are a little bigger and some almost start to form a paste.
- Add the mint leaves to the coconut milk mixture and stir until well-combined. This is where you should add the chopped toasted nuts, if you're using them.
- Assemble your ice cream machine and then turn it on and start pouring in the mixture. Refer to the instructions on your machine for how long to let the mixture stay in, and then serve and enjoy.
- IF YOU'RE NOT USING A MACHINE: whip together the mixture for about 5 minutes on high or with very vigorous and constant movement if not using an electric mixer. Place the bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes and then take it out and whip it again for 2 more minutes, and then freeze for at least four more hours before enjoying.
Notes
Nutrition
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