Salted Caramel Coconut Milk Ice Cream

A rich, creamy coconut-based ice cream swirled with buttery salted caramel and churned to silky-soft perfection. This one's dairy-free without even trying to be, and it tastes like a fancy scoop shop made it just for you.

I used to think salted caramel was just for lattes and overly complicated desserts that required a candy thermometer and emotional resilience. But then I made this ice cream. Coconut milk takes the lead, salted caramel brings the drama, and the whole thing gets whipped up in the ice cream maker in minutes.

It's the kind of dessert you bust out on a weeknight just because you can, and everyone will think you bought it from that overpriced hipster gelato place. 😉

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Full-fat coconut milk - This is your base. No almond milk, no light stuff. You want the thick, luscious kind from a can.
• Granulated sugar - Keeps the texture smooth and adds sweetness without overpowering the caramel.
• Salted caramel sauce - You can use store-bought or homemade. I'm not judging. I've done both, and they both work beautifully.
• Sea salt - Just a little, to bring everything into balance.
• Vanilla extract - Rounds out the flavor and gives it a little warmth.

Want it extra fancy? Use vanilla bean paste instead of extract. Bonus points if you swirl in extra caramel before freezing.

How to Make It

1. Blend the base - In a blender, combine the coconut milk, sugar, sea salt, caramel sauce, and vanilla. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.
2. Churn - Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. (I use the KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment.) It should thicken to soft-serve consistency in 20-25 minutes.
3. Swirl & freeze - Pour half of the churned ice cream into a loaf pan or freezer-safe container. Drizzle caramel over the top, then add the rest and swirl gently with a knife.
4. Freeze to set - Cover and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight. Let it sit at room temp for 5 minutes before scooping.

Helpful Tips

The Ice Cream Maker! I personally use a KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment for my mixer. I've had it for a decade and it still works great. But you can also use a standalone machine like this one.

Chill your ice cream maker bowl for at least 24 hours. Seriously. Don't skip this step, because it makes a big difference in how easily your ice cream freezes.

Layer and swirl the caramel when transferring the ice cream to your container - don't just stir. This gives you those gorgeous caramel ribbons in every scoop.

Freeze overnight if you can. It takes a good six hours to really freeze to traditional ice cream consistency.

Fun Variations

• Toasted pecan crunch - Stir in ½ cup chopped toasted pecans just before freezing.
• Bourbon caramel swirl - Add a tablespoon of bourbon to your caramel sauce. You're welcome.
• Extra salty finish - Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top before serving for a restaurant-worthy touch.
• Chocolate chip add-in - Stir in mini dark chocolate chips to make it feel like a Twix bar's cooler cousin.

More Frozen Treats

If you love this recipe, be sure to check all my homemade ice cream recipes! Or for something a little different, try this Boozy Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Pie. Yum.

Recipe