This Coconut Ice Cream recipe is crazy easy to make, with just three ingredients. It’s a refreshing, ultra creamy frozen treat that’s extra yummy when served with warm grilled pineapple. Pure summertime, tropical-flavored fun!
My sister Jessica shared this super easy Coconut Ice Cream recipe with me many years ago and it remains a favorite for our family. We especially enjoy it in the summertime, when we’re grilling every single day – because it’s FABULOUS with Grilled Pineapple, all deliciously warmed and charred by the flame of the grill. It’s an absolutely heavenly combination!
Why This Homemade Ice Cream Is a Must-Make
Coconut ice cream will forever remind me of our family’s first trip to Mexico. This flavor was a daily offering at the poolside cafe – it was super cold and refreshing, with tropical flavor that fit right in with our beachy, palm tree surroundings. When we got home, I didn’t want to live without coconut ice cream! If you’re a coconut fan, I highly recommend chilling up a batch!
- One of the easiest ice cream recipes. This coconut ice cream, like my Peanut Butter Ice Cream recipe, has no cooking at all – so super easy, without sacrificing flavor or texture. Conventional ice cream, which involves making a custard on the stovetop and letting it cool, takes more time and energy to make. The custard base can be well worth the effort, though. Check out my Peppermint Ice Cream and Rocky Road Ice Cream, for two delicious custard-based examples.
- Three simple ingredients. It doesn’t get much better than that!!
- Endlessly customizable. I know I just sold you on the three-ingredient concept, but you can also add your favorite bits and bobs. I especially recommend dark chocolate flakes. A swirl of passion fruit curd is also so lovely. Or use your ice cream to build some epic tropical sundaes.
What You’ll Need
You’re just three ingredients away from the best coconut ice cream ever! Scroll down to the printable recipe card to find the exact ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions.
- Heavy whipping cream – Stick with heavy cream, as the higher fat content holds air better – and when it comes to ice cream, this means a lighter, fluffier texture.
- Sugar – Just your everyday granulated white sugar here.
- Coconut milk – Again, don’t use a light version. You’ll need canned full-fat unsweetened coconut milk, not the kind that comes refrigerated in a carton.
How to Make Coconut Ice Cream
Remember to pop the bowl from your ice cream maker into the freezer before making your coconut ice cream. Usually 24 hours is sufficient, but follow the instructions for your machine. Once it’s nice and frosty, here’s what you’ll do next.
- Mix the ingredients. Whisk the cream and sugar in a mixing bowl until combined, then whisk in the coconut milk.
- Churn. Add the mixture to your ice cream maker and churn until it has the consistency of soft serve.
- Freeze. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze until it reaches your desired consistency. (About 4 hours for softer scoops, or 6 to 8 hours for hard-pack ice cream.)
- Serve. Then scoop and enjoy! See my serving suggestions below.
Variations to Try
If you’d like to jazz up your coconut ice cream, here are a few ideas. Follow your ice cream maker’s instructions for the inclusions, or layer the inclusions into the container with the ice cream before freezing.
- Swirl in some flavor. In addition to the aforementioned chocolate flakes and passion fruit curd, try swirling in (cold) Hot Fudge Sauce or caramel.
- Add mix-ins. Toasted coconut is fabulous, or try graham cracker crumbs for coconut cream pie vibes. Mini chocolate chips always work well in ice cream (regular-size chocolate chips freeze too hard!), as do chopped cookies and candy bars.
- Make it a sundae. Serve over grilled pineapple with a sprinkle of toasted coconut and a cherry on top, make it into a banana split, or use your imagination to come up with your own creation!
- Add more coconut oomph. As written, this has a light coconut flavor. But if you want it to be more coconut-forward, you can add coconut extract. Add 1/2 teaspoon to the mixture, taste it, and add more if desired.
How to Store
This homemade coconut ice cream keeps really well in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. If you don’t have a good container for it, you can use a loaf pan; press plastic wrap onto the top of the ice cream to prevent freezer burn, then wrap it a second time with a layer of foil.
More Homemade Ice Cream Recipes
Coconut Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 pint (2 cups) heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 can (13.5 ounces) full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together cream and sugar until well blended, about 1 minute. Add coconut milk and whisk to evenly combine.
- Pour mixture into well-chilled ice cream freezer bowl and churn until frozen to a thickened soft-serve consistency. This takes 20-25 minutes with my ice cream maker.
- Transfer ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours for softly-set scoops of ice cream, or 6-8 hours for firmer scoops.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
This post was originally published in 2010, then updated in 2025.
I’m a nut for coconut!!
Thank you for the recipe!
We love grilled pineapple too! So yummy with this ice cream!
This is one of our favorite quick and tasty summer treats!
This pineapple & ice cream looks soooo good! :)
Oh, Laura, it is soooo good. Would 2 Klein girls lie?! :-)
Love the photos!!
Thank you!!
Grilled pineapple is my FAVORITE! I will try this combination!