Are you ready for the easiest and tastiest dessert that you can have in your freezer whenever you want it!? These Easy Vegan Ice Cream Bars are the perfect no-bake dessert that is vegan, gluten-free, and totally delicious. You can use whatever ice cream you have on hand to customize it to your specific liking!

Do you ever crave something cold and sweet but don’t know what to have?! That’s pretty much me every night. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE ice cream, but sometimes I want something a little more creative. Cue these vegan ice cream bars! Such a fun spin on traditional ice cream that you can grab-and-go whenever you’re craving one.

If you do try this recipe and love it, make sure you pin it to your Pinterest to share the love!

What Ingredients Do I Need?

Ice cream of your choosing (I used the Vegan Hazelnut Chocolate Chunk from Brave Robot)
Peanut butter
Maple syrup
Vanilla extract
Almond flour
Cacao powder

Types of Ice Cream to Use

To keep this recipe vegan, I like to use vegan or dairy-free ice creams. You can absolutely use whatever ice cream you have on hand, it just may not be vegan or gluten-free.

The base of this ice cream bar recipe is made of chocolate and peanut butter, so I highly recommend using chocolate or peanut butter-based ice cream for maximum flavor.

You can also get creative and use a strawberry flavor for a PB&J spin. Honestly, any ice cream will be delicious with this. There are so many crazy ice cream flavors out there, it’s hard to say which would work best. My go-to for this is definitely anything chocolate. You can’t go wrong!

How to Make the Ice Cream Bars

A key to making this recipe is letting the ice cream sit out for a few hours to soften. This makes it 10x easier to spread it in the baking dish. Take out a pint of your favorite ice cream, and let it sit at room temperature for 3-4 hours, or until it is pretty melty.

Grab a 9×9″ square baking dish that is freezer-safe and line it with parchment paper. Make sure the dish you use is not made of glass since that can shatter in the freezer (no one wants that). Spray the bottom with non-stick cooking spray.

HACK: To make your parchment paper sit in the pan better, crumple it in your hands, then open it back up and place it in the bottom of the dish. I also like to use clips to hold the sides up to make it even easier. Nothing is worse than the parchment paper constantly popping out of the pan!

Combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, almond flour, and cacao powder in a medium-sized bowl. Stir until a thick batter forms. I personally like to use my hands to make sure all the ingredients are evenly incorporated.

Add the base to the baking dish and press it down with your hands so that it evenly coats the bottom. Make sure it spreads to the corners and it’s totally even. Place the pan in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.

Take the pan out of the freezer and pour the melty/softened ice cream on top of the base layer. Spread it with a spatula or spoon to evenly spread it across the top. Place the pan back in the freezer until the ice cream has set.

Remove the bars from the pan using the parchment paper. Slice into 12-16 bars and store them in a freezer-safe bag. Enjoy!

How to Store the Bars

These bars definitely need to be kept in the freezer. I like to slice the bars, then store them in a large freezer-safe bag in the freezer. They will stay fresh in there for up to 6 months. Take one out and let it sit for 3-5 minutes to soften a bit before you eat it and enjoy the goodness!

More Dessert Recipes

Check out some more amazing dessert recipes here:

Easy Vegan Ice Cream Bars

Recipe by Mary WeissCourse: DessertsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Ingredients

1 pint ice cream of choice (I used the Hazelnut Chocolate Chunk from Brave Robot)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups almond flour
1/4 cup cacao powder

Directions

3-4 hours before you want to make this recipe, remove your ice cream to sit at room temperature. This allows it to soften so it’s easier to spread. You can also microwave it in 30-second intervals until melty, but I recommend letting it sit if you have time.
Line a 9×9″ square baking dish with parchment paper and spray it with non-stick spray. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until combined.
Add in the almond flour and cacao powder and mix well. I like to use my hands since the batter is quite thick. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and press down with your hands so that it evenly coats the bottom of the pan. Place it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.
Remove the dish from the freezer and pour the melted ice cream on top. Spread with a spoon or spatula until it evenly coats the pan. Place the pan back in the freezer until the ice cream has set, about 3-4 hours.
Remove the dish from the freezer and take the bars out using the parchment paper. Slice the bars into 12-16 slices and keep them in a freezer-safe bag. Enjoy!