We Vegan-ified Our Cinnamon Snickerdoodle Ice Cream

You asked, we answered. After a call-out on social asking you all which flavor you'd most want to see vegan-ified in celebration of Vegandulgence, we decided the challenge would be turning one of our beloved Portland classics, Cinnamon Snickerdoodle—the third flavor we ever created!—into a dairy-free treat. 

Makes about 2 1/2 pints

 

FOR THE WHITE COCONUT ICE CREAM BASE

¾ cup sugar (beet or organic cane sugar)

½ teaspoons xanthan gum

¾ cup tapioca syrup (or light corn syrup)

1 cup water

2½ cups coconut cream (preferably Aroy-D and boxed, not canned)

 

FOR THE VEGAN SNICKERDOODLES 

8 tbsp (4 oz) Earth Balance (or your favorite vegan butter), at room temperature

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons beet sugar (or organic cane sugar)

Vegan egg replacer (use the ratio on your package to mix with water and create the equivalent of 1 egg)

1½ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1½ teaspoons cinnamon 

 

FOR THE ICE CREAM

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

Pinch kosher salt

Pinch ancho chile powder

1 cup crumbled Vegan Snickerdoodle Cookies 

 

MAKE ICE CREAM BASE

1. Stir together sugar and xanthan gum in small bowl and set aside.

2. Combine tapioca syrup and water in small saucepan. Add sugar mixture and whisk vigorously until smooth. Set pan over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until sugar has fully dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in coconut cream. Let cool.

2. Transfer mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 6 hours. (For even better texture and flavor, chill 24 hours. It can be stored in the fridge up to 1 week or in the freezer up to 3 months.)

MAKE VEGAN SNICKERDOODLES

1. Combine vegan butter and 1 cup sugar in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and cream on high speed until butter becomes slightly airy and turns a shade lighter, about 3 minutes. Mix egg replacer with water and stream into mixture. Mix until completely combined.

2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, making sure there aren’t any lumps. Add the flour mixture to the stand mixer and mix on medium-low speed until dough comes together in a big ball. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or ideally overnight.

3. Heat oven to 375º and line a baking sheet with parchment and grease with non-stick spray. 

4. Mix remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon in a wide bowl until thoroughly combined. Scoop golf ball-sized pieces of cookie dough and toss in sugar mixture to coat, then transfer to prepared baking sheet.

5. Bake, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until cookies are golden around the edges and tops feel firm when poked, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer them to a cooling rack and let cool completely. (Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.)

MAKE ICE CREAM

1. In a large bowl, gently whisk ice cream base, cinnamon, salt, and ancho chile powder until spices are well combined. Let mixture sit 10 to 15 minutes so spices fully saturate, then whisk again.

2. Pour mixture into ice cream maker and churn until it reaches soft serve texture, 30 to 40 minutes (depending on your machine). 

3. Chop cooled snickerdoodles into bite-sized pieces. In freezer-friendly containers, evenly layer ice cream and snickerdoodles. Cover tops of containers with parchment paper, pressing it to the surface of the ice cream so it adheres, then cover with a lid (parchment can hang over the rim). Freeze it in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 6 hours. (Ice cream will keep up to six months.)