Vegan ice creams are great if you’re lactose intolerant, on a vegan lifestyle, or just prefer healthier alternatives. Worry not because that does not mean you need to give up this classic and well-loved dessert. If you're craving some ice cream, you've come to the right place!
You can find many vegan ice creams made with plant-based milk and ingredients like coconut, soy, or almond milk. That way, you can still enjoy ice cream with less guilt and get some health benefits to boot! In this article, we will be giving you an inside scoop on the 10 best vegan ice creams along with a buying guide fact-checked by nutritionist-dietitian Samantha Morales.
Quick List - Top Vegan Ice Creams
Samantha began her career in clinical nutrition and weight management at a tertiary hospital in Manila, Philippines. Her practice allowed her to give nutrition counseling and plan modified diets for patients with medical conditions. Presently, she does private practice to focus on true holistic wellness - an approach that believes in aligning one's mind, body, and spiritual well-being.
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
Here are some key points to consider:
For more detailed information, read through our buying guide below.
Are you in the mood for regular ice cream, gelato, or ice cream bars? When looking for vegan ice cream, it is important to know which kind of chilled dessert is to your liking. This way, you can easily narrow down your choices. What exactly are their differences? We will answer them right down below!
Ice cream is essentially composed of milk, cream, and air. In terms of the ratio of ingredients, it has more cream than milk compared to gelatos. It is made by churning the mixture fast. As a result, the end product has a soft and airy quality to it, and they tend to have a milder intensity in terms of flavor.
Gelatos don’t look much different from regular ice cream at first glance. What makes it distinct is that it contains more milk than cream. It has less air due to slower churning speed, making it rich and dense with a smooth appearance. In addition, this process enables the flavor to become more concentrated and intense.
Last but not least are ice cream bars. In each one, there is a crispy chocolate casing that covers the luscious and creamy ice cream inside. This is ideal if you want ice cream with added texture and chocolatey goodness. The casing also helps protect the ice cream inside from melting easily.
In this section, we will be discussing the most common plant-based alternatives to dairy ice cream, such as coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk, and soy milk. They vary mainly in their taste profile, but you will also learn each of their benefits.
Coconut milk is made from water and coconut flesh of brown coconuts. It has a natural sweetness and the slight taste of fresh coconut, while the consistency is rich and creamy. Coconuts have medium-chain triglycerides that may encourage weight loss. But they are also high in fat and calories, so it is best to consume this moderately.
Almond milk has a nutty and watered-down taste compared to dairy milk but has a light yet creamy quality. It is one of the more popular options for dairy alternatives because it has lower calories and carbohydrates. It also contains vitamin E, an antioxidant that may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Oat milk is made by straining the liquid from a mixture of water and oats. It contains beta-glucan fiber that aids in immunity, digestive health, managing blood sugar levels, and heart health. As for the taste, oat milk has a mild grainy flavor with a bit of sweetness. It has a thick consistency but is still light on the stomach.
If you want a dairy alternative that is closest to the taste and nutrient value of cow’s milk, then go for soy milk. It is made from soybeans or soy protein isolate, which are good sources of protein but low in saturated fat.
Soy milk has a slightly beany taste. It is as creamy as dairy but sweeter than milk and its other alternatives. This is the best bet if you want something that has a similar texture and creaminess as regular milk.
Ice cream flavors like chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry are the go-to choices of many people who want something plain and classic. But for those with adventurous taste buds, there are creative and artisanal flavor combinations, such as salted caramel, avocado, mint, and even lavender ice cream.
Aside from the flavor of the ice cream, you can also opt for added toppings like fruit bits, nuts for some crunch, or brownies for a soft and chewy texture. If the shop offers a lot of flavors, it is best to go for their best-sellers because these are already proven to be delicious.
Ice cream usually comes in cups, pints, tubs, or in wrappers in the case of ice cream bars. If it is your first time to purchase vegan ice cream, go for cups that have roughly 100 ml. This is the best option for you to taste more flavors. Ice cream bars are individually wrapped and contain a single serving, which is best when you want to eat ice cream even while on the go.
On the other hand, pints and tubs are good for sharing during special occasions or movie nights. They contain about 473 ml and at least 500 ml of ice cream, respectively. You can also opt for these for your favorite flavors. Buying in larger packaging ensures a ready supply of ice cream, so you always have something for dessert.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Super Scoops Choco Brownie Madness | ![]() | Have a Scoop of Chocolatey Goodness | |
2 | Alt Scoops Burnt Caramel With Roasted Pecans | ![]() | A Balance of Smoky and Sweet Flavors | |
3 | Ambassador's Vegan Ice Cream Mango Biscoff | ![]() | Mango Graham, But Make It Vegan | |
4 | Kurimu Nama Chocolate | ![]() | Intense Chocolate Ice Cream With a Kick of Coffee | |
5 | Ice Cream City’s Lavender Lane Ice Cream | ![]() | Almond Milk Ice Cream With Real Flower Extract | |
6 | Afters Vegato Pistachio | ![]() | A Vegan Gelato That Has a Mild Nutty Taste | |
7 | The Sexy Chef Tasty Taho | ![]() | A Sweet Breakfast Staple Turned Into Ice Cream | |
8 | Magnum Dairy Free Almond Ice Cream | ![]() | Dairy-Free Version of a Premium Ice Cream Bar | |
9 | bubu You Little Monkey | ![]() | Banana-Flavored Ice Cream Suitable for Those With Lactose Intolerance | |
10 | Cocolatto Vanilla Dream | ![]() | A Vegan Take on the Classic Vanilla Ice Cream |
Calling all the chocolate lovers out there! Local brand Super Scoops has exactly what you're looking for. Their Choco Brownie Madness is made from two kinds of milk: coconut and soy, which makes it rich and creamy. For an added texture, this also contains bits of brownies that are gluten-free.
This particular flavor and their Coffee Cashew Crumble have been recognized by The Guild of Fine Food Great Taste Awards in 2020, so the quality and taste are unmatched. Buying from this brand does not only satisfy your cravings, but you can also support coconut farmers where they source their ingredients.
Vegan ice creams from Alt Scoops have aesthetically pleasing packaging, but their appeal doesn't stop there. One of the flavors their loyal patrons go for is this burnt caramel with roasted pecans ice cream because of its perfect balance of smokiness and sweetness and its crunchy and creamy texture.
You can also go for their 5-pack sampler, where you can choose five flavors in mini 100 ml cups. Each of them is made with oat milk, making it creamy and perfect for your homemade milkshakes. The brand is relatively new to the scene but has been featured multiple times in articles and even on TV, so you should definitely try this out!
Mangoes in the Philippines are generally sweeter than anywhere else in the world. This vegan ice cream is Ambassador's take on the mango graham float, which is one of the most popular desserts in the country. It is made of coconut milk, making it creamy, just like regular ice cream.
Instead of graham crackers, it includes crumbled Biscoff cookies that fill every spoonful. This is best for those who want an added texture but not something too hard or too crunchy. You can also get this per 100 ml cup, along with their other best-sellers, such as Tsokolate Tablea, Golden Milk, Vanilla Mega Cookie, and Cookies and Cream.
If you can’t seem to decide which flavor to get, why not try classic ones such as chocolate? That way, it is sure to be a hit. Try Kurimu’s Nama Chocolate, which consists of oat milk and dark chocolate. It has a creamy texture and deep chocolatey flavor, perfect for chocolate lovers out there.
It is infused with Yardstick Coffee’s Switch Blend, which is what sets it apart from typical chocolate flavors. Don’t worry! The coffee doesn’t overpower the chocolate but adds a nice little kick. It also makes the chocolate taste more profound. Who knew vegan desserts could be this good?
Ice Cream City's vegan ice creams have gained quite the following, and trust us when we say this is for a good reason! They have unique flavor combinations worth giving a try. One of their best-selling flavors is the Lavender Lane, their pioneer variant in their flower ice cream series.
Melt your worries and relax as you enjoy each spoonful as it contains real lavender extract. Your taste buds will be further delighted with the sweetness of pure organic maple, plus added texture from cashew nuts. On top of that, they've joined a climate action initiative where a tree will be planted for every 3 pints sold, and their containers are fully compostable!
If you want something with the same texture as gelatos but has a more toned-down taste, this pistachio flavor is best for you. It is one of the brand's bestsellers, especially for people who want a mild nutty taste. Another great thing about pistachio ice cream is the green color that increases your appetite!
Afters Manila has a whole line of Vegatos or vegan gelatos that are all sugar-free. Though, there are also dairy versions of these for those who are not particular about the dairy content. Don't forget to buy their do-it-yourself molten lava cake kits along with your gelatos for a truly irresistible dessert!
Try this vegan taho-flavored ice cream if you crave something familiar yet unique. The Sexy Chef is one of the leading shops for weekly healthy meal plans. They are also known for their own line of vegan ice creams called 'Crave' that includes this Tasty Taho flavor.
Taho is usually enjoyed piping hot in the morning as a filling breakfast. With this product, we can now have taho as a cold dessert! Everything you want in a cup of taho is here too, including the silken soy base, sweet arnibal made from organic coconut sugar, and especially the chewy sago.
Who says you can't enjoy one of the bestselling ice cream bars in the Philippines if you're vegan? Magnum has been known throughout the years for creating a line of premium ice cream bars. With this vegan and dairy-free version, they have provided us with an option that is inclusive of all diets.
This ice cream bar is completely vegan and is made from pea proteins. The plant-based Belgian chocolate casing is crispy and made crunchier by roasted almonds. It encloses the velvety smooth vanilla ice cream to balance everything out. This is so good that you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between this and the original!
If you have lactose intolerance that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on ice cream. Bubu’s ice cream bar is an example of that. It consists of ice cream that’s made of almond milk and blended with caramlized, roasted bananas for a mixture of that fruity and sweet flavor.
In addition, the bar is covered in Auro’s 55% single origin dark chocolate and topped with toasted almonds and a Biscoff crumble. The hard chocolate shell and crunchy toppings add a nice texture that will complement the sweetness of the ice cream. If you’re looking for the next vegan ice cream to try, this is it.
The abundance of flavors that can be found from each shop makes ice cream a versatile dessert. But some would prefer simpler flavors, especially vanilla. Vanilla Dream is the flagship flavor of Cocolatto. It comes in 125-ml cups that have one serving each. You can easily finish this ice cream in just one sitting.
Aside from being vegan, the handcrafted ice creams from Cocolatto are gluten-free and diabetic-friendly. With this, there will always be ice creams that are compatible with any diet. Craving for more plain ice cream flavors? Try their flavor pack that contains five variants. That way, you can try a different one after every meal.
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by the mybest team.
Since ice cream is considered a dessert, it might lead people to ask how many calories in vegan ice cream or if it is better than regular ice cream. Do note that vegan ice creams contain fewer calories and fat than regular ice creams. This is because its ingredients are plant-based, which generally have fewer calories and fat. However, you still want to watch out for saturated fat and the amount of sugar.
Vegan means the food is made from ingredients that aren't animal-derived, which usually come from plant sources, so for vegan ice creams, plant-based milk is generally used. This usually includes dairy alternatives like coconut, almond, soy, or even oat milk. They are then mixed with other vegan toppings or ingredients like vegan chocolate, nuts, fruits, and more.
That would depend on the kind of sugar used in the vegan ice cream. For example, if the ice cream uses plain, white sugar, then it won’t be good for diabetics. Instead, look for vegan ice creams that contain a low amount of sugar or other sugar alternatives like stevia, erythritol, or monk fruit as these won’t raise blood sugar levels.
Snacks are important because they give you energy in between meals. The next time you are looking for something to munch on, skip on the junk food and go for healthy and vegan snacks. They are not only tasty but are also good for a balanced diet. Want something to drink? Try non-dairy alternatives, such as soy, almond, rice, and oat milk!
Author: Patricia Catimpo
Re-editor: J. Cuizon
Our buying guide was carefully researched and crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors. We used the buying guide as a basis for choosing and ranking the product recommendations, and we looked at reviews and ratings from different E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and more.
No. 1: Super Scoops|Choco Brownie Madness
No. 2: Alt Scoops|Burnt Caramel With Roasted Pecans
No. 3: Ambassador's Vegan Ice Cream|Mango Biscoff
No. 4: Kurimu|Nama Chocolate
No. 5: Ice Cream City’s|Lavender Lane Ice Cream
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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