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By Lisa Esile, MS Jul 22, 2019
Last Updated:
Fruit never tastes as sweet as it does in the dog days of summer. Packed with fresh produce, these chilled and frozen vegan dessert recipes are refreshing, delicious, and guilt-free. As an added bonus, many of these tasty treats are quick to make and also work well as snacks.
To read more about the benefits of fruit, check out Why You Should Have a Fruit-Filled Summer.
Fresh mint adds a refreshing boost of flavor to this vibrant and creamy blueberry-banana nice cream. Serve as a dessert or snack: It’s so healthy, you can eat it anytime of the day!
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These cute fruit pops are made from just two ingredients—kiwi and watermelon—both of which taste absolutely amazing frozen: Kiwi has a tart, refreshing bite while watermelon lends a relaxed, sweetness. These are so good you’ll want to eat them daily!
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Need a pick-me-up with pizzazz? These knock-out pops are jammed with thinly sliced fruit in a lightly sweetened plant-milk base. They taste incredible and look amazing—like a stained glass window on a stick! Note: These are banana-free and sweetened with maple syrup.
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It only takes a little almond extract to transform frozen banana and cherries into a heavenly plant-based Amarena gelato—not exactly as the Italian chefs intended, but we think they’d be impressed!
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In this gourmet fruit ice cream (aka nice cream), caramelized pineapple chunks are blended with frozen bananas for an icy snack or dessert adored by children and adults alike. Note: You can use fresh or frozen pineapple.
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Your taste buds won’t know what hit them with this top-shelf summer dessert that’s easy enough to make for just the family but will wow guests, too. Just grill a few choice peaches until candy-sweet, and serve with a simple basil-infused peach nice cream.
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Subtly infused with rosemary, these gourmet ice pops are bursting with whole fruit.
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You can’t go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter. Though this recipe requires around four hours of chill time, it requires only 20 minutes of active prep—so you can chill, too.
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The classic chocolate-orange flavor pairing wins again in this velvety, cool dessert, while avocado and banana offer a sweet and creamy base.
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Jam-packed with a rich assortment of summer fruit, this colorful plant milk–based soup is off-the-charts delicious. Make plenty!
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Bold in color and flavor, this butternut squash and roasted pecan nice cream is a dreamy dance of nutty, sweet, and earthy flavors.
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Using both the pulp and zest of a lemon adds delectable lemonade flavor to this creamy strawberry nice cream. Pro tip: Make sure to use frozen strawberries that are sliced or halved so your food processor or blender can easily munch them up—large strawberries can be tricky!
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All this dessert consists of is ripe watermelon, fresh basil, and a twist of lemon, yet this wholesome fruit sorbet offers a cool daytime treat, or a nice palate cleanser after a hearty meal. Make it the crowning jewel on your Fourth of July menu!
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In this scrumptious frozen dessert, a citrusy apple and pear compote cascades over cinnamon-infused banana nice cream. Sprinkle with oil-free granola and dig in.
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Jazz up a bowl of fresh fruit salad with this simple 10-minute balsamic-blueberry glaze. The glaze will keep in the refrigerator for three months—although, given how yummy it is, you’ll likely use it up a lot sooner than that!
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Made with blueberry, strawberry, and banana, these sugar-free fruit pops are a fun snack or dessert, perfect for Independence Day festivities. Pro tip: Make sure you leave each layer to set for 20 minutes to ensure colors don’t bleed between layers.
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The star ingredient in these jazzy pops is fresh sweet corn, which gets blended with almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla then added to a zesty, partially frozen layer of lime-infused blackberry. The attractive tie-dyed look comes from lightly swirling the layers.
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The mild, sweet flavors of cucumber and cantaloupe paired with fresh ginger and lime juice dance across your taste buds in this scrumptious summer soup.
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Ice cream cake in bite-size form: This chilled, chocolatey, creamy dessert hits the spot when you’re craving a little something sweet, and it’s great for entertaining.
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Showcasing the drip-down-your-chin deliciousness of in-season peaches, this creamy nice cream is great for when you have an oversupply of peaches, ripening faster than you can eat them. Note: You can also use store-bought frozen peaches.
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With just one ingredient (!) these vibrant grape pops are a fun, family-friendly snack or dessert that are so simple to make, you’ll be amazed.
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Ready in 15 minutes and made with just frozen mango and frozen banana, this is a great spur-of-the-moment cool treat. Eat as a snack or serve as a dessert.
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Naturally sweetened with date paste, these chilled parfaits feature a creamy millet pudding with a blueberry-pomegranate topping. For fancy presentation, serve in wine or martini glasses, or keep it simple and serve in a standard bowl or a jar.
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Studded with dark vegan chocolate chunks and a generous heap of frozen strawberries, this gorgeous banana-basd nice cream is a simple but decadent recipe to wow vegans and non-vegans alike.
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Savor the naturally sweet and ultra-refreshing goodness of frozen pineapple in this easy granita. What a way to end a meal! Note: A granita has a coarser, slushier texture than sorbet, is icier than ice cream, and is a wonderful palate cleanser.
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This lush granita takes the naturally refreshing quality of grapefruit and dials it up a notch. Top with fresh mint and juicy grapefruit segments that have had the white membranes removed. (This is called supreming; instructions are included in the recipe.)
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Featuring toasted bread soaked in a triple-berry sauce, filled with fruit, and topped with an easy cashew cream, this delectable plant-based take on a beloved British dessert is ideal for special occasions.
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The dulcet, sweet taste of vanilla bean makes this banana-based ice cream delicious eaten on its own or served alongside your favorite cobbler or pie. As one reader says, “I am amazed at how easy and delicious this is!”
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Reminiscent of Ben and Jerry’s popular Cherry Garcia ice cream, this delectable chocolate chip-studded, cherry and banana nice cream is utterly delicious.
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If you’re new to the wonderful world of plant-based nice cream, this is a great recipe to start with: Just take frozen bananas and add your choice of cocoa, cacao, or carob powder. As one reader puts it, “Easy to make, delicious, nutritious.”
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Fresh mint and lime juice adds a refreshing tang to this simply divine summer salad. To up your presentation, use a melon baller and serve the salad in the scooped out watermelon—it’s easy!
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These stunning traffic light popsicles are made with fruit, fruit, and more fruit. This recipe uses kiwifruit, mango, and your choice of berries, but other fruits such as peaches, apricots, nectarines, pineapple, grapes, banana, and pears also work well.
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With a melty, chocolate-oat inside and crunchy cereal outside, these divine frozen treats will keep you reaching for more.
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The addition of cinnamon and ancho chile powder adds delectable spicy notes to this chocolate-banana nice cream.
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As you can see we’re obsessed with nice cream—vegan ice cream made with blended frozen fruit. Enjoy the recipes above and check out our Beginner’s Guide to Nice Cream, which includes ideas for toppings and flavorings, how to create your own recipes, and other tasty info.
Lisa Esile is an author, illustrator, blogger, vegetable gardener, and whole-food enthusiast with a special fondness for potatoes. She has a master’s degree in human nutrition and is passionate about showing people how to live happier, healthier lives. Lisa is the author of Reach your Big Calm and the co-author of Whose Mind Is It Anyway?.
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Comments (2)
Is there a substitute for bananas in all these dessert recipes? I’m allergic
Looks like I need to stock up on some more fresh and frozen fruit! I love the mix of chocolatey treats and fruitier options.