Treat yourself to this pandan ice cream—a delicious blend of fresh pandan leaves and creamy coconut. Each scoop is a taste of tropical paradise that's hard to resist! It is ideal for summer or a refreshing dessert after a lovely meal. Plus, it’s vegan!
Craving creamy ice cream and sweet Thai-inspired treats? Try this childhood favorite: coconut ice cream or refreshing Thai tea ice cream.
Learn more about pandan leaves, a beloved ingredient in Southeast Asian recipes, and whip up your homemade pandan extract (juice). Feeling adventurous? Elevate your ice cream by making coconut milk with this easy recipe!
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What is Pandan Ice Cream?
Pandan ice cream is a creamy frozen dessert made from pandan leaves, a fragrant herb popular in Southeast Asian sweets. Its unique flavor mixes vanilla, coconut, and a bit of grassiness, making it a special and tasty treat!
When in Bangkok, we’d often visit Swensons, a dreamy ice cream parlor with endless flavor combos and unique flavors. However, the pandan ice cream flavor stole my heart. It was so simple yet incredibly tasty! I’m hooked and excitedly whipping up my own at home before summer slips away.
Trust me, once you try it, you’ll be obsessed, too!
Why You’ll Love This Pandan Ice Cream
- Dairy-free and vegan-approved!
- Light, creamy, and delightful!
- The stunning green color stands out.
- Customize your toppings!
Ingredients
- Fresh pandan leaves, the star of the show, provide that signature green color and aromatic flavor.
- Water. Essential for extracting the pandan juice from the leaves.
- Coconut milk and coconut cream. These make the ice cream base, adding a creamy richness and a hint of coconut that enhances the tropical vibe. Heavy whipping cream can be used as a substitute for coconut cream.
- White sugar. Balances the flavors with just the right amount of sweetness.
- Sea salt. Salt rounds out the sweetness and creaminess of the coconut milk beautifully.
- Pandan extract and/or pandan flavoring & color. For an extra punch of pandan flavor, look for these at your local Asian grocery stores. The picture below is for reference.
How to Make Pandan Coconut Ice Cream
1. Prepare fresh pandan juice. Cut fresh pandan leaves into 3-inch pieces and blend with water in a food processor. Strain the mixture using cheesecloth. Discard the leftover fibers.
the fiber
2. Make coconut cream. Mix coconut milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking frequently until the sugar dissolves.
heat until sugar dissolves.
3. Infuse pandan flavor. Stir the fresh pandan juice into the saucepan with the coconut cream. Whisk well. Add pandan extract and essence, being cautious with the amounts.
If you prefer a brighter green, add a bit more pandan paste.
4. Add the coconut cream. Coconut cream is thicker than coconut milk and gives your ice cream an extra creamy boost. Add it to the green pandan milk mixture for added creaminess.
coloring and flavor.
5. Chill the mixture. Whisk on medium-low heat until the cream is smooth. Then, turn off the heat and put it in an ice bath to chill while you clean up. Once cooled, cover and freeze until firm—about 4-6 hours.
Don’t forget to pre-freeze your ice cream maker bowl!
6. Churn and freeze. Pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream machine and churn ice cream according to the manufacturer’s instructions (about 20 minutes for me).
Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze until solid.
icecream machine bowl.
7. Finally, serve up the goodness! When ready to enjoy, scoop the ice cream straight from the freezer and indulge in the deliciousness!
How to Serve & Extra Toppings
Pandan ice cream is such a tasty treat! You can enjoy it by itself or mix it into a bigger dessert. Get playful with your toppings! Here are some yummy ideas that go great with it.
- Fresh coconut meat from a young coconut. Learn how to cut a young coconut here.
- Slices of real fruits like jackfruit, mango, or berries. Cut them into small pieces for serving.
- Toasted coconut flakes are one of my faves!
- Crunchy nuts like toasted peanuts, almonds, pistachios, or cashews for a delightful crunch and nutty flavor.
- A drizzle of evaporated or condensed milk for a creamy finish.
- Chocolate syrup or chocolate chips (especially white chocolate) for an extra layer of sweet note.
Have fun mixing and matching with whatever you have on hand. It's a good way to go through your pantry and see what you can use for this ice cream! (:
Tips for the Perfect Ice Cream
- Choose fresh pandan leaves. For the most authentic flavor, use fresh pandan leaves. They are available at most Asian supermarkets.
- If you can't find pandan leaves, look for canned, pre-made pandan water at your Asian store. Natural pandan flavor will always be superior, but the canned version will fill in the spot when in a pinch.
- If you don’t have an ice cream maker, a stand mixer with a whisk attachment can be a good substitute. If you prefer not to churn, that's okay, too! It's still delicious, but it's just not as creamy.
Storage
Store your pandan ice cream in a freezer-safe airtight container. Before sealing, place a layer of cling wrap directly on the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming. Properly stored, it will keep well for up to two weeks, though it’s so delicious it’s unlikely to last that long!
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
More Thai Desserts You'll Love
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Whole milk can create a creamy and delicious ice cream. Enjoy!
Pandan ice cream tastes creamy and slightly sweet with a hint of grassiness.
What does pandan taste like? Pandan has a lovely, unique flavor that's nutty, floral and aromatic. Some say it’s a bit like vanilla, but it has its special fragrance and taste!
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Pandan Ice Cream
- Total Time: 30 minutes + chill time
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Treat yourself to this pandan ice cream—a delicious blend of fresh pandan leaves and creamy coconut. Each scoop is a taste of tropical paradise that's hard to resist! It is ideal for summer or a refreshing dessert after a lovely meal. Plus, it’s vegan!
Ingredients
- 5-6 fresh pandan leaves.
- 1 cup water.
- 1 can, 13.5 ounces, coconut milk
- 8 ounces coconut cream.
- 1 cup white sugar. Balances the flavors with just the right amount of sweetness.
- ½ teaspoon sea salt. Salt rounds out the sweetness and creaminess of the coconut milk beautifully.
- 3-5 drops of pandan extract, for flavoring. Use any brand you can get your hands on.
- 4-5 drops of pandan flavoring, for green coloring. See the picture in the post above for reference. These can be found in most Asian markets.
Instructions
1. Prepare Fresh Pandan Juice. Cut fresh pandan leaves into 3-inch pieces and blend them with water in a powerful food processor. Strain the mixture using cheesecloth and discard the leftover pandan leaf fibers.
2. Make coconut cream. Mix coconut milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking frequently until the sugar dissolves.
3. Infuse pandan flavor. Stir the fresh pandan juice into the saucepan with the coconut cream. Whisk well. Add pandan extract and essence, being cautious with the amounts. If you prefer a brighter green, add a bit more pandan paste.
4. Add the coconut cream. Coconut cream is thicker than coconut milk and gives your ice cream an extra creamy boost. Add it to the green pandan milk mixture for added creaminess.
5. Chill the mixture. Whisk on medium-low heat until the cream is nice and smooth. Then, turn off the heat and pop it in an ice bath to chill while you clean up. Once cooled, cover and freeze until firm—about 4-6 hours. Don’t forget to pre-freeze your ice cream maker bowl!
6. Churn and freeze. Pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream machine and churn ice cream according to the manufacturer’s instructions (about 20 minutes for me). Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze until solid.
7. Finally, serve up the goodness! When ready to enjoy, scoop the ice cream straight from the freezer and indulge in the deliciousness!
Notes
- Choose fresh pandan leaves. For the most authentic flavor, use fresh pandan leaves. They are available at most Asian supermarkets.
- If you can't find pandan leaves, look for canned, pre-made pandan water at your Asian store. Natural pandan flavor will always be superior, but the canned version will fill in the spot when in a pinch.
- If you don’t have an ice cream maker, a stand mixer with a whisk attachment can be a good substitute. If you prefer not to churn, it's ok too! It's still delicious but it's just not as creamy.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: desserts
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
** Thank you so much for visiting my blog! This is truly a passion for me. If you have enjoyed these recipes and appreciate the hard work I put into them, I would love it if you would share them with your friends! Your recommendation is the highest review I could hope for, and I’d appreciate it! **
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Punpun
Look delicious! I like it. Thank you for sharing recipes 😃