Food & Nutrition

The 4-Ingredient Avocado Ice Cream You'll Want to Keep Stocked In Your Freezer

This avocado ice cream recipe may have just a few ingredients, but it's packed with healthy fats — and sweet, creamy goodness.

Published on March 15, 2021

The-4-Ingredient-Avocado-Ice-Cream-You'll-Want-To-Keep-Stocked-In-Your-Freezer-GettyImages-836372408 — Photo: Getty Images

Get this: The typical American consumes 8 pounds of avocado each year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). But avocado isn't just for savory toast or chunky guac, as Sydney Lappe, M.S., R.D.N., a St. Louis, Missouri-based nutrition editor for bistroMD, proves with her seriously smooth avocado ice cream recipe.

Made from just four ingredients, this luscious avocado ice cream recipe packs more than one-third of an avocado into each half-cup serving. That means you're scoring nearly 4 grams of gut-friendly fiber and 8 grams of heart-healthy fats in just one bowl of the frozen dessert, according to the USDA. While the high amount of fat in the avocado ice cream may make you wonder if it's any better for you than a standard pint, know that 5.5 grams of this fat is monounsaturated. This type of fat can help lower levels of LDL cholesterol, which can clog or block arteries, according to the National Institutes of Health. (BTW, that's not the only health benefits of the buttery, green fruit — yes, avocados are fruit.)

On the same token, a serving of this avocado ice cream recipe offers 140 calories — roughly the same amount as a serving of regular vanilla. Half of those calories, though, are coming from those good-for-you fats, not added sugars or corn syrup — nutritionally void ingredients that are commonly found in the pints you'd get at the grocery store.

To ensure your avocado ice cream is nutritious and as creamy as possible, "choose avocados that are slightly ripe but firm, without much or any bruising or brown spots on the skin," suggests Lappe. And even though avocados are a fruit, they tend to lack natural sweetness most fruits offer, she explains. That's why Lappe blends frozen bananas — which add that much-needed sweetness — into her avocado ice cream. "The mix of the two gives this ice cream a smooth and creamy texture without dairy, added sugars, or other unwanted ingredients often found in traditional ice creams," she says. (From froyo to gelato, here's how to select the healthiest ice creams on the market.)

Though it will be delicious enough on its own, you can think of this avocado ice cream recipe as a base to build upon. "For a refreshing and satisfying combo, mix in a tablespoon of dark chocolate chips and a drop or two of mint extract for a chocolate mint treat," suggests Lappe. Or try one of the below bonus flavor combos.

Avocado Ice Cream Add-Ins & Flavors:

What's more, you don't need any fancy equipment to tackle this avocado ice cream recipe. Any standard blender or food processor should do the job well, but depending on the model, you may need to scrape the sides a little more or prepare it in small batches. If you have leftovers, stash them in the freezer in a tightly-sealed container, such as the Tovolo 1 1/2-Quart Glide-A-Scoop Ice Cream Tub (Buy It, $15, amazon.com), for up to three months. (

While this silky avocado ice cream is so tasty that Lappe says it "will likely not last long," remember that the USDA recommends capping your total fat consumption off at 20 to 35 percent of your daily calories — or roughly 44 to 78 grams. So if you're planning on having a bowl (or three) of this avocado ice cream, consider keeping your consumption of other fatty foods (think: nuts, seeds, and seafood) in mind for the day.