2-Ingredient Watermelon Nice Cream (Vegan, Dairy Free, & Diabetes Friendly!)
When you want a frozen treat without the blood sugar spike, this low-carb watermelon nice cream is sure to hit the spot.
With only two ingredients and a food processor (or high speed blender), you’ll be on your way to enjoying this low-carb twist on homemade ice cream the whole family will love. And, with no added sugar, it’s blood-sugar friendly and completely satisfying!
This post contains affiliate links. As always, all opinions are my own.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
As much as I love watermelon, sometimes I hesitate to buy a whole watermelon because I’m worried I’ll slice it up, and two days later my family will get bored of eating it. So I decided to come up with a new, super easy way to enjoy it. Watermelon nice cream! My family absolutely loves this recipe and I know you are going to love it too. Here’s why:
- There are no added sugars – With zero added sugars, your homemade nice cream is the ultimate diabetes-friendly dessert.
- Just two ingredients – To me, the easiest recipes are the ones with the fewest ingredients. This frozen dessert uses two ingredients and it’s so simple, your whole family can get in on the fun in making it. And it means I almost always have the ingredients I need on hand to make it too.
- It’s dairy free – This ice cream gets its creaminess from almond milk, so if you have a difficult time digesting dairy, this recipe is perfect for you.
- Curbs sweet cravings – When you want a sweet treat without the blood sugar spike, watermelon hits the spot! This sweet, refreshing fruit doesn’t just provide a delicious flavor, but healthy nutrients as well.
- Vegan & allergy-friendly– This plant-based watermelon nice cream can fit in with almost every meal plan. The recipe is vegan, free of dairy, gluten, eggs, and soy, and contains no added sugar. If you do have a nut allergy, you can easily swap out the almond milk for other milk options including soy milk, dairy milk, or even hemp milk.
Two Simple Ingredients
This two ingredient watermelon dessert is bursting with the flavors of summer. It’s the perfect shade of pink, and makes a fun treat for celebratory summer events. The best part? No churning or added sugars required! Here’s what you’ll need to make it (and, if watermelon is not your top choice, try carrot ice cream instead!):
Watermelon – Since watermelon is 90% water, you can easily boost your hydration on those hot summer days with this refreshing treat. Plus it’s packed with antioxidants and 21% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.
Almond milk – For a creamy ice cream without all the carbs and sugar, unsweetened almond milk is perfect for this recipe.
Food processor – Making homemade ice cream doesn’t have to seem daunting, it’s so simple you don’t even need an ice cream maker! All you need is a high-speed blender or food processor to blend the watermelon into a thick, creamy consistency.
How to make watermelon ice cream
While it’s easy to find frozen berries at the store, it’s unlikely you’ll find frozen watermelon. Luckily, it’s super simple to freeze them at home!
- Start by cutting a watermelon into cubes. Place watermelon cubes in a tray and freeze for at least 6 hours.
- Transfer to a blender and add the almond milk.
- Start blending progressively, you will need to open the blender and move things around with a spoon a few times until all the fruit has been processed.
- Garnish with mint leaves & serve chilled!
FAQs
You’ll want to use a seedless watermelon so you don’t have to worry about hidden seeds in your ice cream. If you don’t feel like cutting it yourself, you can buy frozen watermelon chunks or slices as well.
Yes! This recipe does not require an ice cream maker at all. All you need is a food processor or high powdered blender to make this recipe. If you’d like to store leftovers, pour the mixture into the cold metal loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze overnight.
Store your homemade watermelon nice cream in a shallow container, covered well in plastic wrap and with a tight-fitting lid. It will keep in the freezer for 1 to 2 weeks.
Yes! People with diabetes can enjoy watermelon. The glycemic load of watermelon (the measurement of how much a typical serving will impact blood sugar) is considered low, but since watermelon contains mostly carbohydrates, it is best to pair it with slow digested proteins, fats, or fiber to improve blood sugar- like the almond milk in this recipe!
Why this recipe works for people with diabetes
Regular ice cream can still be a part of your diet if you have diabetes, but you may need to plan and portion it so that an ice cream treat doesn’t send your blood sugar levels soaring. Thanks to the lower carbohydrate content and higher fiber levels, watermelon nice cream is a diabetes-friendly dessert you can enjoy with a meal or as a snack.
There’s no added sugars. The sweetness of this nice cream comes from just the watermelon! Unlike added sugar, watermelon contains naturally occurring sugars that are typically bound in a matrix of fiber, water, and beneficial nutrients. Which means these sugars have significantly less impact on blood glucose levels than added sugars.
Typical ice cream is made with dairy milk and heavy cream for a creamy texture, but in this recipe, we’re using almond milk. It’s low in carbs and calories wither a higher content of fat which keeps you feeling full and satisfied after eating and helps to slow down the digestion of the carbohydrates from the nice cream.
The best part? There’s less than 5 grams of sugar in half a cup! And while you can make nice cream with any frozen fruit, watermelon has the least amount of sugar per cup than any other fruit (aside from berries). Talk about a reason to love watermelon!
Other summertime dessert recipes to enjoy:
If you and your family loved this two ingredient watermelon nice cream, I’ve got some more treats for you to enjoy this summer:
Watermelon Pizza With Yogurt Frosting
Easy Blueberry Yogurt Popsicle
Red White and Blue Berry Cheese Bites
This watermelon nice cream is so easy to make! It’s a low-carb, luscious treat that won’t spike your blood sugar like traditional ice cream. Ready to give it a try? Go whip up a batch and after you try it (and hopefully love it like I do), remember to give it a 5-star rating & share it with me on Instagram by tagging me @ErinPalinskiWade
Watermelon Nice Cream
Equipment
- Food processor or a high-speed blender
- Plastic wrap
Ingredients
- 3 cups watermelon, cubed
- ½ cup almond milk
Instructions
- Place watermelon cubes in a tray and freeze for at least 6 hours.
- Transfer to a blender and add the almond milk.
- Start blending progressively, you will need to open the blender and move things around with a spoon a few times until all the fruit has been processed.
- Serve with mint leaves.