Vegan salted caramel pretzel chunk ice cream [recipe blog]

After Sarah's son was diagnosed with multiple food allergies, she started finding creative ways to incorporate his new diet into her life. The solution? Salted Caramel Pretzel Chunk Ice Cream! Learn how to make this exclusive recipe from our guest vegan recipe blogger Fried Dandelions.

A few months ago, after my son's diagnosis with multiple food allergies, I began to play around with making my own sun butter. This turned into the delicious discovery of my sun butter salted caramel sauce, which I have since been slathering on everything! It's so yummy that it can be eaten on it's own, but it's even better in my new favourite recipe, 'salted caramel pretzel chunk ice cream'.

This ice cream is perfect—it is sweet, salty, creamy, frosty, rich, spicy and crunchy all at once. It starts with a caramel ice cream base, and then adds pops of crunchy chocolate-covered pretzel chunks and an additional swirl of salted caramel. Bonus: not only is it completely vegan, it's also free of nuts and refined sugars, making it a treat for everyone you know!  

Salted Caramel Pretzel Chunk Ice Cream

Salted Caramel Sauce:

1/3 cup/75g sun butter (I like to make my own following this recipe, using golden syrup or agave as sweetener, or sub another nut butter—almond and peanut would work well)

1/3 cup/75ml maple syrup

2-3 teaspoons soy sauce (I use Bragg’s Aminos)

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Put all ingredients in a liquid measuring cup, starting with the maple syrup and then adding the sunbutter for easy measuring. Mix well with a fork to make sure spices are evenly distributed. Set aside in the refrigerator to chill.

Ice Cream Base:

2 cans full fat coconut milk

1 tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

1/2 cup/120ml maple syrup

1/2 batch Salted Caramel Sauce, about 1/3 cup/75ml, see above.

Pour a few tablespoons of coconut milk into a small bowl, add the arrowroot, and whisk together until there are no lumps. Set aside.

Pour the remainder of the 2 cans of coconut milk and the maple syrup into a small pot and begin to heat on the stove on medium low heat. Bring to a low simmer and allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Add half of the salted caramel sauce (about 1/3 cup/75ml) and the arrowroot mixture into the pot. Stir well to incorporate.

Split the vanilla bean and scrape it into the mixture, and then add the pod as well. Allow to simmer for 6-8 minutes until it has thickened enough to coat the back of the spoon. Don't bring it to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool at room temp for about 30 minutes, and then place it into the refrigerator to cool completely, about 4-5 hours.

If you choose to speed this up in the freezer, watch it carefully so that it doesn't begin to freeze.

Pretzel Chunks:

1/2 cup/75g broken pretzel pieces (sub gluten free if needed)

1/2 cup/75g dairy free chocolate chips

1 teaspoon coconut oil (optional)

Break pretzels into small bite size pieces, about 1/4 to 1/2" (1.25cm - 0.65cm). Place them in one flat, tight layer on a parchment lined plate or baking sheet. Place the chocolate chips and coconut oil into a small microwave safe bowl and microwave in 20 second increments until it has melted and is smooth. Pour the chocolate over the pretzels and turn with a fork to coat. Place in the freezer to harden. Set aside.

Making the Ice Cream:

Discard the vanilla bean pod from the ice cream base. Freeze the ice cream base according to manufacturer instructions. When ice cream is frozen, quickly transfer it to a freezer safe container. Fold in the remaining salted caramel and chocolate covered pretzel pieces. The less you fold the more "ribbons" of caramel you will have; you can mix it in completely if you like. Cover the container, placing either parchment or plastic wrap right on the surface of the ice cream to prevent freezer burn. Place in the freezer to allow the ice cream to continue to harden, about 3 hours. Allow a few minutes to thaw before serving. Enjoy!

By Sarah De la Cruz    

Sarah De la Cruz is the blogger behind Fried Dandelions. When she's not busy chasing after her two little boys you can find her experimenting in her kitchen in Seattle, WA. You can also follow her on Instagram - why not tag her at #frieddandelions with pictures that depict you experimenting with her recipe?

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