I used to enjoy a Shamrock Shake from McDonald’s every St. Patrick’s Day. This Paleo Shamrock Shake recreates that nostalgic treat using simple, clean ingredients. The recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and tree-nut–free when you choose appropriate dairy-free milk alternatives.
The base for this shake comes from a straightforward four-ingredient paleo ice cream: canned coconut cream, dairy-free milk or creamer, honey, and a flavor extract. Those four ingredients combine into a rich, smooth frozen dessert — really, ice cream with just a handful of items.
About Coconut Cream
Coconut cream is thicker and much richer than regular coconut milk. For this recipe you must use canned coconut cream; that concentrated richness is what allows the mixture to become thick and creamy. Using standard coconut milk, even if you scoop the solid portion, will not yield the same firmness or texture.
Chill your cans of coconut cream in the refrigerator before opening. The solidified white cream separates from the translucent liquid; scoop out only the solid portion for the recipe and reserve the remaining liquid for smoothies or other uses. The solid part should be smooth and dense — if the canned coconut cream is grainy or oddly textured straight from the can, the final ice cream will reflect that.
I prefer a reliable brand with consistent texture; local availability and brands differ, so look for a smooth, full-fat unsweetened canned coconut cream.
Do You Need an Ice Cream Maker?
An ice cream maker makes this recipe easy and delivers the best texture. A simple model with a frozen bowl (like common Cuisinart-style machines) will churn the blended mixture into creamy ice cream in about 15–20 minutes. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can blend the ingredients, pour them into glasses, and chill for a few hours for a thinner milkshake-style treat, but it won’t reach the same thick ice cream consistency.
Ingredients
- Full-fat unsweetened canned coconut cream — chilled so the solids firm up.
- Dairy-free milk or creamer — vanilla-flavored dairy-free creamer (such as vanilla Nutpods) gives extra richness, but use any vanilla dairy-free milk you prefer.
- Honey — a single natural sweetener to taste; use pure honey you like.
- Mint extract — pure mint extract provides the classic Shamrock Shake flavor.
- Green food coloring (optional) — natural powdered green colors are available if you want the vibrant hue.
Paleo Shamrock Shake
Autumn @wholefoodfor7
Ingredients
- 2 13.66 ounce can full-fat unsweetened canned coconut cream
- 1 cup vanilla dairy-free creamer or milk of choice
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons mint extract
Instructions
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Chill the coconut cream cans and open them. Scoop out only the solid white cream and set aside the remaining translucent liquid for another use.
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Place the coconut cream solids, dairy-free creamer or milk, honey, and mint extract into a blender. Blend on low until completely smooth. With high-powered blenders, start at a very low speed and increase only slightly to avoid creating a grainy texture.
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Pour the blended mixture into an ice cream maker and churn until it just begins to thicken for a milkshake consistency. For firm soft-serve ice cream, churn longer until thick. If you prefer a thinner milkshake, blend thick churned ice cream with additional dairy-free milk to reach the desired consistency.
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Serve immediately topped with any desired garnishes and enjoy.
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