What is blue moon ice cream?

Blue moon ice cream is a mysterious blue-colored ice cream that is popular in parts of the Midwest. It can be found in ice cream places all over the state of Wisconsin. It’s definitely a childhood favorite for many kids around here.

I mean, what kid could resist blue ice cream? It eventually loses its appeal to adults, but every now and then, nostalgia wins and even the grown ups order a bit blue scoop.

Blue moon ice cream also happens to be one of the three flavors that are combined to make superman ice cream

Where did blue moon ice cream originate? The blue moon ice cream flavor was apparently created in Milwaukee, but there’s no real evidence to support that. But, based on is popularity around the Midwest, it doesn’t surprise me.

blue moon ice cream in a white bowl with a vintage spoon and ice cream cones to the side (image has been optimized for Pinterest with a text overlay)

What flavor is blue moon ice cream?

Blue moon has always been considered a mystery flavor, and for good reason. It’s hard to pin point what the flavor is, and the recipe varies from between ice cream makers.

There are a lot of people that think blue moon ice cream is almond flavored, but after testing the recipe with raspberry and lemon flavor, I would have to disagree.

After doing a bit of online research, the consensus seems to be raspberry and lemon with a hint of vanilla.

Since I used a base of coconut milk, I found that the coconut and vanilla overwhelmed the flavors of raspberry and lemon, so I decided it was best to leave out the vanilla and use a little more of the other two flavors.

Here’s what you’ll need to make it

Simply Whisked is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

More dairy free ice cream treats: ice cream pie / chocolate chip ice cream / rhubarb ice cream / watermelon sorbet / chocolate sorbet

dairy free blue moon ice cream in a loaf pan with scoops take out

How to make vegan blue moon ice cream

First, make sure you coconut milk is chilled. I like to put my cans in the fridge the day before I’m going to make ice cream. The fat will solidify and you’ll be able to open them upside down and easily pour off the coconut water.

Whip your coconut cream. In a large bowl, whip your coconut cream with an electric mixer until it’s light and fluffy. It should resemble whipped cream.

Add the sweetened condensed milk. Try your best to keep the air in the whipped coconut cream. Gently folding it in is your best option.

Add the mystery flavors and make it blue. Gently stir in one tablespoon of raspberry extract, one tablespoon of lemon extract and some blue food coloring until you get the color you want.

three scoops of blue moon ice cream in a white bowl

Tips for making vegan blue moon ice cream

  • I recommend using gel food coloring. It’s more concentrated and you won’t have to add as much liquid to achieve your desired results.
  • Try to use the best canned coconut milk you can find. I prefer Aroy-D coconut milk because there are no additives. It’s just coconut milk. If you can’t find that, try to find one with the least amount of ingredients.

More from The Supper Club Series

More dairy free desserts

No ratings yet

Vegan Blue Moon Ice Cream

By: Melissa Belanger
Blue Moon Ice Cream | This no churn, vegan ice cream recipe will be the highlight of your Wisconsin summer. Plus, it’s perfect for the 4th of July. #vegan #nochurn
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

Ingredients 

  • 2 cans coconut milk, chilled in the fridge overnight
  • 1 11.25- ounce can sweetened condensed coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon raspberry extract
  • 1 tablespoon lemon extract
  • 1 pinch coarse salt
  • Blue food coloring

Instructions 

  • Open coconut milk cans and drain the coconut water that has separated.
  • In a large bowl with an a electric mixer, whip coconut cream until light and fluffy.
  • Fold in the sweetened condensed coconut milk, raspberry extract, lemon extract and pinch of salt.
  • Add food coloring, and gently stir until color has evenly distributed.

Notes

Recipe makes 2 pints.

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 13g, Sodium: 24mg, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin C: 0.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

Hi! I'm Melissa.

I create easy, dairy free recipes because I know how hard living without milk can be. I believe you can live a completely satisfying life without dairy, and I want to teach you how.

You may also like:

Leave a comment

When leaving a comment or rating:
Feel free to share your recipe feedback, ingredient swaps, or tips for other readers. Rating a recipe you changed isn’t helpful to anyone - drop it in the comments instead. Keep it kind and on topic - disrespectful comments and ad complaints will not be approved.

Recipe Rating




9 Comments

  1. Emma says:

    I’ve never heard of Blue Moon ice cream, but I am very excited to try another vegan ice cream. I’ll come back let you know how it goes!

  2. idk says:

    Lol, in Poland we name those odds ‘smerf’s’ not a blue moon

  3. Randa says:

    I just bought a new ice cream maker, and I just can’t wait to use it. Do you think this recipe would work in an ice cream maker?

    1. Melissa Belanger says:

      I think so! I haven’t tried it but I think you could use the ice cream maker instead of the mixer!

  4. Splash says:

    Can’t wait to make this!! I live in Milwaukee WI and apparently “every” ice cream shop here has blue moon but I’ve lived here my whole life and have never even seen blue ice cream!!! I’m pretty peeved about it bc blue is my favorite color 😭

  5. Samantha says:

    As a Wisconsinite far from home, and vegan for the past few years, trying to explain the amazing concoction that is blue moon ice cream to others has been a challenge. But now I have a recipe to recreate it all the way in the southwest. I’m so excited to give this a try!

  6. Andrea says:

    I’ve made this multiple times now! We use the coconut milk base as the start of so many yummy flavors – vanilla bean, chocolate, butter pecan, mint chip…. thank you for sharing!

  7. LOVENA says:

    I assume you freeze in freezer bit for how long for it to firm up?

    1. Melissa Belanger says:

      It should freeze in about 2-4 hours depending on your freezer.