Roasted Japanese sweet potato (yakiimo/焼き芋) blended with coconut milk and frozen—nothing more. This easy vegan ice cream needs no sugar, yet it's deeply sweet with a soft, mochi-like texture that feels comforting in every spoonful.
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🍁 From the Autumn Kitchen
There was leftover coconut milk in the fridge and a few roasted Japanese sweet potatoes sitting on the counter. I mixed them together into a sweet potato cream, almost without thinking.
What if I froze this?
I tucked the bowl into the freezer, half-hopeful.
It turned out beautifully.
No sugar at all, yet the natural sweetness of Beni Haruka roasted sweet potatoes felt more than enough. The richness of coconut milk and the creaminess of the sweet potato came together into this tender, mochi-like vegan ice cream.
A short freezing time—just 1 to 3 hours—gives the best texture. I love that it's quick, something to make whenever the mood strikes.
No eggs, no dairy, no oil. Just simple, wholesome ingredients.
🌿 Extra roasted sweet potatoes work beautifully in kinako balls, sweet potato latte, or soft montblanc-style cream.
🧺 What Makes This Recipe Special
- Just 2 ingredients—mix and freeze
- Ready in 1–3 hours
- No sugar needed, naturally sweet from baked Japanese sweet potatoes
- Vegan, no dairy, no oil
- Perfect for using leftover roasted sweet potatoes
- Stays soft and mochi-like, even as it melts
☕️ Ingredients & Tools
Ingredients (serves 2–3)
▶︎ Roasted Japanese sweet potato (yakiimo/焼き芋) - I'm using Beni Haruka this time. The sweeter the roasted sweet potato, the less sugar you'll need. 👉 See "Easy Oven-Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes" for how to make yakiimo
▶︎ Coconut milk - Using Youki brand (about 17–18g fat per 100g). Chill the can in the fridge and use only the thick white cream layer that forms on top. 👉More in Kitchen Notes. Save the liquid part for curries or smoothies.
▶︎ Sugar (optional) - Powdered beet sugar dissolves easily. Maple syrup or other sweeteners work too.
Tools
- Bowl
- Immersion blender
- Rubber spatula
- Spoon
- Metal tray
- Parchment paper
📝 Full recipe card with measurements at the bottom👇
📖 How to Make
- Mix
- Add the peeled baked Japanese sweet potato and coconut milk cream to a bowl
- Blend with an immersion blender until smooth
- Taste and add sugar if needed
🌿 No immersion blender? Mash well with a fork, then whisk together.
🌿 Sweetness adjustment: Freezing dulls sweetness. But this ice cream is best eaten semi-frozen, not rock-hard, so it doesn't need much extra sweetness. Add more sugar if preferred.
- Freeze
- Line a metal tray with parchment paper and spread the sweet potato cream evenly (about 2–3 cm thick)
- Freeze for 1–3 hours until it reaches your preferred firmness
- Just before eating, mix well with a spoon until smooth—done
🌿 What I like to do: keep it at that soft, creamy stage before it's completely frozen. Mix it smooth with a spoon and the mochi-like texture comes through beautifully.
📘 Kitchen Notes | Tips
➤ About Coconut Milk
Chill the coconut milk can in the fridge (or transfer to a container first). Use only the thick cream that solidifies on top.
The cream should fall off the spoon in thick, slow drops—that's the right consistency.
The remaining liquid works great in curries or smoothies.
➤ Topping Ideas
- Cinnamon - a classic pairing with sweet potatoes
- Black sesame - ground sesame works too
- Crushed nuts - adds a nice crunch
- Shiratama mochi - chewy mochi balls make it more substantial
➤ Best Time to Eat
I find it's best when freshly made and still soft.
The semi-frozen state after 1–3 hours, when you can still scoop and mix it easily—that's the sweet spot.
If it freezes solid, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before eating.
📚 Notes | Q&A
Beni Haruka has this wonderfully creamy texture and intense sweetness—when roasted, the natural sugars practically ooze out like honey.
Steamed or boiled sweet potatoes work too, though roasted ones give the best results. Roasting evaporates moisture and concentrates the sweetness, creating richer, creamier ice cream. Add a little more sugar if using steamed or boiled.
Stores in the freezer for about a week. But it tends to get harder over time, so eating within 3 days would be best. If it gets too hard, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes, then mix with a spoon to restore the smooth texture.
🍠 More with Sweet Potatoes
Other ways I like to use sweet potatoes—vegan recipes:
🥄 Got Extra Baked Japanese Sweet Potatoes?
Vegan desserts made with leftover roasted sweet potatoes:
🥥 Using Coconut Milk
Vegan recipes using leftover coconut milk:
✏️ Recipe Card | Summary
Rich & Creamy Vegan Sweet Potato Ice Cream
Equipment
- Bowl
- Immersion blender
- rubber spatula
- Spoon
- Metal tray
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 140 g baked Japanese sweet potato (5.3 oz, peeled)
- 70 g coconut milk (3-5 tbsp, thick cream layer from chilled can)
- sugar (optional—powdered beet sugar or maple syrup)
Instructions
Mix
- Add peeled roasted sweet potato and coconut milk cream to a bowl. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.140 g baked Japanese sweet potato70 g coconut milk
- Taste and add sugar if needed.sugar
Freeze
- Line a metal tray with parchment paper and spread the sweet potato cream evenly (about 2–3 cm thick).
- Freeze for 1–3 hours until it reaches your preferred firmness.
- Just before eating, mix well with a spoon until smooth.
Notes
- Cinnamon - classic with sweet potatoes
- Black sesame - ground sesame works too
- Crushed nuts - adds crunch
- Shiratama mochi - makes it more substantial
🍂 Final Thoughts
Baked Japanese sweet potatoes and coconut milk blended and frozen.
A simple vegan ice cream.
That mochi-like, tender texture is irresistible—I keep opening the freezer for just one more spoonful.
Tucked in the freezer alongside vegan chocolate ice cream, ready for those quiet winter afternoons.
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