Scoop your way into a protein-packed, java-flavored treat with our Chocolate Chip Espresso Ice Cream.
Coffee, chocolate, protein, and probiotics in one recipe? You can have it all when you make your ice cream with Lifeway! Our kefir and farmer cheese make excellent high-protein ice cream ingredients since they contain not only protein, but also live and active probiotics for healthy digestion for all your dessert creations.
For this recipe, we blended instant espresso powder, cold brew coffee, dark chocolate chips, vanilla, Lifeway Kefir, and Lifeway Farmer Cheese together before freezing the mixture. You can also use a Ninja Creami to make this recipe if you have one, but it’s not required.
Espresso and chocolate chips contain an alluring bittersweetness that we all know and love about coffee and chocolate with a hit of warmth that blends wonderfully with the cozy, exotic flavors of vanilla. You can use raw honey, maple syrup, or a natural sugar alternative for the sweetener making this healthy dessert recipe easily adaptable.
Our probiotic kefir and farmer cheese are made with the highest-quality dairy for the ultimate creamy, dreamy treat that couldn’t be easier to prepare. Lifeway Kefir and Farmer Cheese also boost this recipe with complete protein, natural vitamins, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium. The live cultures they contain deliver digestive-friendly benefits so you can indulge while keeping your gut happy and healthy, too.
So what are you waiting for? Make your next frozen dessert recipe with Lifeway, and delight in the benefits it brings from the first bite to the last!
The Benefits of Cultured Dairy for Better Health:
Research continues to show the importance of eating healthy foods, including cultured dairy such as kefir, for better gut health, a strong immune system, and to support the microbiome. Fermented foods like kefir hold important value in this line of research due to the link between the gut-brain axis and overall health. Specifically, kefir has been shown to help diversify the microbiome, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, support healthier blood sugar levels, and improve satiety since the bioavailable protein it triggers the release of GLP-1.
Lifeway Kefir also contains a variety of nutrients that are vital for healthy bones and overall health: vitamin D3, K, calcium, and vitamin B12. Along with our kefir, we also offer our artisan-made Farmer Cheese, a creamy high-protein cheese made with live and active cultures to support a healthy microbiome that’s easy to spread and contains no added salt for optimal heart-health benefits.
Servings: 2-3Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Lowfat Plain Kefir
- *or use our whole milk kefir for a richer flavor
- 1/2 cup Farmer Cheese
- *or 1/3 cup extra kefir if you don't have farmer cheese on hand
- 1 cup cold brew coffee (store-bought or homemade) - unsweetened
- 1 tsp. instant espresso powder
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (or unsweetened cacao nibs)
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup raw honey or maple syrup (or use a natural sugar alternative of choice--see notes)*
- extra chocolate chips if desired for topping (or chocolate covered espresso beans)
Directions
- Blend the kefir with farmer cheese, cold brew coffee, espresso powder, vanilla, and sweetener in a blender or food processor. Then add in the chocolate chips and mix again.
- Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container, and freeze for 5-6 hours, covered. Or, if you. have a Ninja creami, pour the mixture into a pre-frozen Creami container, and process in the Creami machine.
- Top with additional chocolate chips or dark chocolate espresso beans, if desired, and process in the Creami again, or just top your ice cream with it if you don't have a Creami. Enjoy!
- If using a sugar alternative, be mindful of amounts. For example, if using stevia extract (liquid or powder), just a few drops or a pinch will do -- don't use the same amount as raw honey or maple syrup called for. If using coconut nectar or coconut sugar, use the same amount the recipe calls for. You can also just use a frozen banana instead of any added sweetener.
