Ah, lactose intolerance. The best and worst intolerance you can possibly have.

At least, in my opinion!

Why the best? Well, I suppose lactose intolerance could be beneficial as it prevents you from eating most desserts (at least, those with milk!). Namely, ice cream, chocolate ganache cake, anything with heavy cream or cream cheese icing.

However, it’s also the absolute worst intolerance, in my case that is, because while I’m lactose intolerant, that simple fact doesn’t stop me from eating massive amounts of dessert… then just dealing with the painful consequences.

As I am a pronounced dessert addict, I typically try to create healthier desserts that don’t include milk or lactose, so I can enjoy my favorite foods minus all the discomfort!

Because, who are we kidding, lactose intolerance is never going to stop me from eating cake or ice cream. So why not just try to find healthier alternatives for desserts- and give up on the unlikely fantasy that I will one day and prefer savory to sweet! 😉

This recipe was actually requested by a close friend of mine during lunch a couple weeks ago. However, at the time I had given up chocolate for Lent, so I only just got to work on it!

And let me tell you, this ice cream is decadent.

This ice cream is chock-full of oreos.

And this ice cream is completely dairy-free!

No problems with lactose-intolerance here! Not to mention, this ice cream doesn’t contain any gluten, white sugar, or actual cream. Instead, I chose to use coconut cream – which is just as rich as but much healthier for you than heavy whipping cream – agave, and the yummy homemade Oreos from this recipe.

All in all, this ice cream is about 10x more indulgent than any ice cream you could pick up at the supermarket. Yet, it’s also 10x healthier for you, with 4 simple ingredients! No unnecessary sugars, corn syrup, or processed chemicals here!

Why suffer the pain of lactose intolerance for one bite of regular ice cream, when you could eat a whole bowl of this cookies and cream ice cream without any of the pain… and even more enjoyment!

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

• 1 can coconut cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbs agave (or maple syrup)
• 1/4 c crushed Oreos (such as these homemade Oreos)

Refrigerate a can of coconut cream (or full-fat coconut milk) overnight. When you open it you should find that the layers have separated and there’s thick coconut cream on top and clear coconut water on the bottom. Scoop out just the coconut cream and place in a bowl. Add vanilla and agave and stir with a whisk until fluffy (about 1 minute). Pour into an ice cream maker and follow directions to make it, adding crushed Oreo’s when there’s about 2 minutes remaining. Otherwise, place in a bowl or Tupperware, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer, stirring every 30 minutes until almost frozen. Fold in crushed Oreo’s and allow to freeze until it’s reached the consistency you desire. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information (from myfitnesspal.com)

Calories: 144

Fat: 10g

Carbs: 13g

Protein: 1g

(Yields eight 1/4c servings)

Nutrition information calculated using Nabisco Oreos.