Did we hear you say that ice cream isn’t really ice cream without the milky cream? Well, we hear you loud and clear. After all, what’s ice cream without a generous dose of fatty, sweet milky goodness, right? Lucky for those of us on a dairy-free diet, delicious vegan and dairy-free ice creams are now a thing here in Singapore – the keyword being ‘delicious’.
Vegan ice creams have been around for a while now, but they’ve got a bit of an unfair rep for being thin, icy, and simply unsatisfying. After all, the protein and fat in cow’s milk are what makes it such a crucial ingredient in making ice cream so creamy and rich – non-dairy substitutes simply don’t contain as much protein and fat, it’s just what it is.
Thankfully, good dairy substitutes that work in vegan ice creams are now aplenty. Some ice cream brands have even taken to making their own plant-based milk, all in a bid to churn out the perfect non-dairy ice cream with all of the creaminess that you’d typically get with cow’s milk.
Up ahead, scope our round-up of 15 creamy, yummy, and decadent vegan and dairy-free ice cream options that will satisfy your sweet tooth just as well as traditional ice cream. Ready, set, scoop!
Vegan and dairy-free ice cream shops
1. Shirollina
What tastes exactly like gelato, minus the milk? Shirollina’s frozen desserts, that’s what. Carefully hand-made from organic, all-natural ingredients, the store’s offerings are also gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free.
Founder Shira Briton is a strong believer in quality over quantity, so Shirollina keeps its menu at just three fixed flavours with a fourth on rotation every month. Its current set of resident flavours are decadent chocolate brownie fudge, zesty Mediterranean cheesecake, delightful Snickers, and the aromatic Mochachino Decaffeinato.
Address: 183 Jalan Pelikat, The Promenade @ Pelikat, #01-104, Singapore 537643
Opening hours: By appointment only, contact 8363 7225
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2. Kind Kones
Hailing from just across the causeway is the wholesome and natural vegan ice cream store, Kind Kones. Lick up every last creamy drop with zero guilt, because these are handcrafted with no refined sugars, soy, artificial flavourings or preservatives.
Do try their standout flavour, Blue Planet, when you get a chance to pop by any of their two outlets. It’s certainly eye-catching with an apt name, looking very much like a little planet Earth on your bowl thanks to its baby blue colour with green matcha cake embedded in each scoop.
For chocolate lovers who like it dark, our personal favourite has to be the Chocolate Sorbet – a rich and creamy dessert made without any plant milk, just cocoa powder, cocoa mass, and raw cane sugar.
Address: 583 Orchard Road, Forum The Shopping Mall, #B1-27, Singapore 238884 |
290 Orchard Road, The Paragon, #B1-15, Singapore 238859
Opening hours: 10am – 10pm (daily)
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3. Smoocht
Shedding calories probably isn’t the best reason to go vegan but it surely is added motivation. So, you’ll be happy to know that each scoop of Smoocht’s dairy-free concoctions contains a mere 80 to 140kcal – that’s just a third of the regular ice cream’s calories if you’re keeping track.
Smoocht’s ice creams are a genius creation made from organic crystal brown rice, organic evaporated sugar cane juice, real fruit, and pure nut butters. If trying these sweet treats derived from healthy brown rice hasn’t yet piqued your interest, perhaps their unconventional yet familiar Asian flavours will. Thai Tea or Gila Gula Melaka, anyone?
Address: 8 Sin Ming Road, #01-03, Singapore 575628
Opening hours: 12pm – 10pm (Sun to Thu) | 12pm – 10.30pm (Fri & Sat)
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4. Co+Nut+Ink
If you’re familiar with the world-famous Chatuchak weekend market in Bangkok, you’ll know exactly what we mean when we say that the coconut ice cream is worth the trip there in itself. We may be landlocked in Singapore now but you can still get your hands on this wonderful refreshing treat that’s totally reminiscent of Chatuchak’s heavenly delight, right here at Co+Nut+Ink!
Dig into one of Co+Nut+Ink’s delicious scoops with a generous heap of red ruby toppings for a refreshing breather from the humidity of the day. Or if you’re a durian fan, you’re in for a real treat because Co+Nut+Ink’s durian ice cream is a real banger minus the dairy bloat.
Co+Nut+Ink is located at six locations islandwide, including Esplanade, Tang Plaza, and Sentosa. For more location details, click here.
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5. Green Common
Ice cream that’s completely powered by plants? Yes, please! >We last visited this one-stop vegan cafe and grocery store from Hong Kong earlier this year to check out their meatless menu – you can read about our experience here. The cafe serves up practically everything you can imagine in its green form, including – you guessed it – ice cream.
The coconut and cashew milk-based ice cream flavours available for us vegan folks are: Matcha Purity made from Japanese matcha powder with a dash of prebiotics for your gut’s good health, and Chocolate Hearty that counts as its main ingredient bean-to-bar chocolate from Thailand. Based on our last visit, we’d say these green ice creams are the perfect way to round off your plant-based feast!
Address: 1 HarbourFront Walk, VivoCity, #01-169/170, Singapore 098585
Opening hours: 11am – 10pm (daily)
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6. Momolato
One of Singapore’s newest ice cream cafes on the scene, Momolato has been the quiet but steady gelato supplier to some of Singapore’s biggest hotel names like MBS and Capella.
It’s halal-certified and known for its delish and natural creations by Italian-trained chef Sharon Tay, who has honed her churning chops at Carpigiani Gelato University – the world’s first university dedicated to gelato-making. While not every single flavour on her menu is dairy-free, she does create quite a few non-dairy items which look so creamy and rich, you’d be none the wiser, really.
Using a velvety smooth self-churned coconut milk base, it’s no wonder that Momolato is especially known for its tropical fruit gelatos. While they’re all yummy without a doubt, we really recommend trying the refreshing watermelon soursop or the decadent Mao Shang Wang-gula melaka combo.
Address: 34 Haji Lane, Singapore 189227
Opening hours: 12pm – 11pm (Sun to Thu) | 12pm – 2am (Fri & Sat)
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7. Nuude
Homegrown bigwig Udders has a little sister and her name is Nuude – a 100% clean brand with absolutely no artificial flavours, colourings, preservatives, and emulsifiers.
And we really mean it when we say that Nuude’s ice creams incite no guilt, even if you binge-watch the entire run of Grey’s Anatomy while eating your weight in ice cream. Dig into a pint of antioxidant-rich ice creams like Strawberry & Camu Berry Ice Cream that counts Peruvian Camu betries and flaxseeds as its ingredients, or Dark Chocolate & Cacao Nibs Sorbet that has a generous mix of raw cacao nibs thrown in.
Get it at Udders or via GrabFood Delivery, or at all Udders outlets (except Beach Road) or at selected NTUC FairPrice Finest outlets.
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8. Sugalight
This one squeezed onto our dairy-free list and we are so pleased about it because we’ve heard so much about this healthy local ice cream brand!
Made from absolutely zero artificial sugar and preservatives (it uses corn-derived xylitol), and high in probiotics (yes, the stuff that keeps your gut healthy!), fans of the brand love Sugalight for its sugar-free offerings without compromising on taste and texture.
Sugalight has released a few dairy-free flavours, but our firm favourite has to be the French dark chocolate soy that’s made from absolutely decadent Valrhona chocolate.
Get it at Sugalight’s partner cafes (click here for more location details) or at selected NTUC FairPrice Finest outlets.
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9. Mrs. Plump’s
You’ll literally want to eat your scoop up quick because the preservative-free ice creams here melt super quickly before you can even say “wait a minute”.
Mrs. Plump’s Keto range and popsicles are what you’ll be looking out for, for all you dairy-free folks – these frozen treats are made using generous, luscious coconut milk and sweetened with natural xylitol which is low in calories and carbs.
As if you needed anything else to make you feel pretty darn awesome about eating these dairy-free treats: the flavours would look right at home on your clean eating chart too! How does keto chocolate kale or keto acai berry sound to you?
Address: 20 Upper Pickering Street, ImPAct@Hong Lim Green, #01-01, Singapore 058284
Opening hours: 11pm – 7pm (Mon to Fri) | Closed on Saturdays and Sundays
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Vegan and dairy-free ice creams in take-home pints
10. The Ice Cream & Cookie Co.
Homegrown does local flavours best, so you’ll want to get your hands on a pint (or ten!) of The Ice Cream & Cookie Co.’s vegan creations especially if you have a craving for sweet childhood favourites like calamansi, chendol, and ondeh ondeh. Do look out for the brand’s dairy-free or sorbet ranges, because their other regular flavours do contain cow’s milk.
The base of the dairyless flavours is made from rich coconut cream, leaving a satisfying indulgent touch at the tip of your tongue as you savour every last creamy drop. You can also enjoy the dairy-free ice cream sandwiched between vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free chocolate cookies, which are available in two flavours: Island Coconut and Dark Chocolate.
Get a pint at S$12.95 from Lazada as well as selected NTUC FairPrice and Cold Storage outlets. Ice cream sandwiches are available at S$4.90 each from Lazada as well as selected NTUC FairPrice and Cold Storage outlets too.
11. Oatly
Fans of Swedish brand Oatly, this one is for you. If you enjoy barista-brewed oat milk lattes, chances are that you’ve had a taste of Oatly’s delicious oat milk.
And if you enjoy the brand’s smooth rendition of oat milk, you will most definitely enjoy every last drop of this healthy and yummy vegan, dairy-free, and soy-free ice cream treat.
Available in six universally adored flavours: strawberry, hazelnut swirl, chocolate fudge, chocolate, salted caramel, and vanilla.
Get it at S$16.90 from Redmart or selected NTUC Finest outlets.
12. Pat and Stick’s Homemade Ice Cream Co.
Tempted by the old-school ice cream bell of the uncle with his pushcart, toting around Wall’s ice cream that is best enjoyed tucked between some rainbow bread – but living the vegan life now?
You’ll be glad to hear of Pat and Stick’s! Famous in Australia for its oat-based ice cream cookie sandwiches, you’ll not be disappointed with classic flavours like Dark Chocolate or Wild Strawberry.
These handmade dairy-free ice-cold treats are also now available in a tub, so say hello to midnight ice cream feasting, because let’s get real: with less guilt attached, what’s stopping you?
Available from S$14.98 to $16.98 at Little Farms. Little Farms is located at seven locations around Singapore, click here for location details.
13. Magnum
Yes, you’re not imagining things: Magnum comes in a dairy-free option and we hear it’s pretty close in taste to the regular one made with cow’s milk, down to the crackly, rich chocolate shell encasing the smooth ice cream melts in your mouth.
The secret? Pea protein and coconut oil, mixed with high quality 33% Belgian dark chocolate. You’ll be forgiven for taking a double-take when you bite into these non-dairy babies because you can hardly tell the difference between these and their regular cow’s milk bars!
14. Ben & Jerry’s
Everyone’s favourite chunky brand now has vegan and dairy-free options, and we are all for it. Loaded with all of the awesome swirly stuff with none of the cow’s milk (B&J uses almond milk in their dairyless range), you’ll find yourself still reaching out for their iconic pints for all that late-night Netflix bingeing.
To further sweeten the deal, B&J has made some of its most popular flavours without cow’s milk – like Netflix & Chill’d, Cookie Dough, and Chocolate Fudge Brownie – so it’ll be just like old dairy times, only with no cow!
Available at S$13.90 on Redmart and at NTUC FairPrice outlets islandwide.
15. Coco Tribe
It’s all in the tribe for this family-run brand from Melbourne. Its creations are hand-churned in small batches and only made from organic coconut cream of the highest quality from Sri Lanka, and the freshest Australian produce.
While there’s nary a trace of refined sugar in these ice creams, they are definitely not lacking in sweetness – Coco Tribe uses rice malt syrup instead. We’re so glad that we can get the full range of eight flavours here in Singapore – what’s really caught our eye are Maple Pecan Crunch and White Chocolate Raspberry, which sound positively mouthwatering!
Get it at S$14.98 from Little Farms.
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