Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream (Vegan)

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup almond (or soy) milk and arrowroot powder until well-mixed. Set aside.

Melt margarine in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk in both sugars until well-mixed. Pour in remaining 3/4 cup almond or soy milk and soy creamer. Allow mixture to come to a gentle boil (bubbles are just starting to burst on the surface), stirring occasionally, then remove from heat. Immediately add milk and arrowroot mixture (ice cream base will thicken noticeably). Stir in vanilla bean paste (or extract).
Let ice cream base come to room temperature, and then let sit in the refrigerator until well-chilled, at least 2-3 hours. If a “skin” develops on the surface, just stir it back in.

As the ice cream base chills, prepare the cookie dough. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process cashews until finely ground. Add in the pitted dates and process until the mixture starts to come together. Add in the vanilla extract and salt; process until combined. Remove the dough from the processor and knead in the chopped chocolate chips. Form dough into a ball and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Then pinch off 1/2-inch pieces of dough, roll into little balls, and place on a plate; chill in the refrigerator.

When the ice cream base is fully chilled, freeze according to your ice cream maker’s manufacturer’s instructions, dropping in the pieces of chilled cookie dough during the last few minutes of churning.

Serve immediately as soft serve or chill in the freezer until “ripened” (hardened).

Garnish with additional cookie dough pieces, if desired.