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This low-carb keto ice cream is a creamy, custard-based vanilla ice cream made with simple ingredients like egg yolks, cream, and almond milk. It’s smooth, rich, and scoopable-without sugar or gluten.
Perfect for summer, meal prep, or when you want a real dessert that actually satisfies.
Table of Contents
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why make a homemade Keto ice cream?
- Ingredient Notes (What Actually Matters)
- How to Make Keto Ice Cream (Overview)
- How to Get the Best Texture
- No Ice Cream Maker Option
- Flavor Variations
- What Sweetener to Use for Keto Ice Cream
- Important Sweetener Tip
- Fat & Texture (Why It Matters)
- Milk Options
- Storage
- What to Serve With
- FAQs
- More Keto Sweet Treats:
- Low-Carb Keto Ice Cream Recipe Recipe
Why This Recipe Works
- Actually scoopable (with one small trick most recipes miss)
- Custard base = creamy texture (not icy or crumbly like many keto versions)
- Balanced fat + sweetener → smooth, not overly heavy or artificial
- Low-carb + sugar-free with simple ingredients you already use
- Churned or no-churn option included
Why make a homemade Keto ice cream?
Because making it is easier than you may think and I have not been able to find some good keto ice cream in the stores. Most of them are still high in carbs and I don’t like the flavors.
Ingredient Notes (What Actually Matters)
- Egg yolks → this is what gives that real ice cream texture (don’t skip)
- Heavy cream + almond milk → balance of richness + lightness
- Powdered erythritol (Swerve) → smoother texture than granulated
- Coconut oil → improves mouthfeel and prevents iciness
- MCT oil (optional) → boosts fat + slightly softer texture
- Vanilla extract → use good quality, this is the main flavor
Optional but smart:
1 tsp vodka → keeps ice cream scoopable (very important for keto versions)hurn. I’m planning to try a coconut milk based one and going to share it if it works.
How to Make Keto Ice Cream (Overview)
You’re making a simple custard → chill → churn → freeze.
- Heat cream + almond milk until just simmering
- Whisk egg yolks + sweetener until pale
- Temper with warm liquid
- Cook gently until thickened (coats the back of a spoon)
- Add fats + vanilla
- Cool completely
- Churn → freeze until firm
How to Get the Best Texture
- This is where most keto ice creams fail.
- Let sit at room temp 5 minutes before scooping
- Always cool the custard fully before churning
- Use powdered sweetener, not granulated
- Add a little fat (coconut oil or MCT) → prevents iciness
- For scoopable texture → add 1 tsp vodka before freezing
No Ice Cream Maker Option
No machine? You can still make it.
- Pour mixture into a freezer-safe container
- Freeze
- Stir every 30 minutes for 2 hours
Result:
✔ softer, slightly less airy
✔ still creamy enough to enjoy
Flavor Variations
Once you master the base, you can easily switch it up:
- Coffee → espresso powder
- Lemon → add zest + juice
- Chocolate → cocoa powder + melted chocolate
- Berry swirl → low-carb jam
- Almond vanilla → add almond extract
What Sweetener to Use for Keto Ice Cream
For this recipe, use a powdered low-carb sweetener for the best texture.
- Powdered erythritol (Swerve) works well and keeps carbs low
- Allulose is even better if available → smoother texture, no crystallization
Start with 1/4 cup sweetener and adjust to taste.
If the base doesn’t taste sweet enough, you can add:
- up to 1–2 tsp liquid stevia
Important Sweetener Tip
Keto ice cream tends to freeze harder than regular ice cream.
To improve texture:
- use powdered sweetener (not granulated)
- combine sweeteners (erythritol + stevia or allulose)
Fat & Texture (Why It Matters)
Adding fat improves creaminess and prevents iciness:
- Coconut oil → helps create smoother texture
- MCT oil (optional) → adds fat and keeps ice cream slightly softer
In this recipe:
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp MCT oil (optional)
Milk Options
- Use heavy cream + almond milk for best balance
- Do not use regular milk (too high in carbs)
Alternative:
- Coconut milk can replace almond milk for a richer result
Storage
- Let sit 5–10 minutes before serving
- Freeze in an airtight container
- Best texture: first 24–48 hours
- Keeps up to 1 week
What to Serve With
- Coconut flakes or nuts
- Fresh berries
- Melted dark chocolate
- Keto brownies
FAQs
Yes, but it won’t be as creamy. Custard = better texture.
Erythritol freezes very firm. Add a little alcohol or fat to soften.
Yes—monk fruit blends or allulose work well.
(Allulose = softest texture)
You can, but texture will be slightly more icy.
More Keto Sweet Treats:
Low-Carb Keto Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 cup powdered erythritol, or Swerve
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp MCT oil, optional
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp vodka, for softer texture
- berries or melted chocolate, for serving
Instructions
- In a saucepan, heat heavy cream and almond milk over medium heat until just simmering (do not boil).
- In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and powdered sweetener until pale and slightly thickened.
- Slowly add about 1/2 cup of the hot mixture to the eggs, whisking constantly to temper.
- Pour everything back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon (about 160°F / 71°C).
- Remove from heat. Stir in coconut oil, MCT oil (if using), and vanilla extract.
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until fully chilled.
- Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions (about 20 minutes).
- Optional: Stir in vodka before transferring to a container.
- Freeze until firm (2–3 hours), then serve.
Notes
Add 1 tsp vodka to prevent hard freezing
Let sit at room temp before scooping
Makes about 1 pint
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I just made this recipe for the first time & it is definitely the best low carb ice cream I’ve ever made. My thermometer apparently no longer is accurate – the custard curdled a bit. I pulled out my immersion blender & voila – it became perfectly smooth. I added the MCT oil & it adds to the nutrition & creaminess. I have bookmarked this recipe as my favorite to date. Thanks so much for your efforts in developing the recipe & sharing it.
Hi!, I tried this for the first time today….definitely my first time to temper eggs and it showed…..lol. I heated my cream/milk combo until simmering (little bubbles at the surface, right?) and added to the eggs as directed. But as soon as I put it back on the stove, I started to see the the bits of egg cooking, so I took it off the burner. I took a thermometer to it once it was on the stove and it was already at 170 degrees and rising. So I’m guessing my milk combo was too hot, but where should the temperature be at before I temper my eggs? (I have a glass top stove and since it heats so slowly and then stays super duper hot, it might mess with the process a bit) Thanks!
Hi Rachel,
So sorry you had issues with the egg yolks in the recipe.
I don’t think the milk was too hot, but I think the ceramic burner was too hot (I used to have a stove like this and they do take a while to get hot and then all of a sudden the burner it way too hot).
I suggest, once you heat the milk, reduce the heat of the burner, temper the egg yolks and slowly cook, increasing the temperature of the burner slightly. This way everything cooks at a lower temperature and slowly so the risk of burning and curdling is smaller.
How many egg yolks you recipe doesn’t say
The recipe is at the end of the post here: https://cookinglsl.com/low-carb-keto-ice-cream-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-35224 it is 6 egg yolks.
just made this, would give it five stars but the coconut seemed to multiply and solidified and made for an unpleasant eating experience. otherwise i have no complaints!
I tried this yesterday and it was delicious, but was rock hard after putting in the freezer. I have read other recipes that call for a tablespoon of alcohol (Vodka) to keep from freezing. Have you tried that?
Yes, you can add alcohol to keep it soft. Thanks for your feedback!
When do you add the vodka, during churning or after?
After churning, stir in vodka and then freeze.
Great recipe!
I added a vanilla bean to the cream/milk, enhanced the vanilla flavor. Scrapped out the bean and then added the seeds to the custard. So good.
Hi! Did you ever make the coconut milk version?
Cheers
Hi,
Unfortunately the coco nut milk version did not tur nou as smooth , but still delicious. This is why I haven’t shared the recipe.
Can I double this recipe? I need more for guest.
Yes, you just have to churn it in batches
It was fantastic right after it churned, but once it sat in the freezer overnight, almost need a chisel to get it loose. And that was with the alcohol added to it. Going to try again, adding fruit and reducing the almond milk while increasing the HWC by the same amount. May also change from erythritol to something else….
No, you didn’t do anything wrong. This is how all homemade ice cream is. Not sure if they put something else in store bought ice cream. You just need to wait for it to defrost a little before you dig into it.
Try xylitol instead, it works for me