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Turn pantry staples into a silky smooth custard using my keto custard recipe! It’s simple yet elegant and full of vanilla flavor! 2 grams net carbs.
Looking for more creamy sugar free treats? Try my keto lemon curd, keto pudding, and keto whipped cream next.
Growing up, my mom wasn’t one for making your ‘typical’ baked goods. Instead, she made more traditional desserts, like custard.
I made her recipe once, and while it was delicious, it used a lot of sugar (no wonder we loved it), so I swapped a few ingredients to bring the carbs down. Now, she’s asking for MY sugar-free custard recipe. Go figure!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- 4 ingredients. And I’m willing to bet you have most of them in your kitchen right now.
- Simple yet sophisticated. Custard is an underrated dessert that’s somehow classy and elegant, yet it’s the easiest thing to whip up.
- Versatile. I prefer my low-carb custard with berries on top, but you can layer it to make keto Boston cream pie, keto trifle, you name it!
- Easy to make ahead. Prepare it up to three days in advance and simply pull it out of the fridge when you’re ready to serve.
Ingredients needed
- Eggs. You’ll definitely want to use room temperature eggs for this recipe so the custard bakes smoothly and evenly.
- Heavy cream. Also known as double cream or thickened cream. Like the eggs, it’s best for this to be at room temperature.
- Granulated sweetener. I tested a few different types, and allulose and monk fruit yielded the best results.
- Salt. Just a pinch to bring out the sweetness.
- Vanilla extract. For a subtle vanilla flavor.
How to make keto custard
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven and grease small ramekins. Place them in a large baking dish.
Step 2- Mix. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the ingredients until smooth. Pour the custard mixture into the greased ramekins.
Step 3- Water bath. Pour boiling hot water into the baking dish until the ramekins are covered by about an inch.
Step 4- Bake. Bake for 30 minutes or until they’re mostly firm. Serve them warm or let them cool before placing them in the fridge.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Use an electric mixer. You want the custard to be VERY smooth before baking, so if needed, use a stand mixer, hand mixer, or even a blender.
- Add the eggs last. That way, you can taste the batter and know how sweet it is (without getting sick). Just note the sweetness will be slightly diluted once the eggs are added.
- Skip the oven. If you want a thinner, more delicate custard, add all of the ingredients to a small saucepan and simmer until it coats the back of a spoon. Then, pour it into your desired serving dish. This yields a texture similar to my keto panna cotta.
Variations
- Chocolate custard. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder.
- Extracts. Swap the vanilla for almond extract or orange extract for a totally different flavor.
- Spices. Sprinkle cinnamon or nutmeg for a warming, lightly spiced flavor.
- Garnish. Top the custard with fresh blueberries and raspberries or whatever fruit is in season.
Storage instructions
To store: Keep the ramekins in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
To freeze: Place individual portions of custard in freezer-friendly containers and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! To make dairy-free custard, I suggest using full-fat canned coconut cream (with the liquid drained). Just note it will have a mild coconut flavor.
The biggest difference is that custard uses eggs to thicken, while milk pudding uses starch, like corn starch, to thicken.
Traditional custard is not keto-friendly since it contains quite a bit of sugar, but with low-carb substitutions, it can be made suitable for a keto diet.
More simple yet elegant keto desserts
Easy Keto Custard Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup allulose or monk fruit sweetener
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease four 2 or 3 inch ovenproof ramekins and place them in a large baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all your ingredients, until smooth and combined. Transfer the mixture amongst the four ramekins.
- Boil a kettle or bring 2-4 cups of water to the boil. Pour enough boiling water into the baking dish until the ramekins are submerged in an inch of water.
- Place the baking dish in the oven and bake the custard for around 30 minutes, until firm on top.
- Remove from the oven and either enjoy warm or all to cool completely. Once cooled, you can refrigerate it until chilled.
Smooth and delicious! I was soooo pleasantly surprised! Even my 9-year-old loves it!
So glad to hear that!
I grew up with egg custard. Love it
Great recipe
Fast, easy, and just what you need for dessert without guilt! Keto never tasted this rich!
Just took them out of the oven. Bout burned my tongue because I couldn’t wait for them to cool. I did use no calorie powdered sugar instead of granular sugar. Absolutely delicious!!!!!
Absolutely delicious!!!
Hi . How substitute the heavy cream? I am dairy intolerant.
Plant based double cream
Can confirm that this does work. I make them frequently and use granulated lakanto on the top, throw under the broiler for a few minutes and voilà 👌🏻
Hi! These look delicious! Do you think adding some sort of sugar to the top and broiling briefly to create a crème brûlée type dessert would work with this as the base? Thanks!!
Hi Arman, can this be used as an accompaniment to a chocolate pudding? Is the consistency pourable?
Thanks 🙂
It is when at room temp. If it’s too thick, use a hand mixer to thin it out 🙂
Oh my I cannot even wait for it to be completely baked because just looking through the oven I have to taste and it did not disappoint! The trick with the baking pan with water is awesome as well! Also maybe one minute on broil at the end gets the top golden brown!! BEST RECIPE EVER!!!
I made this tonight and I couldn’t wait for it to cool! I had to have one right away. It was so good! It reminded me of the way my mom made it why when I was a kid!
I have made several of your recipes and you haven’t let me down yet!!!
Thank you!!!!
This recipe is amazing. It satisfies the sweet tooth and it’s super easy to make. I honestly hold this recipe as my husbands secret to success on his weight loss journey. Every night is custard night. Rather than nutmeg I mixed monk fruit sugar and cinnamon to sprinkle on top. Keeps us away from higher carb sweets.
This custard is absolutely delicious and so very easy to make! My mom made outstanding egg custard pies my whole life and this egg custard definitely rivals hers
(minus the crust…lol)!
Yummm! So delicious! Thanks so much, Arman, for your easy, outstanding keto egg custard recipe. I’ve used more complicated custard recipes before, but I’ll be using yours for future custards.
Let me apologize big time. The item I entered when logging the recipe was wrong so it gave me an outrageous number. All fixed!! Sorry about that and thank you for your quick response. You saved me a heart attack!😇
The best keto custard Ive ever tasted.