Keto Ice Cream

Learn how to make the BEST keto ice cream with just 3 ingredients! No ice cream maker needed, I love how easy it is to customize. 1 gram net carbs.

Love keto desserts? Try keto peanut butter cookies, keto cheesecake, and low carb muffins next.

While ice cream is traditionally high in sugar and carbs, there are plenty of keto-friendly ice creams at the grocery stores (hello, Halo top, Rebel, and Enlightened).

Now, I refuse to spend over $10 for a keto pint of these ice creams when I can make my own keto ice cream recipe with just a few basic ingredients and a hand mixer!

Table of Contents

1. Why I love this recipe
2. Ingredients needed
3. How to make keto ice cream
4. Recipe tips and variations
5. Flavor ideas
6. Storage instructions
7. More desserts to try
8. Keto Ice Cream (Recipe Card)

Why I love this recipe

• 3 Ingredients. Just heavy cream, sweetener, and xanthan gum. No sugar alcohols and perfect for a keto diet.
• No ice cream machine is needed. And no blender too. Just use a hand mixer and transfer it into a jar to freeze it up!
• Perfect texture. It’s rich, creamy, and melts in your mouth.
• Over 10 flavor options! The base is vanilla-flavored, but you can change it up in a plethora of ways.

Ingredients needed

• Heavy cream- Also known as double cream or thickened cream. Do not use reduced fat or light versions of the cream. Otherwise, the ice cream will not be set as desired. 
• Powdered allulose- My preferred sweetener. I never buy the expensive packaged options and instead, make my own powdered sugar substitute. Avoid using erythritol or monk fruit sweetener, as it can crystalize.
• Xanthan gum- Thickens the ice cream and prevents any crystallization. Be wary though, as a little goes a VERY long way.
• Vanilla extract- Optional, but only add it if you are making the original vanilla flavor. This can be changed to other flavor extracts. 

How to make keto ice cream

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- Make the mixture: In a deep jar, add all the ingredients and gently mix. Using an immersion or stick mixer, blend the mixture until it has thickened and soft peaks form.

Step 2- Freeze it up: Cover the jar and place it in the freezer for at least 4 hours, stirring every 40 minutes, to ensure it doesn’t ice up. 

Step 3- Serve: Scoop it out and serve immediately. 

Recipe tips and variations

• Add the xanthan gum. Even though it’s optional, adding a stabilizer like xanthan gum will help prevent the ice cream from becoming icy or crystallizing. 
• Use an ice cream maker. If you own an ice cream maker, this recipe works just as well in it.
• Churn the ice cream. For the best results, stir the mixture every 30 minutes for the first couple of hours to ensure the ice cream is smooth and creamy. 
• Soften the ice cream before serving. Let the low-carb ice cream sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping. 
• Make it dairy-free. Swap the heavy cream for full-fat coconut cream (from a can).

Flavor ideas

As mentioned earlier, this recipe is a simple vanilla base which is SO easy to customize with tons of flavors. Here are ten to get you started:

• Chocolate– Add 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder to the mixture. 
• Cookies and cream– Replace the vanilla extract with almond extract and add 1 cup of crushed keto Oreos. 
• Cookie dough– Fold through 1/4 cup of crumbled keto cookie dough. 
• Strawberry– Add 1/2 cup sliced strawberries and, if desired, strawberry extract. 
• Mint chocolate chip– Replace the vanilla extract with peppermint extract and fold through 1/2 cup sugar free chocolate chips.
• Butter pecan– Add 1/2 teaspoon butter extract and 1/4 cup chopped pecans. 
• Salted caramel– Fold through 1/4 cup of sugar free caramel syrup. 
• Peanut butter cup– Drizzle peanut butter and add chopped-up keto peanut butter cups. 
• Birthday cake– Add 1/4 cup sugar free sprinkles and 1/2 teaspoon butter extract. 
• Brownie batter– Add 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder and 1/2 cup chopped keto brownies.

Storage instructions

To serve: If your ice cream is too icy once removed from the freezer, you can microwave it for 15 seconds or let it sit for 15 minutes. 

To store: The ice cream will become icier if re-frozen. If you have leftovers and need to re-freeze them, place them in a new container and store them in the freezer for up to 1 month.

More desserts to try

• Keto chocolate cake
• Keto chocolate mousse
• Keto chocolate chip cookies
• Keto blondies
• Keto pudding

Originally published May 2021, updated and republished March 2024