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Learn how to make the BEST keto ice cream with just 3 ingredients! No ice cream maker needed, it’s so rich and creamy and easy to customize.
If you love keto desserts like we do, try keto peanut butter cookies, keto cheesecake, and keto muffins next.
Table of Contents
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!
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.
Key Ingredients
- 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. 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.
Arman’s recipe tips
- 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.
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
If you own an ice cream maker, this recipe works just as well with it. Simply add the mixture into the churner and churn as you would with traditional ice cream.
Yes! Swap the heavy cream for full-fat coconut cream (from a can).
More homemade keto treats
Keto Ice Cream
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon sugar free powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- In a deep and wide jar, add all your ingredients and mix. Using an immersion or stick mixer, beat everything together until it thickens and soft peaks form.
- Cover the jar and place it in the freezer for at least 4 hours, stirring every 40 minutes, to ensure it doesn't become too icy.
- Remove from the freezer and let sit for 15 minutes, before serving.
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition
Originally published May 2021, updated and republished February 2025
I made the brownie batter version of this ice cream for my husband’s birthday and he loves it! He doesn’t usually like sweets (especially keto versions), but this one is his favorite. It’ll be another regular treat for us. Thanks for the recipe! 😊
Easies and best tasting Keto Ice Cream I have tried.
So yummy and easy. I have made this several times and it always turns out amazing
Thank you for posting an egg free low carb ice cream with only a few ingredients. I’m not against eggs but, I think if I make coffee flavoured ice cream egg free might be more flavourful. Do you know that gelatin can reduce crystals also? I’m going to try that because I don’t know if I can have xanthum gum. It might be too oxalate and I have oxalate toxicity. Cheers!
Hmm not sure about gelatin. Let me know how that goes 🙂
Salt reduces ice crystals
Easy to make and so delicious.
Thanks, Julie!
How is this keto or low carb if each tbsp of heavy cream is a carb?
That is not correct. Heavy cream has 1.7 grams of carbs per 1/4 cup.
Love this keto ice cream so much!
best keto ice cream recipe ever!
Thanks, Ally!
I made this. It is very easy. I used 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste and doubled the xanthan gum and a little more powdered sugar. Rich and delicious. Hit the sweet spot definitely! 🙂
I made this. It is very easy. I used 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste and doubled the xanthan gum and a little more powdered sugar. Rich and delicious. Hit the sweet spot definitely! 🙂
I love your page ❤️ question… when I say powder protein is it casein ?
I love casein 🙂
Maybe I’m blind but, I can’t find the flavor options. I hate vanilla but it seems to be the only option.
Go back through the post. There is a section called “Flavor Ideas”. Options and ingredients are listed there.