Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It Now- Why You’ll Love This Keto Ice Cream Recipe
- Low Carb Ice Cream Ingredients
- How To Make Keto Ice Cream
- Can You Make Low Carb Ice Cream Without An Ice Cream Maker?
- Flavor Variations
- Storage Instructions
- What To Serve With Keto Ice Cream
- Is Ice Cream Keto?
- More Keto Ice Cream Recipes
- Tools I Use For This Recipe
- Keto Ice Cream (Best Low Carb Ice Cream) Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
Aside from keto cheesecake, the number one keto dessert that people ask me for is how to make keto ice cream. And while there are a million ice cream flavors that you could make, my first priority when making homemade keto ice cream was just a basic sugar free low carb ice cream recipe — because you can use it as a base for all kinds of flavors. I’ll show you how to make different flavors in the Flavor Variations section below!
This recipe has gone through so many iterations. I’ve tested it dozens of times! After this much (delicious) experimentation, and lots of testing with my kids, I can confidently say that this is the best keto ice cream recipe ever. After you try this latest version, I think you’ll agree. 😉
Why You’ll Love This Keto Ice Cream Recipe
- Sweet, smooth, and creamy (no gritty texture)
- Soft and scoopable right out of the freezer
- Just 5 simple ingredients
- Only 3.2 grams net carbs per serving
- Low carb, sugar-free, gluten-free, and egg-free
- Basic keto vanilla ice cream recipe that’s easy to customize for different flavors
The key component in this keto friendly ice cream is the sugar free sweetened condensed milk. (You can actually use it for many other things, too.) It works in keto ice cream recipes the same way as conventional versions that are not custard-based.
The sweetener you use is VERY important, because most sugar substitutes have a higher freezing point than that of sugar, resulting in rock-hard ice cream. Plus, they don’t dissolve well. This is why I only use Besti Powdered Sweetener for all my low carb ice cream recipes and even my sugar free popsicle recipe. It dissolves effortlessly for a smooth texture, but even more important, it keeps your ice cream soft and scoopable, just like the kind made with sugar.
Low Carb Ice Cream Ingredients
This section explains how to choose ingredients for the best homemade keto ice cream without sugar, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Butter – Use unsalted. This is the base of the keto condensed milk.
- Heavy cream – You’ll need 2 cups for the condensed milk and 1 cup added toward the end. Full-fat coconut cream should work as a dairy-free substitute, but the recipe still won’t be fully dairy-free because of the butter. If you’d like to lighten up the calories in sugar free ice cream a bit, you can replace some (or all) of the 1 cup heavy cream (the part added toward the end) with coconut milk beverage or almond milk instead.
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – Older versions of this low carb keto ice cream recipe used powdered erythritol, but now I highly recommend powdered Besti to keep your ice cream soft and scoopable, and also to avoid a gritty texture and cooling aftertaste that sugar alcohols (like erythritol) can impart. Straight powdered allulose is also fine to use, but you’ll need 33% more sweetener. Finally, because Besti dissolves so well, you can also use the crystallized version if that’s what you have on hand.
- Vanilla Extract – For keto vanilla ice cream. You can also add a teaspoon of vanilla bean seeds. See below for other add-ins or extract ideas.
- Almond Milk – This was not present in older versions of the recipe, but now I always include it because heavy cream alone can make the low carb ice cream a little too dense and butter-like. You can use store-bought or homemade almond milk, or for a nut-free option, use coconut milk beverage (the kind in a carton in the dairy section, not the thick canned kind).
FYI: Older versions of this recipe included 1/4 cup of MCT oil.
The reason for the MCT oil (aside from the benefits for keto) was to lower the freezing point and help make the ice cream soft and scoopable. However, I no longer include this because: a) using Besti solves the problem of rock-hard ice cream, and b) the oil can make the ice cream taste, well, a little oily. You can still at it if you like, but it’s not my favorite.
How To Make Keto Ice Cream
This section shows how to make low carb ice cream, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Make condensed milk. This is the same process as my sugar free condensed milk recipe: Melt the butter in a large saute pan or skillet (not a saucepan!) over medium heat. Add powdered Besti and 2 cups of heavy cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick (like condensed milk), coats the back of a spoon, and volume is reduced by half. It will also pull away from the pan as you tilt it.
TIP: Use the largest pan or skillet you have.
More surface area means the condensed milk will form faster. It will typically take 30-45 minutes in a large pan, but can be well over an hour if you use a saucepan.
- Add vanilla. Pour the condensed milk into a large bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Add milk and cream. Whisk in the almond milk (or coconut milk beverage) and more heavy cream, until smooth.
- Chill. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until very cold. (If you skip this step, the low carb ice cream recipe texture will not be as good.)
- Churn. Pour the keto ice cream base into the frozen ice cream maker bowl (I have this one and love it!) and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, or until the consistency resembles soft serve ice cream.
- Freeze. You can enjoy the sugar free soft serve ice cream right away, but I prefer firm ice cream. Transfer to a glass container and smooth the top with a spatula. Place in the freezer for 2-4 hours, until firm.
- Enjoy! See storage instructions below for scooping tips.
Can You Make Low Carb Ice Cream Without An Ice Cream Maker?
Yes! You can make this homemade low carb ice cream recipe without an ice cream maker if you don’t have one. To make no churn keto ice cream, transfer the mixture to a freezer safe container, and freeze, stirring frequently until completely solid.
TIP: The key to making no churn sugar free ice cream is to take it out of the freezer and stir frequently.
Stir every 30-60 minutes for the first 2 hours, then every 60-90 minutes for a few hours after that. This essentially does the work of the ice cream maker. Don’t skip this step, because it breaks up ice crystals and prevents the ice cream from becoming too hard or icy.
Flavor Variations
Now that you know how to make keto ice cream the basic way, it’s super easy to customize it for other flavors and add-ins. Try these…
Keto Ice Cream Flavors
For these sugar free ice cream flavors, the ingredients will be fully combined into the ice cream mixture (rather than just pieces of add-ins).
- Chocolate – Whisk 1/4 cup of cocoa powder in at step 4. If it doesn’t want to dissolve, heat slightly to dissolve. I also have a custard-based keto chocolate ice cream recipe that uses egg yolks.
- Strawberry – All the flavor of strawberry almond milk in ice cream form! Use this keto strawberry ice cream recipe.
- Hazelnut – Follow the recipe in my Easy Keto Cookbook.
- Mint Chip – Reduce vanilla to 1 teaspoon, and add 1 teaspoon mint or peppermint extract at the same step. If desired, you can add green food coloring for color. For the chips, see chocolate chip ideas below.
Low Carb Ice Cream Add-Ins
Add these to the ice cream maker in the last few minutes of churning, or if making without an ice cream maker, stir in when partially frozen.
- Chocolate Chip – Try white, milk, or dark chocolate chips. All of them are sugar free and taste great!
- Cookie Dough – Add chunks of keto cookie dough or keto chocolate chip cookies.
- Sea Salt Caramel – Swirl in sugar free caramel sauce (add extra sea salt for salted caramel). If you like streaks, stop churning once it gets streaky. This method also works with sugar free chocolate syrup for chocolate swirls.
- Butter Pecan – Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup pecans and 1 tablespoon Besti. Toast pecans for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Cool completely. Follow the sugar free ice cream recipe as written, and stir the pecans into the mixture afteer the cream and almond milk in step 4. You can also make this caramel butter pecan by swirling in caramel sauce at the end, as described above.
- Brownies – Add brownie chunks or simply top your keto brownies or blondies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Storage Instructions
Store this low carb ice cream recipe just as you would any other ice cream — in the freezer.
Using Besti Powdered as the sweetener, it will stay much more soft and scoopable than low carb ice cream recipes using other sweeteners, but these tips can help with scooping:
- Run your ice cream scoop under hot water to warm it up before scooping.
- If the keto friendly ice cream is still a little hard (this can happen if it starts to melt before you place it in the freezer), let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to soften.
What To Serve With Keto Ice Cream
This keto-friendly ice cream recipe is delicious on its own, but it’s also great for topping other keto desserts like these:
Is Ice Cream Keto?
No, regular ice cream is not keto friendly. While it does not have grains or other starchy carbs, ice cream is loaded with sugar, so is not suitable for a keto diet. There are a few keto ice cream brands out there, but when you make your own, you know exactly what’s in it. Fortunately, it’s very simple to make keto friendly ice cream at home — and similar to making the regular kind — so you can enjoy ice cream on keto again.
In fact, it’s much easier to make low carb ice cream taste authentic compared to keto baking recipes, because the only swap we need is the sweetener and we’re not trying to make any low carb flours mimic wheat. Here are even more ways to make keto ice cream…
More Keto Ice Cream Recipes
Try these other sugar free ice cream recipes:
Tools I Use For This Recipe
- Besti Powdered – The key for soft, scoopable keto friendly ice cream.
- Large Skillet – For making the condensed milk that is part of this low carb ice cream recipe.
- Ice Cream Machine – You can absolutely make keto ice cream without an ice cream maker, but having one sure does make it easier. This is the one I have and love it.
- Glass Loaf Pan or Glass Meal Prep Containers – These are my go-to options for storing my homemade keto ice cream recipe without taking up too much space in the freezer.
Keto Ice Cream (Best Low Carb Ice Cream)
This low carb keto ice cream recipe is sweet, creamy, sugar-free, and tastes like the real deal, with just 5 ingredients + 3.3g net carbs.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
How To Make Keto Ice Cream:
-
Melt the butter in a large saute pan or skillet (not a saucepan!) over medium heat.
-
Add powdered Besti and 2 cups of heavy cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick (like condensed milk), coats the back of a spoon and volume is reduced by half. It will also pull away from the pan as you tilt it. (This will go faster if you use a larger pan.)
-
Pour the condensed milk into a large bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in the vanilla extract.
-
Whisk the almond milk and remaining heavy cream, until smooth.
-
Chill the mixture in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. (You can skip this step if you really want to, but the texture will be better if you chill it.)
Ice Cream Maker Instructions:
-
Transfer the mixture to your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions, or until the ice cream is the consistency of soft serve. Mine takes about 20-25 minutes. (If you want to add mix-ins, add them toward the end of the churning process.)
-
Enjoy immediately, or for firmer, scoopable ice cream, transfer to a freezer container and freeze for 2-4 hours, until firm.
No Churn Instructions:
-
Transfer the mixture to a freezer container (like a 9×5 in (23×13 cm) loaf pan) and smooth the top with a spatula. Line the surface with a piece of parchment or wax paper to keep ice crystals from forming.
-
Freeze for 4-6 hours, until firm. Stir the ice cream during the freezing process, every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours and every 60-90 minutes for 2-3 hours after. (If you want to add mix-ins, gently stir them in after the first hour.)
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/2 cup
- This keto ice cream recipe was updated several times, the last time in May 2022 to improve texture.
- If you’d like to lighten up the sugar-free ice cream a bit, you can replace some of the heavy cream in step 4 with coconut milk beverage or almond milk instead. However, don’t replace any of the cream in step 1.
- Using Besti is critical for keeping this keto ice cream recipe soft and scoopable. Most other sweeteners will make it very hard.
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
649 Comments
Becky
0Great recipe. I’ve mixed with chocolate/peanut butter, cinnamon/nutmeg/coffee, and blueberry. Hard to stop! I put different flavors in a pan I have with 8 rectangular slots (think size of single serving bread loaf). Works well for portion control but I find it hard to stop at one.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I love all of your ideas, Becky!
Heather Hobbs
0Have you substituted MCT with coconut oil?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Heather, That should work, but I recommend using a little more if you use coconut oil instead of MCT oil.
Kellie
0I’m going to use Swerve, how much would I use?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kellie, You’d need to use Swerve Confectioners. Just use the amount in the recipe.
Susan
0This looks like it could be a good ‘base’ recipe for others, and I love that it’s no churn–don’t have one either! I’ll have to experiment with adding chocolate, coffee, and other options.Another site recommended vodka for helping keep ice cream soft, which I’ll have to try.
I was recently diagnosed with thyroid disease and pre-diabetic, so I am overhauling my diet–gotta shake some of this weight off! Thanks for the ideas!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Susan! Yes, you can absolutely use this as a base for all types of flavors! Thanks for stopping by!
Terena
0I love this ice cream! I used 1 cup of allulose instead of the erythritol. I also split the cream after the first step and added a 1/4 cup of cacao powder to one half. I followed the rest of the directions for each of my halves so I could have a scoop of vanilla and chocolate together. I’m obsessed with ice cream, but I’m doing a low carb diet, so this recipe is a life changer!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked the ice cream, Terena! Have a great day!
Paul
0Did anyone try the recipe without the erythritol? I’m curious what the texture would be like.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Paul, I haven’t tried that. It’s ice cream so you’d probably want it sweet. 🙂
Carla
0Can you use coconut oil instead of MCT oil?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Carla! Yes, you can use melted coconut oil. I hope you like it!
Gus
0I’m sorry…. who only has half a cup of ice cream?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Ha! I know it might be hard to do sometimes, Gus! I am so happy you liked it!
Phyllis
0Great recipe. I used a ice cream maker worked out fine. Also used freezer to cool sweet mixture while I whipped the cream. Perfect! Only problem I had was adjustment of sweetener I used. Only used av1/4 cup of svweti and was still a bit too much.
Lesson learned. Lol
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am happy you liked it, Phyllis! Thanks for stopping by!
Phyllis
0Forgot to mention I used 3 heaping tsps of instant expresso coffee to hot cream mixture. Yum!
Tried vodka to keep it from hardening. Lol. Just have to let it sit out before serving.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Adding espresso is a great idea, Phyllis! Thank you!
Ahmad
0Came out really tasty but very hard after sitting in the freezer overnight. I used the MCT oil and also made it with a ice cream machine. Any thoughts on what else I can do to soften it up? I thought it might be easier if I use multiple small containers rather than 1 shallow one. I don’t know, any advice would be helpful. Thanks.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ahmad, I’m glad you liked the taste! Sorry it hardened so much, though. I do plan to experiment a little more with this recipe some more over the next couple of months to address any issues people have had with hardness. In the meantime it can help to just let it sit out on the counter for about 30 minutes to soften a bit before eating.
Penny
0Thank you for the recipe. I’m not a huge fan of vanilla ice cream so I’m wondering what mix ins you recommend to keep it keto. If I added unsweetened cocoa powder, would it be to the mixture as I’m reducing it or after it’s reduced?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Penny, I haven’t tried adding cocoa powder. I do have a recipe for chocolate peanut butter ice cream coming soon that you might like better. For this recipe, you can add mix-ins but not sure about changing the flavor of the actual base. You could try an extract if you want to change the base flavor without altering ingredient ratios.
Hannah
0Quick question on reducing HWC in step 1. Can all 2C of it be almond milk and still get a good result?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Hannah, I haven’t tried replacing all of it but don’t think so. I doubt that it will reduce if it’s all almond milk. You could try it, and let me know how it goes. If it does work, it would probably take hours to reduce, but not sure if it would at all.
Kacie
0I made this in my ice cream maker and it did not do well. Looks crumbly and overwhipped. However I did not over whip my cream. Has more of a consistency of butter. Will make again not using the maker but can you tell me what I may have done wrong?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kacie, It does sound like the cream was over-whipped. But, I also updated the recipe to increase the MCT oil, and that helps with texture too.
Edi @ SunCakeMom
0I’m completely on pair with you on not buying another basically useless kitchen gadget like an ice cream maker. To be honest I’m still in fear of missing out on something when I see the ice cream makers promotions but luckily my kitchen couldn’t bear it. Great recipe by the way!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Edi! I am glad you like the recipe! Have a great day!
Yvette
0Hi Maya,
I love all your recipes. I’m new at Keto dieting and am not always sure about the ingredients. I would love to make this ice cream for my husband.
My question is about the MCT oil. I have an organic, unrefined coconut oil which is 100% free of artificial ingredients. Can I use this oil in the ice cream?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thakn you, Yvette! The MCT oil is there to make the ice cream softer (easier to scoop). I haven’t tried it with coconut oil – it might work, I’m just not sure! If you try it, please let us know how it went and if it still stayed soft. You can also stir several times during the freezing process, which breaks up ice crystals and helps when making ice cream without an ice cream maker.
Judie
0I tried your recipe last night because I was looking for a low carb ice cream. I followed the directions completely but I put it in an ice cream maker. It churned very well but it came out tasting like whipped cream. Any idea what I did wrong?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Judie, It’s possible that the whipped cream was over-whipped. I added some tips to the post above the recipe card, so hope that helps!
Ann
0What is MCT OIL?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ann! MCT is a man-made saturated fatty acid. Pure MCT oil is made in the lab by combining medium-chain triglycerides from coconut oil and palm oil. In this recipe I use MCT oil because typically low carb ice cream does harden if it’s in the freezer too long. Using MCT oil in the recipe helps. Thanks for stopping by!
Laura
0Help! I completely over whipped the cream and now I have something that resembles ice cream but tastes like vanilla butter. Can I save this?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Laura, You can save over whipped cream by beating in a little more liquid cream, just until it’s smooth again.
Freddie Hollars
0Someone, please help me understand the nutritional facts, please?
With the heavy cream, there are .4 carbs per serving size (1 tbsp). Wouldn’t that equate to 32 carbs for 4 cups?
So for 12 servings. That would be 2.6 carbs for just the heavy cream (not including any other ingredients).
Am I missing something in my calculations?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Freddie, 4 cups is 64 tbsp, so the carbs from the heavy cream would be 0.4*64=25.6g. This comes out to 2.1g per serving, but likely due to rounding my software put in 2g instead. This is the only source of carbs in this recipe, as the erythritol does not get metabolized. Hope that helps!
Donna B.
0I first tried no-churn ice cream this past Thanksgiving when I made the sweet potato casserole no-churn ice cream featured in the latest Farmers Almanac. It was delicious but full of sugar, calories, and carbs. I searched online for no-churn low carb sugar-free ice cream and found this recipe! I’m chilling the liquid part right now. I can’t wait to taste it. I ordered the sugar substitute from Amazon and it arrived in this morning’s mail. I’ve got some blueberries that I am going to cook down and then swirl it in the vanilla custard before I chill it. I don’t even care if its rock hard after it freezes. The previously mentioned I made, I cut it into small squares just the right size for a serving. If it was too easy to scoop out, heck I would eat the whole pan! When it’s just this good, you have to work at it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Blueberry ice cream sounds delicious! I hope you love it!
Lisa
0How can I modify this recipe for an ice cream maker?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lisa, you shouldn’t have to modify anything, just pour the mixture into the ice cream maker in step 5 instead of pouring into a freezer container.
Matt G
0Great recipe – I’m making my second batch right now. I’m going to go a little more on the vodka to see if that makes it a little softer right out of the freezer. I just softened the first batch a little in the microwave because it was really too hard even though I added a couple of tablespoons of vodka and some coconut oil when I made it. So far, I’m only using this in root beer floats (diet A&W) so I don’t really notice if the microwave does anything weird with the texture. Tonight I’m going to try freezing/mixing it in an ice cream maker and adding a pinch or two of xanthan gum, since I’ve heard that helps make a smoother texture. Thanks for posting this great recipe!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Matt! Let me know how the xanthan gum works out!
Matt G
0I added about a half teaspoon of the xanthan gum (into the cooked, cooled half of the cream mixture). It tasted noticeably creamier. Thanks also for your recommendation about checking the temp of the freezer. I turned mine down to a more normal setting (it was on the highest/coldest setting) and that definitely helped the “scoopability”!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad that worked for you! Enjoy!
Martha
0How much is 1/2 cup in oz? Sorry new to this and not sure if I’m supposed to use a measuring cup.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Martha, Are you asking about the serving size? I haven’t measured that in ounces. Yes, you can just use a measuring cup.
Grams
0Or if you are just asking conversion? 1 cup is 8 oz, so 1/2 cup would be 4 oz.
Not so much in this recipe but for baking? If the measures are in oz, gms, ml, etc.?
I recommend using a scale over using cups, etc.. Much more accurate, better chance of desired results.
Happy Cooking………BE Well!!
Tiffany Bierd
0Is your sugar replacement comparable to stevia? I’m just wondering if I need to cut the amount down or not.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tiffany, yes, you can use stevia, but it’s more concentrated so you’d need a lot less. The amount depends on the brand and form you’re using (liquid or powder). I have a sweetener conversion chart here: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/natural-low-carb-sweeteners-guide-conversion-chart/
Esther
0I’m so excited to try this ice cream recipe. Just wondering if you tried plain erythritol instead of powdered swerve. What’s the difference in taste?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Esther, There is no difference in taste, but granulated erythritol does not dissolve as well as powdered. Sugar dissolves a lot more easily than erythritol, so when you need a smooth texture, powdered works best.
Christy
0I just put mine in the blender to make a powder. I’m also trying cool whip at the end instead of the whipped cream. I hope that it will make it easier to scoop!
Clare
0If you add a splash of vodka or MCT oil (even better) it will stop ice cream from freezing too hard. It makes it more soft scoop. I haven’t tried it myself but I’ve seen people recommend that for other ice cream recipes.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0That’s a great idea Clare! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Linda Paulson
0How much MCT oil should I add?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Linda, I did some testing and added the info to the recipe card.
Abdullah
0Can I use honey instead of the sweetener?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Abdullah, You probably could, but it would not be low carb or sugar-free.
Jason
0I was excited to try this recipe but the “ice cream” turned out solid as a brick. This is not ice cream. I wasted money/ingredients on this recipe and recommend saving yours and looking elsewhere. Huge disappointment.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jason, could it be possible that your freezer temperature is too cold? There should be a temperature dial in there and typically somewhere in the middle works best. If you like yours cold, stirring a few times during the initial freezing process can help it harden less. Otherwise, I’ve heard that an ice cream maker leads to a better texture than no churn ice cream (even with no churn recipes), so that could be an option to try if nothing else works for you. Hope this helps!
Susan
0I ran across your recipe a couple days ago. I just made it. I look forward to trying it out this weekend.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks for trying out my recipe, Susan! I hope you like it!
Cassie
0I’m thinking of adding in some arrowroot powder to keep this from freezing so hard (because we LOVE it, just takes too long to scoop out!) What step would I do this in?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cassie, What a fantastic idea! I need to try that. I would recommend making a slurry with a couple teaspoons of arrowroot powder and just a little more cream, then add that in step 2 together with the vanilla extract. Proceed the same way as written with the rest of the recipe. If you try it, I’d love to know how it went and if it helped make the ice cream easier to scoop!
Kenny
0I added a half of a banana cream muscle milk which is also low in net carbs. It made a decent tasting banana milk shake.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0That’s a great idea, Kenny! Might have to try it myself!
Srinath
0Melting butter would yield ghee. Could I just use ghee? Also, what would adding cacao butter do to this recipe – make it a solid block even in the fridge and render it unscoopable?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Srinath, Melted butter and ghee are not the same – ghee has the milk solids removed. I haven’t tried this recipe with ghee or cacao butter, so can’t guarantee the results. Please let me know how it goes if you decide to try something different!
NikkiO
0What are the macros for the entire recipe? Thank you, I can’t wait! 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Nikki, The nutrition info per serving is listed on the recipe card for convenience. If you need info for some other amount, you can multiply it out or use an online recipe calculator. Enjoy the ice cream!
Fran
0Can you add sf chocolate chips?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Fran, Absolutely! You can add that as a mix-in in step 5.
Max
0You will run out of money if you use 3/4th cup of stevia extract.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Absolutely! It would also taste terrible – that is way too much stevia, which is very concentrated. 🙂
Alice
0I made this using 30% whipping cream with blueberries and it was delicious!
My cream didn’t get whipped into stiff peaks but it still turned out great.
Guess this is a very forgiving recipe…thanks so much for this great recipe 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Alice! I’m glad it worked out for you. Blueberries sound delicious to add.
Karla
0Do you think this could be made in an ice cream maker? Would I need to add ingredients or do something different?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karla, I don’t have one so haven’t tried it, but I think you can. I don’t think anything would be different. You might even end up with an even better texture that way. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
Samantha Trafton
0Does it really simmer for 30-45 minutes?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Samantha, Yes. I usually do it while making something else in the kitchen, like dinner. It takes a while for it to thicken and reduce enough – you’re essentially making sweetened condensed milk in step 1.
SusieQ
0I’m going to try this but freeze half of it in ice cube trays to run it through my dessert bullet. It’d be easy to add frozen fruit with it this way, too. And I’m going to add some plain unsweetened protein powder as well (to kind of replicate Halo Top ice cream). I love HT (vanilla, chocolate, and mint are the best of their flavors, though I add crushed sugar-free chips since there’s barely any in theirs) but the inconsistent weight/fill of their containers is disappointing for the price. Poor quality control. Very excited to try this no churn recipe!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0What a great idea! Thank you for sharing!
Alice
0Is it possible to use non-diary whipped topping (something like cool whip but of liquid consistency) instead of heavy cream in this recipe?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Alice, I haven’t tried anything like that. It might work as long as you get it to thicken like the recipe indicates. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
Jennifer Johnson
0I tried this and it tastes delicious. However when I put the ingredients into My Fitness Pal to track my carbs, I get a much higher number for grams of carbs per serving. The calorie count was about the same though. Any ideas?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jennifer, The difference is probably the powdered erythritol. These carbs are not absorbed and do not need to be counted in net carbs, but they are usually included as “normal carbs” in MFP. Hope that helps.
Kim
0Can I use Splenda?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kim, I haven’t tried this with Splenda, but think it would probably work the same way. Let me know how it goes if you try it.
Asaf
0Hi, I would like to know what the fat content should be in the whipping cream to get the best results? Thanks
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Asaf, I recommend Heavy Cream, which is 36% fat or higher. Heavy whipping cream is only 30 – 35% fat content.
Leila
0What if you were to use a puréed sweet fruit in the ice cream for flavor and for sweetness? Not swirled in but completely mixed in.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Leila, I haven’t tried that with this recipe. Let me know if you do! I do have a recipe for 3-ingredient instant raspberry ice cream that uses frozen raspberries directly pureed in.
Annamaria Parrish
0I have tried several ice cream recipes. All of them freeze like a rock and leaving them on the counter is not helpful either. I am going to give this a go but I wanted to know if I could add fresh fruit, blueberries and strawberries that are in season. I also love butter pecan ice cream, and I wouldn’t be opposed to a chocolate fudge topping or chocolate ice cream.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry you haven’t had luck with other recipes – I hope this one works for you. I can’t offer specific advice since I’m not sure which other recipes you’ve tried, but if they are intended to be no churn recipes, could it be possible that your freezer temperature is too cold? There should be a temperature dial in there and typically somewhere in the middle works best.
Otherwise, I’ve heard that an ice cream maker leads to a better texture than no churn ice cream (even with no churn recipes), so that could be an option to try if nothing else works for you. I haven’t been convinced to get one yet, though.
You can definitely add fresh fruit to this recipe. I’d recommend very small pieces, since chewing too much wouldn’t be ideal once the fruit is ice cold. Thank you for the feedback on other flavors you’d like to see. I’ll add those to my list!
Megan
0You can avoid ‘hard as a rock’ freezer ice cream by adding a couple tablespoons of vodka. It will prevent your ice cream from freezing solid and help to keep it malleable.
donna b
0Rum would be great! The flavor would do well with lots of additions.
Nicki
0I added a dash of instant coffee and my chocolate doughnut seasoning (no sugar/carbs/calories) from Complete Nutrition and it is SOOO GOOD!!!!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Nicki! Those add-ins sound amazing!
Rayann
0Added some fruit (strawberries and peaches). Makes for a nice variation.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0That sounds delicious, Rayann!
Kay
0Do I have to use sweetener/sugars? I don’t eat either as a rule.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kay, There is a natural sweetener in this recipe, but no sugar at all. I don’t think that any ice cream that isn’t sweet would taste good.
Paula
0I am unable to get the recipe, help I am really excited to try this.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Paula, The full recipe is on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. What issues are you having with it?
Destiny
0Can you use 3/4 cup stevia instead?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Destiny, Yes, you can use stevia, but it’s more concentrated so you’d need a lot less. The amount depends on the brand and form you’re using (liquid or powder). I have a sweetener conversion chart here.
Sharon
0I would love to try this but I have a grandson that has an allergy to dairy products. Do you have any recipes that are dairy free. Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sharon, The recipe may also work with coconut cream (the super thick kind), though I haven’t tried it. Let me know how it goes if you do!
I also have dairy-free recipes here.