Keto Vanilla Ice Cream

Low Carb Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

One of the best parts about Summer is getting to enjoy ice cream in warm weather. Unfortunately, most ready made ice creams are not keto friendly as they are full of added sugars. There are more keto friendly ice creams popping up in groceries store but some of them can be chalky or very hard.

Luckily for you, we have the perfect recipe for low carb vanilla ice cream! This recipe only requires 5 ingredients and it can be made without an ice cream maker! It makes the creamiest, soft-serve vanilla keto ice cream. If you have an ice cream machine, you can churn it, but if you don’t, you can easily just put the ice cream in a freezer safe container and then in the freezer in order for the ice cream to set. I highly recommend churning it though as it helps to create a creamy, softer ice cream.

This keto ice cream recipe doesn’t use eggs. It is a foolproof way of making keto ice cream since you do not have to worry about tempering egg yolk or about the eggs curdling when you make the custard. The ingredients used in this recipe can easily be found at stores and most are typical ingredients used in various keto recipes. This recipe uses vodka to get a creamy, smooth texture and for the ice cream to remain soft and scoopable.

Vanilla paste is used to get real vanilla flecks in the ice cream, but you can scrape out the seeds of a real vanilla bean if you prefer.

You can store this sugar free ice cream as you would with any other ice cream, which is, in the freezer. Having a batch of ice cream ready in the freezer can come in handy for those days when you want a refreshing low carb treat! This keto ice cream can also be served with other desserts, such as with low carb brownies or cakes and it can also be used to make iced coffee for those warm days when a hot coffee just won’t do!

No Churn Keto Ice Cream Instructions

Don’t fret if you don’t own an ice cream maker, you can still make this easy keto ice cream recipe. Simply add your vanilla ice cream base to some freezer safe containers and freeze. The smaller the containers used are, the faster the keto ice cream will be ready. Smaller containers also save space as you can easily take one container out at a time and not have to put a half empty large container back in the freezer.

What is the Purpose of the Alcohol?

Homemade ice cream, especially keto ice cream never tends to stay as soft and ready to scoop out of the tub as the store-bought kind. For this reason, in this recipe we use alcohol as it helps to soften the ice cream. Alcohol raises the freezing point of liquids, which in turn reduces iciness. Otherwise, if you freeze the cream based ice cream mixture without alcohol, it will be rock solid after a few hours in the freezer. You can use any white distilled spirit – vodka or rum. You can even use tequila if you don’t mind a mild flavor of it in the ice cream.

Of course, with any ice cream, when you first take it out of the freezer, it will be hard to scoop. Let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes or so to soften. I have even microwaved it for 20 seconds when I don’t have the patience to wait.

Substitutions for Alcohol

There are a few substitutes you can use if you prefer not to use alcohol in the form of a distilled spirit for your keto ice cream. You can add around 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract as it is usually alcohol based and will provide the same effect. Using a sugar free syrup like allulose syrup or ChocZero’s vanilla syrup will have a similar effect as well. We recommend using 1/4 cup of allulose syrup or ChocZero syrup in place of the vodka and the sugar free sweetener.

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Ice Cream Machine

We know not everyone has an ice cream machine at home, so we made sure to include an option which does not require an ice cream machine to churn the ice cream, while still getting the same rich result. Thus, if you do not already own one, do not fret, you won’t not need to go out and buy one. However, if you do have an ice cream machine, the texture will come out a little creamier and if you have an electric one, you can enjoy your vanilla ice cream right away.

Store Bought Low Carb Ice Cream

Most ice creams are not keto friendly and there are only a few ready made keto friendly ice creams you can buy from the stores. Some of my favorite brands are Rebel Ice Cream and Keto Pint.

This recipe is perfect for anyone on a low carb diet and is craving ice cream as you will know exactly what is in the ice cream. You might think homemade ice cream takes ages to make, but it is actually quite simple, quick and easy to make. It also tastes incredibly delicious and rich! You really do not have to give up any food on a keto diet, both savory and sweet!

The Critical Step

Don’t skip the 2 hour refrigeration step when you are making this keto ice cream recipe! You should wait 2 hours before starting to churn as to give the flavors time to be combined together within the heavy cream. It also helps with the texture of the ice cream as it makes it softer and creamier, which is how you need the ice cream to be.

Sugar Free Ice Cream Cones

The brand ‘Enlightened’ makes sugar free ice cream cones, which means they are keto friendly. They have 0g sugar and 3g net carbs, so they are great if you prefer to have your ice cream in a cone. However, they do contain gluten so if you are gluten intolerant or are trying to cut down on gluten, we would not recommend them.

Ice Cream Toppings

Vanilla is a simple ice cream flavor. Thus, you can easily add as many toppings and mix-ins you like, to make it exactly to your liking. There are various keto approved toppings you can use for low carb ice cream. Feel free to get creative! Our favorites include low carb fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, sugar free sprinkles and chocolate chips, nuts and whipped cream. You could even add in sugar free syrups such as caramel and chocolate!