Keto Vanilla Ice Cream
Soft serve, creamy keto ice cream
On a hot Summer day, ice cream is a must-have treat! With this easy egg-free keto vanilla ice cream recipe you won’t have to miss out! Creamy, soft serve style with only 5 ingredients!
8
Servings
248
Calories
24g
Fat
1.2g
Protein
1.8g
Net Carb
1.8g
Total Carbs
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. Some keto friendly ice creams at the grocery store can be chalky or very hard, so it’s better to make your own – especially when it takes 5 minutes to prepare!
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 with or without an ice cream maker! It makes the creamiest, soft-serve vanilla keto ice cream that can be used as a base for other flavors like strawberry or chocolate ice cream.
Why this recipe stands out
This keto ice cream recipe doesn’t use eggs. It is a foolproof way of making 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.
Get creamy, scoopable ice cream. This recipe uses vodka to get a creamy, smooth texture. To really get the ice cream to remain soft, use allulose as a sweetener.
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.
KETOFOCUS FANS THINK IT’S THE BEST!!
“My wife just made this for me the other day using blueberries and it’s fantastic!”
➥ from YouTube subscriber @gristlepounder
“This makes great ice cream and if you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can also use a large glass canning jar and shake the ingredients until the cream doubles in size…then freeze. We also make a butter pecan version and cook the pecan in brown butter and then add to the mix before shaking. So good. Freeze for about 4 hours.”
➥ from YouTube subscriber @bitsyketo5726
- How to make keto ice cream
- Recipe Details
- Similar recipes others love
- No churn ice cream vs ice cream machine
- What is the purpose of the alcohol?
- How to make soft ice cream
- What ice cream is keto friendly
- Sugar free ice cream cones
- Ice cream toppings
- Storage information
- FAQs
- Nutrition information: facts & macronutrients
How to make keto ice cream
- Add the following 5 ingredients – heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar free sweetener, salt, vodka or rum and vanilla extract.
- Whisk to combine.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours.
- If using an ice cream machine, pour into machine and let churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- For the no churn method, add to a mason jar and shake until thickened or beat with an electric mixer until peaks form. Then freeze.
Key ingredients
- Heavy cream – Most keto ice creams are made from heavy cream. If you are dairy free, use coconut milk instead to make a dairy free keto ice cream.
- Powdered sweetener – To keep this a sugar free recipe, make sure you are using an alternative to sugar like allulose, erythritol, monkfruit or a blended sweetener. It’s best to use the powdered sweetener as it dissolves easier in the cream. Granulated sweetener may make your ice cream grainy and gritty.
- Salt – Enhances the sweetness of the ice cream
- Vodka – This is the key ingredient to keep the ice cream soft and easy to scoop. See below for substitutions.
Keto Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe Video
With 100s of videos and millions of views, Ketofocus is one of the most popular Keto channels on YouTube.
Keto Ice Cream Ingredients
2 cups heavy whipping cream
-
1/3 cup powdered allulose or sweetener of choice
-
1/8 teaspoon salt
-
2 tablespoons vodka or rum (see below for other substitutions)
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1 teaspoon vanilla paste, optional
Keto Vanilla Ice Cream Directions
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Combine vanilla ice cream ingredients
In a large bowl, combine heavy cream, sweetener, salt, vodka, vanilla extract and vanilla paste. Taste the mixture. Add more sweetener if necessary. Refrigerate mixture for 2 hours before churning or freezing.
Quick Tip
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. -
Churn instructions
Add ice cream base to your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer instructions.
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No churn instructions
Add ice cream base to a mason jar and shake until thickened then freeze or whip base with an electric mixture until fluffy, add to ice cream container and freeze.
I was impressed by how the vodka helped maintain a soft texture even straight from the freezer. The vanilla extract combined with the optional vanilla paste added a rich and layered flavor that felt indulgent. I used an electric mixer to whip the base and loved how airy it became before freezing. It had a smooth consistency and wasn’t icy at all, even after a couple of days in the freezer.
I made this vanilla ice cream and it came out incredibly smooth with a perfect level of sweetness. What really surprised me was how well the texture held up after freezing overnight. It scooped like regular ice cream without getting icy.
I’ve never considered purchasing heavy whipping cream (until now). Then I looked at the ingredient list for the conventional variety. All have carrageenan (a likely carcinogen), mono- and diglycerides (just bad stuff), cellulose gum, and polysorbate 80 (a preservative). Yuck. Could you make half and half work?
I haven’t tried half and half but I would think it would still work.
Just try it!!! Delicious and so simple. BTW…go ahead and add the vanilla bean paste, you’ll be glad you did. Best recipe I’ve used since becoming diabetic.
Will this work with a Ninja Creami Deluxe machine?
I haven’t tried it in a ninja creami but I think it would work.
Hi Annie,
Thanks for the great recipe! One question, in your video you say to ” 2 teaspoons of Vodka”, but the recipe call for 2 Tablespoons? I made the Mint n’ Chip and it was excellent, using 2 tablespoons but I thought for sure I could taste alcohol. Which one is correct, 2 teaspoons or 2 tablespoons?
2 tablespoons is correct. Sometimes I say things wrong. hehe.
Can you make chocolate ice cream with this recipe?
Yes, I use it as a base for any flavor. My chocolate ice cream recipe is here: https://www.ketofocus.com/recipes/keto-chocolate-ice-cream/
Hi! Great recipe, what is the actual serving size?
It’s about 1/2 cup
Have you tried to make Butter Pecan flavor?
Hi,
My icecream machine is on its way from Amazon!
I can’t wait to make some keto ice cream.
I was curious about adding Peanutbutter. Have you experimented with that? Like a PB swirl or even just a full PB ice cream?
I wonder how that would effect the texture. Thanks so much for all these wonderful recipes!
I bought a cup size ice cream maker. My first attempt with another keto recipe made my heavy whip cream taste thick and icy after letting thaw a bit. Now trying your recipe, it’s chilling atm. Followed everything and I’ll just measure out a cup for the maker, but I’m curious about multiple flavors. My mom makes homemade Kalua, I wanted to use some of that as a flavor but unsure how this measures out given the alcohol is vodka, and I’m craving coffee. But with a coffee flavor is adding coffee grinds a thing or instant coffee- how does adding to basic vanilla disrupt texture? Or do we just use extracts for these flavors?
Thanks!
I think you could definitely add Kalua and/or espresso powder. For the Kalua, try using 1/4 cup for every 2 cups of heavy cream and omit the vodka. In your case, if you are using a cup of heavy cream for your ice cream maker, try adding in 2 tablespoons of Kalua. Then taste the mixture and see if you have to add more.
You could also use instant espresso or coffee, just make sure it is powdered and not a coarse grind. Or else your ice cream will be grainy from the coffee grinds. Maybe try 1-2 tablespoons mixed in with all the other ingredients in this recipe (except vanilla paste). Taste and add more if needed.
Hi, I want to try this recipe out. Can I use 2 tablespoons mct oil instead of the alcohol? I have read the mct oil gives it a softer texture.
I haven’t tried that but if others have, then go for it. It sounds like it would work.
Oops! I figured out what I did wrong-I accidentally put salt in place of sweetener. I have very similar containers for both, and I wasn’t paying attention!
Hi, I tried halving the recipe, and I used half of everything, and used the vanilla extract (imitation vanilla) in place of the alcohol, so I used 1 tsp + 1 TBL vanilla. It was SUPER salty tasting. What did I do wrong?
Can I use a blender to mix up before putting in the freezer? I don’t have a hand mixer, usually just use a whisk, blender, or food processor.
Yes! A blend will work too. Anything that will get it thick
We want to use 2 cans of coconut milk per your recommendation. Unclear if we drain the water or use the whole can! Help!
Don
Don’t drain. Just add the whole can 🙂
Loved the ice cream! The recipe indicates 8 servings but how big are the servings?
Glad you liked this ice cream recipe. The serving is for 1/2 cup
I figured it out, thanks ! :]
I had the same problem you did so I’m wondering what you did differently to help it not freeze on the sides of the bowl and stay runny in the middle. Were you able to make a consistent texture?
I just made this. It was AWESOME! Thank you so much!! So simple and so tasty!
Just made this, used the same Cuisinart machine, and the tub was in the freezer several days, but it turned out runny in the centre, frozen next to the bowl. Any ideas why ?
Can I substitute a
can of unsweetened coconut milk instead of whipping cream. Does this need Xanatham gum
Yes, you can do that! You can add xanthan gum too if you want. It will make it even softer.
I made my own vanilla extract about 6 months ago with the bean and vodka,I was wondering if can I use that in place of both the extract and alcohol?
Yes! That can be used. I would use the same amount as the vodka.
How would this recipe come out with only stevia as a sweetener? I have a sensitivity to all sugar alcohols (I’ve tried all keto sweeteners) and the only keto sweetener I seem to tolerate is stevia, which basically means I can’t have any ice cream if I can’t make it myself (sobbing tears). No one sells stevia-only keto ice cream that I’ve seen. I’m considering buying an ice cream maker, but I’m wondering if even with the alcohol if the ice cream will be too solid or not an ideal ice cream texture.
To get the best texture, you want to use an ice cream maker. It will still be hard if you freeze it and you will need to thaw it for a little bit to get it to soften just like regular ice cream. You can definitely use stevia in the recipe. The amount depends on if you use the liquid or powder. Just add and taste.
Hi I have a question, it may be a fairly obvious one. How much in total volume is made from this recipe? I haven’t made it yet but I’m assuming since 2 cups of heavy whipping cream are used, that it’ll roughly make 2 cups/1 pint of ice cream at the end.
Mainly concerned since the price for making this ice cream would be more expensive than buying a keto ice cream at the store for me
Churning in an ice cream maker or mixing with a hand mixer should double the volume. That is, one batch should fluff up to one quart of ice cream. When I first made this I neglected to mix it to volume (I don’t have an ice cream maker), it was so hard because it was dense. Churning or mixing is key.
Hi! What ice cream maker do you use? I know you have told us but I can’t find where. Thank you.
I use a Cuisinart. Here’s the one I use: https://amzn.to/2X5GhGH
I bought an ice cream maker from Christmas money, kohl’s discounts. My husband does keto and I’m going to give it a try… soon.. I’ve been sick. This recipe is one of the best ice creams I have ever had. We buy the pints at $5/ pint. We’re hooked!!! I can’t wait to start keto!!
Made this last night, I used Stoli Vanilla flavored vodka… turned out superb. I was about to give up on the ice cream recipes because I had so many failed ones… this was my last try and it was awesome! Good tip on the vodka… still froze a little hard, which I was hoping the alcohol would prevent, but a couple of minutes of the counter worked wonders! Thank you for saving my keto existence – from one pharmacy gal to another – many thanks! 😉
I tried this recipe in the bar molds and they are delish. Definitely don’t get as hard with the vodka.
I noted you used a 2 quart machine. Will this recipe fit in a 1.5 quart machine bowl?
Thanks.
Yes, the volume is about 2 cups which is 1 pint, so you will still have plenty of room.
I am lactose intolerant and have diabetes. Could I us coconut cream instead?
Yes! I have used coconut milk – two cans and it works!
Hi! LOVE all your recipes and I am allergic to eggs so this one is awesome! Once it freezes and you consume some, will it stay the same consistency after back in to the freezer to consume the rest for a later date?
Also, does it have to be clear alcohol?
Just like ice cream you buy at the store, it can be a little hard when it first comes out of the freezer. Let it sit out at room temp for a few minutes or you can zap in the microwave for a few seconds. Then it will be soft and scoopable again! You can use any alcohol. Someone was even going to try bourbon for a caramel flavor.
Do we beat to stiff peaks like whipping cream? I have made this recipe about 10 times. Used vodka, white rum, Kahlua. All with 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Kahlua tasted best and was super hard. Vodka seems to work best. I am thinking I may be over whipping it?
Ideally, churning with an ice cream machine gives the best texture. For no churn, beat it until it won’t thicken anymore. After it freezes, pull it out to room temperature and let sit for 5 minutes or so until you can scoop it out. Like other homemade ice creams (even those made with eggs), it will be hard when you first pull it out. You can try to add 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum to help with softness. And/or use allulose as the sweetener. Remember to refrigerate it for 2 hours too. This also helps with the softness.
If you don’t have the ice cream freezer, would you whip this up with a hand beater a little bit to make it thicker, before you put it in the freezer?
Yes, you can do that! It would be similar effect to what they do with mason jar ice cream.
So whip it before refrigerating for 2 hours or after refigerating right before putting in ice cream cups and into the freezer?
Thank you!
Whip with a hand mixer (with beaters) after refrigerating. It may look like nothing is happening but keep mixing it. It will double in volume. One batch should make a quart.
I love your recipes . I don’t have a ice cream machine but going to try it without. I am doing IF along with Keto but haven’t seen weight loss, although I have been insulin resistant for awhile now. Simple easy recipes for working women!!