When a sweet craving hits, this thick, creamy zero carb milkshake is two blender minutes away (0.9g net carbs). No hour spent baking, just something cold and sweet on demand.
I make this milkshake more than any other dessert on this site. Two minutes, a blender, and under 1 gram net carbs. Most keto treats need almond flour or coconut flour, and those carbs add up. This skips all of that.
The base is simple: ice, water, heavy cream, sweetener, and flavor extract. I break down the exact carb math in the next section, but the short version is that 3 tablespoons of heavy cream is the number that keeps this under 1g while still getting a creamy result.
Powdered monkfruit matters more than you’d think here. I tried liquid sweetener early on and the texture went thin and watery, almost like flavored ice water. The powdered version dissolves into the ice and cream and gives the shake actual body. That’s the difference between something you make once and something that becomes a weekly habit.
For flavor, I use toasted marshmallow extract from One on One Flavors (code Ketofocus-10 saves 10%), but the base works with anything. Vanilla is the simplest swap at 1/2 teaspoon. For a chocolate version, add 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder. One of my readers combined coconut cream with almond extract and said it tasted exactly like an Italian cream soda. I want to try that combo next.
If you want a thicker shake, swap the water for unsweetened coconut milk. Reach for the carton kind, not canned, to keep the carbs minimal. I’ve done this myself and multiple readers confirmed it. The shake comes out almost soft-serve thick, noticeably different from the water version. The fat in coconut milk interacts with the ice in a way water just can’t.
This also freezes well as popsicles. Pour the blended mixture into molds, freeze 3-4 hours, and you have a grab-and-go keto treat with barely any carbs. They come out creamy, not icy, because of the fat from the heavy cream. I keep a batch in the freezer during summer for my kids. If you like frozen treats, my bomb pops and keto chocolate chip yogurt popsicles use the same no-fuss approach.
One thing I love about this recipe is how it keeps pulling people back. Readers who’ve been keto for years still message me that they make it weekly. One reader told me it reminded her of the vanilla shakes her mom made on snow days. That’s the kind of thing a two-minute blender recipe shouldn’t do, but here we are.
I built this recipe around one constraint: stay under 1 gram net carbs without sacrificing texture. Ice, water, and monkfruit sweetener all clock in at zero. The only carb source is heavy cream at 0.3g per tablespoon. Three tablespoons gets you to 0.9g total.
That number matters because most low carb shakes hide their real carb count behind ‘per serving’ math or ignore the cream altogether. I’m giving you the actual number from the actual ingredients. 0.9 grams, one serving, no rounding tricks.
Is This Milkshake Carnivore Friendly?
I get this question a lot, and it depends on your version of carnivore. If you eat only beef, salt, and water, then no. But plenty of people on the carnivore diet include anything from an animal, and heavy cream falls squarely in that category.
I’d call this carnivore-adjacent. Three tablespoons of heavy cream keeps the carbs at 0.9g, which is well within what most carnivore dieters allow. The sweetener and extract are technically plant-derived, so strict purists won’t go for it. But if you follow a ketovore approach (mostly carnivore on weekdays, keto flexibility on weekends), this is exactly the kind of treat that fits.
Best Flavor Extracts for This Milkshake
I make the toasted marshmallow version most often using extract drops from One on One Flavors (save 10% with code Ketofocus-10). If you use drops, start with 1/2 to 1 dropperful. For regular extract like vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon is the right amount.
The base recipe is basically a blank canvas. Try chocolate by adding 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder. Mix coconut and almond extract together for something that tastes like an Almond Joy. Add graham cracker and toasted marshmallow extract for a s’mores version. One of my readers used banana extract and said it brought back the banana smoothies she’d been missing. I’ve been layering different combos since I first posted this, and I haven’t found one that doesn’t work.
Sweeteners and the Carnivore Diet
Technically, sweeteners are off the table for strict carnivore. But I’ve watched my own cravings shift over time on keto. When I started, I wanted something sweet every night. Now it’s maybe once a week. That transition happens for most people after a few months of eating this way.
If you follow a ketovore approach (mostly carnivore with some keto flexibility), sweeteners in moderation are fine. I use powdered monkfruit because it adds zero carbs and doesn’t spike insulin the way some sugar alcohols can. Erythritol is another solid option. I’d avoid maltitol entirely since it has a higher glycemic impact than most people realize.
More Desserts Under 1 Gram Net Carbs
If you like this milkshake, these are what I’d make next:
Add ice, water, heavy cream, sweetener, and flavoring to a blender. Use 1 dropperful of drops or 1/2 teaspoon extract.
2
Blend and pour
Blend until smooth and pour.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1 milkshake
Calories
180
Fat
18g
Protein
0.9g
Total carbs
0.9g
Net carbs
0.9g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make this milkshake dairy-free?
I've tested this with coconut cream and it works well. The shake actually comes out thicker than the heavy cream version, which surprised me. You can also use unsweetened almond milk, but it won't be as rich. For a fully dairy-free frozen treat, my dairy free ice cream uses a similar base approach without any cream at all.
What sweetener works if I don't have monkfruit?
Erythritol is my second choice. It dissolves well and won't throw off the texture. Stevia works too, but start with less than you think since it's sweeter drop-for-drop and easy to overdo. I'd avoid liquid sweeteners entirely because they make the shake thin and watery. I learned that the hard way. Powdered is what gives this its thick, milkshake-like body.
Does this milkshake keep if I make it ahead?
It's best right out of the blender. I've left it in the fridge overnight and it separates. You can re-blend it the next day and it comes back together, but the texture isn't quite the same as fresh. If you want to prep ahead, I'd freeze it into popsicle molds instead. That way you get a better result than trying to revive a separated shake.
Use powdered sweetener, not granulated. I’ve tried other keto shakes with granular and the grit never fully blends out. Powdered monkfruit is what actually makes this smooth.
Figured something this bare-bones wouldn’t stick. One week proved me wrong. I pre-stage five jars Sunday, sweetener and cream premeasured. At the blender, 90 seconds. Nothing I make that week comes close.
I’ve made plenty of keto desserts but had zero interest in blender drinks because they usually taste like protein powder and sadness. This one sat in my saved recipes for months until it was 95 degrees out and I could not face turning on the oven. Two minutes later I had something that actually tasted like a milkshake. The toasted marshmallow flavor is what got me (I almost skipped it and I’m really glad I didn’t), that single dropper completely changes the whole thing. Not giving it five stars only because I think it wants a tiny pinch of xanthan gum if you want more of a thick, frosty texture instead of a slushy, but for something with under a gram of carbs, that’s not exactly a real complaint. Making this every afternoon until October.
And yes, protein powder and sadness, the unofficial subtitle. The xanthan gum call is right, 1/8 teaspoon goes from slushy to actually thick without messing with anything else.
Fourth one this week. The toasted marshmallow flavor does things I didn’t expect from something that’s mostly ice and water, and it actually satisfies the craving. Not the same as a real milkshake, but close enough to keep me from doing something I’d regret at a drive-through.
Four in a week and counting. That’s the marshmallow extract, it gets its hooks in. If you want to switch it up, coconut plus almond extract together tastes like an Almond Joy.
The water threw me off. A milkshake made with water and no milk, I kept putting it off because that seemed like it would taste like nothing. Finally made it last week because it was getting warm outside and I was out of excuses. Two minutes in the blender and it came out thick and frothy, which I did not expect. I used the toasted marshmallow flavor and it tasted like something I’d order at a drive-through, not like a substitute for one. I have no idea how the water situation works but I’ve stopped questioning it.
Figured out on my second try: pour the water in before the ice or the blender just spins without catching on anything. Two-second fix but it actually worked. The sweetener is also worth dialing back a little (I backed off to about 1.5 tablespoons and it stopped tasting too sweet). New to keto and this is one of the first things I’ve made that actually came out right.
My 14-year-old is convinced keto food is sad and weird. Made her try this with the toasted marshmallow flavor and she just stood there asking how it could taste like that with basically nothing in it. She’s been making her own after school every day this week. I’ve started hiding the heavy cream so there’s some left for me.
Made this probably a dozen times since I found it. Switched from the toasted marshmallow to a few drops of peppermint extract and it tastes exactly like a mint chip shake without the chips. Still under a gram of carbs, still two minutes.
My daughter kept asking about the ‘marshmallowy’ smell every time I made one. She finally tried it, found out it was under a carb, and looked genuinely offended she’d been saying no for months.
Cut the water down to 3/4 cup and the texture gets noticeably thicker, closer to a Frosty than a thin shake. Also, the toasted marshmallow flavor over vanilla is not even close, do not skip it.
Never thought to blend just water and ice into something milkshake-like. Does the toasted marshmallow extract make a big difference, or does plain vanilla work too?
Vanilla works fine. The marshmallow extract gives it that nostalgic campfire dessert thing, a little more specific flavor. Without it you just get a clean vanilla shake, which is still good.
Water instead of cream as the base made no sense to me. Every keto shake I’d made before was thick and almost too rich, so I finally gave this a try and now I get it. The toasted marshmallow flavor does something to the ice and water that I still can’t explain, but it actually tastes lighter and more milkshake-like than any of the heavy cream versions I’ve been blending for months. Two minutes and I’m done. Going in the spring rotation.
This saved me on a Sunday afternoon when I was really craving something sweet and couldn’t face turning on the oven. I made it exactly as written and it was good, really good, but mine came out thinner than I was expecting (I think I overdid the ice, honestly). Added an extra tablespoon of heavy cream the second time around and that got it to the thickness I actually wanted, more milkshake and less flavored water. The toasted marshmallow flavor is genuinely surprising to me, it tastes way more indulgent than 180 calories should. My one honest thing is I wish there was a little more guidance on what the consistency is supposed to look like before you pour it, because as someone still figuring keto out I sort of panicked and didn’t know if mine was wrong. Making it again this week though, that part is not up for debate.
Extra cream is the right call. Should coat the blender walls a little before you pour, not slosh around clear. If it looks thin in there, it’ll drink thin.
Ok so I only had coconut cream on hand and just swapped it in, not really expecting much. SO creamy though. Like noticeably thicker, almost soft-serve adjacent. I also skipped the marshmallow flavor because I didn’t have it and used almond extract instead, and somehow the two together tasted exactly like those Italian cream sodas I used to get as a kid. Pretty new to keto and genuinely didn’t think something this quick could scratch that dessert itch the way this did.
Swapped the water for coconut milk and it got SO thick, like actual soft-serve coming out of the blender. The monkfruit dissolved just fine with it (I kept expecting it to clump). If you want something closer to a real milkshake texture, that’s the move… wait, no. That swap is worth trying.
The toasted marshmallow one stopped me. My mom made thick vanilla shakes on snow days when we were little, and I hadn’t found anything close in two years on keto. This does it. Now I make it every time it snows.
