Keto custard is a classic dessert that takes only 5 simple ingredients. It’s so easy to make and results in a rich, silky smooth texture. Just like your grandma used to make, without the sugar!
Want an old fashioned dessert that makes you feel like a kid again? You can’t go wrong with a classic baked custard. And this keto custard recipe is heaven on a spoon.
I am always surprised by how much I like custard. It doesn’t look all that special, nor sound that interesting. Then I dig my spoon in and marvel at the creamy consistency. And the flavor is simple and comforting.
If any dessert can be considered nostalgic, then this is it! Just like Keto Chocolate Pudding, this will transport you to your childhood.
Why you need this recipe
My recipe for keto custard makes it even easier than it already is. You don’t need to scald the cream or temper the eggs. Instead, you just blend everything up together and pour it into the ramekins.
There is no need for starches or flours to thicken the custard. The cream and eggs are sufficient to create a thick consistency with a rich, velvety mouthfeel. And you don’t have to chill this dessert for it to set. You can eat it warm, room temperature, or cold, as you like. I really enjoy it room temperature.
You still need to use a water bath to get the perfect silky smooth texture. But I walk you through how to set that up, step by step. It’s remarkably simple.
Custard without sugar is amazingly keto-friendly. Each serving has only 2.5g of carbs, so you can enjoy this sweet treat and easily stay within your carb limit for the day!
Ingredients you need
- Heavy whipping cream: Whipping cream provides the base of this recipe and results in a silky smooth keto custard. If you live in other countries (Europe or Australia), look for double cream or thickened cream. You can also use unsweetened coconut cream for a dairy-free version.
- Eggs: Custard is an egg-based recipe but it’s not eggy at all. Instead, it’s rich and creamy.
- Sweetener: I like to use Swerve for this recipe but other granular sweeteners may work as well. Check out the Expert Tips section for suggestions.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla is the standard flavor for custard but don’t feel limited to that. You can try other extracts as well. Caramel would be delicious!
- Nutmeg: Baked custard typically has a sprinkle of nutmeg on the top. But you could do cinnamon if you prefer.
- Salt
Step by Step Directions
1. Blend the ingredients: Add the whipping cream, eggs, egg yolk, sweetener, vanilla extract, and salt to a blender. Pulse a few times until well combined.
2. Fill the ramekins: Place 4 small ramekins in a larger baking dish. Divide the custard mixture between ramekins and sprinkle the tops with nutmeg or cinnamon.
3. Set up a bain marie: Fill the baking dish with enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Do not get any water inside the ramekins.
4. Bake the custard: Place the baking dish in a 350ºF oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean but the custard still jiggles slightly when shaken.
Expert Tips
Do not skip the bain marie (water bath)! Custard based desserts need gentle heat to cook through without becoming tough or rubbery. A water bath provides the most gentle source of heat. I experimented with a custard outside of the water bath once, just to see. It rose alarmingly and then fell and became wrinkled and ugly.
Don’t blend the ingredients too vigorously. You simply want to pulse a few times quickly until well combined. Over-blending will whip too much air into the mixture. You can also simply whisk them in a large bowl. Just make sure that the sweetener gets mixed in well before adding to the ramekins.
Sweetener Options: You should be able to use any granular sweetener for this keto custard. However, they will take longer to set with allulose and the tops will brown more.
Dairy-Free Option: You can use coconut cream (the thick portion from the top of a can of coconut milk) for this custard. However, it may need to bake longer to set properly so keep your eye on it!
Frequently Asked Questions
This sugar-free custard recipe has only 2.5g of carbs per serving. It is an ideal keto dessert for beginners as it’s very easy to make.
Custard does not need to be thickened with flours or starches. The combination of heavy cream and eggs is sufficient to make a rich, thick, creamy custard. So this keto custard contains no flour of any kind.
Store the custards, tightly wrapped, in the fridge for up to 5 days. I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
More custard based desserts
Easy Keto Custard Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (297.5 g) heavy whipping cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 6 tbsp (6 tbsp) Swerve Granular
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp (0.13 tsp) salt
- Ground nutmeg or cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Set four 4-ounce ramekins inside a larger baking dish.
- Add the whipping cream, eggs, egg yolk, sweetener, vanilla extract, and salt to a blender. Pulse a few times until well combined.
- Divide the custard mixture between the ramekins and sprinkle the tops nutmeg or cinnamon.
- Fill the baking dish with enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Do not get any water inside the ramekins.
- Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake 35 to 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean but the custard still jiggles slightly when shaken.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and carefully remove the custards from the baking dish. Let cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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I just made the custard and it was delicious!!! I didn’t have enough ramekins so I poured the whole amount into a 9″ disposable cake pan and put it into a 9×13 dish and filled it up halfway with hot water and baked it for 49 minutes and it turned out fine. Everybody loved it!!! Thanks for another recipe for my arsenal Carolyn. PS. I had just finished making a batch of the German chocolate brownies that everyone in the family loves. If you guys haven’t tried them you are definitely missing out!!! You are the only one that I go to for keto recipes, you are the master….
Glad it worked out!
I just made the custard and it was delicious!!! I didn’t have enough ramekins so I pored the whole amount into a 9″ disposable cake pan and put it into a 9×13 dish and filled it up halfway with hot water and baked it for 49 minutes and it turned out fine. Everybody loved it!!! Thanks for another recipe for my arsenal Carolyn. PS. I had just finished making a batch of the German chocolate brownies that everyone in the family loves. If you guys haven’t tried them you are definitely missing out!!! You are the only one that I go to for keto recipes, you are the master….
I don’t have small ramekins. Can I put this in one glass casserole dish? How long should I bake it?
Oh my goodness! I made two (2)nutmeg and two (2) cinnamon. These are so delicious and time friendly. By the time everything was mixed my oven was preheated and ready. That’s awesome! What a healthy choice for dessert that is guilt-FREE, simple and easy to make. I’ve saved this recipe. Hubby will try it tonight. He’s a junk food nut but he at times will enjoy lower carb treats and dinners. This is something I would make for holidays or special occasions also. Thank you for this recipe and making it less stressful.
So far it’s not setting. Can it be that my eggs weren’t large? It’s in the oven an extra 10 minutes anna still not set. ?
What size were your eggs?
Instead of 4 individual ramekins, which I don’t have, could I just put the whole thing in an oven proof glass dish? I should probably adjust the baking time?
I made this with 3 whole duck eggs and monk fruit/erythritol sweetener. We’re overrun with chicken and duck eggs from our hens and the bigger the egg pile gets, the less I feel like eating eggs. This was a game changer to shake up the routine of savory egg standard recipes. The duck eggs are very rich with huge yolks and this was so decadent! I have to honestly say the best keto dessert I’ve had!
Your neighbors must love you!
Is there anything I can use in place of heavy cream?
Coconut cream works.
Easy and delicious!
Love this one,so easy and come out beautifully every time.
Absolutely wonderful!! Thanks again for a wonderful yummy “I can’t believe it’s good for me!” recipe!!
I adjusted a bit to make 6 ramekins, added an extra egg, split the whip crm with 1/2 coconut cream & then added an extra 1/2 cup whp crm, and added a tsp of caramel flavouring, topped with cinnamon… I left the sweetener as 6 Tbsp, as it was too sweet otherwise for my taste… a bit richer, but fabulous!!
Love that all ingredients are staples in my low carb house! I just bought Allulose so used that for sweetener and worked perfectly. Really nice and low carb for something sweet and light. Love your recipes and I might add your cookbooks are amazing!
My mom always made a slightly sweetened egg custard when I was sick so I decided to do it with this low-carb version for my husband who is also sick. I reduce the sugar substitute down to 4 tablespoons and it was still plenty sweet. It baked up beautifully and it was exactly the way I remembered my moms. Only differences that it’s sugar-free!
I halved this recipe and used an oblong bigger ramekin, decreased the cooking time a bit, and topped with the nutmeg and cinnamon both. This was out of the world good. So creamy and delicious, but most of all…..very simple! Thanks for the recipe!
I don’t normally keep heavy cream on hand but I do keep Anthonys powdered heavy cream in stock. So was wondering if it would work in this recipe?
I can’t be sure without trying it myself but have fun experimenting!
Being carb conscious for weight control, I seek out Keto or low carb recipes. I always loved egg custard…not too sweet. I was craving something and ran across this recipe. Divided the recipe by half in case I didn’t like it…..now I wish I had made the full recipe. There was no aftertaste from the Swerve granulated sugar replacement….but it was so creamy and delicious…I sprinkled nutmeg on the top. I will definitely be making this again…so easy.