If you’re a coffee lover like me, chances are that it’s also one of your favorite flavors of ice cream. That magical combination of creamy coldness with the heavenly aroma of roasted coffee beans… what’s not to love? This no-churn keto ice cream is your shortcut to frozen happiness. It’s easy to make with no special equipment – the hardest part is waiting for it to freeze!
❤️ If you love coffee-flavored desserts, be sure to try Keto Tiramisu or Keto Coffee Cheesecake next!
I own a ridiculous amount of kitchen gadgetry, including a very good ice cream maker. But I love experimenting with different techniques, and when I started seeing no-churn recipes all over the internet, I had to give it a try. It was so simple! All I had to do was modify my Keto Condensed Milk recipe slightly, whisk in some coffee, and fold in the whipped cream.
This recipe has quickly become one of my favorite ways to make keto ice cream. And I’ve used it to make other wonderful treats like Keto Ice Cream Cake. The best part is that it stays scoopable, even after days in the freezer!
What readers are saying…
“Fantastic! So creamy and flavorful! Added in some chopped Lily’s sugar-free dark chocolate chips because, well, why not. We loved the recipe, you make keto so fun. Next up, your Maple Walnut ice cream… Thank you, Carolyn!!! Oxox” — Dianne
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Heavy whipping cream: Some is used in the first step, to create low carb condensed milk. The other portion is whipped and folded in to create a consistency similar to churned ice cream.
- Low carb milk: I use nut milk like almond or macadamia. But any low carb milk works here, including coconut milk or hemp milk.
- Sweetener: A combination of both erythritol and allulose gives this ice cream a scoopable consistency. If allulose is not available to you, you can use xylitol instead.
- Xanthan gum: This ingredient is important for two reasons. It thickens the milk/cream mixture properly, but it also inhibits the formation of ice crystals. You can try other thickeners like glucomannan but it may affect the texture of the ice cream.
- Instant coffee: You can use espresso powder, Via packs, or regular instant coffee. If using regular coffee, you will want about 1 tablespoon. I usually use decaf Via packs.
- Pantry staple: Vanilla extract and salt.
How to Make Keto Coffee Ice Cream
- Prepare the “condensed milk: Over medium heat, combine some of the heavy cream and the almond milk. Whisk in the sweeteners and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes
- Add the thickeners: Sprinkle the surface with xanthan gum and whisk vigorously to combine.
- Add the flavor: Whisk in the instant coffee, vanilla extract, and salt. Let cool to room temperature.
- Whip the cream: In another bowl, whip the remaining whipping cream until it holds stiff peaks. Gently fold in the cooled coffee mixture until well combined.
- Freeze: Transfer to a container and freeze until firm.
Carolyn’s Tips for Success
Prepare the cream/milk mixture in advance so it cools completely. If you attempt to proceed while it’s still warm, the whipped cream will become a liquidy mess and the ice cream won’t set properly.
How much coffee you add depends on how strong you want the flavor to be. I like mine fairly strong, but I also use decaf so that it doesn’t keep me up at night.
You can also adjust the sweetness to taste. Keep in mind that frozen treats often taste less sweet than they do when they are room temperature.
Do note that no-churn ice cream takes longer to firm up and freeze properly. Be patient and consider making it the day prior to when you want to eat it.
Best Sweeteners for Keto Ice Cream
I have made a lot of keto ice cream in my day and I believe I have achieved the perfect creamy consistency. Much of that is due to the correct combination of sweeteners.
For this recipe, I like to use a combination of an erythritol-based sweetener, such as this one from Impact Sweeteners, and an allulose-based sweetener. Using them in equal parts allows the ice cream to firm up properly while also remaining scoopable straight out of the freezer.
Using erythritol sweeteners alone will cause the ice cream to freeze rock hard. And I find that allulose sweeteners alone make the ice cream too soft and it melts far too quickly. But together, they balance each other out for a firm but creamy smooth consistency.
Of course, you are free to experiment and use different amounts or other sweeteners. Just be aware that it can affect the end results.
Keto Coffee Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups (532.32 ml) heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) unsweetened almond milk, (or hemp milk for nut-free)
- 1/3 cup (63.33 g) erythritol-based sweetener
- 1/3 cup (66.67 g) allulose, or xylitol
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 to 1 1/2 tsp espresso powder, (I use decaf!)
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup of the cream and the almond milk. Whisk in the sweeteners. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes, whisking occasionally.
- Remove from heat. Sprinkle the surface with xanthan gum while simultaneously whisking in to combine well.
- Whisk in the instant coffee, vanilla extract, and salt, until the coffee has dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.
- Whip the remaining 1 1/4 cups whipping cream until it just holds stiff peaks. Gently fold in the cooled coffee mixture until well combined.
- Transfer to a container and freeze until firm, about 5 or 6 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Unfortunately, I have not had much luck making this keto coffee ice cream with ingredients like coconut milk or coconut cream. It always freezes very hard and has an icy texture. So I do not have a good dairy-free equivalent.
Once your ice cream has set, store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
This keto coffee ice cream recipe has 2.2g of carbs per half cup serving.
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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Oh my goodness, this ice cream is crazily addictive! I just made it last night with your exact recipe and just tried a spoon this morning and wow wow wow. Credit to you Carolyn — and thank you!!. Two weeks ago, I made the strawberry ice cream version with your exact proportion of ingredients and somehow it was still icy despite the volka. But this coffee ice cream with your version of the condensed milk is just amazing!
Could you use the ice cream maker if you wanted to with this recipe? If so, would there be any changes/alterations?
You can… just don’t whip the added cream, put it in liquid and then churn.
Can’t wait to try this!
Wow super excited to try this recipe- as soon as I make an ingredient run lol. I have liquid allulose, what do you think about subbing that for the bocha sweet? Or would it be too liquidy? Will definitely be adding to my fave summer ice café. ( ice coffee+ ice cream)
I haven’t used it but I think it will work.
i’ll give that a try – thank you for your quick response!
carolyn,
this was OUTSTANDING!! i’ve been on thr keto journey for a few short weeks and am having a BLAST (& success) with it because of your INCREDIBLE recipes!! thank you so
much for sharing the deliciousness! you are making a major
impact!
question: i have a odd & strong aversion to instant coffee. is there any chance this could be made with brewed coffe (chilled before, of course)?
It throws off the liquid content. Can you do espresso powder or the Starbucks via packs?
Hi Carolyn!
What to put instead of bocha sweet, because in Europe can not find it?
Thanks.
Xylitol… Please make sure you’re reading the blog post because I answer questions like these.
Can I use Monkfruit? Zero carbs and it’s granulated like sugar.
So what you’re asking me really, is can you use a monk fruit BLEND. Real monk fruit is a extremely concentrated sweetener like stevia. So if your monk fruit is blended with erythritol, as most of them are, then it can replace the Swerve, but it’s not a good replacement for the BochaSweet.
I love that you share so many tips and facts about the low carb/keto way of cooking! Even being a cook/baker for many years things can be so different ie. textures, consistency, etc. Your tips and input makes this all so much easier and well worth the try. In the end you will get a delicious meal/dessert! Watching videos is a BONUS for sure!! Thank you so much for ALL YOU DO!!
Glad you like that! 🙂
Hi Carolyn,
I have a question about how you post carbs in nutritional facts. I’ve noticed that you, at least tend to, list Carbs and then Fiber. I know you don’t bother listing sugar alcohol, but is the fiber already subtracted too, or not. Are you listing net carbs?
No, the carbs are total (not counting any erythritol) and the fiber would be subtracted if you wanted to count net carbs.
Thank you for the recipe! It turned out great but one caveat is that for the most part, all of your ice cream recipes have been a tad too sweet for my personal taste. Can we reduce the amount of BochaSweet or Swerve or butter in the recipe? If so, do you have any particular guidance?
Please understand that everyone experiences these sweeteners differently. The amount of sweetener is about half of what the amount of sugar would be in an ice cream recipe of this size. So yes, you can adjust… I would leave out the sweetener that gets added in step 4.
Ok perfect thank you!!
Really creamy and delicious. We loved this recipe and everybody requested it again!
How can we update the recipe to add eggs?
Carolyn,
Thanks for the recipe. I made it today and perhaps I let my condensed milk get too cool as it firmed up and was/is a sort of taffy consistency. It was difficult to add by hand to the whippped cream so I put it in my Kitchenaid mixer. It didn’t seem to incorporate all that well. The flavor, however, is terrific. Any ideas for solving my problem.
Thanks again.
Julie
Sounds to me like the condensed milk cooked for too long (or you were a bit heavy handed with the xanthan?). Let it come to room temp, then whisk in the additional cream. Then you may need to cool it a bit again before adding to your ice cream maker.
Hello! I was wondering does the lakanto have to be powered?
It most certainly does, or it will be very gritty in your ice cream.
Is there a difference between regular Swerve and the powdered swerve, or is it nothing except the powdered aspect?
I also want to know if it is necessary to use baking Swerve for baking. It is quite a bit more expensive.
Hi Carol, there are three different kinds of Swerve: granular, confectioners (powdered), and brown. There is no baking/non-baking distinction, all three are suitable for baking. As far as I know, all three measure the same as sugar, and there is no difference between the granular and confectioners except the texture. (Obviously, you don’t want to use granular when powdered is necessary, such as for frostings and glazes.) I think you can buy 3-lb. bags of granular and confectioners Swerve on Amazon, and it’s a slightly lower cost per ounce that way.
I see part of my comment, in which I recommended a different sweetener brand, has been removed. Point taken.