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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Absolutely incredible! I can’t believe I’ve waited so long to make this – it is truly delicious in every way. I used all allulose, double cream (40-50% fat), water instead of almond milk, and skipped the xanthan gym as I really don’t like its texture in ice creams. This turned out perfectly, wonderfully scoopable straight out of the freezer and an absolute joy to eat. Thank you so much for yet another fantastic, foolproof recipe!
If I have an ice cream maker can I skip the whipping stage?
Hello can I use xylitol instead of bocca sweet.
Yes, that works.
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
Thanks so much!
Why almond milk?
Because it’s lower carb than cow’s milk.
I’m inpatient ……can I use my ice cream maker for this exact recipe, or do I need to make adjustments?
This is FANTASTIC! I was skeptical about the no-churn aspect, but it’s smooth and phenomenal. I used only the BochaSweet in both the coffee base and the whipped cream, and not even the whole amount called for and it was plenty sweet to me; more like a European ice cream level of sweetness. I chopped up some 95% stone ground chocolate into tiny bits and swirled it in. Thank you so much for making this recipe!
I see you have your own recipes for brown sugar etc and was wondering if I could make powdered sugar myself by pulverizing alternative granular sugars like swerve and Allulose to use in your ice cream or other recipes calling for confectioner sugar (as I bought granular in bulk sizes)
I love this so much…. can I put this into my Ninja Cremi Ice Cream Maker? I can’t find any recipes that come close to yours for ice cream!
I have no idea, I don’t own one. 🙂
can I use powdered espresso instead of instant coffee?
Yes.
Am I missing where to use the keto condensed milk?
No… because making it is built into the first few steps of the recipe…
Thank you! Now, I understand. Using the condensed milk was specifically mentioned in the vanilla recipe. I didn’t translate.
yes, they are a bit different, although it’s a similar process.
thank you! I’m thinking of making a copy cat recipe from a local ice cream shop and this article is perfect. They call it “Exhausted Parent” – coffee ice cream with brownie pieces.
Wow! This coffee ice cream tastes wonderful. I added 1 tsp of Ceylon cinnamon.
I made this yesterday along with the chocolate zucchini bunt cake, I shared the cake but gave my non-keto eaters vanilla ice cream rather than share my coffee ice cream. This is so yummy!
Smart! Keep that keto ice cream to yourself! 😉
I love this recipe but I won’t use almond milk. Is is okay to use lactaid whole milk?
Sure!
Made this 2 days ago–DELISH!! Heat index has been in the 100+ range all week–so nice to have some ice cream again! and keep to the low carb diet. Recipe is a definite winner.