This rich keto chocolate ice cream ice cream is for serious chocolate lovers only. Rich and creamy, it’s called Death By Chocolate Ice Cream with good reason! No wimpy chocolate flavor here, my friends.
I often write a blog post thinking about what I have to say about a particular recipe. But today we are going to flip that on its head: what does this recipe say about me? I think this one is speaking loud and clear.
This recipe is saying that I love really rich keto chocolate ice cream. This recipe says that when it comes to chocolate cravings, I don’t mess around. It also says that I am your typical woman, moody and irritable at times, and chocolate is the best way to soothe the beast.
This recipe is saying that yeah, if it’s my time to go, I wouldn’t mind drowning in a big vat of low carb dark chocolate ice cream. That’s what this recipe says about me. Now ask yourself, what does this recipe say about you?
If you love seriously chocolatey keto treats as much as I do, be sure to check out my Death By Chocolate Cheesecake too. And go ahead and check out my Fudgy Keto Brownies while you’re at it.
Updating Keto Death By Chocolate Ice Cream
I originally wrote this death by chocolate ice cream recipe back in 2015. Since that time, I’ve gotten better and better at making keto ice cream so I decided it was time to re-visit this and see if I could improve upon it.
One of the advancements in my keto ice cream making skills is the use of some BochaSweet, as I have discovered that using half Swerve and half BochaSweet produces the perfect ice cream texture. The ice cream doesn’t freeze as solidly, which means you can scoop it more easily right out of the freezer.
I also discovered that I made a bit of an error in my nutritional calculations. I should have increased the number of servings, since the churning process increases the volume of the ice cream significantly (usually by another 30 to 50%). This is an incredibly rich ice cream and I should have said it served at least 10, if not 12.
Because it makes a huge amount of ice cream, I decided to cut back on the quantities of all ingredients when I re-tested it, so this new updated version actually does serve 8 people (1/2 cup per serving).
How to make Keto Chocolate Ice Cream
I actually made this recipe a few times before I was satisfied with it. The first time, the custard was so thick and rich after being refrigerated that it was like keto chocolate pudding and I could hardly pour it into the ice cream maker. It was so good and chocolate-y, though, I knew I was on to something. I just had to tweak it a little to get it right.
Here are my best tips for making the best keto chocolate ice cream recipe!
Use good quality dutch process cocoa powder
Dutched cocoa powder has been treated with an alkaline solution to neutralize the acidity. It is darker than natural cocoa, and has a richer, more chocolate-y flavor. I find that it also dissolves and mixes better into liquids and cake batters.
My favorite brand is Valrhona, but it’s quite pricy. King Arthur Flour also has a nice dutch process, as does Rodelle. Hershey’s Dark is a good store-bought option as well. I don’t recommend black cocoa as it would be too dark for this recipe.
Use an instant read thermometer
I simply cannot recommend a good instant read thermometer enough. It’s ideal for making sure your meats are cooked to temperature but it’s also great for ice creams, custards, and candies. This is a custard-based ice cream, as it contains egg yolks, and being able to tell when those eggs have reached a proper temperature is ideal for both food safety and for the consistency of the ice cream itself.
Both sweeteners are important
I find myself saying this a lot lately! Trust me, I know it’s frustrating to have to purchase two ingredients to make up for what sugar would normally do, but the results are beyond compare. Using only Swerve will result in a rock hard ice cream out of the freezer. Using only BochaSweet will make it so soft, it’s more like soft serve.
The ONLY substitutions for BochaSweet are allulose or xylitol. Please do not ask if you can substitute monk fruit sweetener. Most “monk fruit sweeteners” are erythritol based, which means they are very similar to Swerve. Which also means that they will cause your ice cream to freeze very hard.
The reality is that for any keto ice cream, you can use whatever sweetener you want. But you will face issues with scoop-ability and will need to let it thaw on your counter for up to 20 minutes before serving.
The vodka is optional
But it does help a lot. Alcohol inhibits large ice crystals from forming, which helps keep your keto ice cream recipes softer and creamier. And 1 1/2 tablespoons spread among 8 servings amounts to about 1/2 teaspoon per serving, which is not enough alcohol to affect anyone.
Thin out the custard before churning
The chocolate custard base is very thick once it’s chilled. Thinning it out with some almond milk will allow it to churn much more easily. Most home ice cream makers would not be able to handle that super thick consistency!
The richest, most chocolatey keto chocolate ice cream!
I have tried any number of keto chocolate ice creams on the market and they all suffer from the same problem… not enough chocolate flavor! I think many companies are so concerned with the final carb count, they reduce the chocolate so much it’s practically not even there.
I myself have made a few low carb chocolate ice cream recipes that simply aren’t chocolatey enough for me.
That’s why this recipe calls for both cocoa powder and unsweetened chocolate. It packs some serious chocolate flavor into this amazing sugar-free ice cream. Death by chocolate is the way to go!
Keto Chocolate Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cups unsweetened almond milk, divided, use hemp milk for nut-free
- 1/3 cup dark cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup Swerve Sweetener
- 1/3 cup Bocha Sweet, can sub allulose or xylitol
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp vodka, optional, helps reduce iciness
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Set a bowl over an ice bath.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, 1/2 cup of the almond milk, cocoa powder and sweeteners. Whisk together until well combined and stir until mixture reaches 160F on an instant read thermometer.
- Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly add 1 cup of the hot cream mixture, whisking continuously to temper the yolks. Slowly add the tempered yolks back into the saucepan, whisking continuously. Cook and stir until mixture reaches 165F on an instant read thermometer and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let sit 5 minutes and then whisk until smooth.
- Pour mixture into bowl set over ice bath and let cool 10 minutes. Then wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- Before churning, whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup of almond milk milk, the vodka, if using, the vanilla extract, and the salt (the mixture will be VERY thick until these ingredients are whisked in).
- Pour the mixture into the canister of an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions.
- Once churned, transfer to an airtight container and freeze another few hours until firm.
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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Made this today. So good, so perfect, and “too chocolate” for everyone else in the house. It does not get any better than that!
Thanks!
I mixed the xanthan gum with the chopped chocolate and added it that way; far less need for vigorous whisking if added like this rather than all by itself (old trick from making low carb cheese sauce).
However, the mixture was too thick to pour easily in to my ice cream machine and I think that this would be a problem regardless of when the xanthan gum was added. In the end I added a touch more milk to thin it out. Has anybody else had this challenge?
Hi Jo…if you read my post, you will see that it happened to me on the first go with this ice cream too. I suspect you may have cooked it a tad long and it became more like pudding. But it may be the brand of chocolate too, I am not sure.
It’s possible. I didn’t manage to get the chocolate custard up to 175F / 80C at any point: the mixture started to boil at around 170F / 75C so I took it off the hob at that point. Is the temperature important? Would it work to say ‘until the mixture reaches 175F or coats the back of a spoon’, as mine did that quite some way shy of 170F.
I am going to guess you are on an electric stove? They do tend to heat things up too much! 170F should be fine if it’s already thick, since eggs are “cooked” (safe) at 160F.
Alas, no! Gas hob. On a very low flame to avoid overcooking.
If eggs are safe at 160F / 70C then that should be fine. I’ll try that next time.
Incidentally, my two-year-old son (who I suspect will be the one most likely to develop blood sugar problems out of my two boys) adores all the low-carb items I’m making. He’s literally begging me to make cauliflower crust cheesy garlic bread sticks. Way to go, little fella!
Gas is so much better than electric! 🙂 Glad your son likes the low carb stuff. Not sure why it thickened that much this time. Happened to me on the first round which is why I have the extra 1/2 cup cashew milk to whisk in at the end.
By the way, it may actually be when you added the xanthan gum, because you added it when the mixture was hot, which means it “activates” more than when you added it to the chilled mixture at the end.
I just purchased the Breville ice cream maker from Sonoma Williams. what a cool maker, it is the only one with a compressor built in. also the vegetable glycerin 1 or 2 tablespoons works great instead of alcohol. be careful with swerve, I use the confection swerve, its very sweet.I don’t think you need even 1/2 cup.
I use Swerve all the time, so I am very comfortable with the amount I put in my recipes, but people can adjust to suit their needs.
Would you recommend 1/2 cup Swerve?
I made this to eat while binge watching, “Game of Thrones.” Sweet Liberty …. this is insanely good. Not gonna say I ate the whole thing at one time, but – yeah. Could Have. Not a problem. Thank you – this ice cream is scrumptious!
Oh my goodness… I was not expecting it to taste this good!! I made two substitutions: I used Truvia instead of Swerve (same measurement), and guar gum instead of xanthan gum. That’s just what I had on hand. Wow… unbelievable taste, unbelievable texture.
The only issue I ran into was that it ended up making quite a lot. By 20 minutes into the churning it was overflowing my machine. I ended up scooping about half a cup out into a separate bowl and just freezing it while the rest continued to churn.
Wow, what size is your ice cream maker? I’ve made it in a 1.5 quart and a 2 quart and it’s been fine.
1.5 quarts. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining! Perhaps the HWC I used was particularly aerate-able. It was a non-homogenized pasture-grazed variety. My guess is that may have had something to do with it.
I have this cooling and can already say that the taste is amazing!! Thank you for another great recipe!
Can this recipe be used to make vanilla ice cream by omitting the cocoa powder? or are other changes necessary? Please let me know if you have a recipe for vanilla ice cream.
No, it’s not going to turn out just by doing that. I have several vanilla ice cream recipes. You can use this one and just omit the brownie chunks https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2014/07/low-carb-brownie-explosion-ice-cream.html
Is there a way this could be dairy free? What might be a good sub for the heavy cream?
Full fat coconut milk.
Oh my goodness, the Best Chocolate ice cream I have ever tasted let alone make. Creamy goodness. It was my first ice cream I have ever made. Thank you.
Thanks so much! This recipe worked beautifully and tasted super!
Is there any reason why this recipe shouldn’t be doubled? I am planning on churning it in a 2 quart ice cream machine.
It might be a bit much when doubled, even for a 2 quart machine. I made it in my 2 quart and it was more than halfway full. But you could aim for 1.5 times the recipe.
Hi Carolyn, thanks for this recipe! I just made it today using Hershey’s special dark. It’s delicious! I used bourbon instead of vodka because I had it on hand and I figured it pairs well with chocolate. Next time I’ll use the vodka as recommended so that I get a pure chocolate taste. I might also pair this ice cream with the brownie from your brownie ice cream recipe… Yum! By the way, I tasted the custard base right out of the fridge before the final steps and it makes delicious chocolate pudding! If I ever want chocolate pudding I’ll use this recipe and add xanthan gum right after the fridge step.
It really would make perfect pudding, it’s so thick!
What would the xanthan do?
It thickens things like pudding – and for keto ice cream, it can help keep it softer. Now that I’ve re-vamped the recipe to include both sweeteners, you really don’t need it.
I made this recipe and it came out delicious but its very hard after it freeze, we have to put the container in the microwave for a minute before we can scoop some out, next time I will add some glycerin and see if it’s better or increase the amount of xanthan gum, when it was just finished from the machine I loved it and still do but I wish it wasn’t so solid now.
Sorry forgot to say THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING 🙂
Making this RIGHT NOW! (Super happy!!) 🙂
Do you have to use liquid stevia. I use granular stivia for my sugar. It works great
What does the liquid do? Thanks
.
It simply makes it sweeter. Use whatever you see fit.
I made this today- it is divine. I used Yucan syrup in place of Bochasweet (actually just added 1/2 of the required amount) and my ice cream is still super creamy, stoppable, and so so yummy.
Could you please recommend a good ice cream maker or tell me which brand and model you used in this recipe?
I’ve had this one for over 17 years and it still works! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003KYSLMW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B003KYSLMW&linkCode=as2&tag=aldaidrabfo05-20&linkId=BFKDLOXTP3S4YIW5
I now also have the slightly larger version, the stainless steel 2 quart one, but that’s only because I found it at a thrift store for $25.