We tested all the best keto ice cream brands on the market. Which brands of sugar free ice cream taste the best? Which ones are truly keto friendly? Which ones stay soft in the freezer? Read on to find out!
I scream, you scream, we all scream for keto ice cream. Yet again, I find myself updating this review of keto ice cream brands. This is the third time in 4 years, for heaven’s sake!
In my opinion, nothing can compare to my homemade keto ice cream. It’s creamier, more flavorful, and you can scoop it straight from the freezer. And I have tons of great ice cream recipes in so many wonderful flavors.
But you also have to spend time making it yourself, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Or everyone’s scoop of ice cream, maybe? Which is why store-bought keto ice cream is so popular.
Keep in mind, however, that anybody can slap the word keto on their product. Sometimes it truly is, but sometimes it really not. And sometimes it really is keto but it doesn’t taste very good.
You deserve ice cream that tastes good and doesn’t blow your macros or spike your blood sugar. Am I right?
Taste testing keto ice cream
My family and I decided to review every brand of low carb ice cream we could get our hands on. We spent a whole afternoon, tasting and reviewing, grading each on a range of variables:
- Flavor
- Scoopability (how hard it is straight out of the freezer)
- Mouthfeel/Consistency (how creamy it is)
- Variety (how many flavors)
- Ingredients (how clean and truly keto are they)
- Carb count (total carbs and net carbs per serving)
Then we gave them a final overall grade. Curious which recipes made the grade? I know you are!
Calculating net carbs
Before we begin, I want to clarify one of our parameters. One of the biggest concerns I have with many keto products is their reliance on net carbs to achieve a keto friendly carb count.
Net carbs is a valid concept, but it’s been badly abused and bastardized by many companies in the low carb and keto space. What exactly do I mean by that?
Well, have you ever flipped a keto energy bar and seen 25g of total carbs and been shocked? And then you see 17g of fiber and 6g of sugar alcohols, and you realize that’s how they arrive at 2g of net carbs.
These brands are adding fiber to a product that probably doesn’t need it, in order to lower the net carbs. And since we really don’t know much of that fiber is absorbed by the bloodstream, it can be very misleading and not particularly trustworthy.
In my rather experienced opinion, the only things you can reliably subtract from total carbs is a handful of sweeteners, including erythritol and allulose. They have zero carb impact and shouldn’t even really be treated as a carbohydrate.
For the purposes of this article, we calculate our own net carbs, which is simply total carbohydrate minus erythritol and allulose.
Keto Ice Cream Brands Review
Ready to get started? Grab a spoon and dig in!
Please note that brands are listed in alphabetical order.
Enlightened Keto
When I last updated this ice cream review, Enlightened only carried a low fat, low sugar line and I gave it a failing grade. Now they carry a wide array of keto friendly ice cream. My kids love it.
Flavor: Very good all around flavor. A
Scoopability: Not great right out of the freezer, needs a few minutes to warm up. C
Mouthfeel: Mostly creamy but some flavors are a bit chalky. B
Variety: Lots of fun, interesting flavors but no basics like vanilla or chocolate. B
Ingredients: Pretty decent ingredients. Contains soluble corn fiber which some people object to (I do not see any spikes or issues from this). B
Carb count: Average of 16g TOTAL CARBS and 7.5g NET CARBS (total minus erythritiol and allulose only). C+
Overall grade: B. Good choice for a treat and my kids love it. If you are diabetic, please test it on yourself carefully.
Halo Top Keto
Halo Top has flipped back and forth a number of times now. The original line was pretty low carb and acceptable as a treat. Then they changed their formula and went for lower fat and higher carbs. Now they have introduced a full keto line.
Flavor: We tried a couple of their more interesting flavors (Jelly Donut and White Chocolate Macadamia). I personally found them too sweet and artificial tasting but the kids loved them. B-
Scoopability: Easy to scoop right out of the freezer. A
Mouthfeel: One flavor was creamy, the other was a bit chalky. B
Variety: Lots of interesting flavors, not too many basics but they do have vanilla bean. B+
Ingredients: Some flavors are cleaner than others! Vanilla is good but some of the crazier ones contain cornstarch, maltitol, and even wheat. C-
Carb count: Average of 15g TOTAL CARBS and 6.5g NET CARBS (total minus erythritol only). A-
Overall Grade: B-. Some flavors are better than others! Read your labels and proceed with caution.
Keto Pint
Full disclosure: this is a local brand and I love the people behind it. But we approached this review with absolute objectivity.
Flavor: Good but tends to be subtle and less sweet than other brands. B
Scoopability: Rock hard out of the freezer, needs 15 to 20 minutes on the counter. D
Mouthfeel: Seems crumbly on the spoon but ends up creamy in the mouth. B
Variety: Nothing too wild and crazy but good solid choices. But they don’t carry vanilla. B
Ingredients: Pretty clean, nothing questionable. A few flavors have added starches so read your labels. B+
Carb count: Average of 16g TOTAL CARBS and 6.25g NET CARBS (total – erythritol only). A-
Overall Grade: B. Most flavors are truly keto friendly, we just wish it was more scoopable and that the flavors were more intense.
Killer Creamery
I first got a chance to try this brand at KetoCon 2019. It’s now much more widely available and we see it frequently at Whole Foods and New Seasons.
Flavor: We were split. My husband and I liked them, but the kids did not. I honestly can’t say why, I think the flavors are terrific.
Scoopability: Pretty hard out of the freezer, and it needs 10 minutes to soften. C
Mouthfeel: It seems a bit crumbly and chalky but gets creamy as it softens. B
Variety: Pretty basic, nothing too fancy but covers the usual favorites. B
Ingredients: Pretty clean, even in their jazzed up Whale Tales flavor. They do contain soluble corn fiber, which some people find objectionable. B+
Carb Count: Average of 15g TOTAL CARBS. Net carbs are a bit unclear, since the grams of allulose aren’t listed anywhere near the nutrition label. On the website it says that net carbs are calculated with 4g of allulose so I have to assume that is for ALL varieties. If that’s the case, net carbs = 7g. B+
Overall grade: B. A good choice for keto, I just wish the amount of allulose was more clearly called out.
Rebel Creamery
This was the FIRST truly keto ice cream on the market. At first, I had to order it online but now it’s been picked up by major grocery chains like Krogers. Hooray!
Flavor: Enjoyed by all! My kids love the cookies and cream flavor. A-
Scoopability: Easy enough to scoop straight out of the freezer. In the past I’ve had some trouble with that so perhaps they’ve changed their formula? A-
Mouthfeel: Seems a bit crumbly at first but has a creamy finish. B+
Variety: A great line up of both basic and interesting flavors. A
Ingredients: Pretty clean, nothing questionable in any of their flavors. A-
Carb Count: Average of 16.5g TOTAL CARBS and 6.25g NET CARBS (total – erythritol only). A-
Overall Grade: A-. A great choice for all keto dieters. I highly recommend.
Simple Truth Keto
Kroger has now developed their own brand of keto ice cream!
Flavor: Great flavor all around. A
Scoopability: It is not scoopable straight out of the freezer, needs 10 minutes to soften. C
Mouthfeel: Pretty creamy. B+
Variety: Very limited, only 4 flavors and has none of the basics. C
Ingredients: Pretty clean for most flavors but the Butter Pecan does contain corn syrup. B-
Carb count: Average of 15.5g TOTAL carbs and 7.5g NET (total – erythritol only). C
Overall grade: B-. A decent choice but use sparingly and read your labels.
A few other brands to mention
Mammoth Creamery
We did not actually test this one this time around, because it’s not widely available in our area. I have had it before and it’s good and VERY clean ingredients. They simply use cream, butter, xylitol, salt and whatever flavorings the varieties include.
My only concern with this brand is that it’s sweetened with xylitol and many diabetics find that this spikes them at least a little bit. But the total carb count is so low and the xylitol is usually 5g per serving.
Overall grade – NA, more testing needed if I can get my hands on some.
Nick’s Ice Cream
Readers have asked me about this brand, but the jury is still out. The only varieties available in my area are not definitely too high carb to be considered keto.
They do have a few of their more plain flavors (vanilla, caramel, birthday cake, etc.) that they call keto friendly. But their website is not particularly forthcoming on how many grams of allulose they contain so it’s hard for me to determent a true net carb count. And since they use mostly skim milk and contain things like cornstarch and xylitol, I am skeptical on how “keto” they can really be.
So Delicious
So Delicious is the only dairy-free brand on the market that’s making no-sugar-added ice cream. Sadly, it’s not really that low carb and it’s rock hard coming out of the freezer. We purchased some for this review and we left it out for 20 minutes and still had trouble scooping it!
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.
Free Bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Sign up for your favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox plus get our FREE bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Have you tried Realgood low carb ice cream? They are expensive $9.00 a pint so I haven’t tried them yet. But they list the sweetener as allulose and said it doesn’t spike blood sugar. I might have to try some. Albertsons and Safeway carry them.
Halo Top has recently come out with a keto version of their ice cream that started rolling into our Walmart location with a couple of flavors. It would be nice to see your review compared to their low calorie versions that are not keto.
When I can get my hands on some, I will! I have already updated this post a few times for newcomers on the scene. 🙂
Your links don’t work.
I am new to Keto and love your blog. I’m not sure if I’m posting my question in the correct area but I’m wondering about chia. How do you make a Keto mix for hot chia tea and also for iced tea?
Not sure what your question is about chia?
The biggest question for me with any of them is “Does it have MCT Oil?” If the answer is yes it’s a no go and Killer Creamery does. Last time I had it my stomach was an absolute disaster for 24 hours. I think Keto Pint might too but I’m not sure. Favorites are Rebel and Enlightened.
Krogers/Fred Meyers Simple Truth brand is _fantastic_ keto icecream. It’s the only keto icecream I’ve tried that has an icecream like texture. It’s 9g carbs per PINT (not serving!) and I love it.
Ingredients in the vanilla chocolate chip pint:
Water, Cream, Erythritol, Chicory Root Fiber, Egg Yolk, Milk Protein Isolate, Glycerin, Natural Flavor, Salt Cellulouse Gel, Monk Fruit Extract, Steviol Glycosides, Cellulose gum, annatto extract
Choco Flakes: Coconut oil, cocoa, erythritol, sunflower lechithin, salt, cocoa, vanilla extract, monk fruit
Enlightened keto collection is my favorite! The texture is amazing and there’s 1 net carb per serving and they cut out the sugar that is in the non keto version. I’d love to see your thoughts on it if you update this. I love the mint chocolate chunk and the donut one most.
Have you tried the Keto butter pecan by Enlightened yet? OH MY, soooooo good!
I tried the KETO ice cream when it was just out and thought it was terrible. I will have to give it a try now that they’ve put out an improved version.
I picked up a pint of the Rebel Salted Caramel ice cream today. Wow. Just wow! It is amazing! I can’t wait to try some of the other flavors. I’m curious your thoughts on the So Delicious no sugar added coconut ice cream brand. I think it tastes good and always thought ingredients were good for low carb eating. They use erythritol for sweetening. I also enjoy their no sugar added chocolate dipped ice cream bars.
It is good, and I used to have it on here as a dairy-free option. But it’s a bit high carb for my taste. Still, if you can’t have dairy, then I would do half servings with some dairy-free chocolate sauce…
Enlightened has just come out with a “Keto Collection.” I would love to hear your thoughts on these new pints.
I wonder if you know that someone is selling pdf copies of your cookbook on eBay for $1.50. I am always leery of these sort of offers since I wonder if they violate copyright
Yes, unfortunately they are. Pirated copies and there isn’t much we can do.
Hi Carolyn, thanks for the awesome review. We are just down from Canada, visiting family in Portland. I was excited to try the Rebel kind and assumed I would be able to find it since you are from Portland. I didn’t see it at Whole Foods. Do you mind commenting on where you were able to find it? Thanks so much!
Hi Julie, I am honestly not sure who carries it in Portland or if anyone does. They have sent it to me for review. I know it’s available in some stores in other parts (found it in Austin TX). They do carry Keto Pint in Whole Foods in PDX, though!
I was surprised when i bought the Breyers smart carb vanilla to see the carton says 12 cards per half cup serving with 2 gr fiber. 10 carbs is way too much for me. I did try something called wink bday cake flavor and it is cold and lower carb. I guess thats all i can ask. The texture is weird and it has an aftertaste, but its hot here so…
Thank you for your great review. I found Rebel Ice Cream near me and tried (several) pints.
My dad is a diabetic in Texas. Rebel happens to be sold in a little town near him. What a great treat!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I can only get Halo and Rebel at my local supermarket here in south Florida. I have tried several Halo flavors but am not a fan, plus some are too high carb. Fortunately for my summer treats, I’ve fallen in love with Rebel butter pecan. I let it sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before eating and feel the texture is quite good. Other flavors I’ve tried are decent and I’ll try yet more, but with the Butter Pecan being so yummy, I’m reluctant to spend… Rebel is almost $6 a pint here.
I find that Halo Top also gives me quite a bit of gas (TMI?) after eating. And I recently realized that their ice cream is made in a facility that also processes wheat… I don’t know if this is new? But it doesn’t say GF on the label anymore, and so as a Celiac patient I can’t eat this. (Could also be why I felt bloated ????♀️). I love So Delicious Caramel Mousse! It’s NOT low carb, unfortunately – plenty of sugar – but lower in calories overall than most ice cream. I think it’s 130 cal for 2/3 cup. It’s light and fluffy (hence the name mousse) and certified GF 🙂 Thanks for this review!
Yes, all true! Halo Top was good before but then they came out with all of these other kinds and they really aren’t healthy at all.