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    Home » Keto Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts » Easy Keto Vanilla Ice Cream

    Published: May 18, 2019 · Modified: Jun 24, 2021 by Carolyn

    Easy Keto Vanilla Ice Cream

    This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    13.3K shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Looking for the perfect keto homemade ice cream recipe? Well you’ve found it! This low carb sugar-free ice cream is rich and delicious, and it stays soft and scoopable in the freezer. It’s egg-free too. It’s the keto ice cream recipe you’ve been dreaming of and it’s so easy to make.

    Homemade keto ice cream in a glass ice cream dish

    Prepare to be AMAZED!  This is no ordinary keto vanilla ice cream. Oh no, my friends, not at all.

    This low carb vanilla ice cream has magical properties and should not be underestimated! Sure, it looks like regular vanilla ice cream and tastes like regular vanilla ice cream. It even behaves like regular vanilla ice cream.

    And that, my dear readers, is exactly the point. This ice cream recipe has the truly astonishing property of staying soft and scoopable, even after several days in the freezer. And it’s entirely low carb, egg-free and has no added sugars, which makes it all the more astonishing.

    If you’ve ever made your own ice cream at home, particularly keto ice cream, you’ll understand that this is no small feat. Because homemade ice cream never stays as soft and scoopable as store-bought. Until now.

    Scooping keto vanilla ice cream into a glass ice cream dish with flowers in the background

    Making Homemade Keto Ice Cream

    I’ve had an ice cream maker for about 20 years now, so I’ve made my share of ice cream and this recipe is really a major achievement for me.

    Homemade ice cream can be wonderful, but in my experience it almost always freezes rock solid after a few hours in the freezer and needs to be left to soften in the fridge for half an hour or so before it can be served. This was often the case even back in the day when I made my ice creams with sugar.

    The first few helpings, served after an hour or so in the freezer, were perfect, but after that it was like trying to chip away at a glacier with a kitchen knife.

    I also thought that to get the right consistency, ice cream had to be made with a significant amount of egg yolks, and I usually made  my ice cream base with 4 to 6 yolks, leaving me with a lot of orphaned egg whites that needed to be used. Although I’ve made some delicious flavours of ice cream, I despaired of ever making one that could stay soft in the freezer.

    Close up of keto vanilla ice cream in an ice cream scoop

    Developing The Best Keto Vanilla Ice Cream

    This magical stay-soft keto ice cream recipe came about through some serious experimentation.

    It all started when I decided to make some Dulce De Leche ice cream, using my sugar-free condensed milk. Even as that one came out of the ice cream maker, I noted that the consistency was better than any I’d ever made.  And then I was completely floored when it stayed soft enough to scoop right out of the freezer, even three days later.

    And as this particular recipe was entirely egg-free, I knew I’d hit on something really interesting. I just had to figure out exactly what it was.

    So I commenced on an unseasonal bout of ice-cream making, trying a little more of this and a little less of that. It took me a bit but I finally hit upon the right combination for the perfect keto vanilla ice cream.

    A glass of homemade keto ice cream with pink fabric and flowers around it

    Tips for Perfect Homemade Keto Ice Cream

    The sweeteners: This is the most critical component of making homemade keto ice cream that stays soft and scoopable. It’s non-negotiable, folks. You need a mix of two sweeteners or it won’t work. The first should be powdered Swerve, and the second should be Bocha Sweet (allulose and xylitol should also work here).

    If you’re wondering where this combo of sweeteners comes in, please refer to the condensed milk recipe.

    • Why it works: The sweeteners appear to have a symbiotic relationship, with each one making up for what the other lacks. If you’ve ever made ice cream with just erythritol, you know how rock hard it gets in the freezer. I’ve tried doing all Bocha Sweet but then it never firms up at all and stays like soft serve. Together, they are perfect.

    Sugar free condensed milk: My homemade sweetened condensed milk is also an integral part of the recipe. It may seem like added work but if you are making keto vanilla ice cream without eggs, you need a thicker base. Straight cream works okay but this thicker base ends up similar to a custard and works even better.

    The xanthan gum: Yes, this is pretty important too. Xanthan is often in commercial ice creams because it inhibits recrystallization. If you prefer, you can try glucomannan in the same amount. I have to admit, I haven’t tried that yet in ice cream.

    The alcohol: This is less critical and could be skipped. The reason it is in my keto ice cream recipe is because alcohol raises the freezing point of liquids so it reduces iciness. It is not enough to affect even a child (yes, I do feed my kids this ice cream), as it amounts to about half a teaspoon per serving. That said, the choice to include it is up to you.

    The ice cream maker: I highly recommend churning this in a proper ice cream maker like the one from Cuisinart. Works like a dream, but unless you have the big compressor model, you need to remember to freeze the canister for at least 12 hours before you churn.

    However, you can actually make this homemade keto ice cream without an ice cream maker. See the notes in the recipe for instructions!

    This is actually an older recipe that has been on my blog since 2013. But since then, I have discovered that the sweeteners make all the difference. Now aren’t you glad I updated it? It’s

    Don’t miss these other delicious low carb ice cream recipes!

    Keto Strawberry Ice Cream

    No Churn Coffee Ice Cream

    Peanut Butter Fudge Ripple Ice Cream

    Death By Chocolate Ice Cream

    Maple Walnut Ice Cream

    Close up of keto vanilla ice cream in an ice cream scoop

    Keto Vanilla Ice Cream

    A rich homemade keto ice cream recipe that stays soft and scoopable in the freezer for days.
    4.73 from 85 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American, Dessert
    Keyword: homemade keto ice cream, keto vanilla ice cream
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Chill Time: 5 hours
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 319kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 recipe Sugar-Free Condensed Milk
    • 1 ½ cups heavy cream (can replace ¾ cup with nut milk, coconut milk, etc.)
    • 3 tablespoon powdered Swerve Sweetener
    • 1 ½ tablespoon vodka (optional, helps reduce iciness)
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • Make the sweetened condensed milk according to the directions and let cool to room temperature. Whisk in the heavy cream, powdered sweetener, vodka, vanilla extract, and salt.
    • Taste the mixture and adjust sweetener to taste. You can use additional Bocha Sweet or allulose here but because it's granular, you will need to whisk for a while to dissolve it properly.
    • Chill the mixture at least one hour and up to overnight, then pour into the canister of an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions. If you have the kind of ice cream maker that requires the canister to be frozen first, don't forget to do that!
    • Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

    Video

    Notes

    To make this keto vanilla ice cream without an ice cream maker:
    1. Make the condensed milk as directed. Let cool to room temp and then whisk in the vodka and salt.
    2. Whip the heavy cream with the powdered sweetener and vanilla extract until it holds stiff peaks. 
    3. Pour in the condensed milk and fold these two together until no streaks remain.
    4. Transfer to a container and freeze at least 6 hours. 
    Nutrition Facts
    Keto Vanilla Ice Cream
    Amount Per Serving (1 serving = ½ cup)
    Calories 319 Calories from Fat 283
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 31.4g48%
    Carbohydrates 2.4g1%
    Protein 1.7g3%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    13.3K shares

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    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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      Recipe Rating




    1. Simone says

      February 22, 2023 at 8:02 pm

      5 stars
      I have made various ice cream recipes with regular sugar and cream but this one is by far the BEST and it’s Keto-friendly ! Thank you! The texture is perfect. I made it with BochaSweet mixed with Erythritol (“Now Foods” brand). I made my favorite peppermint with Keto-friendly chocolate chips and 2 Tablespoons of the ice cream is quite satisfying and enough for me to satisfy my ice cream craving.

      Reply
    2. Shari Duncan says

      February 15, 2023 at 6:40 pm

      I’m wondering about making this in my Ninja Creami, I just got it and haven’t used it yet. I will make this soon either way!!

      Reply
      • angela says

        March 05, 2023 at 10:11 am

        OOOh I have one of those too but haven’t used it. If you use it, can you update on here how you did it?

        Reply
    3. Cynthia Mueller says

      January 30, 2023 at 8:30 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent creamy vanilla ice cream! Worth the time to make the sugar free condensed milk. I used Allulose instead of BochaSweet and it turned out perfect!
      I also used salted butter vs unsalted and it was delicious.
      In the ice cream recipe I did use the 1 1/2 tbsp vodka in my recipe.
      I made it without and ice cream maker. I also used my Kitchen Aid counter top mixer with the whisk attachment to whip the heavy cream with the powdered Swerve Sweetener and made sure my heavy cream was at room temperature. This ice cream turned out perfect. It did not get frozen like a rock but easy to scoop right out of the freezer! LOVE THIS ICE CREAM!!!

      Reply
    4. Susan Yakus says

      November 28, 2022 at 6:56 pm

      5 stars
      Would this work adding some Peppermint extract and some Keto chocolate chips? I really miss my chocolate mint ice cream!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        November 29, 2022 at 8:59 am

        Absolutely!

        Reply
    5. LesLi says

      October 16, 2022 at 5:22 pm

      I wonder if I could do this in my blender? Have you tried? I know you can make an ice cream in the Vitamix. May have to try it if you have not

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        October 17, 2022 at 7:57 am

        I do not have a Vitamix.

        Reply
        • Susan Yakus says

          November 28, 2022 at 6:57 pm

          5 stars
          Carolyn, maybe Santa will bring you a Vitamix. They are the best!!

          Reply
    6. Geri says

      October 07, 2022 at 9:43 am

      What ice cream maker do you recommend?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        October 07, 2022 at 6:35 pm

        The cuisinart ones have always worked well for me!

        Reply
        • Gil says

          December 27, 2022 at 9:23 pm

          You advise cuisinart as a good ice cream maker in your opinion. Which cuisinart ice cream maker, do you suggest?? I’ve just googled and found them on Amazon. So many different choices, I’m so CONFUSED!! LOL Look forward to your help 😉

          Reply
          • Carolyn says

            December 27, 2022 at 10:34 pm

            The basic 1.5 quart or 2 quart is fine. I had one for a very long time and it was always reliable. I upgraded to a compressor model simply so I don’t have to freeze the canister. This is the basic one I am referring to: https://amzn.to/3hOYhzK

            Reply
            • Gil says

              December 28, 2022 at 9:29 pm

              Thank you !!

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