This keto salted caramel ice cream is extra rich and creamy, and it stays soft and scoopable in your freezer. At only 1.6g carbs per serving, you can afford to indulge all summer long.
Salted caramel ice cream… doesn’t that sound absolutely magical? It also sounds like something you probably shouldn’t eat on a keto diet.
But you can, you really can! I promise, scout’s honor. Now would I lead you astray???
Ever since I created the best keto caramel sauce, I’ve been putting it in, on, and under just about anything I can think of. I’ve made keto caramel frappuccinos, salted caramel cheesecake bars, and my almost famous Keto Caramel Cake.
It was only a matter of time before I worked it into some keto ice cream too!
Updated keto salted caramel ice cream
I first developed this recipe back in 2015, and it quickly became a fan favorite. I mean, what’s not to love? Salted caramel is one of the best flavors in the world, if you ask me!
Back then, my caramel sauce recipe was more low carb than truly keto. It contained a little coconut sugar, for both color and to help keep the sauce from re-crystallizing as it cools.
But a lot has changed in the keto world since 2015. We have so many wonderful sweetener options now and I’ve hit upon the best combination for making caramel sauce. Swerve Brown helps give it the right color and flavor, and BochaSwet (or allulose) helps keep it soft and pourable.
And hey, it also helps lower the carb count!
The original recipe also included chopped dark chocolate. But so many readers said that they preferred it without so I’ve honored that by removing it from the recipe. Of course, you’re still welcome to add it if you like
How to make keto salted caramel ice cream
This is a custard based ice cream recipe, in which you cook the cream mixture with egg yolks before churning. Don’t be intimidated, it’s really quite a simple process. Here’s how it’s done:
- Make the caramel sauce. Simply melt the butter with the sweeteners and bring to a boil. Add some sea salt too!
- Whisk in the cream. Add both cream and almond milk and heat until just barely simmering.
- Temper the eggs. This helps bring them up to temperature before adding them into the hot cream, so that they don’t curdle.
- Cool the custard properly. It won’t churn properly if you don’t chill it for several hours first.
- Churn the custard. Follow the directions for your ice cream maker.
- Freeze until firm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your best two options are allulose or xylitol. Erythritol-based sweeteners (such as Swerve and Lakanto) will not work, as your ice cream will freeze rock solid.
Please understand that “monk fruit sweetener” is usually mostly erythritol with a little bit of monk fruit to make it sweeter. It’s a marketing ploy! So read the label and if the first ingredient is erythritol, then no, it won’t help.
You don’t have to use it, but it does help make the ice cream softer and more scoopable out of the freezer.
Vodka is optional but it also helps the ice cream consistency, and keep it from getting too icy.
This recipe requires an ice cream maker and I do not have a no churn version at this time. However, you can always turn it into popsicles! Seriously delicious.
Absolutely. Simply chop 2 to 3 ounces of sugar free dark chocolate and mix it into the ice cream as you transfer it to the container.
Seriously, people, this keto salted caramel ice cream is so dreamy, you won’t believe it’s sugar-free. Now go make some!
More recipes that use keto caramel sauce
- Salted Caramel Butter Bars
- Keto Salted Caramel Brownies
- Carmelitas
- Pumpkin Caramel Lava Cakes
- Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
- Keto Pecan Pie Cheesecake
Keto Salted Caramel Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup Swerve Brown
- 1/3 cup BochaSweet or allulose
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp kosher or sea salt
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, (or hemp milk)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 tbsp vodka, (optional, helps reduce iciness)
Instructions
- Set a medium bowl over an ice bath and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, combine the butter and sweeteners. When the butter has melted, whisk to combine well. Bring to a boil and cook 3 to 5 minutes, being careful not to burn it.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Sprinkle the surface with the xanthan gum and whisk vigorously to combine.
- Slowly add the cream, whisking constantly; the mixture may bubble vigorously. Stir in the almond milk. Set over medium low heat and cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 165F on an instant read thermometer.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly add about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture, whisking constantly. Then slowly return the egg yolks to the hot cream in saucepan, whisking constantly. Continue to cook until mixture reaches 175F on an instant read thermometer.
- Pour the custard into the bowl set over ice bath and cool 10 minutes. Then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours.
- Whisk in the vodka, if using. Pour the mixture into the canister of an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions.
- Once churned, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
Video
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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First off, I love your site and recipes. Everything I have made has been fantastic. I just made your Death by Chocolate ice cream. All I can say is OMG!!
My husband was so surprised that it was sugar free. So now he asked me to make some Vanilla Bean ice cream. So I did just that using the same recipe, but omitted the chocolate, split a vanilla bean and added that and the seeds to let it steep in the hot creame mixture. Can wait to see how it turns out, but if is anything like the chocolate I know it will be the bomb!! Thanks again for the great site and recipes.
I pinned this recipe awhile back and finally got around to trying it this week. It is our new favorite! My husband, who is very skeptical about my low carb concoctions, made several comments about how good it is and said that this ice cream tastes as good as “store bought”.
Yay!
I am a salted caramel anything junkie so I’m dying to make this but my little personal ice cream maker is only pint sized. So, my question: do you think the mixture would hold in the fridge for a day or two so I could make two batches or should just I cut the recipe in half to start with?
Yes, I think it would be fine for a day or two! You can also cut the recipe in half pretty easily.
Thanks! I was thinking along the lines of, hey, it’s summer, I love ice cream, if I mix up a full batch and store the extra I’m ready to churn out another batch, like tomorrow. Heading for the kitchen now:-)
can this be made without the coconut sugar or molasses? (maybe adding extra Swerve?)
It will harden too much, you need something that attracts moisture. But you can do it and rewarm it, just know that it will recrystallize a lot as it cools.
Would you recommend using Yacon syrup or black strap molasses where you have 1 tbsp. of molasses noted? I ask because you mention color and depth of the caramel flavor and thought it would be or could be better than coconut sugar? Thanks
Yacon would be fine.
You are a God-send. The recipe came out amazing and I’m singing praises that I can eat ice cream again. Before I started LCHF diet about two months ago, I just discovered how much I love salted caramel ice cream. I thought it was something I would never be able to have it again. This was the best. I added some addition caramel stevia to boost the flavor and I decided to omit the chocolate this time. I like chocolate but I really just wanted to see how the plain caramel would turn out.
Excellent recipe. I am excited to try more.
Yay!
Hi,
I am lactose intolerant so I was wondering if instead of the heavy cream I could use full fat coconut milk or just the solids for the ice cream. Thanks!
I think that would probably work…but the caramel sauce takes butter. Not sure how you will replace that?
Actually butter has very little lactose in it, and it does not affect me! How awesome is that! But whipping cream and Heavy cream have high levels of lactose in them. Thanks for your reply!
Ah, got it. I hope it works out!
Hi Carolyn,
I just made this and it is amazing!! Seriously the best low carb item I have ever made! I did burn my first batch of caramel. I would say mine was done around the 3 minute mark and burnt quickly at 4. I also used a meat thermometer and felt it was done around 160-170. I never made it to 180 degrees. Lastly, I strained the egg custard because there were a few eggy bits at the bottom. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
I think the caramel cooking time depends on a few things including what kind of pot you’re using (stainless steel vs. anodized non-stick) and the heat of your stove.
Oh my goodness, I think that I need to make a vat of this and bathe in it! I love salted caramel! This ice cream looks so good.
I included this in a roundup I did of decadent chocolate recipes! I’d love for you to check it out and share it on social media if you think your followers would like it! Here is the link:
http://hellocreativefamily.com/36-decadent-chocolate-recipes/
Thanks so much for creating such a delicious dessert!
Best Wishes,
Crystal
Hi Carolyn,
This ice cream looks divine and I would really like to try but I have some doubts: I suppose as it name says the Swerve Sweetener is a sweetener, can I sub with any other kind of sugar and if yes would it be the same amount, and how important is the xanthan gum, can I omit or again substitute?
thanks, xoxo from Brasil!
Is using sugar, you won’t need xanthan gum.
I have made this (and your Death by Chocolate Ice Cream) over and over again now. This one always comes out creamy and softens up nicely after just a few minutes on the counter, while the chocolate one needs a _lot_ more time. I wonder if it’s the added “real” sugar to the caramel one here? Any ideas?
There’s so little “real sugar” here, I suspect it may have more to do with the xanthan gum which inhibits crystallization.
I’ve made other flavors of ice cream using this basic recipe and this is the only version that has that quality of being smooth and easy to scoop right out of the freezer. Although I’m sure the vodka and xanthan gum help keep the ice crystals small I believe it’s the butter in this recipe that makes it different.
I also think it has to do with the salt. It was too salty for me the first time I made it, so I cut the salt in half and it wasn’t nearly as nice texture nor as easy to scoop as the first batch.
I have to say that this ice cream is fantastic! I made it last night and was blown away. This is the first recipe of yours that I have tried and if the rest are even half as good, this site will be my go to for my family’s meals and treats. I do have a question though. I used Chocoperfection chocolate in this. I have some Lindt special dark chocolate, the 90% Cacao. Could I chop that up and use that instead or would it be too bitter? Its so much cheaper… This ice cream was so good it could go without the choco chunks but they really put it over the top! Loved this….
I think the 90% Lindt is sort of “in the eye of the beholder”. I wouldn’t find it too bitter but I like really dark chocolate. How’s that for a non-answer?
I am a Type 1 diabetic and ice cream lover. For years I have experimented with converting traditional recipes to sugar free versions with moderate success. I just made this recipe and it is the best ice cream I have ever eaten, regular or sugar free. My hat is off to you.
instead of using vodka, try veg. glycerin. only a tablespoon or two needed.
I have tried it…but the problem is that the carb count on glycerin is unknown.
glycerin is a sugar alcohol which has zero(0) impact on blood sugar.
I could be wrong but my understanding is that as a sugar alcohol, glycerine has no effect on blood sugar.
Actually, some sugar alcohols have a significant impact on blood sugar so I feel strongly that there isn’t enough info on glycerin yet to say.
I was wondering which you prefer in the carmel the coconut sugar or molasses, taste wise? Also, in place of the almond milk, could i use full fat coconut milk or half and half?
I prefer the coconut sugar, it is just the right amount of brown sugar flavour without being as strong as molasses. Yes, you can use coconut milk or half and half.
I need this in my life, now! Looks incredible!