Say goodbye to icy, hard-to-scoop low-carb ice creams! This foolproof recipe delivers a genuinely rich, creamy, and scoopable Keto Vanilla Ice Cream that tastes remarkably like the real deal. The secret lies in creating a sugar-free “condensed milk” base, which gives it an incredibly smooth texture. Perfect for satisfying sweet cravings on a ketogenic or low-carb diet.
Yields: 6 servings
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time (Base): 30-45 minutes
Chill Time (Base): 4 hours (Recommended)
Churn/Freeze Time: 20-25 min (Churn) / 4-6 hours (No-Churn)
Total Time: Approx. 4 hr 40 min (Churn Method) to 6 hr 40 min (No-Churn Method), including recommended chill time
Ingredients:
- 3 Tbsp (42.5g) Unsalted Butter
- 3 cups (720ml) Heavy Cream, divided (Use 2 cups for base, 1 cup added later)
- 1/3 cup (approx. 64g) Powdered Monk Fruit / Allulose Blend Sweetener (e.g., Besti brand – See Note 1)
- 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup (240ml) Unsweetened Almond Milk (or Unsweetened Coconut Milk Beverage for nut-free)
Equipment:
- Large, Wide Sauté Pan or Skillet (Wider = faster reduction)
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Ice Cream Maker (Optional – See Method B)
- Freezer-Safe Container (~1.5 Quart capacity or 9×5 inch loaf pan)
- Parchment Paper or Wax Paper (for No-Churn method)
Instructions:
Part 1: Make the Keto “Condensed Milk” Base
- Melt Butter: In the large, wide skillet or sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Simmer & Reduce: Whisk in the powdered sweetener and 2 cups of the heavy cream. Bring the mixture just to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to maintain a steady, gentle simmer.
- Thicken: Allow the mixture to simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. It needs to thicken considerably and reduce in volume by about half, resembling the consistency of traditional condensed milk. It should easily coat the back of a spoon.
- Cool: Pour the thickened base into a large mixing bowl and let it cool completely to room temperature.
- Combine Remaining Ingredients: Stir the vanilla extract into the cooled base. Then, gradually whisk in the unsweetened almond milk and the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream until the entire mixture is smooth and homogenous.
Part 2: Chill the Ice Cream Base (Recommended)
- Chill: Cover the bowl containing the final ice cream base. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight. Thoroughly chilling the base leads to a creamier final product with smaller ice crystals.
Part 3: Freeze the Ice Cream (Choose Your Method)
Method A: Using an Ice Cream Maker (Best Texture)
- Churn: Pour the cold ice cream base into the pre-frozen bowl of your ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions (typically 20-25 minutes) until it reaches a thick, soft-serve consistency.
- Mix-Ins (Optional): During the last few minutes of churning, add any desired low-carb mix-ins like sugar-free chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or keto brownie bits.
- Serve or Harden: Enjoy immediately as soft-serve ice cream, or transfer to your freezer-safe container. Freeze for 2-4 hours for a firmer, scoopable texture.
Method B: No-Churn (Without an Ice Cream Maker)
- Prepare for Freezing: Pour the cold ice cream base into your freezer-safe container (a loaf pan works well). Smooth the top surface with a spatula. Cut a piece of parchment or wax paper to size and press it directly onto the surface of the liquid – this helps prevent large ice crystals.
- Freeze & Stir: Place the container in the freezer. For the best possible no-churn texture, manually stir the mixture vigorously every 30 minutes during the first 2 hours (scraping the sides and bottom). After the first 2 hours, continue stirring every 60-90 minutes for another 2-3 hours, or until the ice cream is firm.
- Mix-Ins (Optional): Gently fold in any desired low-carb mix-ins after the first 1-2 hours of freezing, once the mixture has started to thicken.
- Serve: If frozen very hard, let the container sit at room temperature for 5-15 minutes before scooping to soften slightly.
Recipe Notes:
- Sweetener is Key: Using a powdered sweetener blend containing Allulose (like the Besti brand mentioned in the source recipe) is critical for achieving a soft, scoopable texture. Other sweeteners, especially pure erythritol, may result in very hard ice cream.
- Pan Size Matters: A wider pan for making the condensed milk base allows for faster evaporation and reduces cook time.
- Don’t Skip Chilling: Chilling the base thoroughly before churning or freezing significantly improves the final creaminess.
- Storage: Store leftover keto ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1-2 weeks for optimal texture.
Nutritional Information (Approximate, Per 1/2 Cup Serving):
- Calories: ~470 kcal
- Total Fat: ~49 g
- Saturated Fat: ~30 g
- Cholesterol: ~155 mg
- Sodium: ~45 mg
- Total Carbohydrates: ~15 g (Includes non-impact carbs from sweetener blend)
- Dietary Fiber: < 0.5 g
- Total Sugars: ~3 g (Naturally occurring from dairy)
- Sugar Alcohol/Allulose Blend: ~11 g (Subtracted for Net Carb calculation)
- Net Carbohydrates: ~3.8 g (Total Carbs – Fiber – Sugar Alcohol/Allulose Blend)
- Protein: ~3 g
Important Disclaimer: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only, calculated using standard food databases for the ingredients listed. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredient brands, precise measurements, potential variations in sweetener composition, and serving size accuracy. Net carbs are calculated by subtracting fiber and the estimated carbohydrates from the specified sweetener blend (Allulose/Monk Fruit).
