Keto Chocolate Ice Cream
If your favorite after-dinner treat is a bowl of creamy chocolate ice cream, this Keto Chocolate Ice Cream is for you. You only need 7 ingredients to make a rich, chocolatey dessert that’s low carb, gluten-free, and sugar-free.
Eating ice cream is just a way of life, but traditional ice cream has more added sugar than I want. So, I took matters into my own hands and played around with the ingredients until I came up with a homemade version I love.
This low carb chocolate ice cream is rich, creamy, and every bit as satisfying as the regular version. I love chocolate, but my husband’s favorite is this Maple Ice Cream With Candied Walnuts.
Having homemade keto ice cream in the freezer also makes birthdays and family gatherings easier. Everyone gets to enjoy dessert, and my kids can’t even tell my low carb ice cream recipes from the regular ones.
For another flavor, try this Keto Coffee Ice Cream, too!
Ingredient Notes for Keto Ice Cream
- Heavy Cream – Gives the ice cream its rich, creamy texture.
- Milk – Use the low carb milk of your choice to lighten the ice cream base.
- Egg Yolks – Add richness and help create a creamy ice cream with a smooth texture. If you’re concerned about using raw egg yolks, use pasteurized eggs or make a cooked custard base.
- Cocoa Powder – Gives the ice cream its rich chocolate flavor. Use unsweetened cocoa powder to keep it sugar-free.
- Sweetener – Use your favorite keto-friendly sweetener or my preferred sweetener blend.
- Vanilla – A little vanilla extract enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Vegetable Glycerin – Optional, but it helps keep homemade keto ice cream softer and more scoopable straight from the freezer.
How to Make Keto Chocolate Ice Cream
You only need a blender and ice cream maker to make this easy homemade ice cream.
Step One: Add the heavy whipping cream, milk, egg yolks, cocoa powder, vanilla, sweetener, and vegetable glycerin to a blender.
Step Two: Blend until completely smooth and the cocoa powder is fully incorporated.
Step Three: Pour the chocolate ice cream mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Step Four: Enjoy immediately for a softer consistency or transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze until firm.
Top Tip💡
Keto ice cream tends to freeze harder than traditional ice cream because it doesn’t contain regular sugar. Vegetable glycerin helps keep it scoopable, but if you leave it out, simply let the container sit at room temperature for a little while before scooping.
What Ice Cream Maker Should I Use?
I’ve used my Cuisinart 1.5-quart Ice Cream Maker for years to make homemade keto ice cream. It’s simple to use and a lot less expensive than constantly buying those little pints of low carb ice cream. See my favorite ice cream maker HERE.
Keto Ice Cream Topping Ideas
Half the fun of homemade chocolate ice cream is adding the toppings. Here are some of our favorites:
- Hot Fudge Sauce – Drizzle homemade sugar-free hot fudge over each scoop for even more chocolate.
- Sugar-Free Salted Caramel Sauce – Chocolate and salted caramel are always a good combination.
- Peanut Butter – Swirl peanut butter into the ice cream toward the end of churning.
- Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips – Add your favorite milk, dark, or white chocolate chips.
- Nuts – Chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds add plenty of crunch.
- Toasted Coconut – Sprinkle toasted coconut over the top, especially if you use coconut milk in the base.
- Berries – Strawberries and raspberries are both delicious with chocolate.
- Whipped Cream – Add a dollop of homemade whipped cream right before serving.
- Cookie Dough – Add chunks of keto cookie dough or try my Keto Cookie Dough Ice Cream.
Storage
Transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight, freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer. For the best texture and flavor, I recommend enjoying homemade ice cream within about 2 weeks.
If the ice cream is too firm to scoop straight from the freezer, let it sit at room temperature until it softens enough to scoop.
Common Questions
Why does keto ice cream freeze so hard?
Regular sugar helps keep traditional ice cream soft in the freezer. Since keto ice cream uses a sugar substitute, it can freeze much firmer. The vegetable glycerin in this recipe helps keep it softer and easier to scoop.
Can I make this without vegetable glycerin?
Yes. The glycerin is optional and doesn’t affect the chocolate flavor. Without it, the ice cream will freeze harder, so let it soften at room temperature before scooping.
Can I make this dairy-free?
For a version specifically developed with coconut cream and coconut milk, try my Dairy-Free Chocolate Ice Cream.
Do I need an ice cream maker?
This particular recipe was developed for an ice cream maker. Churning incorporates air while the mixture freezes, which helps give the finished ice cream its creamy texture.
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Keto Chocolate Ice Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup almond milk coconut milk, or reduced carb milk
- 3 egg yolks ***
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 1 tbsp glycerin (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for the ice cream base in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Notes
Nutrition
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Published
2020/02/19
Wow. Just wow. I made this recipe using just shy of a cup of Allulose with my grands (7, 7, and 9). I wanted to make your peanut butter ice cream, but was outvoted for chocolate. It was SO good and we were all proud of how it turned out. After about 30 minutes in the ice cream maker, we had to try it, although not fully frozen. Delish. I have been eating keto for almost 3 years and cook and bake a lot. This is the second time I’ve made ice cream and will continue to use this as a base. I did “pasturize” my eggs by following directions online, just to be safe with the grands. Next time it’ll be your peanut butter ice cream and sauce recipe! Just checked the ice cream and it is firming up nicely in the freezer. 🙂 Thank you!!
This is my new go-to ice cream! I make it almost weekly and have made chocolate, orange, vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and cherry and am making pear today. I use wonderful extracts from Croatia which taste like the real thing. Next will be salted caramel and pralines and cream (not with extracts). All keto, of course. Your recipe couldn’t be more convenient! Instead of glycerin I use a touch of Brandy. Am in love with your recipe.
Thank you so much!
I’ve made this dozens of times: first used up my Splenda, then switched to Allulose and it is so much better. The first batch with Allulose I did not add glycerin, and the texture was perfect, and after freezing it was still scoop-able. The second time with Allulose, I did add 1 teas of glycerin and it would not freeze at all. Apparently the freeze point with this sweetener is so different.
LOVE the taste with or without cocoa. When I omit the cocoa, I reduce the sweetener to 1/2 cup.
I am so glad I found this recipe: it does not raise my glucose at all!
thanks for a great recipe!
just bought a ice cream maker and mad this to a T.
all I can say is WOW it taste better then the other ice cream. Going to try the strawberry next
Thanks for the recipe
Karen
I’m so glad you liked it!
Is there any way to make this without an ice cream maker?
You can freeze it into popsicles. I do have a recipe for salted caramel ice cream that doesn’t need an ice cream maker.
I got a new ice-cream maker as a project when my grandkids visit. Never having made ice-cream before, your recipe sounded like easiest of all I read. So the kids helped add everything into the blender. When the ice- cream maker was done, we all had a taste. It was amazing! The consistency and taste was like a Frostie from that fast food place. None of it made it into the freezer! What a wonderful option for this recipe. I’m going to make more and put it in the freezer, I mean it!
This is one of our families favorite desserts!😊 Thank you for the recipe!
I followed your recipe to the letter but ice cream was hard to scoop. Do I need to add more Glycerin then what is listed?
Otherwise the ice cream is wonderful!!! 💕
The temperature of your freezer can make a difference. In my deep freeze ice cream is solid (even regular ice cream). In the door of my upright freezer, it stays soft. You can try adding a little more glycerin next time but you may just need to leave it out for a bit to soften.
I was very pleased with the flavor! I left out the cocoa powder and tripled the vanilla extract. Recommend
Wow! none of your recipes have failed me yet…often keto recipes are really hit or miss and are so touchy and precise that one minor misstep (scooping with the measuring cup vs using a spoon, subbing sweeteners etc) can throw of the entire recipe….we all know how pricey keto ingredients can be too!
I have made this a few times and played around with differing subs and made it just right for us!
My fave way to make it is;
1) Increase the cocoa to 1/2 cup- i like a DARK, rich chocolate ice cream. (Which is weird because I hate dark chocolate and love milk chocolate!)
2)Used 1/2 granulated xylitol, 1/4 powdered swerve (I’ve also made with lakanto, liquid splenda, liquid Stevia and pyure- the xylitol/powdered swerve is cost effective for me and works wonderful)
3) added 1 tsp of vodka (in addition to the glycerin)
4) added 1/4 tsp of xanathan gum (guar gum worked too)
5) used unsweetened vanilla almond milk for the milk portion. I also used slightly less whipping cream and upped the almond milk to get rid of that fat costing u get in your mouth.
When freezing, I either freeze in individual Tupperware containers, or i reuse a plastic store bought ice cream tub. The important thing is that whatever vessel you are using to freeze it, you take plastic wrap and make a shield flat against the top of the ice cream, letting it hang over the sides. This stops extra ice crystals from forming
I’ve also made chocolate sauce and added glycerin to it, and swirled it in after churning, and tried it with toasted walnuts and mini chocolate chips. With those add ins, it tastes like brownie batter ice cream
Lol in other words amazing!
Give it a try seriously, even if u don’t make adjustments like I did, you will love this recipe!
Wow, Tara, thanks for taking the time to share all those tips! I’m glad you like this so much 😄
Haha no problem..i added them to another post too. Your recipes truly and sincerely are the best I’ve ever been able to make. And I’ve made A LOT haha. Im really grateful you do what you do. I know many friends and family that have struggled with their weight and myself included. And you should know that 3 people dear to me were struggling to stay on their low carb diet until I started making your recipes and sharing. They remained committed because they were able to get through the cravings. Those three and myself together have lost a combined weight of over 350 pounds!! I sincerely mean it when i say you change lives! Remarkable! Thank you!
This recipe was amazing! My entire family loved it-even my husband who dislikes anything with a sugar substitute. I left out the coco and PB powder for a Delicious vanilla ice cream. I also substituted 2 tbsp whiskey for the glycerin. I would give this 10 stars if I could. This is a “make again”!