I’m not gonna lie: I used to think homemade ice cream without an ice cream maker was a total scam.
“Just shake it!” they said.
“It’ll be creamy!” they said.
Spoiler: the first few times, it was either a frozen brick or some weird, icy foam.
But then I figured out the right shake time, the right cream, and the secret of that pinch of salt — and this Low-Carb Keto Mason Jar Ice Cream finally earned a permanent spot in my freezer.
It’s vanilla-rich, crazy creamy, and dead simple. Plus, no churners, no mixers, no drama.
Just a mason jar, a little wrist action, and a freezer.
💡 Why This One Works So Well
- Heavy cream + monk fruit allulose blend = sweet, rich, creamy magic with zero blood sugar drama.
- Shaking for the right amount of time builds the perfect air bubbles—just enough to lighten it up without whipping it into butter.
- Freezing without peeking lets the ice crystals stay tiny and creamy, not crunchy or weird.
- Pinch of salt? It’s not optional. It pulls the flavors together so it tastes like real ice cream, not a sad keto knockoff.
🧾 Ingredients That Kept It Keto
- Heavy cream (1 cup / 240ml) – High fat, almost no carbs. Chill it first so it thickens faster.
- Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend (1½ tbsp) – Zero glycemic impact. Powdered form blends way better than granular.
- Vanilla extract (1 tsp) – Trust me: a real, quality extract makes a difference.
- Pinch of sea salt – Balances sweetness and brings out the vanilla.
🔁 Keto Swaps That Actually Work
- Sweetener – You can swap for powdered erythritol if you must, but expect it to freeze a little harder and possibly leave a slight cooling aftertaste.
- Flavor Add-Ins – Stir in chopped nuts, unsweetened coconut, or sugar-free chocolate chips after shaking but before freezing.
- Dairy-Free Option – You can try full-fat coconut cream instead of heavy cream, but it’ll set softer and taste a little more tropical.
⚠️ Keto Missteps and How I Fixed Them
What Went Wrong | Why It Happens | How to Fix It |
---|---|---|
Turned into butter | Shook it too long | Stop shaking as soon as it doubles in volume. 3 minutes max. |
Icy, not creamy | Opened the jar too soon or didn’t shake enough | Commit to the 3-minute shake and a solid 4–6 hour freeze—no peeking. |
Grainy sweetener bits | Used granular instead of powdered sweetener | Always use powdered to dissolve fully. |
👩🍳 How to Make It (Step-by-Step)
- Chill your cream: Keep your heavy cream cold until the second you pour it in.
- Fill your jar: Add heavy cream, powdered sweetener, vanilla, and salt to a 16 oz (475ml) wide-mouth mason jar.
- Shake it good: Tighten that lid and shake hard for about 3 minutes. It should thicken noticeably and almost double in size. (Think thick pancake batter—not whipped cream.)
- Freeze without peeking: Place the jar upright in the freezer for 4–6 hours.
- Let it soften before scooping: 5–10 minutes at room temp makes it scoopable and dreamy.

🧠 Keto Cooking Tricks That Help
- Mark a timer when shaking. Over-shaking is a sneaky fail.
- Use a wide-mouth jar. Narrow ones are a wrist workout and impossible to scoop from.
- Double batch hack: Make two jars at once. No extra work, and future you will thank you.
🧊 How I Store and Track It
- Storage: Keep sealed in the freezer up to 2 months.
- Portion tip: I split one jar into 4 servings (~½ cup each) for easy tracking—about 1.6g net carbs per serving.
- Reheating hack: Never microwave it to soften—just sit it out for a few minutes.
❓ Real Keto Questions, Real Answers
Q: Will this spike blood sugar?
A: Not if you use a monk fruit-allulose blend. Allulose doesn’t impact blood sugar like erythritol sometimes can.
Q: Can I use coconut flour or almond milk instead?
A: No way. You need the fat from heavy cream (or full-fat coconut cream if going dairy-free).
Q: Does it freeze rock solid?
A: It firms up but stays scoopable after sitting out for 5–10 minutes—no jackhammer required.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving
Nutrient | Amount |
---|---|
Calories | 207 kcal |
Total Fat | 21.6g |
Saturated Fat | 13.8g |
Trans Fat | 0g |
Cholesterol | 80mg |
Sodium | 25mg |
Total Carbohydrates | 1.7g |
Dietary Fiber | 0.1g |
Net Carbs | 1.6g |
Total Sugars | 1.9g (natural from cream) |
Added Sugars | 0g (monk fruit/allulose blend = 0g added sugars) |
Sugar Alcohols | 0g (allulose not counted toward net carbs, metabolized differently) |
Protein | 1.6g |
Calcium | ~40mg |
Potassium | ~50mg |
Vitamin A | ~15% DV |
Vitamin D | ~10% DV |
Check out More Recipes:
- Low Carb Keto Strawberry Ice Cream (Sugar-Free)
- Low Carb Keto Coconut Cream Pie (Sugar Free)
- Low Carb Keto Popsicles (Sugar Free)

Low Carb Keto Mason Jar Ice Cream
Description
Creamy, no-churn keto ice cream made in a mason jar—just shake, freeze, and enjoy. Low-carb, rich, and totally customizable with your favorite add-ins!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pour the heavy cream, sweetener, vanilla, and salt into a 16 oz wide-mouth mason jar.
- Seal tightly and shake vigorously for about 3 minutes until thickened and volume has nearly doubled.
- Freeze upright for 4–6 hours without opening.
- Before serving, let sit at room temp for 5–10 minutes for perfect scooping.