I used to think homemade keto ice cream was either rock-hard after freezing or tasted like sad frozen protein shakes. Spoiler: it was—until I cracked the custard code.
This version is rich, creamy, high-protein, and won’t kick you out of ketosis. Plus, no chalky aftertaste or blender drama. 🙌
💡 Why This Recipe Actually Works (Low-Carb Edition)
Most low-carb “ice cream” either freezes like a brick (because: no sugar alcohols) or tastes thin and icy.
Here’s the magic trio that fixes it:
- Egg yolks – Real custard base = creamy texture that survives the freezer.
- Allulose blend – Helps keep it scoopable. Allulose actually softens ice cream!
- Collagen/protein powder – Boosts structure and creaminess without adding carbs.
No weird gums. No icky textures. Just straight-up keto indulgence.
🧾 Ingredients That Kept It Keto
- 5 large egg yolks – Essential for that rich, custardy body.
- 120g (½ cup) powdered monk fruit-allulose blend – Powdered is key. Granules = gritty disaster.
- Pinch of sea salt – Balances sweetness and boosts chocolate flavor.
- 360ml (1½ cups) unsweetened vanilla almond milk – Low-carb, low-cal, still creamy.
- 240ml (1 cup) heavy cream (double cream) – The fat hero we deserve.
- 25g (¼ cup) Dutch-processed cocoa powder – Deeper, smoother chocolate flavor.
- 25g (¼ cup) collagen protein powder (or any unsweetened protein powder) – Adds thickness and a sneaky protein boost.
🔁 Keto Swaps That Actually Work
- No cocoa? Make it vanilla! Skip cocoa, add 1 tsp pure vanilla extract instead.
- Different protein powder? Whey isolate works fine. Just make sure it’s unsweetened and unflavored unless you like your ice cream tasting like birthday cake (ask me how I know 😬).
- Need dairy-free? Sub coconut cream for heavy cream. It’s richer than almond milk alone.
👉 Important:
Don’t swap almond milk for water or oat milk—it’ll wreck texture and carbs.
⚠️ Keto Missteps and How I Fixed Them
| What Went Wrong | Why It Happens | How to Fix It |
|---|---|---|
| Ice cream was gritty | Used granulated sweetener | Always powder your sweetener or buy it powdered |
| Eggs scrambled during tempering | Added hot liquid too fast | Whisk constantly and slowly drizzle |
| Rock-hard after freezing | Not enough allulose | Stick to monk fruit + allulose blend, not erythritol alone |
👩🍳 Step-by-Step How To Make It
- Whisk the yolks: In a medium bowl, whisk yolks, powdered sweetener, and salt until thick and pale yellow.
- Heat the base: In a small saucepan, whisk almond milk, heavy cream, cocoa powder, and collagen. Heat over medium until it just starts to simmer—don’t let it boil!
- Temper the yolks: Slowly drizzle hot milk into yolks, whisking non-stop.
- Cook the custard: Pour back into the saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until it thickens slightly and hits 170°F (3–5 minutes).
- Chill completely: Cover and refrigerate 4+ hours until cold (below 40°F).
- Churn: Pour into your frozen ice cream maker bowl and churn until it looks like soft-serve (20–25 min).
- Freeze firmer: Eat as soft serve or transfer to a container and freeze 2–4 hours for scoopable perfection.
Texture tip:
The base should coat the back of a spoon before chilling. If it’s watery, it’ll freeze icy instead of creamy.
🧠 Keto Cooking Tricks That Help
- I freeze my ice cream maker bowl for 24 hours minimum—not “just overnight”—for best churn results.
- I always chill the custard overnight. Cold base = smoother churned ice cream.
- If the custard seems thin after cooking, it’s okay. Collagen thickens it slightly as it cools.
🧊 Keeping It Keto-Friendly All Week
- Freeze: Airtight container, up to 2 months.
- Soften before serving: Let it sit out 10–15 minutes before scooping.
- Tip: I portion mine into silicone muffin cups for grab-and-go servings—easier for macros and portion control.
❓ Real Keto Questions, Real Answers
Q: Can I use erythritol instead?
A: You can but it’ll freeze much harder. Blend it with ¼ tsp xanthan gum if you must.
Q: Will this spike my blood sugar?
A: Nope. Tested it myself. 13g protein, 3.9g total carbs, 1.2g fiber = only 2.7g net carbs per ½ cup.
Q: Is it freezer-friendly?
A: Absolutely. Just remember: real keto ice cream needs 10–15 minutes on the counter to soften naturally. No microwave nuking!
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: ½ cup (approx. 100g)
Servings Per Recipe: 6
| Nutrient | Amount per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 233 kcal |
| Total Fat | 19.3 g |
| – Saturated Fat | 11 g |
| – Monounsaturated Fat | ~6.5 g |
| – Polyunsaturated Fat | ~1 g |
| Cholesterol | 180 mg |
| Sodium | 85 mg |
| Potassium | 150 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 3.9 g |
| – Dietary Fiber | 1.2 g |
| – Sugars | 1.3 g |
| Net Carbs | 2.7 g |
| Protein | 13.2 g |
🧠 Quick Macro Ratios
- Fat: ~75%
- Protein: ~22%
- Carbs: ~3%
👉 This keeps it solidly in keto macro range, especially if you’re aiming for high fat, moderate protein, low net carbs.
📝 Notes About Accuracy
- Calculations are based on unsweetened almond milk, heavy cream, collagen protein powder, Dutch-process cocoa, and monk fruit-allulose blend (all powdered).
- Allulose is counted differently:
Technically it’s a sugar but doesn’t raise blood sugar or count toward net carbs—hence why the Net Carbs are lower than Total Carbs listed. - If you use a different protein powder (e.g., whey isolate or pea protein), the protein and fat might shift slightly.
Check out More Recipes:
- Low Carb Keto Strawberry Ice Cream (Sugar-Free)
- Low Carb Keto Ice Cream
- Low Carb Keto Mason Jar Ice Cream
- Low Carb Keto Almond Milk Ice Cream
Low Carb Keto Protein Ice Cream
Description
Creamy, low-carb keto protein ice cream that’s rich, scoopable, and macro-friendly — perfect for hot days or a post-workout treat.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Whisk egg yolks, sweetener, and salt until smooth.
- Heat almond milk, cream, cocoa, and protein over medium heat.
- Temper yolks by slowly adding hot milk, whisking constantly.
- Return mixture to saucepan, cook gently until 170°F.
- Chill completely (4+ hours).
- Churn in ice cream maker to soft-serve consistency.
- Freeze 2–4 hours for firmer ice cream.
