I’ve been tweaking this sugar‑free riff on that beloved Costco tubs of ice cream. I tested it a dozen times—some versions were icy; others tasted like sweetened heavy cream. This one nails that scoopable, indulgent texture without knocking me out of ketosis.
💡 Why This One Works
- High fat + low air = melt‑in‑your‑mouth richness without needing tons of stabilizers
- Sugar‑free sweetener blend gives volume and sweetness without the cooling or metallic aftertaste
- Heat‑treated base improves texture, prevents iciness—classic custard technique
🧾 What I Used (And Why It Worked)
- Heavy cream (2 cups) – Rich fat base, keeps frozen texture smooth
- Unsweetened almond milk (1 cup) – Lightens dairy, lowers carbs
- Erythritol + allulose (½ cup each) – Combo reduces cooling effect; allulose stays soft and scoopable
- Egg yolks (4) – Custard base thickens, keeps ice cream creamy, less icy
- Vanilla extract (2 tsp) – Costco‑style flavor pop
- Xanthan gum (¼ tsp) – Helps emulsify and reduce ice crystals
🔁 Keto Swaps That Actually Work
- Use monk fruit + erythritol blend if allulose unavailable—but replace only half the erythritol to avoid graininess
- Swap almond milk with coconut cream for ultra‑rich texture—adds a bit of coconut flavor, though
⚠️ Keto Missteps and How I Fixed Them
| What Went Wrong | Why It Happens | How I Fixed It |
|---|---|---|
| Watery ice cream with crystals | Curdled base or too much heavy cream | Tempered yolks, kept mixture <175 °F |
| Metallic sweetener aftertaste | Too much erythritol | Swapped half for allulose |
| Rubber‑y texture | Over‑churned or frozen too fast | Use xanthan, chill before churning |
👩🍳 HOW TO MAKE IT
- Whisk egg yolks in a bowl.
- In saucepan, heat cream + almond milk + sweeteners slowly until just under simmer.
- Temper yolks: whisk ½ cup hot liquid into yolks, then pour back into saucepan.
- Cook on low heat (stir constantly) until it coats back of spoon (170–175 °F).
- Remove from heat, whisk in xanthan and vanilla.
- Chill base in fridge for 2 hours (helps texture!).
- Churn in ice cream maker per machine instructions (~20–25 min).
- Freeze in airtight container for 2‑4 hours before scooping.
🧠 Keto Cooking Tricks That Help
- I microwave sweetener and milk mix briefly—dissolves erythritol faster.
- Let custard rest overnight–hits peak smoothness
- For an even creamier scoop, blend ice cream with a stick blender before final freeze.
🧊 How I Store and Track It
- Keeps 2 weeks in the freezer if covered tightly
- Reheats surprisingly well—10 sec microwave, stir, then refreeze for scoopable perfection
- Tracker tip: base yields ~8 servings; track ~2 tbsp carb-equivalents (erythritol & allulose are 0 net, yolks ~1 g each).
❓ Real Keto Questions, Real Answers
Will this spike blood sugar? No—the carbs are almost entirely erythritol/allulose, and egg yolks’ carbs are minimal (~0.6 g each).
Is it safe to use allulose? Yes—FDA recognizes it as generally safe, and it helps retention of softness in freezer.
Can I add mix-ins? Yes! Chopped nuts, sugar‑free chocolate chips, swirl in peanut butter—add after churning.
🧮 Full Nutrition Facts
| Nutrient (per ½ cup) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~470 kcal |
| Total Fat | ~50 g |
| Saturated Fat | ~30 g |
| Cholesterol | ~270 mg |
| Sodium | ~85 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | ~3.5 g |
| – Fiber | ~0.2 g |
| – Net Carbs | ~3.3 g |
| – Sugars | ~3.7 g¹ |
| Protein | ~3.4 g |
Check out More Recipes:
- Chocolate “Rice” Cake
- Sugar-Free Snow Cone Syrup
- Sugar-Free Blueberry Crisp
- Sugar-Free Banana Ice Cream
Costco Sugar Free Ice Cream Recipe
Description
A rich, creamy keto-friendly ice cream that tastes like the Costco classic—without the sugar, carbs, or icy disappointment. Sweetened with allulose and erythritol for a scoopable, freezer-stable treat.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl until smooth.
- In a saucepan, combine heavy cream, almond milk, erythritol, and allulose. Heat gently over medium until just under a simmer.
- Temper the yolks: slowly whisk ½ cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks, then return the yolk mixture to the saucepan.
- Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and reaches 170–175°F (coats the back of a spoon).
- Remove from heat and whisk in xanthan gum and vanilla extract.
- Chill the mixture in the fridge for at least 2 hours (overnight is better).
- Churn in your ice cream maker per manufacturer instructions (typically 20–25 minutes).
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze 2–4 hours before serving.
Notes
- Let custard base chill fully before churning—it massively improves texture. I also microwave scoops for 10 seconds if it’s too hard from the freezer. Want extra indulgent? Swirl in peanut butter or sugar-free chocolate chips after churning but before freezing.
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