I’m that person who eats ice cream with fingerless gloves on. Snow falling? Doesn’t matter. Ice cream is year-round food—and this peppermint version is a holiday-season MVP that doesn’t spike blood sugar or freeze into an unusable brick by day two.
I tried (and wrecked) a few batches before I figured out how to keep the texture creamy and the minty kick balanced. But trust me—this one actually works.
💡 Why This One Works So Well
Let’s be real—most low-carb ice creams are either icy or weirdly oily. The fix? A trifecta of keto sorcery:
- Vegetable glycerin + xanthan gum keep it scoopable.
- MCT oil gives that silky texture without adding carbs.
- Crushed sugar-free peppermint candies = crunch, flavor, nostalgia.
🧾 What Packs Flavor Without the Carbs
- Cashew milk (1¼ cups) – Creamier than almond milk, fewer carbs than dairy milk. It’s the base that doesn’t fight your macros.
- Heavy cream (2½ cups) – Keto gold. All the fat, none of the carbs.
- Powdered sweetener (⅓ cup) – I use Lakanto. Powdered blends in better than granular—no gritty bites.
- Peppermint extract (½ tsp) – Strong stuff. Don’t eyeball it unless you like toothpaste vibes.
- Vanilla extract (1 tsp) – Softens the mint. Trust me, it’s not optional.
- MCT oil (2 tbsp, optional) – Smooth mouthfeel. Helps if your freezer runs cold.
- Vegetable glycerin (1 tbsp, optional) – Keeps it scoopable. Skip it if you must, just thaw before scooping.
- Xanthan gum (¼ tsp, optional) – Binds fat + liquid. Use a light hand or it gets slimey.
- Sugar-free peppermint candies (10, crushed) – Holiday magic. I use the ones sweetened with erythritol to avoid mystery spikes.
🔁 Low-Carb Substitutions That Hold Up
| Ingredient | Swap | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cashew milk | Almond milk | Slightly thinner but fine |
| MCT oil | Coconut oil | Can add a coconut taste; melt first |
| Vegetable glycerin | Just skip it | But thaw before scooping |
| Crushed peppermints | Sugar-free white chocolate chips | Not the same vibe, but still festive |
⚠️ How I Ruined It (And Recovered)
| What Went Wrong | Why It Happens | How to Fix It |
|---|---|---|
| Ice cream froze solid | No glycerin or MCT oil | Add them, or portion small and thaw before scooping |
| Bitter aftertaste | Too much peppermint extract | Start small—½ tsp is plenty |
| Icy texture | Used granular sweetener | Use powdered or grind your own |
👩🍳 How to Make It (Step-by-Step)
- Mix your base: In a large bowl, whisk cashew milk, heavy cream, sweetener, extracts, MCT oil, glycerin, and xanthan gum until fully blended.
- Crush and stir: Stir in half the peppermint candy bits. Save the rest for later.
- Churn it: Pour into your ice cream maker and churn per your machine’s instructions (mine takes ~25 minutes).
- Finish + freeze: Fold in the rest of the peppermint candies. Eat soft-serve style or freeze 2–3 hours for scoopable texture.
- Macro tip: I portion into 8 half-cup servings—super easy to track.
🧠 Keto Cooking Tricks That Help
- I pre-mix the sweetener and xanthan gum to avoid clumps.
- Add extracts after mixing the cream to keep them from overpowering.
- I chill my base 30 minutes before churning—helps it set faster and smoother.
🧊 Keeping It Keto-Friendly All Week
- Fridge? Nope. Must be frozen.
- Freezer? 1 month easy. Store in shallow containers for faster thawing.
- Scoop tip: Let it sit 10–15 minutes or microwave for 10 seconds if you skipped the glycerin.
❓ Keto Cooking What-Ifs (Answered)
Can I make it without an ice cream maker?
Sort of. Use a no-churn base with whipped cream folded into sweetened condensed coconut milk. Not the same, but a decent backup.
Will the peppermints spike my blood sugar?
If you use erythritol-sweetened ones, you’re safe. Avoid maltitol—it’s a sneaky one.
Is this carnivore-adjacent?
Let’s not kid ourselves—it’s dessert. But it’s high-fat and low-carb, so it won’t blow your macros.
🍦 Nutrition Facts (Per ½ Cup Serving)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 295 kcal |
| Fat | 31 g |
| Saturated Fat | 20 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Net Carbs | 2 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Sugar | <1 g (from cream) |
| Sodium | 55 mg |
Check out More Recipes:
- Sugar Free Peach Ice Cream
- Sugar-Free Banana Ice Cream
- Low Carb Keto Ice Cream Bars
- Low Carb Keto Protein Ice Cream
Sugar Free Peppermint Ice Cream
Description
A creamy, sugar-free peppermint ice cream that’s keto-friendly and totally scoopable—even after freezing. Made with heavy cream, peppermint extract, and a few keto tricks to keep it soft.
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cashew milk, heavy cream, sweetener, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, MCT oil, vegetable glycerin, and xanthan gum until well combined.
- Stir in half of the crushed peppermint candies.
- Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer instructions (about 25 minutes).
- Once churned to soft-serve consistency, fold in the remaining peppermint candies.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container with a lid and freeze for 1–2 hours or until desired firmness.
- Let sit at room temp for 10 minutes before scooping if frozen solid.
Notes
- Let frozen ice cream sit at room temp for 10–15 minutes before scooping if you skipped the vegetable glycerin or MCT oil.
For a festive twist, top with keto hot fudge or whipped cream.
I portion this into small containers for easier tracking and quicker thawing.
You can skip the peppermint candies, but they add crunch and flavor. Make sure they’re erythritol-based to stay keto-friendly.
