This keto strawberry ice cream has a deliciously creamy texture and super fruity flavor. Let me show you how to make restaurant quality gelato at home! You'd never guess this recipe is low carb and sugar free.
This sugar free strawberry ice cream is the perfect summertime treat!
It's June and we're deep in strawberry season. Friends, this makes me very happy. Homegrown berries taste so much sweeter than the imported ones.
I have made quite a few keto ice cream recipes over the years and learned along the way. My personal favorites are this vanilla ice cream, my keto chocolate ice cream and this super light almond milk ice cream.
I love the classic way of making ice cream - cream and egg yolks. In my opinion, this beats the eggless version - cream, sour cream or cream cheese - by miles.
My strawberry ice cream recipe is so creamy and packed with strawberry flavor. I used an ice cream maker, because it makes the texture velvety soft. However, I know not everyone owns one. That's why I also give instructions how to make a no churn version.
In any case, the hardest thing is to stick with one serving!
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🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Soft, creamy texture
- Fruity strawberry flavor
- Sugar-free, low carb and keto friendly
- 2 methods - ice cream maker and no churn
Ingredients
Let's take a look at the ingredients:
- Strawberries - By cooking the strawberries first you get the best flavor. This way the ice cream is not watery, but rich and scrumptious.
- Allulose - Makes the smoothest ice cream. If you cannot get it, make sure your sweetener is powdered and not granulated.
- Heavy whipping cream - Coconut cream works as a dairy-free alternative.
- MCT or coconut oil - Makes it creamy and smooth. Another benefit of MCT oil is that it is tasteless. Or use 2 tablespoons vodka.
- Almond milk - Use unsweetened almond milk.
- Vanilla extract and a tiny pinch of salt
- Egg yolks - Raw eggsย areย safeย to eat as long as they carry the "lion stamp". If you live in a country where salmonella is still a worry, pasteuriseย them first.
Instructions
This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Begin by pre-freezing your ice cream machine canister for at least 2 hours or ideally overnight. Mine yields best results if I freeze it overnight.
Step 1: Place the strawberries and sweetener in a pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then blitz until smooth either using a hand whisk or blender.
Step 2: Pour the cream, coconut oil / MCT and almond milk into a clean saucepan. Add the vanilla and salt and bring to a low boil. When you see the edges start to bubble, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Stir regularly so it doesnโt form a skin.
Step 3: Once the cream mix is cooled, put the egg yolks in a mixing bowl and beat until pale in colour (about 2 minutes).
Step 4: Slowly whisk 1 cup of the cooled cream mix into the beaten eggs. Then pour the egg mix back into your pan. Heat on low and stir regularly for about 8 -10 minutes until it thickens. Do not boil or it will split.
Step 5: At the first sign of bubbles, remove from the heat. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then whisk in the strawberry mixture. Pour into a bowl, cover with cling film and cool to room temperature.
Step 6: Chill in the fridge for at least 2-4 hours.
Step 7: Churn as per the manufacturerโs instructions on your ice cream maker. Mine took about 35 minutes. For a soft serve you can enjoy the ice cream straight away.
Step 8: To make it scoop-able, pour the ice cream mixture into a loaf pan, cover with cling film and freeze for 2 hours, or until fully set.
Top tip
If you prefer chunks in your ice cream, don't over-blend the strawberry mixture. Just don't leave pieces that are too large too large or they may clog up the ice cream maker.
No churn option
This is how to make keto strawberry ice cream without an ice cream maker:
- Skip the churning step and freeze the ice cream straight away.
- Take it out of the freezerย every ยฝ hourย to 1 hour andย stirย to break up the ice crystals.
- Option to freeze in ice cube trays. When ready to serve, blend in a high speed blender to make a quick soft serve.
3 secrets to creamy keto ice cream
The main complaint people have with low carb ice cream is that it sets too hard. Here are my tips to make it velvety smooth:
- Use an ice cream maker. This will always give a creamier result. With the no churn option, you must break the ice crystals as it freezes by stirring regularly.
- Use allulose. Erythritol sets hard when frozen because it has the tendency to re-crystallise. Allulose, on the other hand, behaves just like sugar. Xylitol is another good option.
- Add MCT oil. This is aย high grade coconut oilย that remainsย liquidย even when cold. Alternatives are 2 tablespoons vodka, xanthan gum or gelatine.
Variations
Here are a few ideas how you can change up the recipe:
- Add sugar free chocolate chips such as Lily's or 90% Lindt.
- Use different berries. Raspberries, blueberries or blackberries.
- Dairy-free - swap the cream for coconut cream.
- Add cheesecake crumble like in my strawberry cheesecake popsicles.
Storage
Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Let the ice cream thaw for 10-20 minutes on the counter before serving to let it soften.
Related recipes
Here are more keto strawberry recipes to try:
- Keto Strawberry Muffins30 Minutes
- Sugar Free Strawberry Jam50 Minutes
- Keto Strawberry Cheesecake4 Hours 20 Minutes
- Keto Strawberry Mousse5 Hours 7 Minutes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Keto Strawberry Ice Cream
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Equipment
- ice cream maker
Ingredients
- 3 cups strawberries 360g, quartered
- ยฝ cup / 100 g allulose
- 2 cups / 480 ml double / heavy cream
- 3 tablespoon MCT oil or coconut oil
- 1 cup / 240 ml almond milk unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 6 egg yolks large, room temperature
Instructions
- Pre-freeze your ice cream maker canister for at least 2 hours or ideally overnight.
- Place the strawberries and sweetener in a pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce and simmer for 5 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then blitz until smooth either using a hand whisk or blender. Allow to cool whilst you make the ice cream.
- Pour the cream, coconut oil / MCT and almond milk into a clean saucepan. Add the vanilla and salt and bring to a low boil. When you see the edges start to bubble, remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 30 minutes. Stir regularly so it doesnโt form a skin.
- Once the cream mix is cooled, put the egg yolks in a mixing bowl and beat until pale in colour (about 2 minutes).
- Slowly whisk 1 cup of the cooled down cream mix into the beaten eggs using a hand balloon whisk. Then pour the egg mix back into your pan. Heat on low and stir regularly for about 8 - 10 minutes until it thickens. Do not boil or it will split. At the first sign of bubbles, remove from the heat.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes then whisk in the cooled strawberry mix. Pour into a bowl, cover with cling film and allow to cool for about an hour at room temperature. Then, transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 2-4 hours (or overnight).
- Churn as per the manufacturerโs instructions on your ice cream maker. Mine took about 35 minutes. For a soft serve you can enjoy straight away.
- For a scoop-able ice cream, pour into a loaf pan, cover with cling film and freeze for 2 hours, or until fully set.
Gus Wrethman
Vodka does work, use it all the time
Lisa
What do you think about freezing this and then using a Ninja Creami? I love my creami AND strawberry Ice cream- sounds like a match made in heaven. ๐
Katrin Nรผrnberger
Do you mean to put the ice cream in a high speed blender to get it smooth like a soft serve? Yes, absolutely, that would work.
Mandi
This was excellent! I used powered swerve for the sweetner and just did it to taste. Everyone loved it. I sped up the recipe by using an ice bath for the pans. It took a lot less time for cooling.
Carl
Hi
I was just about to start making this but there's something I'm unsure of...
The recipe starts off with 2 cups of double cream and 1 cup of almond milk but when we get to step 5 it says "...whisk 1 cup of the cooled down cream mix into the beaten eggs..." but then there's nothing further about what to do with the remainder of the cream mix. Is the remainder just discarded, or should it also be added at some point?
Thanks
Carl
Katrin Nรผrnberger
HI Carl, I whisked half of the cooled cream with the eggs, then poured that mix back into the pot which still has the remainder of the cream inside. Hope you'll enjoy the ice cream!
Carl
Thanks for clarifying that Katrin. Ice cream made and we're certainly enjoying it! Thanks for another great recipe.
Diane
How can this recipe be adjusted if you do not have an ice cream maker
Katrin Nรผrnberger
Everything is the same until you freeze the ice cream. Youโll have to take it out in regular intervals and stir it to break up any ice crystals. It will set harder without an ice cream maker, but it will still work.
Terry Furuya
Can you use monk fruit as a sweetener?
Katrin Nรผrnberger
Most monk fruit sweeteners are erythritol blends. You can definitely use them and I have done in the past, it's just that allulose will help make the ice cream softer. I haven't tried using pure monk fruit yet.
Jonna
Hi, would you have any recommended swaps for turning this recipe into dairy-free version? Could the double cream be replaced by coconut cream?
Katrin Nรผrnberger
Yes, that would probably work as well. I've made keto custard and keto caramel with coconut cream instead of dairy cream and they both turned out great.
James
Can't use coconut oil due to severe allergies. Is there a suitable substitute?
Katrin Nรผrnberger
You could just leave it out. It's there to make the ice cream softer.
Ysha
Perfect for the Summer. A great treat, I put coconut oil instead of MCT oil and xylitol instead of allulose, and it was scoop-able without having to wait for 30 minutes.The soft serve version right after churning is flabbergastingly great.
Thanks for the recipe.
Laurel
Just curious why boil the cream oil mixture? Since you have to wait for it to cool then. Thanks
Katrin Nรผrnberger
HI Laurel, it helps the ingredients to thicken.