Low Carb, Sugar-Free Chocolate Ice Cream
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Keto Chocolate Ice Cream
This keto ice cream has a rich and silky smooth texture and is absolutely delicious! The perfect chocolate flavor for ice cream season (or any time)!
If you're looking for a low-carb chocolate ice cream recipe, this is the one! It's sugar-free and can be made with either heavy cream or almond milk.
The base of this recipe is just cream, almond milk, cottage cheese (substitutions below) sweetener, vanilla extract, and unsweetened cocoa powder. That's it!
The key to getting a good texture is to blend it really well so that the cottage cheese breaks down completely.
I used my Vitamix blender and it worked great. If you don't have a high-powered blender, you may want to try blending the cottage cheese separately until it's smooth and then adding it to the rest of the ingredients.
Or, you can use the substitutions in the recipe card and omit the cottage cheese completely!
Making Keto Ice Cream
Making homemade ice cream doesn't have to be difficult. In fact, for this recipe, there is no cooking or tempering involved (this means no egg yolks or heating over medium heat on the stove). No hot cream mixture or stoves are involved here!
All you need is a blender and a countertop ice cream maker! (And see below for how to make this keto ice cream recipe without an ice cream machine.)
Ice Cream Maker
I love the fact that I can have rich, creamy ice cream on hand – but mostly I love the fact that it only takes 30 minutes from start to finish!
Having my own ice cream machine at home has been a gamechanger!
I found my ice cream maker for less than $15 at a thrift store, so keep your eyes open!
About a year later I found another one for less than $10, so yes, I have TWO ice cream makers. That could come in handy sometimes!
And making low-carb ice cream is SO easy!
(I would highly recommend this ice cream maker if you are looking for an ice cream maker! It is amazing!)
Check out my how-to video below to see just how easy this low-carb ice cream is!
This recipe is basically a chocolate version of my Vanilla ice cream (also a low-carb ice cream,) but the inclusion of good cocoa powder makes this a rich, creamy, decadent chocolate delight!
If you are looking for rich, chocolatey goodness, you will not be disappointed!
How can I make this ice cream without an ice cream maker?
If you don't have an ice cream maker, you still have a couple of options!
Ice Cube Method
You can make this recipe using the ice cube method.
Simply blend all of the ingredients together and pour into a silicone ice cube tray. Freeze for about 2 hours or until solid.
Once frozen, place the cubes in a food processor and blend until smooth. You may need to add a little additional liquid (heavy cream, almond milk, or coconut milk) to get it to blend smoothly.
Serve immediately or store in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for later. Let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before scooping if frozen solid.
Shallow Dish Method
Another option is to pour the mixture into a shallow dish and freeze for 2-3 hours, or until solid. You then should be able to scoop the ice cream directly out of the dish!
If it is too hard to scoop, let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften.
How to make healthy chocolate ice cream
For this recipe, all you need to do is add the ingredients to your blender, blend, and then pour the sugar-free ice cream mixture into your ice cream machine.
Process the ice cream according to your manufacturer's instructions and then your sweet tooth can enjoy the creamy texture of this easy recipe that tastes like regular ice cream!
The immediate texture of this ice cream (when it has finished churning), is very similar to a Frosty or soft serve! If you like it this way, you can eat it immediately!
If you like it a little more firm, just pop it in the freezer for a few minutes. After it has frozen solid, (if you do not include the recommended vegetable glycerine), you will want to let the ice cream set on the counter for a few moments to soften.
Can I make this chocolate keto ice cream dairy-free?
Yes! You can easily make this recipe dairy-free by using full-fat coconut milk in place of the heavy cream and cottage cheese. I have not tried it with many other non-dairy milks, but I think it would work well with cashew milk or macadamia nut milk.
If you do use coconut milk, the ice cream will have a slight coconut flavor. If you don't like coconut, you can try using almond milk or cashew milk instead.
Do I have to use cottage cheese?
Think the idea of cottage cheese blended in your ice cream mixture sounds awful? You truly cannot taste it and it adds protein to this delicious chocolate ice cream.
However, if you truly don't want anything to do with it, you can simply substitute additional heavy cream or almond milk for cottage cheese.
The texture will be the best if you use heavy whipping cream, but the calories will be less if you use almond milk.
Additionally, you can use coconut cream or canned coconut milk to replace the cottage cheese, but this will of course add a slight coconut flavor to your ice cream.
Why do you use vegetable glycerin in homemade ice cream?
I always like to add a little bit of vegetable glycerin to my ice cream to keep it from turning rock solid in the freezer. When you use glycerin, you should be able to easily scoop out your ice cream with any regular ice cream scoop.
If you don't want to use glycerin (or don't have it), it's not a big deal! Just let your ice cream set on the counter for a few minutes to soften before you scoop it!
How to make this chocolate ice cream with fewer calories
I sometimes make a few tweaks to this ice cream to lessen the caloric load just a bit.
I will replace ½ cup of the heavy whipping cream with unsweetened almond milk.
It still tastes just as rich and creamy, but with fewer calories.
What else can I add to this low-carb ice cream?
You could add a few drops of mint extract for a chocolate mint flavor.
Or, if you are feeling really indulgent, stir in some sugar-free chocolate chips after blending. (I like these ones!)
For a fun summertime treat, blend in some fresh raspberries or strawberries.
You could also top this ice cream with some sugar-free chocolate syrup, sugar-free caramel sauce, or sugar-free whipped cream.
If you're looking for a delicious and healthy ice cream alternative, you will love this recipe!
My family loves it, and I'm sure yours will too.
This chocolate ice cream is low in carbs and sugar-free, but doesn't taste like it! It's rich, creamy, and decadent- just the way ice cream should be.
Be sure to try my Strawberry Cottage Cheese Ice Cream recipe, too!
More Sugar-Free Ice Cream Recipes
- Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Cherry Kefir Ice Cream
- Vanilla Frozen Yogurt with Cinnamon
- Oatmeal Cookie Frozen Yogurt
Low Carb, Sugar Free Chocolate Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Cottage Cheese
- ¼ Cup Almond Milk
- ½ Cup Gentle Sweet
- ¼ Cup Cocoa Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla
- 1 ½ Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Glycerin optional – helps keep it “scoop-able”
Instructions
- In a blender, blend the cottage cheese and almond milk until completely smooth. This step is very important – you do not want cottage cheese lumps in your ice cream!
- Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.
- Pour into your ice cream maker and process according to manufacturers instructions (mine only took about 25 minutes).
- Transfer to a freezer safe container and keep in the freezer. If you do not add the vegetable glycerin, you will want to set the ice cream on the counter for a few minutes to soften.
What is a good quality brand of cocoa?
I buy my cocoa powder at an Amish bulk store - it is just labeled "natural cocoa powder." I like it better than Nestle or Hershey, but you can certainly use whatever cocoa powder you usually use.
I have tried vegetable glycerin before, and it seems like it gives my ice cream an almost slimy texture. It makes little strings when I scoop it out, similar to melted cheese, if that makes sense. Do you have the same issue? I only use the recommended 1 T - should I use less, or maybe it's the brand I'm using (bought at a cake supply store). Thank you!
I have never experienced that - I use the NOW brand. You certainly don't have to use it - it is completely optional. You will just want to let your ice cream sit out on the counter a bit to soften.
Thank you so much for your response! I ordered the NOW brand to see if that makes a difference. 🙂
I know this is an old thread...but using xylitol or allulose in ice cream will keep it scoopable straight out of the freezer. But do your research - xylitol is deadly to dogs.
I made it and yes, you can definitely taste the cottage cheese, which is what I was afraid of. I prefer the typical traditional ingredients, i.e. cream/low-carb milk or nut milk product. It's hard to improve upon the classic tried and true. Just my personal opinion.
I'm sorry you had an unpleasant experience. I have never been able to taste the cottage cheese, but you could always sub in nut milk or more heavy cream in its place.
Making this now -- taste wonderful. . . can't wait until it is done. Used fresh goat cream that I scrape off of every milk jar just to collect (freeze) and make ice cream. I did not have Gentle sweet, so used 1/4 cup of erythritol and 1/4 teaspoon of THM stevia. This turned out so good -- too good. I decided to mix in extra almond milk after it was done. . . I needed more! Still good!
So glad you like it!!
How could I make this a vanilla flavor? Protein powder instead of cocoa ? Tia!
Here is a link to my vanilla ice cream recipe! http://mymontanakitchen.com/2016/05/27/low-carb-sugar-free-vanilla-ice-cream-thm-s-low-carb-gluten-free-sugar-free-grain-free/
Hi Sarah,
Can this be made without an ice cream maker? I didn’t see a any 1.5 quart ice cream maker on amazon under $29 so its of the question for right now.
I would think you should be able to freeze it in a shallow container!
My husband likes really dark chocolate ice cream. Like, I need to triple the chocolate! (The sugar filled ice cream I made pre-THM, I used 1 c cocoa). So my question is, do you think I should add more gentle sweet or stevia too?
You probably would want to add a bit more sweet to balance out the cocoa!
I’m definitely not into the all the different types of sweetners. I generally use granulated Splenda for everything. Any idea on what amount of granulated Splenda to use? Or what the equivalent measure of sugar would be for sweetness?
I have never used the Splenda granulated, so I'm not sure how it measures. If it measures cup for cup, I would probably start with 3/4 or 1 cup, then taste and see if it needs more.
Loved it!
We don't keep cottage cheese on hand...but I have loads of sour cream. What about swapping those? I make protein shakes with sour cream and they're great, but I don't know how well it would do with ice cream since I've heard you're not supposed to freeze sour cream. Thoughts?
I'm afraid I've never tried that, so I'm not sure how it would work. I would suggest using unsweetened almond milk or more heavy cream to replace the cottage cheese.
What is Half & Half????
I believe half and half is also called light cream.
Half-and-half, also known as half cream in the United Kingdom, is a simple blend of equal parts whole milk and light cream. It averages 10 to 12% fat, which is more than milk but less than light cream.
Yummy!! Made this just a little bit ago. I used almond milk and half of super sweet instead of gentle sweet. I had some after it came out of the ice cream maker!! Will be making again!!
Mmmmmmm, I made this yesterday, but I just used my blender and then froze it. I tried it this morning, and it is AMAZING!!!!!!!! Now I definitely don’t feel deprived of ice cream anymore. It tastes exactly like storebought ice cream. Thanks for the recipe!
After I read all of the reviews and also Sarah's input, these are the changes I made:
Used 1/4 cup of Super Sweet in place of the Gentle Sweet
Also Added 1/4 tsp of Stevia extract (I usually add sweeteners since I like desserts extra sweet)
I followed Sarah's direction to lower the caloric load a bit by:
Substituted 1/2 cup almond milk for 1/2 cup of the heavy cream
Added 4 egg yolks - just because my Mother always did, and I think it gives it a custardy weight
It made (6) 1/2 cup servings and was the best ever! I used the ice cream churn Sarah recommends
We treated ourselves to a countertop ice cream maker for Valentine’s Day. We’ve made your Vanilla and this Chocolate Ice cream. Delicious. Thank you, Sarah!
I made this without a ice cream maker and it went just fine! I just froze it after blending. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Just made this and it was so good! Very excited to find such a good low carb ice cream recipe.
Delicious!! Thank you, Sarah, for your kindness in sharing.
Yum! Through trial and error, I've found that allulose and vodka keep the ice cream scoopable right out of the freezer, and this one is the same. Plus, running through a bit of peanut butter made it even better. This will be my go-to moving forward, for sure.
I'm so glad you found a go-to recipe!