This Keto Cookie Dough Ice Cream brings all the nostalgia of cookie dough, minus the sugar crash. It’s rich, creamy, and packed with bite-sized dough pieces that taste like the real deal. The base churns up silky and scoopable, and the cookie dough stays soft and sweet.
Best of all, it’s simple to make at home and keeps well in the freezer. If you’ve been missing ice cream on keto, this one can absolutely be your go-to.
Ingredients
Method
- Make the cookie dough: In a bowl, cream the softened butter with the sweetener and vanilla until smooth. Mix in almond flour and salt. Add almond milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a soft dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips. Roll into marble-size pieces or flatten and cut into small chunks. Freeze briefly while you make the base.
- Warm the dairy: In a medium saucepan, whisk together heavy cream, almond milk, sweetener, salt, and xanthan gum (if using). Heat over medium, stirring, until steaming and the sweetener dissolves. Do not boil.
- Temper the yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks. Slowly pour in a ladle of the hot mixture while whisking constantly. Repeat with another ladle to warm the yolks without scrambling.
- Cook the custard: Pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low, stirring with a spatula, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and vodka or MCT oil if using.
- Chill completely: Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate 4 hours or until very cold. Overnight is best.
- Churn: Churn the chilled custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions until thick and soft-serve consistency.
- Add cookie dough: Gently fold in the cookie dough pieces. Transfer to a loaf pan or freezer-safe container and smooth the top.
- Freeze: Cover and freeze 2–4 hours, until scoopable. If frozen very firm, let sit on the counter 5–10 minutes before scooping.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Real cookie dough feel: Almond flour and keto sweetener mimic the texture and flavor of classic dough without the carbs.
- Creamy and scoopable: A mix of heavy cream and almond milk gives it a rich base that doesn’t freeze rock-solid.
- Easy sweetener swap: Use your preferred keto sweetener—just pick one that doesn’t crystallize.
- No raw egg worry: The cookie dough is egg-free and safe to eat as-is.
- Versatile: Churn it in an ice cream maker or try a no-churn method with a few tweaks.
Ingredients
- For the ice cream base:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or coconut milk for dairy-free)
- 1/2 cup allulose or powdered erythritol/monk fruit blend (see notes)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon liquid stevia (optional, to taste)
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 tablespoon vodka or MCT oil (optional, for softer scoops)
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional, helps prevent iciness)
- For the keto cookie dough:
- 1 cup fine almond flour
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened (or coconut oil for dairy-free)
- 1/4 cup powdered erythritol/monk fruit blend (or allulose)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- 3 tablespoons sugar-free chocolate chips
- 1–2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk, as needed
Instructions
- Make the cookie dough: In a bowl, cream the softened butter with the sweetener and vanilla until smooth. Mix in almond flour and salt.
Add almond milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a soft dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips. Roll into marble-size pieces or flatten and cut into small chunks.
Freeze briefly while you make the base.
- Warm the dairy: In a medium saucepan, whisk together heavy cream, almond milk, sweetener, salt, and xanthan gum (if using). Heat over medium, stirring, until steaming and the sweetener dissolves. Do not boil.
- Temper the yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks.
Slowly pour in a ladle of the hot mixture while whisking constantly. Repeat with another ladle to warm the yolks without scrambling.
- Cook the custard: Pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low, stirring with a spatula, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon, about 5–7 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and vodka or MCT oil if using.
- Chill completely: Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate 4 hours or until very cold. Overnight is best.
- Churn: Churn the chilled custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions until thick and soft-serve consistency.
- Add cookie dough: Gently fold in the cookie dough pieces.
Transfer to a loaf pan or freezer-safe container and smooth the top.
- Freeze: Cover and freeze 2–4 hours, until scoopable. If frozen very firm, let sit on the counter 5–10 minutes before scooping.
Keeping It Fresh
- Storage: Store in an airtight, freezer-safe container with a piece of parchment pressed onto the surface to minimize ice crystals.
- Freezer time: Best within 2–3 weeks for peak texture and flavor.
- Softening: If it gets too hard, let it rest at room temperature for a few minutes or microwave the container (not metal) in 10-second bursts until scoopable.
- Stir-free tip: Avoid frequent thaw-refreeze cycles, which can cause iciness.
Benefits of This Recipe
- Keto-friendly: Low in net carbs thanks to almond flour and sugar-free sweeteners.
- High satisfaction: Rich fats and real vanilla deliver a classic ice cream experience.
- Customizable: Works with dairy-free swaps and your preferred sweetener.
- Safe cookie dough: No raw eggs in the dough, so you can enjoy those chunks without worry.
Pitfalls to Watch Out For
- Sweetener choice: Erythritol can crystallize and cause a gritty texture. Allulose usually keeps the base smoother.
A blend can balance sweetness and texture.
- Overcooking custard: Too much heat will scramble the yolks. Keep it gentle and stir constantly.
- Skipping the chill: Churning warm custard leads to ice crystals. Fully chill before churning.
- Huge dough chunks: Large pieces can turn too firm in the freezer.
Keep them small and bite-friendly.
- Too little fat: Swapping out all the cream can make the ice cream icy. Keep enough fat for creaminess.
Recipe Variations
- Dairy-free: Use full-fat coconut milk in place of cream and almond milk. Use coconut oil in the dough.
Add a pinch of guar gum for extra body.
- Peanut butter cookie dough: Replace 2 tablespoons of the butter with peanut butter and use sugar-free chocolate chips.
- Brown butter dough: Brown the butter for the dough and let it cool before mixing. Adds a toasty, caramel note.
- Salted caramel swirl: Ripple in a keto caramel sauce after churning, along with the cookie dough pieces.
- Mint chip dough: Add 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract to the dough and use chopped sugar-free dark chocolate.
- No-churn method: Whip 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold in a chilled mixture of 1 cup almond milk, sweetener, vanilla, and a pinch of xanthan gum.
Fold in cookie dough, then freeze 4–6 hours, stirring once halfway through for a lighter texture.
FAQ
What’s the best sweetener to use?
Allulose is the most reliable for a smooth, scoopable texture. Powdered erythritol/monk fruit blends work, but may firm up more in the freezer. A mix of mostly allulose with a little erythritol can give balanced sweetness.
Can I skip the egg yolks?
Yes.
The result will be less rich, but you can add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum or 1 teaspoon gelatin (bloomed and dissolved) to help with body. Use the no-churn variation for an easier egg-free option.
How do I prevent the ice cream from getting icy?
Chill the base completely, use enough fat, and consider a small amount of xanthan gum. A tablespoon of vodka or MCT oil also helps keep the texture softer.
Can I make it without an ice cream maker?
Yes.
Use the no-churn variation: whip the cream, fold in the chilled sweetened almond milk mixture, add cookie dough, and freeze. The texture won’t be quite as airy but is still delicious.
Is almond flour safe to eat raw in cookie dough?
Yes, almond flour is typically safe to eat without baking. If you prefer, you can lightly toast it in a skillet over low heat for a few minutes to reduce moisture and add flavor.
How many net carbs per serving?
It depends on your ingredients and sweeteners.
As a ballpark, a half-cup serving made with allulose and almond flour cookie dough typically lands around 3–5 net carbs. Always calculate using your specific brands.
Can I use coconut flour for the dough?
Not as a 1:1 swap. Coconut flour is very absorbent and will make the dough dry.
If you must use it, start with 2–3 teaspoons and add more fat or milk to reach a soft dough.
Wrapping Up
Keto Cookie Dough Ice Cream proves you don’t have to give up classic desserts to stay low-carb. With a creamy vanilla base and plenty of soft, chocolate-studded dough, it tastes like the real thing. Keep a tub in the freezer for weeknight treats or weekend cravings. Once you try it, you’ll wonder why you ever bought store-bought keto pints.
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