This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure.
With a rich, creamy vanilla custard base, crunchy cookie crumbs, and a gooey caramel swirl, you’d never guess this easy no churn ice cream recipe is completely keto and carnivore-friendly! The flavor profile was inspired by the old-fashioned classic, Butter Brickle. If you have a sweet tooth but want to keep sugar and carbs down, this frozen dessert is the way to go.
What is Butter Brickle?
Butter Brickle is an old-fashioned ice cream flavor consisting of vanilla custard ice cream with crunchy toffee bits. With rich notes of butterscotch and caramel and pieces of sweet crunchy toffee, it’s a fun flavor that was quite popular in its day.
The invention of this delicious flavor dates back to the 1920’s, but its source is debated, involving candy manufacturer John G. Woodward Co. of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Fenn Bros. Ice Cream and Candy Co. of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Blackstone Hotel’s Orleans Room restaurant in Omaha, Nebraska. You can read more about the history of Butter Brickle ice cream on 3 News Now Omaha and Wikipedia.
This classic ice cream flavor can be hard to find in ice cream parlors and on store shelves, but you can make it at home anytime! And with so many of us trying to reduce sugar, cut carbs, and/or lose weight, why not try the keto version?!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- For starters, it’s absolutely delicious. With Butter Brickle as the flavor inspiration, we have a brown butter ice cream base with caramel swirls and crunchy toffee cookie bits.
- We cut out the sugar, not the flavor! This sugar free dessert is a great option for people who eat low carb or keto, follow a diabetic diet, or just want to reduce their sugar intake.
- You don’t need an ice cream maker or any other special equipment to make this! This no-churn ice cream recipe is surprisingly simple, even though it’s not fast. Although there are multiple steps, it’s easy to follow, even for beginners. (Check out the step-by-step photos and recipe video to guide you through the whole process!) And you’ll be rewarded with absolutely decadent, deliciously rich homemade ice cream that’s free of sugar and added preservatives!
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
Caramel Ingredients
- Nonfat milk powder – We use nonfat powdered milk as the base for this carnivore-friendly caramel sauce.
- Boiling water – Make sure the water is just off the boil to fully dissolve the milk powder.
- Unsalted butter – Butter is an ingredient in classic caramel, and we also use it in the carnivore-friendly keto version. We start the caramel by making brown butter, which adds an all-natural nutty caramel flavor, and helps turn our caramel sauce a golden color.
- Powdered monk fruit/allulose sweetener – This is a sugar-free sweetener that’s popular on the keto diet. In this recipe we use minimal sweetener, so feel free to adjust it up or down to suit your preference. Or to make this a completely carnivore caramel, you can omit the sweetener, but know that the color won’t be as deep and golden.
- Salt – Just a touch of salt elevates the flavor of caramel to a whole new level.
- Heavy whipping cream – Cream makes our caramel velvety smooth and rich.
Cookie Crumble Ingredients
- Unsalted butter – Here we use butter to turn milk powder into crispy little cookie-like bits that taste like toffee with a crunch similar to nuts.
- Nonfat milk powder – The cookie crumbles is where this recipe really wins. We cook nonfat powdered milk in butter until it forms crumbles that have the crunch of cookies and the flavor of toffee.
- Salt – Salt is a natural flavor enhancer and it make sure our cookie crumbles aren’t bland. But we don’t need a lot of salt here! That’s why I recommend using unsalted butter and adding just a little bit of salt; I’ve made this with salted butter (and omitted the added salt) and it was a bit too salty.
- Powdered monk fruit/allulose sweetener – You can skip this sugar substitute if you like; or bump it up a little if you like things on the sweet side.
- Vanilla bean powder – Rich, intensely-flavored vanilla bean powder is one of the secret ingredients that makes these cookie crumbles actually taste like cookies.
Custard Ingredients
- Heavy whipping cream and whole milk – A blend of heavy whipping cream and whole milk are the liquid base for this custard. Don’t opt for lower-fat alternatives here (such as light cream or low-fat milk) because your resulting custard won’t have the right thickness.
- Powdered monk fruit/allulose sweetener – Again, the sweetener is optional here.
- Salt – Just a pinch of salt elevates the flavor.
- Egg yolks – This is a classic ingredient in custard; they add richness and act as a thickener.
Ice Cream Base Ingredients
- Heavy whipping cream – We aren’t reinventing the wheel here. For this recipe, we whip heavy cream and mix in keto egg custard for a classic ice cream base.
- Vanilla bean powder – This adds vanilla flavor and aroma to the ice cream.
What is Vanilla Bean Powder?
Vanilla bean powder is vanilla that’s dehydrated and finely ground. It lends rich vanilla flavor and aroma to a recipe. Unlike vanilla extract, the powder doesn’t contain alcohol, so it can be a better option than regular vanilla extract for a carnivore lifestyle. Additionally, unlike vanilla bean paste, the powder doesn’t have sugar or gums (such as xanthan gum), so it can be easy to fit into a keto meal plan.
Depending on your eating preferences and personal goals, because vanilla bean powder comes from a plant, you may want to omit it if you want to make strict carnivore ice cream.
How to Make This Keto Ice Cream Recipe
This recipe is easy, but time-consuming because there are multiple steps. Make sure to read through the whole recipe before starting. Also, the step-by-step photos and the recipe video (in the recipe card below) will guide you through the whole process!
1: Make the Keto Caramel
- Mix together the milk powder and water in a medium bowl.
- Add the butter to a small-medium skillet over medium-low heat. Once the butter is lightly browned and smells nutty (about 4 to 5 minutes), stir in the the powdered milk/water mixture, sweetener, and salt. Pro Tip: Don’t skip browning the butter here! It lends natural flavor notes of caramel and nuts to our sugar free caramel sauce.
- Turn the heat down to low. Whisking frequently, cook the mixture.
- Continue cooking until the mixture is thickened and has turned a light golden color, about 10 minutes, while continuing to whisk frequently.
- Whisk in the cream.
- Cook until it’s smooth and thick like caramel, about 4 to 6 minutes, whisking frequently. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside to cool.
2: Make the Keto Cookie Crumbles
- Add the butter to a medium skillet over low heat. Once the butter is melted, sprinkle the milk powder evenly across the surface. Add the salt.
- Stir the mixture (it will form crumbles). Continue cooking until the crumbles are golden, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the sweetener and vanilla bean powder, and transfer the crumbles to a bowl to cool.
3: Make the Keto Custard
- Stir together the cream, milk, sweetener, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat. Once steaming, add half of the hot cream mixture a little at a time into the egg yolks while whisking.
- Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with the rest of the cream mixture. Continue cooking until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes.
- Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any bits of cooked egg, and set aside to cool.
4: Make the Keto Ice Cream Base
- Add the cream to a large bowl, and use a handheld electric beater to whip until it forms soft peaks. Add the vanilla bean powder and continue whipping until forms stiff peaks.
- Beat 1/3 of the cooled custard mixture to the whipped cream at a time until all the custard is incorporated.
- This is how it looks after all the custard is incorporated into the whipped cream.
5: Assemble & Freeze
- Transfer half of the ice cream base to an 8.5 by 4.6-inch loaf pan (or any 1.5-quart freezer-safe dish), and spread it out evenly. Drizzle half of the cooled caramel onto the ice cream base.
- Sprinkle on half of the cooled cookie crumbles (I like to go all the way to the edge of the dish so you can see the layer).
- Spoon the remaining half of the ice cream base on top, and spread it out evenly. Drizzle on the remaining half of the caramel, and use a butter knife to gently swirl it around a little. Sprinkle on the remaining half of the cookie crumbles.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 4 to 5 hours.
How to Make Carnivore Ice Cream
To make this ice cream carnivore instead of keto, you’ll only need to make two simple changes to this recipe: omit the sweetener and the vanilla! Of course depending on whether or not you include honey in your carnivore lifestyle, you can choose to swap out the monk fruit/allulose sweetener for honey to taste.
Other than the taste being less sweet, the only difference you’ll notice if you omit the sweetener is that the caramel won’t be as golden in color.
Storage
If it’s wrapped well (or stored in an airtight freezer-safe container), this will keep for about 1 month in the freezer.
Pro Tips
- The sweetener is optional. In this recipe we use powdered monk fruit/allulose sweetener, which is a keto sugar replacement, to add sweet flavor. I kept the amount to a minimum. If you’ve been following a ketogenic way of eating for a while, the level of sweetener in the recipe will likely work well for you. However, if you’re new to a keto diet and your palate is still more familiar with the flavor of regular desserts, I recommend doubling the amount of sweetener everywhere it’s used. Alternatively, if you’re following a carnivore way of eating, go ahead and omit the sweetener if you like. Or if you allow honey on your carnivore meal plan, you can use that instead.
- You can make a couple of the components of this recipe ahead of time and store them in separate containers in the fridge. The caramel and custard will both last up to 3 days, and the cookie crumbles will last up to 2 weeks. The only part of this recipe that I don’t recommend making ahead of time is the ice cream base made of whipped cream.
- Make sure all the components are cool when you assemble the ice cream. The custard should be cool when you incorporate it into the whipped cream for the ice cream base. Additionally, the caramel and cookie crumbles need to be cool when you assemble the ice cream.
Variations
- For the nut lovers – You can skip making the caramel sauce and use unsweetened nut butter instead! If your nut butter isn’t super runny, briefly warm it in the microwave until it’s easy to drizzle.
- If you love chocolate – There are so many different ways you can add chocolate to this ice cream! The simplest way to do it is to add mini chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or a chocolate drizzle along with (or instead of) the caramel + cookie crumble layer in the center.
- For a close-to-carnivore treat – If you can tolerate flavorings and extracts in your carnivore foods, I have a real treat for you! To make these keto cookie crumbles taste like your favorite type of nut, simply add 1/4 teaspoon of any nut extract (such as almond extract, hazelnut extract, pistachio extract, or pecan extract) along with the vanilla bean powder. Pro Tip: Look for an extract or flavoring that doesn’t contain alcohol or added sweeteners. (Note that this treat is keto or carnivore-ish, not strict carnivore, because these extracts are obviously plant-derived. However, if you miss nuts but can tolerate flavorings, you’re going to love this! These crumbles crunch like nuts and with a nutty extract added, they taste like nuts too.)
- Make it maple walnut – Get ready to be blown away; you can create a maple walnut flavored ice cream that’s completely keto! To do so, when you’re making the cookie crumbles, add 1/4 teaspoon black walnut extract along with the vanilla bean powder (and adjust the sweetener to taste). And when you’re whipping the heavy cream for the ice cream base, add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds. It has the flavor, aroma, and crunch of maple walnut ice cream!
Frequently Asked Questions
Well friends, this might come as no surprise, but a carnivore diet includes solely animal products. There are a variety of reasons someone might choose to adhere to a restrictive carnivore meal plan, including as part of an elimination diet to help reduce inflammation and help pinpoint food allergies.
Things like spices, coffee, and even vanilla are derived from plants, so depending on the individual person (and the reason they chose a carnivore way of eating), they may or may not be acceptable.
You can read more about the carnivore lifestyle on Medical News Today and Harvard Health Publishing.
In general, homemade ice cream can be solid as a rock when you take it out of the freezer (because we don’t use the additives and preservatives that commercially-produced ice cream has), but keto ice cream in particular tends to be even more so. One reason for this is the fact that many keto sweeteners have a higher freezing point than regular sugar.
You can do a few different things to make your ice cream softer. For starters, you can add up to 1/4 cup of MCT oil to the custard. Another option is to add 1 tablespoon of vodka to the heavy whipping cream when you whip it. A simpler solution for rock hard ice cream to let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before scooping it.
More Frozen Treats to Cool Down With
Let’s Connect
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media.
To stay up-to-date, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!
No-Churn Butter Brickle Keto Ice Cream Recipe (Carnivore-Friendly!)
Email This Recipe
Get this recipe link emailed straight to your inbox!
Ingredients
Caramel:
- 45 grams nonfat powdered milk about 1/2 cup
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon powdered monk fruit/allulose sweetener optional
- 1/16 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Cookie Crumbles:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 45 grams nonfat powdered milk about 1/2 cup
- 1/16 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon powdered monk fruit/allulose sweetener optional
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean powder optional
Custard:
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup powdered monk fruit/allulose sweetener optional
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 large egg yolks
Ice Cream Base:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
Instructions
For the Caramel:
- Mix together the milk powder and water in a medium bowl.
- Add the butter to a small-medium skillet over medium-low heat. Once the butter is lightly browned and smells nutty (about 4 to 5 minutes), stir in the the powdered milk/water mixture, sweetener, and salt. Turn the heat down to low and cook until the mixture is thickened and has turned a light golden color, about 10 minutes, whisking frequently.
- Whisk in the cream, and cook until it’s smooth and thick like caramel, about 4 to 6 minutes, whisking frequently.
- Transfer to a small bowl and set aside to cool.
For the Cookie Crumbles:
- Add the butter to a medium skillet over low heat. Once the butter is melted, sprinkle the milk powder evenly across the surface. Add the salt. Stir the mixture (it will form crumbles). Continue cooking until the crumbles are golden, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the sweetener and vanilla bean powder, and transfer the crumbles to a bowl to cool.
For the Custard:
- Stir together the cream, milk, sweetener, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat. Once steaming, add half of the hot cream mixture a little at a time into the egg yolks while whisking. Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with the rest of the cream mixture. Continue cooking until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes.
- Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any bits of cooked egg, and set aside to cool.
For the Ice Cream Base:
- Add the cream to a large bowl, and use a handheld electric beater to whip until it forms soft peaks. Add the vanilla bean powder and continue whipping until forms stiff peaks.
- Beat 1/3 of the cooled custard mixture to the whipped cream at a time until all the custard is incorporated.
Assemble and Freeze:
- Transfer half of the ice cream base to an 8.5 by 4.6-inch loaf pan (or any 1.5-quart freezer-safe dish), and spread it out evenly.
- Drizzle half of the cooled caramel onto the ice cream base, and sprinkle on half of the cooled cookie crumbles (I like to go all the way to the edge of the dish so you can see the layer).
- Spoon the remaining half of the ice cream base on top, and spread it out evenly. Drizzle on the remaining half of the caramel, and use a butter knife to gently swirl it around a little. Sprinkle on the remaining half of the cookie crumbles.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 4 to 5 hours.
Video
Notes
- Net Carbs: 7g per serving
- Storage: If it’s wrapped well (or stored in an airtight freezer-safe container), this will keep for about 1 month in the freezer.
- Make Ahead: You can make a couple of the components of this recipe ahead of time and store them in separate containers in the fridge. The caramel and custard will both last up to 3 days, and the cookie crumbles will last up to 2 weeks. The only part of this recipe that I don’t recommend making ahead of time is the ice cream base made of whipped cream.
- Assembly Tip: Make sure all the components are cool when you assemble the ice cream. The custard should be cool when you incorporate it into the whipped cream for the ice cream base. Additionally, the caramel and cookie crumbles need to be cool when you assemble the ice cream.
- Serving: If the ice cream is too firm to scoop, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to thaw.
- Sweetener Optional: In this recipe we use powdered monk fruit/allulose sweetener, which is a keto sugar replacement, to add sweet flavor. I kept the amount to a minimum. If you’ve been following a ketogenic way of eating for a while, the level of sweetener in the recipe will likely work well for you. However, if you’re new to a keto diet and your palate is still more familiar with the flavor of regular desserts, I recommend doubling the amount of sweetener everywhere it’s used. Alternatively, if you’re following a carnivore way of eating, go ahead and omit the sweetener if you like. Or if you allow honey on your carnivore meal plan, you can use that instead.
- Carnivore Version:To make this ice cream carnivore instead of keto, you’ll only need to make two simple changes to this recipe: omit the sweetener and the vanilla! Of course depending on whether or not you include honey in your carnivore lifestyle, you can choose to swap out the monk fruit/allulose sweetener for honey to taste. Other than the taste being less sweet, the only difference you’ll notice if you omit the sweetener is that the caramel won’t be as golden in color.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
Share it with me on Instagram and leave a comment to let me know your thoughts!
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
