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GET IT NOWMy Nice Cream Recipe Is Smooth, Creamy, And Totally Dairy Free
This nice cream reminds me of a truffle, ice cream, and peanut butter cup, all rolled into one irresistible frozen treat that you’d never guess is secretly a healthy dessert. Here’s why it’s different from any other nice cream recipe you might have tried before:
- Decadent chocolate peanut butter flavor – Most nice cream recipes are made with frozen bananas or other frozen fruit. I love banana ice cream and frozen yogurt, but this one is different. It’s rich, chocolaty, and actually satisfies that ice cream craving.
- Rich, creamy, and satisfying – It’s definitely richer than any other dairy-free ice cream I’ve tried. It scoops like a dream.
- Easy to make – Just toss 6 ingredients in a blender and churn (or use my no-churn alternative below).
- Better for you – This nice cream is of course dairy-free, but it’s also gluten-free, has no refined sugar, and even sneaks in 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber.
If you need a “nicer” way to enjoy ice cream this summer without dairy, make a batch of this one with me, and you’ll see why I keep coming back to it!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my nice cream recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk – This is the base of the nice cream and gives it that creamy texture. I grabbed organic from my local Sprouts because it also carries my Besti sweeteners (listed below — find your closest store here), but this brand is also great if you want one without gums. I don’t recommend lighter milks, like almond milk, that watery coconut milk in the dairy case, or regular dairy milk, because they make the nice cream too icy.
- Peanut Butter – For flavor and texture. This is my favorite brand with no added sugar because it’s spreadable and not runny, but for this particular recipe, runny natural peanut butter will work, too. You can also use almond butter, any other nut butter, or even sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option.
- Coconut Oil – Makes the nice cream easier to scoop and not harden as much. I used this one.
- Cocoa Powder – For the chocolate flavor. I recommend Dutch processed cocoa powder because it’s less bitter.
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – This sweetener makes a huge difference in the end result! Not only does it dissolve easily for a smooth texture, it also lowers the freezing point of the nice cream, making it harden less and stay scoopable. The only other sweetener that will work the same way is plain powdered allulose, but you’ll need an extra 1/4 cup to get the same sweetness. Conventional sugar, erythritol, and other brands of monk fruit or stevia will make your ice cream turn out much harder and likely grainy.
- Vanilla Extract
How To Make Nice Cream
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Blend it up. Toss all the ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until super smooth and creamy.
- Freeze or churn. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker (this is the one I use — but see my tips below if you don’t have one) and churn until it reaches a soft-serve consistency. Transfer to a glass container and freeze until solid.
- Scoop and serve. I drizzled my nice cream with extra peanut butter and sprinkled with sugar-free chocolate chips. You can also top it with my sugar-free chocolate syrup, chopped nuts, sprinkles, fresh berries (I’m partial to strawberries or raspberries), whipped cream, or even crushed peanut butter cookies.
My Recipe Tips
- Powdered Besti is key for keeping this nice cream smooth and scoopable. I can’t emphasize it enough — other sweeteners make it gritty and icy.
- Freeze your ice cream maker bowl for at least 24 hours. If you do it for less, it often warms up before the churning process is finished and the nice cream doesn’t get thick enough.
- A high-powered blender like this will get you the best texture. A food processor works too, just not quite as silky.
- Once you’re done churning, get the mixture into the freezer right away. If it starts melting before you freeze it, the texture gets harder later on.
- For the best creamy texture, try to eat this nice cream 3-4 hours after freezing. It’s fine past that point, you’ll just need to let it sit out for about 10 minutes before scooping.
- Don’t have an ice cream maker? You can freeze the blended liquid in a pre-frozen glass container without churning, but you’ll need to stir every 30 minutes for the first 3-4 hours. Alternatively, you can shake it in a jar to skip the stirring part — like my mason jar ice cream.
- Run your ice cream scoop under warm water. It makes scooping easier and melts the edges slightly, which I think makes it even better. This is my favorite ice cream scoop!
Nice Cream (Chocolate Peanut Butter)
My chocolate peanut butter nice cream recipe is rich, creamy, and dairy free, with 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. So easy to make!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Combine all the ingredients in a powerful blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
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Pour the mixture into a frozen ice cream maker bowl and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. The texture won't be like typical soft-serve, but should be very thick, like pudding.
Alternatively, if you don't have an ice cream maker, you can pour the mixture directly into a pre-frozen glass container and freeze, but you'll need to stir every 30 minutes until solid.
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Pour the mixture into a glass freezer safe container. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours, until firm.
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Chocolate peanut butter nice cream gets harder in the freezer after 4 hours, so if you're serving it later than that, let it thaw on the counter for 10-15 minutes to soften.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/2 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the creamiest texture, smooth consistent results, and easy scooping.
- Storage: You can keep it in the freezer for up to 3-6 months. Don’t forget to let it soften a bit before serving!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Nice Cream
142 Comments
Jennifer Summerall
1This recipe is wonderful!! My husband said it taste like the inside of a Lindt Lindor truffle, so rich and creamy after about 4 hours in the freezer.
Emely
1Just made this recipe using my Cuisinart Ice Cream maker. I put in the freezer. It taste yummy because I liked the paddles of the ice cream maker. I’m so glad because I’m lactose intolerant. Thank you so much. I think strawberry next..BTW I used the Besti Monk Fruit/Allulose powdered sweetener. I’ve turned a lot of people on to it. It’s the best. Thanks again
Tammy Wilshire
0Loved it! Made this last night when I needed a chocolate fix. This is now my new favorite low carb ice cream recipe. Several others I tried were just too fatty tasting and the flavors were drowned out or too bitter from the cocoa powder. This one was perfect.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m love to hear that, Tammy! It’s the best when a recipe hits that chocolate craving just right and I’m thrilled this one became your new favorite.
Vanessa
0This is amazingly good. Have made the frozen banana type before but no matter how much chocolate I added, all I tasted was the banana. This you actually taste the chocolate, and the texture is perfect!!
Wholesome Yum D
0Vanessa, I’m so happy to hear you finally found a version where the chocolate shines through!
Kate
0My coconut oil Is not solid. Can I measure anyway or should I put in the fridge to solidify?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kate, I’ve only tried this with the kind that’s solid at room temperature, but most likely liquid should also work and should measure pretty closely. Please let me know how your nice cream turns out!
Sheri Earle
0Can you use natural peanut butter? You know the kind where the oil separates and you have to mix it in throughly before using. It has a runnier consistency than regular peanut butter, but it’s the only one without added sugar I can buy in Canada.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sheri, Yes, that should work fine in this recipe. Please let me know how it turns out for you!
Crystal
0This looks amazing! Do you know if it works in a Ninja Creami?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Crystal! I think it would, but I don’t have one of those so have not tested it. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
David Evans
0Can you put this in an ice cream maker?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi David, Yes, you can. Refrigerate the mixture until it’s very cold (40 degrees F or lower), then churn and freeze.
Pablo Dalka
0Thanks, I’ve recently been searching for facts about this topic for ages and yours is the best I have located so far.
Staci
0So, I am in the minority, I know, but I do not like peanut butter…can I use bananas instead of peanut butter?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Staci, You probably can, but I haven’t tested that with this particular recipe. I do have a banana ice cream recipe.
Wendy
0Can you use an ice cream maker after step one of instructions?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Wendy, Yes, absolutely! The texture is best with an ice cream maker.
Cheryl
0I’m assuming this recipe would work in an ice cream machine. I wonder also if liquid Stevia would work as a sweetner. I may try that plus a touch of coconut sugar.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Cheryl, Yes, this recipe works well with an ice cream maker. The allulose not only sweetens the recipe but also helps to keep it soft and scoopable. You can use stevia but will end up with much harder ice cream after freezing.
Thea
0I made this yesterday and added vanilla and maple extract. I just poured it right into mini popsicle molds and it made exactly sixteen.
This was so delicious. Super rich and creamy, better than some of the expensive vegan ice cream I’ve purchased, and not full of sugar. The flavour was amazing. Definitely making this again.
Thea
0Also, I just realized that I missed the “powdered” part of the recipe. I used regular, granulated erythritol and a Vitamix. Not a hint of grittiness, super creamy.
JennG
0Absolutely fabulous! I would really like to have chunks of peanut butter throughout… Think Basking Robbins .
Any suggestions on how to do this?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi JennG, Thin your peanut butter with a small amount of coconut oil. You’ll want it slightly runny, not sticky. After stirring your ice cream at the 60-minute mark, it should be thick enough to add your peanut butter mixture. Slowly drizzle and fold your peanut butter into your ice cream. Store it in the freezer until it’s fully hardened. Enjoy!
Sarah
0Looked like ice cream you’d buy from the grocers! So, I followed the recipe to a T, except for the sweetener powder, I use Vega’s coconut almond flavor protein powder. The texture was good, taste… err I found it too creamy. Like way too soft, or perhaps it was the coconut oil. Not sure! I wanted less cream to hit me I suppose. Anywho I added pecans to mine, some shredded coconut as well.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sarah, It could be the substitutions you made. I would make the recipe as written first to see how it’s supposed to taste before making modifications.
jorja
0is coconut milk necessary?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jorja, Yes, coconut milk is the liquid base for this recipe. Other types of milk will make it icy, and without coconut milk it would just be frozen nut butter.
Molly
0Can this be made without the cocoa powder? I’ve made this recipe before and loved it but now I’m pregnant and avoiding all forms of caffeine, which includes chocolate. Would some vanilla essence work in it’s place to make a regular peanut butter nice cream? Also wondering if regular heavy cream could be used instead of coconut cream?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Molly, Yes, you can make this without the cocoa powder and with vanilla. Also, feel free to use heavy cream if you wish. Please let me know how it turns out, and congratulations on the upcoming baby!
Judy
0We are so excited to have this recipe!
Can I use a metal pan? Our freezer is so full because we stock up for fewer trips these days. I’m afraid it will spill when on top of the other foods.
Should I cover the metal pan with parchment paper? Would that break while stirring?
Thank you very much
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Judy, A metal pan would probably work fine. Yes, I would cover it with either parchment or freezer paper to keep the ice cream from getting freezer burn.
Chris Kelly
0Hi Maya,
Can you make it without the Coconut oil and powdered sweetener!
I’d like to go without oil but would be open to raw honey or maple syrup if you recommend some kind of sweetener.
Thanks. I’m excited to try it!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Chris, Both are necessary to get the correct texture.
Barbara Schuler
0Just tried this with my new Cuisinart ice cream maker and it turned really well! Took about 12 minutes in the machine and was firm enough to eat at that time, however I put it in a container in the freezer for a bit. It was really yummy! I did not have a powdered sweetener so I simply used a blender to break down the granules of monk fruit w/Erythritol and that seemed to work well enough.The flavor was great and I definitely will be making this again! Thanks for the great recipe!
Shana
0Hi, I can’t find any powdered allulose here. Would powdered erythritol work also? Can’t wait to make this ice cream!
JmjUSA
0Coconut milk…. The kind in a can or the supermarket variety…
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Shana, You need powdered allulose or powdered Besti to get the right texture. I don’t recommend powdered erythritol, which doesn’t dissolve well and hardens too much. You can use my links in this comment to get one of the sweeteners I recommend for this recipe.
Roxie Fiste
0Hi Maya – this recipe is very appealing but I’m allergic to coconut. Please tell me I can substitute almond milk or other to make this delicious nice cream?
Thank you,
Roxie
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Roxie, I’m sorry, I don’t recommend almond milk for this recipe because it would be too icy. Try my almond milk ice cream instead if you can’t have coconut.
RoxieF
0Would swapping out the coconut milk for almond or cashew milk work in this recipe? I have a coconut allergy. My family has enjoyed many of your recipes – thank you for posting them!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Roxie, Sorry, I don’t recommend those because they’d make the nice cream too icy. Heavy cream would work if you don’t need it to be dairy-free. I’m so happy your family has enjoyed my recipes!
Beth
0Hi. I am going to try this recipe. Unfortunately I could only get unsweetened coconut milk. Will this work?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Beth, Yes, unsweetened coconut milk is what you want for this recipe.
Kayla
0This recipe was really easy. We had an ice cream maker. It worked really well and didn’t take a full 30 minutes to turn you just have to watch it to see when I gets hard. We Use pistachio butter instead of peanut butter.
Robin
0Can’t wait to try in my ice cream maker! Did you pre mix the ingredients or just mix in the ice cream maker?
Karissa
0Your recipes look amazing! But it would be helpful if maybe you could post the written recipe in here somewhere, where it’s clear to see ? I tap jump to recipes and it only tells me to pin it . I can’t find the actual written recipe
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karissa, The recipe card is right below the pin box you’re referring to.
Vicki Violette
0Can this recipe also be made with unsweetened almond milk?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Vicki, No, sorry, almond milk is too watery for this recipe.
Harmony
0I made this once before as described and it was awesome! It turned out really grainy this time. I was mixing it with an immersion blender, I think I used my Magic Bullet initially last time since I needed to powder my granulated Swerve, and it seemed almost like I blended for a few seconds too long or something, it was normal and then bam, grainy. I didn’t follow the recipe exactly this time though. I made it without peanut butter because I didn’t have any on hand and my coconut oil was in between solid and melted due to temp inside, so that measurement could have been off too. Any idea which may have caused the problem and do you think I could thaw and add anything to fix it? It tastes ok, not as good as before, but the texture is way wrong.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Harmony, The grainy texture is because you used Swerve, which dissolves inconsistently and can crystallize. I recommend powdered Besti for this recipe (and really for all ice cream recipes) to avoid these issues. Hope this helps for next time!
Cindy Erickson
0I love your recipes! Could this be made with coconut cream. I have not been able to find coconut milk in the can.
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cindy, coconut cream might be too thick. Heavy whipping cream might work, but I haven’t tested it myself.
Shawna
0Why do you add coconut oil to this ice cream recipe? What does it do?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Shawna, It’s for texture, good fats, and keeps it soft.
David Schwartz
0Hi Maya,
Would MCT oil powder help smooth out the consistency? How much would you suggest adding to this recipe?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi David, MCT oil (not powder) might help make it more scoopable if you plan on leaving it frozen for a while. Try 3-4 tablespoons. Let me know if it works for you!
LouAnn
0Can I use MCT Coconut oil for this recipe?
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi LouAnn, I would use regular coconut oil for the recipe and not MCT oil.
Kat
0Can you sub cacao powder for cocoa? I know cacao is stronger so you would need less. Just wondered if I could use that or make a trip to the store. Thanks!
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kat, I haven’t tried that but it should work. Start with 1/8 cup and add another teaspoon at a time if it doesn’t seem chocolatey enough.
Denise
0Could you tell me if I did something wrong? I followed the recipe exactly except for the coconut milk and I used Heavy whipping cream. It’s very grainy. I would appreciate any suggestions. Thank you for all you do!
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Denise. I haven’t made it with whipping cream so that could be the problem. I would make it with the coconut milk and watch the video to see how I made it.
Jacqueline
0I have tried many keto ice cream recipes and this is the best!!! It’s is so creamy and delicious. Perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth without all of the carbs. I blended the ingredients and put it in my ice cream maker. Super simple!
Antoniette Mora
0Hello,
Not a huge fan of coconut flavor. Would I be able to use heavy whipping cream instead of the coconut milk? Or even half heavy whipping cream and half coconut milk?
Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Antoniette, You probably can, I just haven’t tried it to confirm. Let me know if it works out for you.
Mere
0So let me start by saying that I have used thousands of recipes online for years and I have never left a comment before. That being said, I had to comment on this. Oh. My goodness. This is EVERYTHING. I’m new to keto, two weeks in, and been dealing with all those food cravings coming off processed foods. This was creamier than regular ice cream, more luscious, filling, sweet, salty, comforting and all those other amazing adjectives that describe your dream food. And I’ve been having a hard time with a lot of keto recipes because I don’t like coconut. Coconut milk, cream, oil, etc. Just really don’t like it. Even though the taste of coconut in those products is so slight, it’s stull usually too much for me. And while this didn’t fully mask the taste of coconut, it turned it the little bit of coconut flavor into an accent and something I found actually completed the chocolate and peanut butter and made it enjoyable for me. For the first time ever. Lol. My kids, including a picky three year old, loved it. I’ve made it three times in a week because we’ve been having a bowl for dessert every night. I scooped out half cup servings and froze them individually in little mini pie tins I have and that worked out perfectly. I thank you sooooooo much for making this recipe. I’ve used several from your website so far (your bagel recipe, crackers, cauliflower Mac and cheese, chocolate peanut butter smoothie, etc) and all have been phenomenal. But this one really and truly blew my hair back in the most amazing way possible. I’m eating now as I’m writing this. Lol. Thank you again so much for this (and all your other) recipes!!!!!
Sue Johnson
0Hi! I just made this ice cream and it seems to have curdled. I used a peanut butter with coconut though. Could this be the reason? I’m trying to save it freezing and stirring to see if I can save it.
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Sue, I would definitely try making the recipe as written. There is a video on the post you can watch as well to see how to make the recipe.
Chris
0I’m going to be trying this recipe, as this is my wife’s favorite combo, but if using an ice cream maker how long must it churn?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Chris, It will vary by ice cream maker, just churn until it’s thick.
Trisha
0Can I use unsweetened almond milk?!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Trisha, No, almond milk would not be thick enough.
Joni Moreno
0Your recipies sound so Delicious. I am not a dessert eater but if I ever have a craving I will make your desserts. Thank you and keep them coming.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Joni!
Leandra
0I LICKED THE BLENDER CLEAN…..no joke. OMG….I love it…I love you for creating it… I added a 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and used almond butter since my peanut butter on hand has sugar added. The almond butter waffle recipe I wanted try but have bought the waffle make yet. However, I have tried so many recipes from this site and loved them.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy to hear that, Leandra! Thank you!
Kathy
0I made this and it wasn’t grainy but icy texture. What caused this if you know? Thanks for your help. Kathy
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kathy, It’s best a few hours after freezing, and gets hard if frozen too long. If you want to store it for longer, an ice cream maker works better than the no-churn method.
Brenda Henry
0Is the ice cream recipe for the Paleo diet?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Brenda, Peanut butter is not paleo so unfortunately the ice cream would not be paleo as written, but you can replace the peanut butter with almond butter for a paleo version if you’d like.
Jenna Parker
0I can’t wait to make this! I live in Florida and my coconut oil is almost never solid in my pantry. Do you have a recommendation for measuring the coconut oil that is liquidy in the jar?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jenna, The amount is pretty close, it’s just a little different so I mention how I measure to be on the safe side. For this particular recipe, since it isn’t baking, you can probably just measure it liquid and it will be fine. Otherwise if you want to be really sure, you could place it in the fridge for a bit to solidify it.
Leah Jodon
0Can this ice cream be made without the peanut butter? And also I noticed that the ice cream has been really dry, even once it’s done.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Leah, It’s chocolate peanut butter ice cream, so is there some specific reason you’re looking to omit the peanut butter? Almond butter would work fine as a replacement. I haven’t experienced dryness, but if what you are describing is it’s hard or crumbly, then it needed to be stirred more before freezing. If it hardens too much, it can help to have it thaw a bit on the counter. I like giving the option of a no churn recipe, but an ice cream maker also works if you don’t want to do the manual stirring.
Ewa
01 13.5-ounces how many ml is it?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ewa, It’s 400 mL. You can use the “Metric” button on the recipe card to switch between US Customary and Metric measurements.
Luana
0Hi, there! Can I use unsalted butter instead of coconut oil? Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Luana, Possibly, I haven’t tried that. It would likely be harder to scoop, though. Let me know how it goes if you try it.
Jill
0This ice cream was so good! Thank you for this and all your recipes. It seems I can always count on your recipes to turn out great and have the ingredients that I don’t mind using.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Jill! I appreciate the kind words and it means a lot!
Doug Danks
0Thanks for the Sugar Free Keto Low Carb Peanut Butter Chocolate recipe. It was the second thing I have made in my new ice cream maker. The recipe was easy to follow and I had all 5 of the ingredients on hand. I’ve been on the Keto diet for the past 35 pounds and this will be a great addition. I am 70+ years old so anyone can do this. My wife is a retired RD, and she loved it as well. I think she was surprised I made it all by myself. We got 9 servings, as we have the little plastic bowls with lids. I would say the portion size would be a little smaller than a 1/2 cup, so we estimated calories @ 250 AND WELL WORTH IT. Thanks,
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Doug! I’m so glad you and your wife liked it.
Dawn
0This was one of the first Keto-type recipes I ever made. If I was going to eliminate ice cream from my house I needed a sweet substitute; unless I wanted my husband to divorce me.
It was good. Hit the spot. A tablespoon was enough. My hubs really like it but I was less enthusiastic bc I’m just not a fan of peanut butter. Regardless a tub of this is always alternating between the fridge and freezer.
Today, however, I made it with almond butter. I also used unrefined coconut oil. OH. And I use liquid Stevia to cut down on carbs a little MY. GOODNESS. This was next-level delicious. Like a chocolate, almond, macaroon. Devine. I can’t wait for it to harden. Thank you for the recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Now I have to try it with almond butter, Dawn! That sounds delicious!