Keto ice-cream base DAIRY-FREE! (cheesecake)

Written By Michelle Duncan

I love me some ice cream — so when I decided to start keto, part of me was honestly a little sad because I knew I’d have to figure out a way to make treats still work for me. That’s when I started experimenting with our Ninja Creami to find the perfect recipe that would satisfy the craving without kicking me out of ketosis.

After quite a few experiments, this has become my go-to base recipe.

The surprising “secret ingredient” is actually sugar-free pudding mix. It helps bind everything together and creates a creamy texture similar to what protein powder can do — except I personally chose not to use protein powder on my keto journey for a few reasons.

This recipe is creamy, customizable, lower carb, and honestly feels like a real treat.

Things You’ll Need

  • Ninja Creami

  • 4 pint containers

  • Kitchen scale

  • Hand mixer or submersible blender

Ingredients (Makes 4 Pints)

  • 2 cans coconut milk (~800 g)

  • 225 g Liberté lactose-free high-protein Greek yogurt

  • 300 g unsweetened almond milk

  • 80 g monk fruit/Splenda blend

  • 10 g sugar-free cheesecake pudding mix

  • 1–2 tsp vanilla

  • Pinch of salt (optional, but highly recommended)

Instructions

Step 1: Mix the Base

Place a large bowl onto your scale and weigh out all ingredients.

Using either a hand mixer or a submersible blender (my personal preference), blend everything together until completely smooth and combined.

Step 2: Fill the Pints

Evenly distribute the mixture between 4 Ninja Creami pint containers. I usually eyeball them first, then use the scale to make sure they’re all roughly even — usually around 350–360 g per pint.

Step 3: Freeze

Freeze the pints for at least 24 hours.

Step 4: Spin the Ice Cream

When ready to use, run the outside of the pint under hot water for about 10 seconds. This helps loosen the frozen edges and gives a creamier texture.

Place the pint into the Ninja Creami and run it on the Lite Ice Cream setting.

It will probably come out looking crumbly the first time — don’t panic. That’s normal.

Use a spoon to create a small hole in the center and add:

  • 2 tbsp almond milk

  • Optional fruit like raspberries or blueberries

Then spin it again on Lite Ice Cream until creamy.

Step 5: Add Mix-Ins

This is where you can get creative.

Some of my favorite mix-ins are:

  • Chopped ZoRaw chocolate

  • Walnuts

  • Pecans

  • Berries

If adding mix-ins, use the Mix-In setting for the final spin.

Estimated Macros (Per Pint)

  • ~350–370 calories

  • ~33–35 g fat

  • ~10–11 g protein

  • ~4–5 g net carbs

Note: These macros are for the base recipe only. Any add-ins like berries, chocolate, or nuts will change the final macros depending on what you use.

Ways to Customize It

One of my favourite things about this recipe is how flexible it is.

If you aren’t keto, you could easily:

  • Use regular sugar instead of monk fruit sweetener

  • Use regular milk instead of almond milk

  • Swap in regular pudding mix instead of sugar-free

You can also experiment with different flavors. Cheesecake has been my favorite base so far, but I’d love to try:

  • Vanilla

  • Chocolate

  • Coconut cream

  • Strawberry cheesecake

You could even add cocoa powder for a richer chocolate version. I may experiment with a chocolate base and add Peanut Butter powder with chocolate chunks of some kind! The options are endless.

And if you do prefer protein powder, you can absolutely use it instead of pudding mix. You may need to experiment a little with texture and measurements, but I’d estimate 1–2 scoops would work well.

Honestly, this recipe has made keto feel so much more sustainable for me. Having something creamy and satisfying in the freezer makes it easier to stay on track without feeling deprived.

Michelle Duncan
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Keto! Why I started.