Why I Love My Ninja Creami

Before discovering the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe, my homemade ice cream adventures involved manually whipping heavy cream, mixing in flavors, and freezing the mixture. While the results were good, the process was labor-intensive and the nutritional profile wasn’t ideal due to heavy whipping cream. When I learned about a machine that could make protein-rich ice cream with controllable macros right at home, I was instantly intrigued. Thanks to my wonderful wife who gifted me one for my birthday, I’ve been experimenting with healthier ice cream alternatives ever since.

Essential Tips for Success

Before diving into the recipes, here are some crucial tips I’ve learned:

  • The empty pint container weighs 168g - useful for precise measurements
  • Pre-chilled ingredients may only need 8 hours to freeze properly
  • Before mixing, to prevent ice crystals, let the frozen mixture sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, then warm the container sides and bottom under running warm water for 30 seconds.
  • If your ice cream turns out crumbly, add a splash of milk and use the “respin” function - you might need multiple respins depending on your recipe or freezer temperature
  • The different mixing settings correspond to fat content - traditional ice cream (high fat/sugar) needs less power, while sorbet and lite ice cream (more water-based) require stronger spinning
  • A full 24-hour freeze significantly improves the final texture
  • For enhanced texture and flavor, consider these additions:
    • Sugar-free pudding mixes for improved thickness and sweetness
    • Guar Gum for thickening (preferred over Xanthan Gum for cold items)
    • Erythritol and Monk Fruit extracts for sweetness (especially useful since cold temperatures mute sweetness)
  • Always blend ingredients thoroughly, with a blender or immersion blender, before freezing
  • Consider using Fairlife milk for higher protein content and lower sugar (it’s filtered to concentrate the protein). Netting you more milk, per milk.
Container Size Note
The following recipes are specifically for the Ninja Creami Deluxe with its 24-ounce containers. If you’re using the original Ninja CREAMi with 16-ounce pints, you’ll need to adjust the proportions accordingly.

Fruit-Based Variations

Classic Protein Banana

My everyday go-to recipe

  • 2 very ripe bananas (~200g) - ripeness enhances flavor
  • Whole milk (200g)
  • Vanilla or plain nonfat Greek yogurt (100g)
  • Vanilla protein powder (~33g)
  • Optional: Guar gum (5g) for thickening

Mix using the light ice cream setting.

Blueberry Protein

  • Fresh or frozen blueberries (200g)
  • Vanilla protein powder (~33g)
  • Whole milk (200g)
  • Vanilla or plain nonfat Greek yogurt (100g)
  • Optional: Sugar-free vanilla or cheesecake pudding mix (6g)
  • Optional: Guar gum (5g)

Mix using the light ice cream setting.

Fall Spiced Apple Cider

Requires homemade applesauce

Applesauce Base:

  • Cored, sliced Honeycrisp apples with skin (~392g)
  • Honey (7g)
  • Cook on low heat with minimal water for 10 minutes

Will reduce to ~239g

Ice Cream Mix:

  • Homemade applesauce (239g)
  • Whole milk (310g)
  • Apple pie spice (3g)
  • Vanilla or plain nonfat Greek yogurt (131g)
  • Vanilla protein powder (~33g)
  • Optional: Sugar-free cheesecake pudding mix (4g)
  • Optional: Guar gum (1g)

Mix using the light ice cream setting.

Indulgent Flavors

Banana Chocolate Peanut Butter

My “Smoothie King” special

  • 2 very ripe bananas (~200g)
  • Chocolate whole milk (200g)
  • Vanilla or plain nonfat Greek yogurt (100g)
  • Vanilla protein powder (~33g)
  • Peanut butter powder (27g)
  • Optional: Guar gum (5g)

Mix using the light ice cream setting.

Chocolate S’mores

Featuring specialty protein powder I found at Costco

  • Chocolate milk (460g)
  • S’mores flavored protein powder (~33g)
  • Vanilla or plain nonfat Greek yogurt (120g)
  • Optional: Sugar-free chocolate fudge pudding mix (6g)
  • Optional: Guar gum (5g)

Mix using the light ice cream setting.

Protein Froyo Base

A versatile foundation for frozen yogurt variations

  • Plain or vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt (200g)
  • Vanilla protein powder (~33g)
  • Milk (300g)
  • Vanilla extract (10g)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Optional: Monk fruit with erythritol (8g) for sweetness

Note: This base is designed to be customized with additional flavors.

Oreo-Style Froyo

Using specialty black cocoa powder

Mix using the froyo setting.

Mint Chocolate Chip

Adapted from this video recipe

  • Whole milk (520g)
  • Vanilla extract (6g)
  • Peppermint extract (15 drops)
  • Vanilla whey protein (~33g)
  • Monk fruit with erythritol (12g)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Optional: Guar gum (0.5g)
  • Chopped chocolate for mix-in

Mix using sorbet setting, then use mix-in setting for the chocolate pieces.

Beverages Transformed

Coffee Protein Ice Cream

Requires pre-made cold brew

  • Whole milk (285g)
  • Cold brew coffee (200g)
  • Vanilla protein powder (11g)
  • Vanilla extract (6g)
  • Instant coffee (5g)
  • Guar gum (3g)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Optional: Sugar-free vanilla pudding mix (5g)
  • Optional: Monk fruit with erythritol (11g)

Mix using the light ice cream setting.

Pumpkin Spice

  • Pumpkin puree (200g)
  • Whole milk (260g)
  • Vanilla protein (~33g)
  • Vanilla or plain nonfat Greek yogurt (100g)
  • Pumpkin pie spice (~3g)
  • Optional: Sugar-free cheesecake pudding mix (5g)
  • Optional: Guar gum (3g)
  • Optional: Monk fruit with erythritol (8g)

Mix using the light ice cream setting.

Final Thoughts

The Ninja Creami has revolutionized my approach to homemade ice cream. During the first month, I enthusiastically enjoyed a 20-ounce pint for breakfast daily! The joy of experimenting with recipes has been just as rewarding as savoring the results. I’m always open to feedback and suggestions for improving these recipes - feel free to reach out with your ideas or modifications.