The Ninja Creami is a device designed to make creamy treats like ice cream, sorbets, and milkshakes. It’s a great tool to have at your disposal in the kitchen, especially if you enjoy frozen treats or have a serious craving for ice cream, because you can whip them up super fast in this machine.
We were sent a Ninja Creami Deluxe to try (we’re huge fans of Ninja products, if you haven’t noticed on our website already), so we started making all the things. We’ve made milkshakes, ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and tons of protein ice cream.
That’s what leads us to this collection of Ninja Creami protein ice cream recipes. You can experiment with various flavors using protein shake mixes and pudding mixes to create healthy and delicious Ninja Creami Protein Ice Creams in just minutes.
» You might also like these 8 Great Ninja Creami Sorbet Recipes.
What is Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream?
If you haven’t tried this yet, you’re probably thinking this sound a bit weird. Ninja created this protein ice cream as an alternative way to enjoy ice cream made in the machine that is packed with protein, yet still creamy and smooth. You use a protein shake and sugar-free or regular pudding mix to give the ice cream a silky consistency that you expect from ice cream.
Shake or Protein Powder?
The easiest way to make these recipes is with a protein shake. I use Fairlife Protein Shakes. They have 2 grams of sugar, 150 calories, and 30 grams of protein each. Or their Core Power Protein Shakes, which have 7 grams of sugar, 170 calories, and 26 grams of protein. You can also use Premier protein shakes.
These shakes come in many different flavors, like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and strawberry banana, caffe latte, caramel, and chocolate peanut butter.
You can also use protein powder mixed with almond milk, which can open up the possibilities. You would use 2.5 tablespoons of whey protein powder with 1.5 cups of almond milk, and the pudding mix. You’ll want to use a blender to make sure the protein powder gets properly mixed into the almond milk.
Equipment Needed
Ninja CREAMi Deluxe
There are two version of the Ninja Creami, but I’d suggest going with the Deluxe because it adds more features and churning power.
Make completely customizable ice cream, slushies, Italian Ice, Creamiccinos, sorbet, milkshakes, and frozen yogurt functions.
Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Ideas
We’ve tried many different variations of protein ice creams and have a few fun ideas to share with you. Why not try one of these fun flavors.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream
- Protein Shake Mix: Chocolate Flavor
- Pudding Mix: Chocolate or Peanut Butter
- Mix-ins: Chopped peanuts or a swirl of natural peanut butter
Strawberry Banana Cream
- Protein Shake Mix: Strawberry or Banana Flavor
- Pudding Mix: Banana Cream or Vanilla
- Mix-ins: Fresh or frozen sliced strawberries and bananas
Cookies & Cream Dream
- Protein Shake Mix: Cookies & Cream Flavor
- Pudding Mix: Vanilla or White Chocolate
- Mix-ins: Crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
Tropical Paradise
- Protein Shake Mix: Pineapple or Mango Flavor
- Pudding Mix: Coconut Cream or Vanilla
- Mix-ins: Toasted coconut flakes and diced fresh mango or pineapple
Mocha Coffee Crunch
- Protein Shake Mix: Coffee or Mocha Flavor
- Pudding Mix: Chocolate or Butterscotch
- Mix-ins: Chopped dark chocolate or chocolate-covered espresso beans
Salted Caramel Pretzel
- Protein Shake Mix: Vanilla or Caramel Flavor
- Pudding Mix: Caramel or Butterscotch
- Mix-ins: Crushed pretzels and a drizzle of caramel sauce
Mint Chocolate Chip
- Protein Shake Mix: Chocolate or Mint Chocolate
- Pudding Mix: Chocolate or Mint Chocolate
- Mix-ins: Mini chocolate chips and a splash of peppermint extract
Blueberry Cheesecake Delight
- Protein Shake Mix: Vanilla or Blueberry Flavor
- Pudding Mix: Cheesecake or Vanilla
- Mix-ins: Fresh or frozen blueberries and crumbled graham crackers
Raspberry Almond Crunch
- Protein Shake Mix: Raspberry or Chocolate
- Pudding Mix: White Chocolate or Vanilla
- Mix-ins: Crushed almonds and fresh or frozen raspberries
Pumpkin Spice Pleasure
- Protein Shake Mix: Vanilla or Pumpkin Spice (seasonal)
- Pudding mix: Butterscotch or Vanilla
- Mix-ins: Canned pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg
These recipes offer a great starting point, but the possibilities are nearly endless. Feel free to mix and match different flavors, add fruits, nuts, spices, or other creative ingredients to come up with your unique Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream variations!
Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the best results and enjoy experimenting!
Ninja Creami Frequently Asked Questions
Do you really need to freeze it for 24 hours?
The manufacturer’s guidelines suggest that 24 hours is the optimal time to freeze your base. I’ve tried it after 20 hours and that worked well for me, possibly because my freezer is colder than some. The unit is designed to process bases that are between 9F and -7F. I would try to stick with the 24-hour requirement as closely as possible so it has time to reach this range.
What if my ice cream or treat turns out powdery?
I believe this happens because the mixture is very cold. If you let it sit for 10 minutes and stir it again, it will blend better and be more creamy. However, the best way to deal with this issue for me has been to respin it immediately. The respin always fixed the issue.
How much of my add-in ingredients should I add?
Ninja recommends adding a total of 1/4 cup of your favorite crushed candies, frozen fruits, chopped nuts, chocolate pieces, or whatever add-ins you want. You can mix and match, as you like. I like to blend the top with 1/8 cup of one add-in, then blend the bottom with 1/8 cup of another add-in, for variety.
What do I do with leftovers?
It’s quite possible you will have leftovers, since the Deluxe pints hold 3 cups. Ninja recommends storing leftovers in the pint jar so that it can be processed again. Some treats re-freeze very hard and need to be processed again in order to enjoy leftovers. If you move them to a different container, you can’t reprocess.
Do I have to make the whole pint each time?
There is no minimum fill line. You should try to fill the pint at least half way to the MAX FILL line to achieve the best output texture, but filling below this level will not harm the machine. For me, making half a recipe has turned out just fine.
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Laura is a home cook, with 25 years experience behind the stove, who spends an extraordinary amount of time in the kitchen cooking. She loves making new recipes and finding wonderful new things to eat, both at home or abroad. She spends a lot of time researching, crafting, and perfecting her recipes and currently has a cookbook in development.
