Check out my recipe for making Ninja Creami Caramel Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Ice Cream! Caramel banana chocolate chip protein ice cream brings together two ingredients that complement each other very well, caramel and bananas! Add in a little extra crunch with chocolate chips and you’ve got the perfect creamy ice cream that’s packed with protein and low in calories!
This recipe comes in at 325 calories, 31 grams of protein, 15 grams of sugar, 8 grams of fat, and 40 carbs for the ENTIRE pint. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts.
Whether you are making a meal replacement shake, a decadent dessert, or a family-friendly treat, the Ninja Creami does great things with bananas! Anytime you add bananas to a recipe, the banana helps to create the most magnificent texture ever! Stop struggling to get thick ice cream! Add in a banana, and the texture will be so thick and creamy! It’s hard to believe that such a simple and easy ingredient can change the texture of ice cream. But it does!! And, bananas go really well with certain other flavors. Caramel and chocolate are a natural pairing for the banana flavor.
I get it. Protein ice cream is supposed to be healthy! But, that does not mean it can’t taste amazing and have a creamy texture at the same time! If you’re just freezing a caramel protein shake and calling it a day, then you are missing out on what it could be! It takes a few extra minutes to make this recipe in comparison to just freezing the shake by itself. But, it is totally worth it! You won’t even know the protein shake is in the ice cream! I’m serious. Coming from someone that absolutely does NOT like protein shakes, that’s a pretty big deal!
Why are the chocolate chips so hard in my ice cream?
If you've ever experimented with making your own ice cream, then you know that regular-sized chocolate chips can get so hard that you feel like you're going to break a tooth. I mean, they are soooooo hard!! To help with this issue, I started chopping my chocolate chips up into small pieces. Not only does it help with making them easier to chew, but it also helps to distribute little bits of chocolatey goodness all throughout the ice cream without having to use so much of the ingredient.
If you are using regular chocolate chips, and not sugar-free, they do sell mini chocolate chips at the store. Those are much easier on your teeth. But, I have yet to find mini sugar-free chocolate chips anywhere.
So, just chop up the chips, or shave off part of a sugar-free chocolate bar and add it to your ice cream!
You'll end up with an easy-to-eat ice cream with lots of little chocolate bits throughout!
Usually, when you are using a banana in a Ninja Creami recipe, there is no need to add additional thickeners/stabilizers. The banana not only adds flavor, but it helps dramatically with the texture of the ice cream too.
If you want to use instant pudding to add flavor to a recipe that uses banana you can, but it’s not necessary. Try using a flavor extract instead of the instant pudding. It will accomplish the same goal. You’ll have great texture and additional flavor.
Tips for Making Ninja Creami Caramel Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Ice Cream
Maybe if you were to drink the shake on its own. But, when the protein shake is made into ice cream, the flavor becomes more mild. The salt flavor does not stand out.
Yes! You can. However, you would need to drastically change the recipe if it's made using the shake. To use protein powder, you would need to eliminate the shake from the recipe and instead use protein powder, liquid (almond milk), and extra flavor through extra syrup, extract, or flavor oils.
If your banana tastes bitter it's because it's not ripe enough. The longer you let a banana ripen, the sweeter it gets. When making ice cream, use ripe bananas.
Your freezer might not be cold enough. For the Ninja Creami, your freezer should be between 9F and -7F. Or, you may not be using the right ingredients. You need to use a stabilizer/thickener like instant pudding mix, guar gum, or banana chunks. Full list here. If you are leaving the ice cream out on the counter or microwaving it before processing, your ice cream will be softer. Also, adding too much liquid on a respin can cause a softer texture.
It depends on what the mixture is made of. I started blending all of my mixtures in a small blender. You can use a small blender, high-speed blender, food processor, immersion blender, or frother (depending on the ingredients).
Looking for more Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Recipes?
Ingredient Substitutions for Making Ninja Creami Caramel Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Ice Cream:
The full ingredient list is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card.
Caramel Protein Shake- I used a Premier Protein salted caramel protein shake for this recipe. You can use any brand of caramel protein shake that you would like. Just make sure that you like the flavor before using the shake.
Banana – Use a fresh banana. Either ½ of a large banana or 1 small banana. You can use a frozen banana but you should thaw it first.
Zero Sugar Chocolate Chips (Chopped)- You can use any type of chocolate chips or chocolate bar that you would like. Using another brand or flavor will impact the nutrition info for the recipe. Make sure to chop the chocolate up into small pieces.
Sugar-Free Caramel Ice Cream Syrup- This is the ice cream syrup and not the drink flavoring syrups or thick caramel sauce.
Optional
Unsweetened Almond Milk- Any dairy or dairy substitute can be used. You may not need it. If the ice cream is dry and crumbly after processing, you’ll need to add a tablespoon or two of liquid.
Directions for making Ninja Creami Caramel Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Ice Cream:
Directions for Making the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the caramel protein shake and banana into a small blender and blend together until all ingredients are completely combined. Pour the mixture into the Ninja Creami pint container.
- Freeze on a level surface for 24 hours. Your freezer should be between 9 and -7 degrees Fahrenheit. To avoid getting a bump on the top of the frozen mixture, freeze with the lid off of the container.
Directions for Processing the Ice Cream Mixture
- After 24 hours, remove the pint container from the freezer.
- Place the pint container into the outer bowl of the Ninja Creami and then process on “LITE ICE CREAM.”
- If the ice cream is dry or crumbly looking, pour in a tablespoon or two of unsweetened almond milk and then respin. You may have to repeat this process a couple of times.
- Pour the chopped-up chocolate chips down the center of the ice cream and then process on mix-ins.
- Remove the pint from the machine, drizzle with caramel ice cream topping and enjoy!
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Recipe
Ninja Creami Caramel Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Ice Cream
Rate this Recipe
Equipment
Add Food Grade Vegetable Glycerin To Make Leftover Ice Cream Scoopable Right Out of the Freezer
Per 16 ounce pint: *Add 1 Teaspoon to full fat/full sugar bases *Add 1.5 teaspoon to high protein bases *Add 2 teaspoons to low sugar/low fat lite bases. Freeze and process per the recipe. Take the leftovers out of the freezer and scoop without having to reprocess. ***This is a guideline and adjustments may be needed based on your recipe.
Original, Breeze, Swirl, and Deluxe Ingredient Measurements
Use the multiplier below to adjust quantities based on the machine that you own. ***If you have the Original, Breeze, or Swirl machine, which use 16 ounce containers, choose the 1X option. ***If you have the Deluxe or XL machine, which use 24 ounce containers, choose the 1.5X option.
Ingredients
Ice Cream Base
- 11.5 Ounces (326 g) Caramel Protein Shake
- 1 (1) Banana (Small)
Mix-Ins
- 1 Tablespoon (1 Tablespoon) Zero Sugar Chocolate Chips (Chopped)
Optional
- 1-2 Tablespoons (2 Tablespoons) Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar-Free Caramel Ice Cream Syrup (Drizzle on Top)
Instructions
Make the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the caramel protein shake and banana into a small blender and blend together until all ingredients are completely combined. Pour the mixture into the Ninja Creami pint container.
- Freeze on a level surface for 24 hours. Your freezer should be between 9 and -7 degrees Fahrenheit. To avoid getting a bump on the top of the frozen mixture, freeze with the lid off of the container.
Process the Ice Cream
- After 24 hours, remove the pint container from the freezer.
- Place the pint container into the outer bowl of the Ninja Creami and then process on "LITE ICE CREAM."
- If the ice cream is dry or crumbly looking, pour in a tablespoon or two of unsweetened almond milk and then respin. You may have to repeat this process a couple of times.
- Pour the chopped-up chocolate chips down the center of the ice cream and then process on mix-ins.
- Remove the pint from the machine, drizzle with caramel ice cream topping and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Optional ingredients are not included in the nutrition information.
Recipes that use allulose:
Allulose is a low calorie sweetener that your body doesn't fully digest, so it provides only 0.4 calories per gram instead of 4. That's why the calorie total doesn't match what you'd expect from the carb count. Calories from allulose are calculated based on metabolized carbohydrates. Allulose contributes fewer calories than standard carbohydrates.
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