I’ll show you how to make Ninja Creami Chocolate Protein Ice Cream that doesn’t taste like a protein shake! Lots of folks are just freezing chocolate protein shakes and turning them into ice cream with the Ninja Creami. I can’t do it. It still tastes like a protein shake….only colder. I need more flavor and other things to get rid of the protein shake taste. So, after several attempts to get the flavor right, without adding TOO many extra things, I did it. I made chocolate protein ice cream that tastes like chocolate ICE CREAM and not like a protein shake!!
This recipe comes in at 255 calories, 31 grams of protein, 5 grams of sugar, 4 grams of fat, and 29 carbs for the ENTIRE pint. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts.
If you’re just starting out with meal replacement shakes or just trying to add a little extra protein to your diet, you can do it by making your own ice cream. And, I’m here to tell you, it can still taste good…like really good! I was 100% against making protein ice cream. I had zero interest in it. I made some for my husband and then he ended up going out of town when it was ready to be eaten. So, I drew the short straw and ended up being the one that had to try the protein ice creams.
I didn’t think it would happen…but I was pleasantly surprised! Honestly, I had VERY low expectations. Now, don’t get me wrong…there were some big-time fails! Let’s not even talk about the lemon disaster and the disgusting butter pecan concoctions that I came up with.
But, after several attempts, I think I MASTERED the chocolate protein ice cream. It’s just so good and creamy. When I tasted it, I actually used the word gelato to describe it. I KNOW! It’s definitely NOT gelato. But the fact that it tastes like and has the texture of gelato is really saying something!
I’ve tried freezing just the protein shake. I highly discourage you from doing this when it’s so quick and easy to add a couple of ingredients to turn a protein shake into a magnificent ice cream. Protein shakes on their own end up tasting like a very cold and very bland protein shake. It’s really not good.
Can I freeze a protein shake and make ice cream?
Sure, you can. But you’ll regret that decision pretty quickly. When frozen, protein shakes are not very flavorful and are quite bland. I highly recommend adding extracts, pudding powder, fruit, syrups, or just about anything to the protein shake before freezing it. Something as simple as vanilla extract or cocoa powder goes a very long way!
This is a great chocolate base recipe to start with. Feel free to add any mix-ins that you would like. The sky is the limit! Keep in mind that anything additional that you add will change the nutritional value of the recipe. But, I tried to keep the calories and sugar levels pretty low so that other things could be added in while still staying a little healthy.
Tips for making Ninja Creami Chocolate Protein Ice Cream
You can use almost anything as a mix-in. Try adding cookies, candies, fresh fruit, cereal, brownies, or even nuts. I would try to stay away from adding in nut butter like peanut butter, sauces, and spreads. Adding these things in will not create ribbons of flavor. Instead, they will fully incorporate into the base of the ice cream. Sometimes, mixing these types of ingredients in will turn the ice cream to more of a soft serve consistency and you may not be able to scoop the ice cream because it has softened up too much.
There are a few reasons. Usually, your freezer is not between 9 and -7 degrees Fahrenheit or you do not have the correct amount of fat, sugar, or dairy in the recipe. The quickest and easiest way to fix this issue is to add in a tablespoon or two of liquid and respin.
Normally, if you are eating ice cream for dessert, the serving size is 4 ounces or half a cup. The Ninja Creami pint containers are 15 ounces and the deluxe containers are 24 ounces. So, ½ cup is a serving size. This can vary if you are making meal-replacement ice cream. Sometimes, a full pint is one meal. It just depends on what type of diet you are following.
Many have found that freezing the ice cream without the lid helps reduce the bump that sometimes gets created during the freezing process. While this may work sometimes, it does not always work. If your ice cream has a large bump in the middle, you can try to flatten or scrape it down with a warm spoon or vegetable peeler.
I like to use chocolate almond milk in this recipe because it adds additional chocolate flavor. But, it also adds calories and sugar. So, if you would like, you can use unsweetened almond milk instead.
Click HERE to see a full list of substitutions. Some substitutions provide a less creamy texture.
Looking for more Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Recipes?
Ingredient Substitutions for making Ninja Creami Chocolate Protein Ice Cream:
The full ingredient list is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card.
Chocolate Protein Shake– I used a premier protein chocolate shake. You can use any brand that you would like. Just be sure to taste the shake before using it to make sure that you like the taste.
Chocolate Almond Milk– You can use any milk or milk substitute. The chocolate adds more flavor but it also adds more sugar and calories. So, if you would prefer, you can use unsweetened milk.
Sugar-Free Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix– Be sure to use INSTANT pudding mix that has not been made yet. You only use the powder for this recipe.
Dark Cocoa Powder– I prefer to use dark cocoa powder because it provides a stronger chocolate flavor. Make sure you use unsweetened cocoa powder.
Directions for making Ninja Creami Chocolate Protein Ice Cream:
Directions for Making the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the chocolate protein shake, ¼ cup of chocolate almond milk pudding mix, and cocoa powder into a small blender and blend together until the pudding mix is completely combined with the liquids.
- 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 chocolate almond milk and then respin. You may have to repeat this process a couple of times.
- Remove the pint from the machine and enjoy!
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Recipe
Chocolate Protein Ice Cream
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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.
Original and Deluxe Ingredient Measurements
Use the multiplier below to adjust quantities based on the machine that you own. 1X=Original 16 ounce 1.5X=Deluxe 24 ounces
Ingredients
Ice Cream Base
- 11.5 Ounces (326 g) Chocolate Protein Shake
- ¼ Cup (59 ⅐ ml) Chocolate Almond Milk
- 2 Tablespoons (2 Tablespoons) Sugar-Free Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix
- 1 Tablespoon (1 Tablespoon) Dark Cocoa Powder
Optional
- 1-2 Tablespoons (2 Tablespoons) Chocolate Almond Milk
Instructions
Make the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the chocolate protein shake, ¼ cup of chocolate almond milk pudding mix, and cocoa powder into a small blender and blend together until the pudding mix is completely combined with the liquids. 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 chocolate almond milk and then respin. You may have to repeat this process a couple of times.
- Remove the pint from the machine 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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Elizabeth says
Would glycerin help make this more scoopable. I don’t wanna eat the entire thing in one sitting, but I also don’t wanna have to deal with re-spinning it every time.
Lauren Cardona says
Food grade vegetable glycerin does help keep the Ninja Creami ice cream scoopable after processing and freezing the leftovers. The amount needed varies on the recipe but there is a little section in all of my Ninja Creami recipe cards that give guidance on how much to use for different types of recipes.
Cynthia says
I love this recipe!! It’s one of my very favorites!!!
Cynthia says
I love this recipe!! It’s my favorite chocolate protein treat!! Comes out perfect every time! I would give it 6 stars!
Sherree Tierney says
This is the best recipe that I have done. No ice no little pellets of ice cream. I followed this recipe exactly. It rates the best for taste and texture. No respin. I did have to leave it out a little before I spun it. So happy!
Lauren Cardona says
Woo Hoo!! I’m so glad you liked it! I agree, it has THE BEST texture!!