• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Tasty Travelers™
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
    • Ninja Creami Cookbooks
    • Ninja Foodi Cookbooks
  • Shop
  • About Us
    • Sponsor My Newsletter
  • Subscribe!
  • Submit Your Recipe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Ninja Foodi Cookbooks
  • Ninja Creami Cookbooks
  • Submit Your Recipe
  • Shop
  • Subscribe!
  • About Us
  • Sponsor My Newsletter
  • Social

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Ninja Foodi Cookbooks
    • Ninja Creami Cookbooks
    • Submit Your Recipe
    • Shop
    • Subscribe!
    • About Us
    • Sponsor My Newsletter
  • Social

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Ninja Creami Recipes

    Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream

    57 Ninja Creami PROTEIN Recipe EBOOK
     55 Ninja Creami Recipe EBOOK
     52 Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker Recipe EBOOK
    NEW!
    Published: Sep 4, 2023 by Lauren Cardona This post may contain affiliate links. Using links to these sites means I may earn a percentage of the purchase at no cost to you. As an Amazon affiliate, I may receive a percentage of qualifying purchases. For more details, please read the full disclaimer.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Ninja Creami Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream Pinterest

    Check out my recipe for making Ninja Creami Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream!

    If you've ever had Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream then you know that banana ice cream with chocolate chips and walnut pieces is awesome!! The sweet banana base works incredibly well with the little bits and pieces of chocolate and walnuts!

    Now what if I told you that you could make your own version using your favorite kitchen appliance, the Ninja Creami ice cream maker and you can make it with added protein and lower calories and sugar? Well, you can!

    This recipe comes in at 467 calories, 43 grams of protein, 20 grams of sugar, and 13 WW points. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts.

    Ninja Creami

    This recipe was made using the Ninja™ Creami

    My recipe for making high-protein Ninja Creami Chunky Monkey ice cream does not use protein shakes, instant pudding mix, or artificial sweeteners. Instead, it uses an unflavored whey protein powder and unsweetened almond milk. The main source of flavor for this recipe comes from a banana! Bananas add so much flavor and help to create a super thick and creamy texture when you make your frozen treats in the Ninja Creami ice cream machine!

    Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream close up

    High-protein homemade ice cream doesn't have to taste like a protein shake! It should taste like ice cream! If it tastes like a protein shake or protein powder, I'm not eating it! So, when I say that my homemade chunky monkey ice cream recipe with added protein tastes like delicious ice cream, I mean it! You'd never even know there's added protein in it or that it was made with almond milk and cottage cheese! Did I mention that I don't like cottage cheese either? I don't know which is worse, the taste or the texture. I can assure you that you cannot tell there is cottage cheese in this recipe!

    Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream

    If you have leftover chunky monkey protein ice cream, I would not recommend processing the leftovers again after freezing. If you process the leftovers after the mix-ins were added when you originally processed the ice cream, the mixins, chocolate chips, and walnuts, will get completely pulverized and mixed into the banana ice cream base. While it might still taste great, the texture is going to be different and less appealing.

    Instead of processing the leftovers, I usually leave the container on the container and let it thaw until it's soft enough to scoop. You can speed up this process by microwaving the leftovers until they are soft. The texture is not as good as it was when it was originally processed, but I think it's better than it is when you reprocess the leftovers with the mix-ins already added.

    Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream from the side

    Tips for making Ninja Creami Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream:

    Can I use frozen bananas instead of fresh bananas for this recipe?

    Yes. You can. But, you will need to thaw them a little bit so that they will blend together well with the other base ingredients.

    Can you taste the banana in the ice cream base?

    Yes! The ice cream base should taste like bananas! That's what makes this chunky monkey ice cream! In other recipes, you can add small amounts of banana to help with the texture and based on what other ingredients you add, you may not be able to taste the banana.

    Can you taste the unflavored protein powder once it's added to the recipe?

    If it's a good recipe, you should not be able to tell that there is protein powder added to the ice cream. The ice cream should have a smooth and creamy texture with great flavor from the other ingredients.

    What flavor is chunky monkey ice cream?

    Chunky Monkey ice cream is a banana-flavored ice cream base with pieces of chocolate chips/chunks and walnuts mixed throughout.

    Can a premade protein shake be used instead of almond milk and protein powder?

    You can use a bottled, premade protein shake instead of the almond milk and protein powder that is in the recipe. However, premade protein shakes are already flavored and the recipe calls for unflavored protein powder. Using a premade protein shake will work but the flavor and nutritional information will not be exactly the same.


    Looking for more Ninja Creami Protein Recipes?

    • Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Protein Ice Cream
    • Banana Cream Pie Protein Ice Cream
    • Ninja Creami Salted Caramel Butterscotch Chip Protein Ice Cream
    • Strawberry Cheesecake Protein Ice Cream
    • Chocolate Ice Cream
    • Vegan Peanut Butter Ice Cream
    • Chocolate Chip Protein Frozen Yogurt featured image
      Ninja Creami Chocolate Chip Protein Frozen Yogurt
    • Vanilla Bean Protein Ice Cream Feautred Image-1
      Ninja Creami Vanilla Bean Protein Ice Cream
    • Mint Chocolate Chip Protein Ice Cream featured image
      Ninja Creami Mint Chocolate Chip Protein Ice Cream
    • Strawberry Cheesecake Cottage Cheese Protein Ice Cream featured image
      Ninja Creami Strawberry Cheesecake Cottage Cheese Protein Ice Cream

    Ingredients to make Ninja Creami Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream:

    Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream ingredients

    Ingredient substitutions for making Ninja Creami Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream:

    The full ingredient list is found at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

    • Unsweetened Almond Milk- You can use any type of dairy or dairy-free product that you would like. However, since the recipe calls for sweetener and flavorings, I would recommend choosing a milk/non-dairy milk that is unflavored and unsweetened. You can use Fairlife milk, oat milk, skim milk, whole milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, or soy milk.
    • Cottage Cheese- Be sure to buy NO SALT ADDED cottage cheese if you can find it. Otherwise, the end result might taste a little salty. Low-fat cottage cheese was used but if you prefer, you can use regular fat.
    • Banana- A small fresh banana was used. You can use frozen bananas but you will need to thaw them first otherwise they will not fully blend together with the other ingredients in the ice cream base mixture.
    • Protein Powder- Use your favorite brand of unflavored protein powder.
    • Chocolate Chips- Zero-sugar chocolate chips were used in the recipe to reduce the amount of added sugar. If you prefer you can use regular milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or any other flavored chips or chocolate chunks.
    • Walnuts- If you don't have walnuts, you can use different nuts like pecans or peanuts.

    Directions for making Ninja Creami Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream:

    Make the Ice Cream Mixture

    1. Pour the unsweetened almond milk, cottage cheese, banana, and protein powder into a small blender and blend until all ingredients are fully combined. Pour the mixture into a Ninja Creami pint container.
    2. 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.
    Ninja Creami Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream Make the Ice Cream Base

    Process the Ice Cream

    1. After 24 hours, remove the pint container from the freezer.
    2. Place the pint container into the outer bowl of the Ninja Creami and then process on "LITE ICE CREAM."
    3. If the ice cream is dry or crumbly looking, pour in a tablespoon or two of unsweetened almond milk and then re-spin. You may have to repeat this process a couple of times.
    4. Dig a well down the center of the ice cream and pour in chopped chocolate chips and walnuts. Process on mix-ins.
    5. Remove the pint from the machine and enjoy!
    Ninja Creami Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream Process the Ice Cream

    Pin Ninja Creami Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream:

    Ninja Creami Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream Pinterest

    Never miss a recipe! Subscribe to have FREE recipes sent straight to your inbox!

    FREE EMAIL Series!

     Ninja Creami Recipe Collection!

    Get a new Ninja Creami Recipe sent to your inbox every week!

    Looking for more recipes?

    I've created a post with the 57+ BEST Ninja Creami recipes all in one place! Here's the link.

    57 Ninja Creami Recipes

    Don't have a Ninja Creami? No problem!

    I've also pulled together 100 of the BEST Ninja Foodi recipes! You'll find Ninja Foodi recipes to make appetizers, side dishes, main courses, and even desserts! Here's the link to 100 recipes!

    100 Ninja Foodi Recipes

    Check out some of my newest recipes!

    • Ninja Creami Sorbet Recipes
      Ninja Creami Sorbet Recipes
    • 57 Ninja Creami Recipes
      57+Delicious and EASY Ninja Creami Recipes
    • Ninja Creami Lemon Gelato featured image
      Ninja Creami Lemon Gelato
    • Ninja Creami Apple Cobbler Ice Cream Featured Image
      Ninja Creami Apple Cobbler Ice Cream
    • M&M Ice Cream featured image
      Ninja Creami M&M Ice Cream
    • Chocolate Protein Ice Cream Featured Image
      Ninja Creami Chocolate Protein Ice Cream
    Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream featured image

    Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream

    5 from 1 vote
    Rate this Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save to Slickstream Favorites Saved!
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Freeze Time: 1 day day
    Total Time: 1 day day 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 1 Pint
    Calories: 467kcal
    Join our Facebook GroupCheck out The Ninja Creami Community!
    Submit Your Recipe!Do you have your own great recipe that you would like to see on The Tasty Travelers? Submit Your Recipe!!
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 1 Ninja Creami
    • 1 Ninja Creami Pint Container
    • 1 Small Blender

    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

    • 6 Ounces (170 g) Unsweetened Almond Milk (Fluid)
    • ½ Cup (113 g) Low Fat Cottage Cheese (No Salt Added)
    • 1 (1) Banana (Small)
    • 1 Scoop (1 Scoop) Unflavored Whey Protein Powder (33.6 Grams)

    Mix-ins

    • 1½ Tablespoons (1 ½ Tablespoons) Zero Sugar Chocolate Chips (Chopped)
    • 2 Teaspoons (2 Teaspoons) Walnuts (Chopped)

    Optional

    • 1-2 Tablespoons (1 Tablespoons) Unsweetened Almond Milk

    Instructions

    Make the Ice Cream Mixture

    • Pour the unsweetened almond milk, cottage cheese, banana, and protein powder into a small blender and blend until all ingredients are fully combined. Pour the mixture into a 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 re-spin. You may have to repeat this process a couple of times.
    • Dig a well down the center of the ice cream and pour in chopped chocolate chips and walnuts. Process on mix-ins.
    • Remove the pint from the machine and enjoy!

    Notes

    Can I use frozen bananas instead of fresh bananas for this recipe?
    Yes. You can. But, you will need to thaw them a little bit so that they will blend together well with the other base ingredients.
    Can you taste the banana in the ice cream base? Yes!
    The ice cream base should taste like bananas! That's what makes this chunky monkey ice cream! In other recipes, you can add small amounts of banana to help with the texture and based on what other ingredients you add, you may not be able to taste the banana.
    Can you taste the unflavored protein powder once it's added to the recipe?
    If it's a good recipe, you should not be able to tell that there is protein powder added to the ice cream. The ice cream should have a smooth and creamy texture with great flavor from the other ingredients.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 467kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 868mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 136IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 250mg | Iron: 2mg
    Weight Watchers Points: 13 Points Per Pint

    Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Optional ingredients are not included in the nutrition information.

    Have you tried this recipe? Let us know how it turned out in a comment below!

    Looking for more recipes? Be sure to check out some of our favorites below!

    Ninja Creami Cookies and Cream Ice Cream featured image

    Ninja Creami Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

    See Full Recipe

    Olive Garden dressing

    Instant Pot Olive Garden Italian Dressing Chicken

    See Full Recipe

    Ninja Creami Watermelon Sherbet.

    Ninja Creami Watermelon Sherbet

    See Full Recipe

    Egg Loaf

    Instant Pot Egg Loaf

    See Full Recipe

    tostones

    Tostones

    See Full Recipe

    chili

    Ninja Foodi Chili

    See Full Recipe


    Lauren

    Lauren Cardona

    Tasty Traveler #1

    Hi, I’m Lauren but you can call me Tasty Traveler #1!  
    I have always had a passion for food, cocktails, and travel.  It has become more pronounced over the last several years since I have had the opportunity to do so many of the things that I love. One of my favorite co...
    Read More

    Luis Cardona

    Luis Cardona

    Tasty Traveler #2

    Hi, I’m Luis! (I like to think of myself as Tasty Traveler #1 but Lauren says I’m Tasty Traveler #2!)
    I too have a love for food, travel, and all things in between! Over the past several years I have found more time to be adventurous with things that I eat, the plac...
    Read More

    More Ninja Creami Recipes

    • Caramel White Chocolate Mocha Protein Ice Cream featured image
      Ninja Creami Caramel White Chocolate Mocha Protein Ice Cream
    • Caramel Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Ice Cream Featured Image-1
      Ninja Creami Caramel Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Ice Cream
    • Strawberry Banana Protein Ice Cream Featured Image
      Ninja Creami Strawberry Banana Protein Ice Cream
    • Mocha Espresso Protein Ice Cream Featured Image
      Ninja Creami Mocha Espresso Protein Ice Cream

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Ninja Creami Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream Pinterest
    Lauren

    Lauren Cardona

    Tasty Traveler #1

    Hi I’m Lauren but you can call me Tasty Traveler #1!  I have always had a passion for food, cocktails, and travel. It has become more pronounced over the last several years since I have had the opportunity to do so many of the things that I lo...
    Read More

    Ninja Creami ECookbook

    Frozen Treat Ebook Facebook Size

    FULL COLOR!!!

    Downloadable Ebook

    Printable Ebook

    • Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream featured image
      Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream
    • Strawberry Cheesecake Protein Ice Cream Featured Image
      Ninja Creami Strawberry Cheesecake Protein Ice Cream
    • Ninja Creami Breeze Review and Unboxing-Video
    • Salted Caramel Butterscotch Chip Protein Ice Cream featured image
      Ninja Creami Salted Caramel Butterscotch Chip Protein Ice Cream
    • Baked Potato
      Ninja Foodi Baked Potatoes
    • pork tenderloin, pork, ninja foodi pork, instant pot pork, carrots, potatoes
      Ninja Foodi Sweet and Savory Pork Tenderloin
    • Hard boiled eggs
      Hard Boiled Eggs- Ninja Foodi Recipe
    • Brussels Sprouts, crispy brussels sprouts, brussel sprout, brussels sprout, brussle sprout, Ninja Foodi brussels sprouts, Ninja Foodi brussel sprout, Ninja Foodi vegetable, Ninja Foodi bacon, vegetable
      Ninja Foodi Brussels Sprouts

    Footer

    Ninja Creami Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream Pinterest

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Copyright Notice
    • Recipe Submission Terms
    • Recipe Submission Form

    Newsletter

    • Sponsor my newsletter
    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Submit your recipe!

    Content

    • Ninja Foodi Recipes
    • Ninja Creami Recipes
    • Ninja Foodi Grill Recipes
    • Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Stovetop Recipes
    • Blackstone Griddle
    • Cocktail Recipes
    • Web Stories
    • Giveaways

    The Tasty Travelers are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Some links may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these.

    Copyright © 2022 The Tasty Travelers™

    421 shares