You can make frozen yogurt in the Ninja Creami ice cream maker that tastes just like key lime pie…with added protein! I’ll show you how to make super thick and creamy high protein key lime pie frozen yogurt that tastes like pie instead of tasting like chalky protein powder. Seriously, you’d never know this recipe was made with protein powder.
This recipe comes in at 282 calories, 36 grams of protein, 6 grams of sugar, 5 grams of fat, 44 carbs, 20 net carbs (total carbs-allulose) for the ENTIRE pint. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts.
I absolutely love everything that is either lemon or lime flavored and key lime pie is one of my favorite desserts. For my key lime pie Ninja Creami frozen yogurt recipe I added in some key lime pie flavored yogurt and it added the perfect amount of tartness while at the same time adding some sweetness. The addition of graham crackers as mix-ins helped create the taste and texture of key lime pie crust. If you ask me, this recipe is as close to key lime pie that you can get in ice cream form. It’s so good!
When it comes to making a high protein sweet treat in the Ninja Creami machine it can be a little tricky. It seems that the first thought is to just freeze a protein shake, process it by hitting the lite ice cream button, and hoping for the best. While this method will technically work, it won’t taste great and the texture can be a little off. I’ve found that you can make great tasting, creamy, high protein homemade ice cream by adding in a few simple ingredients while still keeping the sugar, carbs, and fat low.
While my recipe for making Ninja Creami key lime pie protein frozen yogurt might look like it has quite a few ingredients, most are easy to find ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry and it’s quite easy to make.
To create the key lime flavor in this recipe, I’ve used a zero sugar key lime pie yogurt along with lime juice. I used regular, prepackaged lime juice but if you are feeling fancy you can use fresh lime juice or key lime juice (bottled or freshly squeezed). Since we are only using a small amount of lime juice for this recipe you don’t need to spend the extra money on the key limes or key lime juice if you don’t want to.
I use GNC unflavored whey protein powder in many of my high protein Ninja Creami recipes. Using the unflavored protein powder allows me to use the same powder in many recipes instead of having to buy a bunch of different flavors of protein powder to use in different recipes. The protein powder that I use has xanthan gum in it already so you don’t need to add a whole lot to it to create a thick and creamy texture. Be sure to check the ingredients of the protein powder that you are using. If your protein powder does not have any gums in the ingredient list, you may need to increase the amount of guar gum used in the this recipe. But, be careful because a little goes a VERY long way!
Tips for making Ninja Creami Key Lime Pie Protein Frozen Yogurt:
Key limes are much smaller, rounder and are yellower when ripe in comparison to regular limes. The flavor of key limes is similar to that of regular limes as they are both quite tart. But, key limes are not quite as sour as regular limes. In recipes like my Ninja Creami key lime pie ice cream recipe a very small amount of the actual lime juice is used so the flavor difference will not be noticeable.
Vanilla bean paste is a thick, vanilla flavoring that is the consistency of maple syrup. It is very similar to vanilla extract. However, I find that vanilla extract tends to have an alcoholic taste to it and a mellower vanilla flavor to it than vanilla bean paste. Vanilla bean paste has tiny vanilla seeds throughout. The paste adds a ton of flavor and is usually a 1:1 ratio to vanilla extract.
No, I didn’t add pie to this recipe. Although, I have taken key lime pie and frozen it in a Ninja Creami container and processed it. While it was delicious, the flavor dulled throughout the freezing and processing period. It was good, but not as strong of a flavor as I would have liked. And…I added the crust and it did not fully combine with the ice cream. While the consistency was pretty good, it left an almost sandy texture in the finished product. So, if you want to freeze key lime pie, take it out of the crust beforehand.
Guar gum acts as a thickener/stabilizer to help create a thick and creamy finished product with less ice. Many recipes use guar gum, cottage cheese, pudding mix, xanthan gum, or cream cheese as the thickener. You don’t need to use all of these in the same recipe. Add one or the other, but not all of these. Guar gum is easy to use because it has no flavor, is shelf stable, and you need a very small amount for each recipe.
Ninja Creami treats can be left in the freezer for an extended period of time before processing. I’ve left some in the freezer for a couple of months before processing and they have turned out great. Be sure to put the lid on the container really well and store in the refrigerator shelf area instead of the refrigerator door.
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Ingredients to make Ninja Creami Key Lime Pie Protein Frozen Yogurt:
Ingredient substitutions for making Ninja Creami Key Lime Pie Protein Frozen Yogurt:
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 almond milk, cashew milk, whole milk, skim milk, or any other milk of choice.
Sugar Substitute- I have found that Swerve, granulated allulose blend works great and does not have a fake sugar aftertaste. If you prefer, you can use a different sugar or sugar substitute like monk fruit sweetener or liquid Stevia. Adjust the amount based on which sugar substitute you use. The Swerve that is used in this recipe is a 1:1 ratio for regular white sugar.
Protein Powder- Use your favorite brand of unflavored protein powder. If you don’t have unflavored protein powder, you can use vanilla protein powder instead. You can substitute a premade protein shake for the powder and the unsweetened almond milk.
Guar Gum- Guar gum has no flavor and helps create a great texture. While I have not tried it in ice cream, many have found success with Xanthan gum instead of guar gum.
Zero Sugar Key Lime Pie Yogurt– If you can’t find this particular yogurt, you can use a vanilla yogurt, plain yogurt, vanilla Greek yogurt, or plain Greek yogurt and add about a tablespoon or so of lime curd. Stir the lime curd together with the yogurt. The lime curd can be homemade or store-bought. If you want to add even more lime flavor, you can sprinkle in some lime zest too.
Lime Juice– Fresh or packaged lime juice or key lime juice can be used. If you don’t have lime juice, lemon juice is a good substitute.
Vanilla Bean Paste– Paste was used but pure vanilla extract can be used instead.
Green Food Coloring (Optional)
Yellow Food Coloring (Optional
Graham Cracker (Broken into pieces)-Graham crackers, graham cracker crust, graham cracker crumbs, or teddy grahams can be used. You could even use sugar cookies or cinnamon flavored cookies if you would like.
Directions for making Ninja Creami Key Lime Pie Protein Frozen Yogurt:
Make the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the unsweetened almond milk, yogurt, protein powder, sugar substitute, lime juice, vanilla bean paste, food coloring, and gaur gum 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. If the ice cream looks like little balls of ice cream (like dippin dots), respin without adding any liquid. You may have to repeat this process a couple of times.
- Dig a well down the center of the ice cream and pour in the pieces of graham crackers. Process on mix-ins.
- Remove the pint from the machine and enjoy!
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Recipe
Ninja Creami Key Lime Pie Protein Frozen Yogurt
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
- 6 Fluid Ounces (177 3/7 ml) Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 5.3 Ounces (150 ¼ g) Zero Sugar Key Lime Pie Yogurt
- 1 Scoop (1 Scoop) Unflavored Whey Protein Powder
- 2 Tablespoons (2 Tablespoons) Swerve Sugar Substitute (Granulated-Allulose Blend)
- 1½ Tablespoons (1 ½ Tablespoons) Lime Juice
- 1 Teaspoon (1 Teaspoon) Vanilla Bean Paste
- 4 Drops (4 Drops) Green Food Coloring (Optional)
- 2 Drops (2 Drops) Yellow Food Coloring (Optional)
- ¼ Teaspoon (¼ Teaspoon) Guar Gum
Mix-ins
- ½ (½) Graham Cracker (Broken into pieces)
Optional
- 1-2 Tablespoons (1 Tablespoons) Unsweetened Almond Milk
Instructions
Make the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the unsweetened almond milk, yogurt, protein powder, sugar substitute, lime juice, vanilla bean paste, food coloring, and gaur gum 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. If the ice cream looks like little balls of ice cream (like dippin dots), respin without adding any liquid. You may have to repeat this process a couple of times.
- Dig a well down the center of the ice cream and pour in the pieces of graham crackers. Process on mix-ins.
- 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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Beverly C Brown says
is there something I can substitute for the whey powder?
Lauren Cardona says
You can use a different kind of protein powder or omit it.
Susan Dawson says
I made this yesterday and spun it this evening. Turned out perfect. I used fresh key lime juice. I didn’t have any guar gum but it turned out creamy smooth after just one spin on light ice cream.