Ninja Creami Coffee Recipes

Coffee works really well in the Ninja Creami, but there are a few different ways to add the coffee flavor depending on the recipe. Most of my coffee ice cream recipes use instant espresso powder because it adds a lot of coffee flavor without adding extra liquid, but the Coffee Smoothie Bowl actually uses brewed coffee. This roundup has everything from coffee and mocha protein ice creams to a low-calorie espresso sorbet and a thick coffee smoothie bowl.

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What Kind of Coffee Works Best for Ninja Creami Recipes?
How to Make a Coffee Base for the Ninja Creami
Mix-In Ideas for Coffee Ninja Creami Recipes
Top Tips
Ninja Creami Mocha Espresso Protein Ice Cream
Ninja Creami Coffee Protein Ice Cream
Ninja Creami Coffee Smoothie Bowl
Ninja Creami Espresso Sorbet-Low Calorie
Ninja Creami Coffee Toffee Protein Ice Cream
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Instant espresso powder is my go-to for most Ninja Creami coffee ice creams. Since it’s already concentrated, you can get a strong coffee flavor without adding a bunch of extra water to the base. That makes a big difference in recipes like Coffee Protein Ice Cream, Mocha Espresso Protein Ice Cream, and Coffee Toffee Protein Ice Cream.

The three protein recipes are all pretty different. Mocha Espresso combines coffee and dark chocolate, Coffee Protein Ice Cream keeps the focus mostly on the coffee, and Coffee Toffee adds caramel flavor and Heath chips for a little crunch.

The other two aren’t traditional coffee ice creams at all. Espresso Sorbet is a dairy-free, water-based recipe with a strong espresso flavor, while the Coffee Smoothie Bowl uses brewed coffee along with banana, raspberries, oat milk, and mocha almond butter. So there are quite a few different options depending on what kind of coffee frozen treat you’re looking for.

5 Ninja Creami Coffee Recipes collage graphic

What Kind of Coffee Works Best for Ninja Creami Recipes?

For most coffee ice cream recipes, I prefer instant espresso powder. It has a much more concentrated coffee flavor than brewed coffee, and because it’s a powder, you aren’t adding extra water to the base. That’s especially helpful in lower-fat and protein ice creams where too much extra liquid can make the finished texture icier.

That doesn’t mean brewed coffee can’t be used in the Ninja Creami. My Coffee Smoothie Bowl uses a full cup of brewed coffee. The important part is following the individual recipe instead of swapping brewed coffee and espresso powder back and forth. They don’t behave the same way and they aren’t interchangeable in every recipe.

How to Make a Coffee Base for the Ninja Creami

Use the type of coffee called for in the recipe. Most of my coffee ice cream recipes use instant espresso powder because it adds strong coffee flavor without adding extra liquid. The Coffee Smoothie Bowl is different and uses brewed coffee, so follow the individual recipe instead of automatically substituting one for the other.
Blend the coffee with the rest of the base ingredients. Instant espresso powder can go right into the blender with the protein shake, sweetener, pudding mix, guar gum, or other ingredients in the recipe. If a recipe calls for brewed coffee, let it cool before blending it with the other ingredients.
Pour the mixture into the Ninja Creami container and freeze it on a level surface. Don’t go over the MAX FILL line, and make sure the top of the frozen base is flat before processing.
Use the processing setting listed in the recipe. The correct setting depends on what’s in the base. The protein ice creams use LITE ICE CREAM, Espresso Sorbet uses SORBET, and the Coffee Smoothie Bowl uses the Smoothie setting.
Add mix-ins after the base has been processed. If the recipe includes chocolate chips, Heath chips, or another crunchy mix-in, make a hole down the center of the processed ice cream, add the mix-ins, and use the MIX-IN cycle.

Mix-In Ideas for Coffee Ninja Creami Recipes

Heath or toffee bits. Coffee and toffee work really well together, and the little pieces add some crunch throughout the ice cream.
Chocolate chips. Chocolate is an easy way to turn a coffee base into more of a mocha flavor. Chop larger chips into smaller pieces before adding them so you don’t end up with big, hard pieces of frozen chocolate.
Chocolate-covered espresso beans. These are especially good on a coffee smoothie bowl. I would chop them into smaller pieces instead of adding whole espresso beans to ice cream.
Caramel. A little caramel syrup or sauce pairs really well with coffee, especially if you’re already using toffee pieces.
Cookie pieces. Oreos, graham crackers, or other cookies can be added with the MIX-IN cycle if you want a little more texture.

Top Tips

Use instant espresso powder when the recipe calls for it. Instant espresso powder gives you a much stronger coffee flavor without adding the extra water that comes with brewed coffee. Don’t replace it with brewed coffee in recipes like Coffee Protein Ice Cream or Mocha Espresso Protein Ice Cream.
Instant coffee and instant espresso powder aren’t exactly the same. Instant coffee can work as a substitute in some recipes, but instant espresso powder has a more concentrated flavor, so you may need more instant coffee to get the same amount of coffee flavor.
Follow the individual recipe when the first spin comes out dry or crumbly. Coffee Protein Ice Cream and Coffee Toffee Protein Ice Cream may need a tablespoon or two of milk before a re-spin if the texture looks sandy. Espresso Sorbet should be re-spun without adding more liquid.
Add crunchy ingredients after processing. Heath chips, chocolate chips, cookies, and similar mix-ins should be added after the base has already been processed so they stay in pieces instead of being blended into the base.
Keep the caffeine in mind. Instant espresso powder contains caffeine. If you want coffee flavor without as much caffeine, look for decaffeinated instant espresso powder.

Ninja Creami Mocha Espresso Protein Ice Cream

If you like chocolate and coffee together, this one has plenty of both. The base combines a chocolate protein shake with instant espresso powder, dark cocoa powder, and chocolate fudge pudding mix. Chopped chocolate chips get added at the end, and the entire pint has about 31 grams of protein.

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