Have you ever wondered what to do with those conversation hearts that are so popular around Valentine’s Day? Well, I’ve got just the recipe for you! I’ll show you how to get the most out of the conversation hearts all at the same time as creating a delicious Ninja Creami ice cream!
It’s that time of year! February is the perfect time of year to create pink, heart, love, and romance related recipes. This year is even a little more special because the Super Bowl is right around the corner. With the Super Bowl this year, a little romance is added into the Super Bowl with the love story of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Now, you don’t have to be big into football, Taylor Swift, or romance to enjoy this recipe. But, why not knock out two events with just one recipe?
If you’re a Taylor Swift fan, you’ll know that this recipe is named after her song “Lover.” Whether you are looking for a fun Super Bowl, Taylor Swift, or Valentine’s Day recipe, or none of the above, you should still run and get some conversation hearts so that you can make my Ninja Creami Lover ice cream!
My recipe for making Ninja Creami Lover ice cream has a sweet, cotton candy ice cream base with conversation hearts mixed in. Usually, I’m not a fan of conversation hearts. Sure, they are cute and make for a fun Valentine’s Day treat, but if I’m being honest, the flavor and texture is not great. They don’t have much flavor and can be chalky. So, what exactly are you suppose to do with them? Add them to ice cream!
I wasn’t sure how the conversation hearts were going to taste or what the texture would be like in the ice cream. After several attempts, I made the perfect ice cream base that compliments the conversation hearts! The end result is a sweet cotton candy ice cream with little chunks of sweet candy mixed in. The conversation hearts actually taste good in the ice cream! I know, it’s hard to believe! But, even the texture of the hearts works really well with the homemade ice cream.
This is a sweet recipe since it’s cotton candy flavored with sugary candies mixed in. Afterall, cotton candy is basically just sugar. If you want to cut back on the level of sweetness, you can reduce the amount of sugar added but I would not reduce the amount of cotton candy oil used as it is what really adds the flavor.
The pink coloring comes from the red food coloring. I used liquid food coloring but you could use powdered or gel food coloring if you prefer. The food coloring is optional. If you don’t want to add it, don’t. The ice cream will be white instead of pink, but will still taste great!
Tips for making Ninja Creami Lover Ice Cream:
Lover ice cream tastes like homemade cotton candy ice cream with crunchy bits of sweet candies. The ice cream base is sweet and creamy. The red food coloring turns the ice cream pink, but the ice cream is not cherry, strawberry or any pink flavor.
Conversation hearts are little heart shaped candies that have fun little sayings on them that are inspired by all things love. They don’t have a lot of flavor and can sometimes be chalky in texture. In my opinion, conversation hearts are purchased as a novelty candy and not so much as a candy that everyone loves to eat.
Since this recipe has candy mix-ins, eating the leftovers can be a challenge. If you freeze the leftovers and then process on ice cream again, the candy pieces will get pulverized by the paddle. Instead of having a smooth ice cream with candy pieces in it, you will end up with a slightly grainy/chalky ice cream with no chunks. So, for this recipe if you plan on having leftovers I would recommend thawing the leftovers on the counter or in the microwave until it’s soft enough to scoop, or add food grade vegetable glycerin to the ice cream base before freezing. See the note in the recipe card for instructions on how much to add.
If you want to cut back on the calories and fat that are in the half and half, you can use all milk if you would like. However, the lower fat in the dairy, the less thick and creamy the ice cream will be and it may have ice crystals in it.
I did not need to use the re-spin cycle for this recipe. The texture after the first spin was not smooth, but it was not sandy. Instead, it was very thick. I simply added the cut up conversation hearts and used the mix-in button. I did not add any additional liquid with the mix-ins. If you add unnecessary liquid with the mix-ins or during a respin, the consistency will become almost fluffy or like soft-serve.
Looking for more Ninja Creami Recipes?
Ingredient substitutions for making Ninja Creami Lover Ice Cream:
The full ingredient list is found at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
Milk– I used whole milk in this recipe. You can use a dairy-free substitute like unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened oat milk, or lower fat milk if you prefer but the lower the fat content, the less creamy the result will be.
Half and Half– If you don’t have half and half, you can use a mixture of ¼ heavy whipping cream and ¾ whole milk.
Sugar– White sugar was used. You can use a sugar substitute that is a 1:1 ratio.
Vanilla Bean Paste- I prefer to use vanilla bean paste because it adds a deeper vanilla flavor and I find that it tastes less like alcohol. You can substitute the vanilla bean paste with vanilla extract.
Guar Gum– If you don’t have guar gum, you can use about a tablespoon of cream cheese, 2 tablespoons of vanilla instant pudding mix (reduce or omit the vanilla bean paste in the original recipe), or xanthan gum.
Cotton Candy Extract/Oil- Lorann-I would highly recommend getting the cotton candy flavored oil if you want to have cotton candy flavored ice cream. I have not found a substitute for this oil.
Red Food Coloring– Optional
Conversation Hearts-Conversation hearts are easy to find around Valentine’s Day but are more difficult to find throughout the rest of the year. You can substitute with your favorite sweet candy like sweet tarts or smarties candies. Oreo sells cotton candy flavored cookies which work really great in ice cream too.
Directions for making Ninja Creami Lover Ice Cream:
Make the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the milk, half and half, sugar, vanilla bean paste, , cotton candy flavoring, red food coloring, and guar 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 “ICE CREAM.”
- If the ice cream is dry or crumbly looking, pour in a tablespoon or two of milk and then re-spin. If the ice cream looks more like dippin dots, (little balls of ice cream), re-spin without adding liquid. Since I was going to be adding mix-ins and the texture was very thick and not sandy looking, I did not respin. Instead, I just moved on to the mix-ins process.
- Dig a hole in the center of the ice cream and pour in the conversation hearts that have been cut in half. Process on mix-ins.
- Your ice cream is ready to eat! Top with more conversation hearts and enjoy!
Pin Ninja Creami Lover Ice Cream for later!
Looking for more recipes?
I’ve created a post with 75+ Ninja Creami recipes all in one place! Here’s the link to the BEST Ninja Creami Recipes!
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!
Ninja Creami Lover Ice Cream
Rate this Recipe Print Recipe Pin RecipeEquipment
Ingredients
Ice Cream Base
- 8 Fluid Ounces (236 ⅗ ml) Whole Milk
- 6 Fluid Ounces (177 3/7 ml) Half and Half
- ¼ Cup (50 g) Sugar
- ½ Teaspoon (½ Teaspoon) Vanilla Bean Paste
- ¼ Teaspoon (¼ Teaspoon) Cotton Candy Flavoring (Loranns Oil)
- 5-6 Drops (5-6 Drops) Red Food Coloring (Optional)
- ¼ Teaspoon (¼ Teaspoon) Guar Gum
Mix-Ins
- ¼ Cup (59 ⅐ g) Conversation Hearts (Cut in half)
Instructions
Make the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the milk, half and half, sugar, vanilla bean paste, , cotton candy flavoring, red food coloring, and guar 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 “ICE CREAM."
- If the ice cream is dry or crumbly looking, pour in a tablespoon or two of milk and then re-spin. If the ice cream looks more like dippin dots, (little balls of ice cream), re-spin without adding liquid. Since I was going to be adding mix-ins and the texture was very thick and not sandy looking, I did not respin. Instead, I just moved on to the mix-ins process.
- Dig a hole in the center of the ice cream and pour in the conversation hearts that have been cut in half. Process on mix-ins.
- Your ice cream is ready to eat! Top with more conversation hearts and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only.
Ninja Creami Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Ninja Creami Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream combines all of the things that we love about cheesecake with creamy and delicious ice cream. I’ll show you how to make homemade ice cream that tastes like strawberry cheesecake using instant pudding powder and your Ninja Creami. The Ninja Creami ice cream maker does a great job of creating super smooth and creamy ice creams out of just about anything! There’s a couple of different ways you can create Ninja Creami cheesecake ice cream. One is by adding cottage cheese (don’t worry, it doesn’t taste like or have the texture of cottage cheese)….
Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro Spaghetti
Making spaghetti in the Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro couldn’t be easier! And…you can make everything all in one pot! I’ll show you how to make delicious, super easy to make, one pot spaghetti (or any long pasta) using the Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro. It only uses 3 ingredients!! Making spaghetti isn’t hard. It’s even easier to make if you use jarred sauce. That’s right…I used jarred spaghetti sauce for this recipe. You can take the extra steps to make your own sauce if you would like. This is more of a guide on how to use the Possible…
Ninja Creami Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Ice Cream
Cookie dough ice cream is one of my favorite ice cream treats. There’s just something so satisfying about biting into a creamy ice cream that has chewy bits of cookie dough in it. I’ll show you how to make the perfect Ninja Creami Cookie Dough Protein ice cream using no bake cookies! You’ll never believe that a whole pint has 34 grams of protein and only 402 calories! This recipe comes in at 402 calories, 34 grams of protein, 21 grams of sugar, 13 WW points, 61 carbs, and 14 fat. See the recipe card at the bottom of the…
Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro Steamed Artichokes
Artichokes are one of my all-time favorite foods. I eat them all the time and have come to crave them. I don’t know if it’s the artichoke or the butter that I like the most, but I have to have them at least a couple of times a month. I love artichokes so much that it’s even part of the blogs logo! In this post I’ll show you how to skip the large pot on the stovetop and to use the Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro to steam artichokes. Making artichokes is not hard. It actually couldn’t be any easier….
Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro Steamed Crab Legs
Making crab legs at home is so easy, and it’s a lot less expensive than ordering crab legs at a fancy restaurant. I’ll show you how to make super flavorful, great tasting crab legs using the steam function on your Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker in about 15 minutes. Crab legs are one of my all time favorite things to eat. I keep extra in the freezer so that I can make them anytime I want. Since I first started cooking crab legs at home several years ago, I don’t think I’ve ordered them at a restaurant since. They are incredibly…
Ninja Creami Cherry Pie Ice Cream
Make cherry pie ice cream using the Ninja Creami machine! I’ll show you how to make perfectly creamy cherry pie ice cream using mini cherry pies and cherry pie filling. The recipe works in the Breeze, Original, and the Ninja Creami Deluxe (see details in the recipe card). For this recipe, I didn’t use any pudding mix or heavy whipping cream and I still achieved a creamy texture. The trick to this recipe is to use actual pie and pie filling. I used mini pies but you could just as easily use a very small slice of leftover cherry pie….
Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro Corned Beef and Cabbage
Corned beef and cabbage can be the best meal ever…if the meat is cooked properly. It’s a little tricky to make perfectly tender and juicy corned beef and cabbage but I’ll show you an easy way to perfectly cook it every time using the Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro or your favorite Crock Pot. I love corned beef and cabbage so much! But, if it’s not cooked just right, the texture can be very tough and ruins the entire meal. I like my corned beef so tender that it basically falls apart with only a fork. There are many different…
Ninja Creami Key Lime Pie Protein Frozen Yogurt
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. 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…
Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro Chicken and Veggies
Who doesn’t love a one pot meal? You can make chicken breasts, carrots, potatoes, and green beans all in one pot using your Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro or your Crockpot. I’ll show you how to make juicy chicken breasts and perfectly cooked veggies all at the same time. For this recipe I made boneless skinless chicken breasts along with red potatoes, carrots, and green beans. This meal is almost a “set it and forget it” meal. The green beans don’t take quite as long to cook as the other veggies so they need to be added in closer to…
17+BEST Ninja Creami Pudding Recipes
Check out 17+ of the BEST Ninja Creami Pudding Recipes! Whether you are just getting started with the Ninja Creami ice cream maker or consider yourself a pro at creating recipes for your Ninja Creami creations, I’ve got the perfect Ninja Creami Pudding recipes for you, all in one place! I’ve included pudding recipes that are full fat and sugar as well as several Ninja Creami protein ice cream recipes. I’ve got an easy to make base recipe that you can start out with but have also included delicious recipes for making mint chocolate ice cream, lemon gelato, banana pudding…
Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
Make bbq chicken sandwiches using the slow cook function in your Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro or Crockpot. Slow cooking chicken thighs makes them moist and so tender that you can shred them with a fork. With just a few ingredients, you can make your own bbq chicken sandwiches at home! Shredded chicken makes great sandwiches and it’s pretty easy to do with the help of your favorite slow cooker. For this chicken recipe I used boneless skinless chicken thighs, shredded them after slow cooking, added bbq sauce, and then topped the chicken with Cole slaw. Everything came together beautifully!…
Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Temperature Test
The Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro has many features including braise, slow cook high and low, proof, steam, keep warm, steam, sear/sauté, sous vide, and bake. All of these functions can be found on other multi-function appliances but the question is, do these functions work the same in all machines. I spent several days testing the temperature of the functions in the Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro and have compared them to the temperatures of some of the same functions in my Crockpot. One of the most commonly asked questions about the Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro is how does…
Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro Fried Potatoes with Onions
Fried potatoes with onions is the perfect side dish. It’s fairly quick and easy to make and goes well with just about any main course. I’ve included instructions on how to make fried potatoes and onions using a Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker Pro and the traditional stovetop method. Fried potatoes and onions is one of my all-time favorite side dishes. I make these several times a month and we just love them! I almost always serve them when I make chicken fried steak for dinner but they would be great for breakfast served alongside bacon and eggs or with a veggie…
Ninja Creami Dole Whip
Check out my recipe for making Ninja Creami Dole Whip! I’ll show you how to make the perfect Dole Whip using your Ninja Creami. The texture is AMAZING, and the flavor is pretty great too! Dole Whip is VERY popular right now! You can find Dole Whip at huge amusement parks, pineapple plantations, and now it’s even available as a soft serve mix and premade frozen treat online and at some grocery stores. You can make a very simple and delicious version in the Ninja Creami using just canned pineapple, but the texture isn’t quite the same as real Dole…
Ninja Creami Blueberry Ice Cream
Check out my recipe for making Ninja Creami Blueberry Ice Cream! I’ll show you how to make the thickest, creamiest, and most flavorful blueberry ice cream in your Ninja Creami. There’s a couple of extra steps that go into making it, but it’s definitely worth it! You can make blueberry ice cream with just a few ingredients, but it’s what you do with those ingredients that makes a huge difference when it comes to flavor and texture. I have found that making a blueberry sauce and adding it to the ice cream base provides 100 times more flavor than adding…
Ninja Creami Sparks Fly Ice Cream
Have you ever had pop rocks in ice cream? Now’s your chance! I’ll show you how to make the perfect Ninja Creami recipe for the Super Bowl (this year it’s all about Taylor Swift right?) and for Valentine’s Day. I know, the Super Bowl is all about football. But, if you only watch football for the commercials and snacks, get your Ninja Creami ice cream maker out and make Sparks Fly ice cream as a tribute to Taylor and Kelce. Save this recipe for after the Super Bowl because it’s PERFECT for Valentine’s Day! Ok, so hear me out. Pop…
Ninja Creami Lavender Haze Ice Cream
Did somebody say it’s time for the Super Bowl? That means you need the best Ninja Creami ice cream for the Super Bowl! I present to you…Lavender Haze homemade ice cream, made in the Ninja Creami ice cream maker! Most people think of football when they think of the Super Bowl…but this year, some people think of Taylor Swift. So, I’m bringing you my interpretation of Lavender Haze ice cream, all made in the Ninja Creami! Yes, I know, the Super Bowl is about football, snacks, and commercials. But, this year the Super Bowl has also become about singer Taylor…
Ninja Creami Double Dark Chocolate Chip Protein Ice Cream
I’ll show you how to make a deep, dark, chocolate ice cream recipe that’s super thick and creamy and has added protein, all using your Ninja Creami ice cream machine. This is an ice cream that you can really taste the chocolate in! The dark cocoa flavors goes so well with the crunch of the chocolate chips. The texture is amazing too! This recipe comes in at 330 calories, 29 grams of protein, 1 grams of sugar, and 8 WW points. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts. I’ve never been a huge…
Ninja Creami Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Check out my recipe for making Ninja Creami Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. I’ll help you choose the best mint flavoring and chocolate chips to create the perfect mint chocolate chip ice cream using the Ninja Creami ice cream maker. With the right ingredients, you can make your very own homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream that has the right amount of minty flavor and a thick and creamy texture. If you’ve ever tried making mint flavored treats, you know that it can be a little tricky to get the right mint flavor. Too much mint extract or flavor and…
Ninja Creami Peanut Butter Protein Ice Cream
I’ll show you how to make peanut butter flavored protein ice cream in the Ninja Creami machine that has actual ribbons of peanut butter as a mix-in. Learn the secret to keeping the peanut butter ribbons in tact after it’s been mixed in with the rest of the ice cream! It’s a little extra work, but totally worth it! This recipe comes in at 529 calories, 47 grams of protein, 7 grams of sugar, and 14 WW points. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts. One of the trickiest ice cream flavors to…
Ninja Creami Chocolate Pudding Ice Cream
Check out my recipe for making Ninja Creami Chocolate Pudding Ice Cream! I’ll show you how to take a simple ingredient like instant pudding mix and turn it into a thick and creamy ice cream using the Ninja Creami ice cream maker! One of the trickier things about making ice cream using the Ninja Creami ice cream machine is getting the creamy texture just right. Sometimes the ice cream can be too soft if the right ingredients are not used. While you can use gums like guar gum or other thickeners and stabilizers, one of the easiest ways to improve…
Leave a Reply