If you grew up eating orange creamsicle popsicles and you have been looking for a way to recreate that flavor in a high protein dessert, this Ninja Creami Orange Creamsicle Protein Ice Cream is exactly what you have been waiting for. It has that classic tangy orange flavor up front with rich vanilla coming through in every bite, and it tastes like actual ice cream and not like a frozen protein shake. I promise you!!!
This recipe comes in at 256 calories, 34.5 grams of protein, 12 grams of sugar, 3 grams of fat, and 7 carbs for the ENTIRE pint. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts.
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Something really interesting happens with this recipe that does not happen with most Ninja Creami protein ice cream recipes. The mixture gets pretty frothy when you blend it and pour it into the pint container before freezing. When it comes out of the Ninja Creami ice cream maker after processing, it is light and airy instead of dense, almost like a creamsicle-flavored soft cloud. It is genuinely one of the most unique textures I have gotten out of the machine, and it fits the creamsicle vibe perfectly.
Sugar-free orange Jello mix is the ingredient that makes the orange flavor in this recipe taste so bright and true to the real thing. A lot of Ninja Creami protein ice cream recipes use instant pudding mix as a thickener, but this recipe uses Jello mix instead, which gives you that punchy orange flavor without weighing the base down. Make sure you blend everything really well before pouring it into the pint container. If you do not blend it long enough, the Jello mix will stay clumpy and will not incorporate properly into the base.
Real canned mandarin oranges go right into the blender with the rest of the base ingredients. They bring actual fruit flavor and a little natural sweetness that you just cannot fake with an extract alone. Make sure you drain them well before adding them so you are not throwing off the liquid ratio in the pint. No-sugar-added is the way to go here if you want to keep the sugar content low, but the version packed in syrup works fine if that is what you have on hand.
Vanilla bean paste is what ties the creamsicle flavor together. Without it, you get orange and protein shake. With it, you get that classic creamy vanilla layer underneath the orange that makes this taste like the actual popsicle it is named after. Vanilla bean paste gives a deeper, richer vanilla flavor than extract does, and it does not have any of the slight alcohol taste that extract can sometimes bring with it.
Press the lite ice cream button on your Ninja Creami ice cream maker for this one. It is designed for high protein, lower-fat bases like this, and it is the right setting to get that light, creamy texture. If the ice cream comes out sandy and crumbly after the first spin, add a splash of unsweetened almond milk and re-spin. If you want a little extra orange punch, try using orange juice instead of almond milk when you re-spin. It amps up the flavor and fixes the texture at the same time.
Tips for making Ninja Creami Orange Creamsicle Protein Ice Cream
Technically yes, but you are probably not going to love the results. Protein shakes lose flavor and taste diluted and flat once they are frozen, and they need something to help with texture and sweetness. Try adding instant pudding or Jello mix for flavor, guar gum for texture, and a little extra sweetener or fruit to make it taste like actual ice cream instead of a frozen shake.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer here since it really comes down to personal preference. Premier Protein and Fairlife are two of the most popular options and are known for having a smooth texture and good flavor. The best advice is to taste a few different brands and go with the one you actually enjoy drinking, since the shake flavor does come through in the finished ice cream.
This is a VERY controversial topic in the Ninja Creami world! Some people shave it down with a warm spoon or microwave the pint briefly to flatten it before processing. Many people freeze their pints without the lid to reduce the chance of a bump forming in the first place.
Freezing without the lid can help reduce the bump that sometimes forms on top of the frozen base during the freezing process. It does not always prevent it completely, but it does help. If a bump does form, it is not the end of the world and you can process the pint as-is in most cases.
Yes! Since this recipe does not include mix-ins, there is definitely room to add some if you want to. White chocolate chips (chopped), mini marshmallows, or even a swirl of orange curd in the well would all work really well with the creamsicle flavor profile. Just dig a well down the center of the processed ice cream, add your mix-ins, and run the mix-ins function.
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Ingredient tips and substitutions
The full ingredient list is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card.
- Vanilla Protein Shake: I used a vanilla Premier Protein shake for this recipe, but any vanilla protein shake you enjoy will work. Keep in mind that taste and texture vary by brand, so the finished Ninja Creami protein ice cream may taste slightly different depending on what you use.
- Sugar-Free Orange Jello Mix: Regular orange Jello mix with sugar works fine, but it will change the nutrition information. Always use the dry powdered mix and not premade Jello.
- No Sugar Added Mandarin Oranges: Mandarin oranges packed in syrup can be used instead, but the end result will be sweeter and the sugar content will be higher. Make sure to drain them well either way before adding to the blender.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: Vanilla extract works as a 1:1 substitute if you do not have vanilla bean paste on hand, though the paste does provide a deeper, richer vanilla flavor in this orange creamsicle protein ice cream recipe.
- Unsweetened Almond Milk (Optional): This is only needed if the ice cream comes out dry or crumbly after the first spin on the lite ice cream setting. Any dairy or non-dairy milk works here, including whole milk, 2% milk, oat milk, or Fairlife milk. You can also try orange juice for a little extra orange flavor when re-spinning.
Directions for Making the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the protein shake, Jello mix, mandarin oranges, and vanilla bean paste into a small blender and mix until all of the ingredients have been mixed together well. If you don’t blend it long enough, the Jello mix will remain clumpy. Once fully mixed, pour 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.
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 (like sand), 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, respin without adding liquid. You may have to repeat this process a couple of times.
- Remove the pint from the machine and enjoy!
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Recipe
Ninja Creami Orange Creamsicle Protein Ice Cream
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
- 11.5 Fluid Ounces (340 ml) Vanilla Protein Shake (Vanilla Premier Protein Shake)
- 1 Tablespoon (1 Tablespoon) Sugar-Free Orange Jello Mix
- ½ Cup (97 ½ g) No Sugar Added Mandarin Oranges (Canned, no sugar added, drained)
- 1 Teaspoon (1 Teaspoon) Vanilla Bean Paste
Optional
- 1-2 Tablespoons (1 Tablespoons) Unsweetened Almond Milk
Instructions
Make the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the protein shake, Jello mix, mandarin oranges, and vanilla bean paste into a small blender and mix until all of the ingredients have been mixed together well. If you don't blend it long enough, the Jello mix will remain clumpy. Once fully mixed, pour 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 (like sand), 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, respin without adding liquid. 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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