Check out our recipe for Ninja Creami Pina Colada Lite Ice Cream
Let me start out by saying that I LOVE all things coconut and one of my favorite drinks of all time is the Pina Coladas!! The combination of the pineapple mixed with coconut is delicious and my favorite!!
So, naturally, when I got the Ninja Creami, I was on a mission to turn my favorite drink into an ice cream treat! There are so many ways to make pina colada ice cream and this version uses the lite ice cream function because there is no added sugar.
Tips for making Ninja Creami Pina Colada Light Ice Cream
You sure can! But…you will need to use 2 pint containers instead of one. You always want to make sure that the pint containers are only filled up to the max fill line and not any more than that. In order for the ice cream to turn out creamy, it needs to be mixed by the machine after freezing. If you overfill the pint, the machine is going to have a hard time mixing it and the result will not be as expected. It's ok if you go over the max fill line a little bit when adding in the mix-ins after the ice cream has already gone through the lite ice cream function.
If you have made ice cream and it just isn't quite as creami as you would like, you can very easily get it super creami by using the re-spin function on the Ninja Creami. Simply place the pint into the outer bowl and snap it into place. Choose the RE-SPIN function. Once the cycle completes, remove the pint and enjoy! Your gelato should be nice and creamy again. ***Use re-spin on already spun ice cream. If the ice cream has been spun and then frozen again, do not use re-spin, Instead, use the original process (ice cream, gelato, etc.)
It depends. If you are keeping the ice cream in the Ninja pint container with the lid sealed tightly and are freezing it in a cold freezer (between 9 degrees F and -7 degrees F), your ice cream will keep for several weeks, even months. However, if you transfer your ice cream to another container or freeze it in a freezer that is not quite as cold (or that is accessed a lot/door opened and closed often), the lifetime of your ice cream will decrease greatly to just a few days and you will likely end up with freezer-burned ice cream.
Yes! Feel free to mix it up however you would like. You can use fresh or frozen fruit. If you add the fruit before freezing, the ice cream base will have that fruit flavor. If you add the fruit as a mix, you will end up with small bits of fruit mixed into your flavored ice cream. Be sure to cut the fruit up into bite-sized pieces if you are adding it during the mix-in process. Strawberries or bananas would be delicious added in!!
Yes! You can! And this is great news! You can add in rum and it will be more like a real Pina Colada!! Simply replace about an ounce of coconut cream with the rum and follow all other instructions. DO NOT add more than about an ounce of rum or the ice cream will not freeze to the desired temperature and you will end up with more of a slush than ice cream.
Ingredient substitutions and tips for making Ninja Creami Pina Colada Light Ice Cream:
The full ingredient list is found at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
Coconut Cream- I used canned coconut cream that is found in the canned food aisle of your grocery store. Usually, it is in the ethnic foods aisle. You can use coconut milk that is found in the cooler section of the grocery store but final the texture will be less creamy and icier.
Pineapple- I prefer to use canned “tidbits” because it’s easier and I always have it on hand. If you prefer, you can use fresh pineapple instead. Just be sure sized pieces before adding it to the pint container. that you cut the fresh pineapple into bite
Coconut- Sweetened or unsweetened can be used. I prefer to use toasted coconut because it adds a nice nutty flavor to the ice cream. You can buy toasted coconut or make your own by lightly browning it in a skillet on the stovetop for about 3 minutes over medium heat.
Rum- I did not use rum for this recipe but you can add any type of rum or coconut rum that you would like. If you would like to add rum before you freeze the mixture, do not add more than one ounce of rum. If you add more rum, the mixture may not freeze all the way.
Directions for making Ninja Creami Pina Colada Light Ice Cream:
1. Pour coconut cream and pineapple into an empty Ninja Creami pint container and freeze for 24 hours. There is no need to stir it before freezing it.
2. After 24 hours, remove the pint from the freezer. Remove the lid.
3. Place the Ninja Creami pint into the outer bowl. Place the outer bowl with the pint in it, into the Ninja Creami machine and turn until the outer bowl locks into place. Push the Lite Ice Cream button. During the lite ice cream function, the ice cream will mix together and become very creamy.
4. Once the lite ice cream function has ended, turn the outer bowl and release it from the Ninja Creami machine.
5. Using a spoon, create a hole through the center of the ice cream that goes from top to bottom. This hole is where you will add the mix-ins. Add in 1 tablespoon of toasted coconut and 1 tablespoon of chopped pineapple.
6. Place the outer bowl with the pint back into the Ninja Creami machine and lock it into place. Choose the MIX-IN function.
7. Once the Ninja Creami completes the MIX-IN cycle, remove the outer bowl from the machine.
8. Your ice cream is ready to eat! Enjoy!
Pin recipe for later!!
Recipe
Ninja Creami Pina Colada 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
- 1 ¼ Cups Coconut Cream (Canned-Unsweetened)
- ½ Cup Pineapple (Canned tidbits- small pieces)
Mix-Ins
- 1 Tablespoon Toasted Coconut (Coconut can be "toasted" by browning it in a small skillet on the stovetop for about 3 minutes over medium heat. )
- 1 Tablespoon Pineapple (Chopped)
Optional
- 1-2 Tablespoons Pineapple Juice (Reserved from the canned pineapples)
Instructions
- Pour coconut cream and pineapple into an empty Ninja Creami pint container and freeze for 24 hours. There is no need to stir it before freezing it.
- After 24 hours, remove the pint from the freezer. Remove the lid.
- Place the Ninja Creami pint into the outer bowl. Place the outer bowl with the pint in it, into the Ninja Creami machine and turn until the outer bowl locks into place. Push the Lite Ice Cream button. During the lite ice cream function, the ice cream will mix together and become very creamy.
- Once the lite ice cream function has ended, turn the outer bowl and release it from the Ninja Creami machine.
- If the ice cream is dry or crumbly looking (like sand), pour in a tablespoon or two of reserved pineapple juice 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.
- Using a spoon, create a hole through the center of the ice cream that goes from top to bottom. This hole is where you will add the mix-ins. Add in 1 tablespoon of toasted coconut and 1 tablespoon of chopped pineapple.
- Place the outer bowl with the pint back into the Ninja Creami machine and lock it into place. Choose the MIX-IN function.
- Once the Ninja Creami completes the MIX-IN cycle, remove the outer bowl from the machine.
- Your ice cream is ready to eat! Enjoy!
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.
Leave a comment and rate this recipe!
Keep scrolling to see my newest recipes!
-
Secret Ingredient to Make Coffee Ice Cream
If you want rich, bold coffee flavor in your Ninja Creami ice cream, instant espresso powder is the way to do it. No extra liquid, no fuss, and you can dial in exactly how much coffee flavor you want. Here’s everything you need to know. Why use instant espresso powder instead of brewed coffee? Brewed coffee is mostly water. Adding it to your Ninja Creami base means you’re adding liquid that can change the consistency of your recipe and water down the other flavors. Instant espresso powder is pure concentrated coffee flavor with no extra liquid. You get all the […]
-
Use Powdered Peanut Butter for More Flavor in Ninja Creami Recipes
If you want more peanut butter flavor in your Ninja Creami ice cream without adding on extra fat and calories, powdered peanut butter is a simple swap that delivers a richer, more concentrated peanut butter taste. Here’s why it works and how to use it. What is powdered peanut butter? Powdered peanut butter is made by pressing most of the fat out of roasted peanuts and grinding what’s left into a fine powder. What remains is concentrated peanut butter flavor with significantly less fat, fewer calories, and less sugar than regular peanut butter. It has the same nutty, roasted peanut […]
-
How Long Can You Freeze a Ninja Creami Base Before Processing?
Everyone knows that it’s recommended to freeze your Ninja Creami base for 24 hours before processing. But does it need to be frozen for exactly 24 hours? How long is too long, and does it actually matter if your Ninja Creami base has been sitting in the freezer for a week or more? Is there a maximum freeze time for Ninja Creami bases? Ninja does not publish an official maximum freeze time. The 24 hour minimum is well established, but there is no hard cutoff on the other end. Many people make their ice cream base with the intention of […]
-
How to Get Even More Vanilla Flavor in Your Ice Cream…
If you’ve been using vanilla extract in your Ninja Creami recipes and want to take the vanilla flavor up a notch, vanilla bean paste is the upgrade. Same effort, noticeably better results. What is vanilla bean paste? Vanilla bean paste is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a thick paste made from real vanilla beans. It contains the actual seeds scraped from inside vanilla bean pods, which is where the most intense vanilla flavor lives. When you use it in ice cream, you get those tiny black vanilla bean specks throughout the pint, along with a deeper, richer vanilla flavor […]
-
-
-
-
Are Ninja Creami Leftovers Supposed to Be Hard?
You made your Ninja Creami ice cream, it was perfect right out of the machine, you saved some for later, and now it’s basically a solid block. Is that normal? Yes. Here’s why it happens and what you can do about it. Are Ninja Creami leftovers supposed to freeze hard? Yes. Ninja Creami ice cream leftovers freezing hard after refreezing is completely normal. It is not a sign that something went wrong with your recipe. It is just how Ninja Creami ice cream behaves, and it comes down to how the machine works. Why Do the Leftovers Freeze So Hard? […]
-
-
-
-
Ninja Creami Berry Blast Protein Ice Cream
If you are tired of forcing down protein shakes and you are looking for a better way to hit your macros, then you have to try this Ninja Creami Berry Blast Protein Ice Cream. It is packed with real mixed berries, loaded with protein, and it tastes like an actual dessert instead of something you are forcing yourself to eat because it is good for you. Blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries come together to create a bold berry flavor that is bright, fruity, and absolutely delicious. This recipe comes in at 279 calories, 26 grams of protein, 19 grams of sugar, 6 […]
-
Ninja Creami Low Calorie Strawberry Whip
If you love strawberries and you love frozen desserts but you don’t love all the calories that come with store-bought ice cream, then you are going to want to make this Ninja Creami Low Calorie Strawberry Whip right away. Think of it like a homemade strawberry version of the famous pineapple Dole Whip, but made right in your own kitchen with simple ingredients. It’s light, it’s creamy, it’s packed with real strawberry flavor, and it seriously feels like a sweet treat you shouldn’t be allowed to have on a diet. But you can. And that’s the best part. This recipe […]
-
Ninja Creami Watermelon Sorbet
If you love a fresh, sweet watermelon as much as I do, then you have to try this Ninja Creami watermelon sorbet. It is made with just one single ingredient, fresh watermelon, and it comes out smooth, creamy, and packed with that sweet, juicy watermelon flavor that just screams summer. No added sugar, no dairy, no fuss. Just watermelon. That’s it! This recipe comes in at 91 calories, 2 grams of protein, 19 grams of sugar, 5 grams of fat, and 23 carbs for the ENTIRE pint. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts. […]
-
Ninja Creami Blue Raspberry Cotton Candy Protein Ice Cream
If you love fun flavors and protein-packed desserts, this Ninja Creami Blue Raspberry Cotton Candy Protein Ice Cream is going to be your new favorite treat. It’s sweet, creamy, and it’s got a ton of cotton candy flavor in the ice cream base and in the mix-ins! Not only does it taste great, but the texture (and color) is AMAZING! Made right in the Ninja Creami ice cream machine, this recipe brings a playful twist to high-protein frozen desserts while keeping things light and refreshing. This recipe comes in at 351 calories, 27 grams of protein, 16 grams of sugar, 14 […]
-
Ninja Creami Coconut Cream Pie Protein Frozen Yogurt
If you love coconut creami pie, you’re going to love this recipe! Ninja Creami Coconut Cream Pie Protein Frozen Yogurt is creamy, lightly sweet, and 37 grams of protein per pint. With toasted coconut yogurt, whey protein, and a hint of vanilla and coconut extract, it tastes just like dessert with some extra protein and without the extra calories. This recipe comes in at 404 calories, 37 grams of protein, 6 grams of sugar, 19 grams of fat, 42 carbs, 18 net carbs (total carbs-allulose) for the ENTIRE pint. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all […]
-
The BEST Ninja Creami Full Fat/Sugar/Dairy Recipes
Check out my favorite classic Ninja Creami ice cream recipes made with real dairy and real sugar. These are just good, old-fashioned ice cream flavors with no special diet focus, no swaps, and no compromises. If you are new to the Ninja Creami or just want dependable recipes that taste like actual creamy ice cream, this is exactly where to start. You will find familiar favorites like chocolate chip, chocolate lovers ice cream, Butterfinger, M&M ice cream, mint chocolate chip, strawberry ice cream, frozen yogurts, and even Dole Whip style treats. These recipes are meant to be fun, nostalgic, and […]
-
Ninja Creami Low Calorie Grape Kool-Aid Ice Cream
I love experimenting with low-calorie ice creams, and this Grape Kool-Aid version is a fun throwback to drinking Kool-Aid as a kid. Using 2% milk, allulose, sugar-free instant vanilla pudding, and just a touch of grape Kool-Aid powder, this pint comes together with the perfect balance of sweet and fruity flavor. It’s creamy, satisfying, and still keeps the calories low. This recipe comes in at 257 calories, 12 grams of protein, 18 grams of sugar, 7 grams of fat, 81 carbs, 33 net carbs (total carbs-allulose) for the ENTIRE pint. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for […]
SS says
This is “light”? 1116 calories??? Even at 1/2 a pint it’s 500+ calories
Lauren Cardona says
Hi there- Lite refers to the function on the Ninja Creami that you use to process it. It’s “lite” because it does not have dairy or added sugar in it. The coconut cream is where the majority of the calories come from.
Ali says
This is a great recipe! Thanks for taking the time to explain everything in such detail.
Randi says
How many servings is the nutritional analysis based on?
Lauren Cardona says
All of the ninja CREAMi recipes nutritional info is based on 1 pint. Technically there are 4 servings in the pint but many eat half the pint or the full pint so the nutrition is for the entire pint. If you eat half of the pint then just split the nutrition info in half.
Betty says
-7
Lauren Cardona says
Hi Betty- That should definitely be cold enough! When I’ve made this recipe mine comes out very cold and super hard so I’m not sure why yours isn’t freezing up all the way since your freezer is quite cold. Sometimes, if an ice cream is softer than I would like I’ll put it back in the freezer for a couple of hours after I’ve processed it. Have you tried that? Maybe that would help make it harder.
Betty says
I tried the Pina colata lite ice cream, I used 1oz rum and took away 1 oz of coconut cream but ice cream was not hard after mixing
Lauren Cardona says
Hi Betty- What temperature is your freezer set at? Sometimes if the freezer is not cold enough, the ice cream does not get hard enough.
Betty says
-7
Phoebe says
Alcohol keeps ice cream from getting hard in the freezer.
1 oz alcohol for 1 pint of ice cream is enough to stop it from freezing hard enough to process into a “firm” ice cream.