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Have you ever had one of those strawberry shortcake ice cream bars from the freezer section at the grocery store? You know the ones…they have those little pink and white crunchy bits on the outside of the ice cream! Well, if you have ever had one and loved it, then you’re in luck! This recipe is my take on those ice cream bars made with added protein and made in the Ninja Creami ice cream maker!
This recipe comes in at 371 calories, 29 grams of protein, 14 grams of sugar, 12 grams of fat, and 37 carbs, for the ENTIRE pint. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts.
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- Tips for making Ninja Creami Strawberry Shortcake Protein Ice Cream:
- Looking for more Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Recipes?
- Ingredient tips and substitutions for making Ninja Creami Strawberry Shortcake Protein Ice Cream:
- Directions for Making the Ice Cream Mixture
- Directions for Processing the Ice Cream Mixture
- Save for Later on Pinterest!
- Recipe
- Strawberry Shortcake Protein Ice Cream
- Comments
The ice cream base for this recipe is strawberry cheesecake flavored. It gets the flavor from cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix and strawberry extract. The protein that is used is unflavored protein powder, not a protein shake. Since the protein powder is unflavored, you can’t even tell it’s been added to the ice cream! There’s no weird “protein” flavor or chalky texture!
The most exciting part about this recipe is the toppings! I tried to make toppings that mimicked the crunchy pink and white bits that are on the outside of the traditional strawberry shortcake ice cream bar that so many of us are familiar with. Not only do they add a nice bit of flavor, but the topping also adds a nice little crunch to the creamy texture of the ice cream.
A lot of Ninja Creami recipes are made with protein shakes and powders. But, it’s not necessary to add protein to your treats unless you are actually trying to add protein through your diet. The protein is not needed to create the texture or flavors.
Adapting protein recipes to be non-protein isn’t as simple as just omitting the protein powder or shake. You will need to replace it with a thickener/stabilizer as most protein powders and shakes have gums already added. You’ll also need to add more flavor and sweetener if the protein was flavored or sweetened. For example, if you’re swapping out chocolate protein powder, you’ll need to add cocoa powder to achieve the chocolate flavor. If you’re replacing vanilla protein powder, you’ll need to dd vanilla extract or paste to make it taste like vanilla. Lastly, if you are replacing a protein shake, you’ll need to add liquid.
Look at those little crunch bits that are on top of the ice cream! It’s an added step to make the topping, but it’s easy and so worth it! It adds flavor and a nice little crunch.
Tips for making Ninja Creami Strawberry Shortcake Protein Ice Cream:
I would not recommend adding the cookie crumbles to the ice cream base itself. If you do, you’ll end up with a very gritty ice cream. Instead, sprinkle them on top and enjoy! It’s just like a strawberry shortcake novelty ice cream!
You would need a lot of cream cheese to get the same flavor as the instant pudding mix provides. There are cream cheese emulsions available, but I have not had good luck with those. The flavor is just not there. So, if you can, use cheesecake instant pudding to get the best overall flavor and texture.
It depends on your freezer. I always freeze for 24 hours to ensure that the ice cream is evenly frozen throughout. If you don’t freeze it long enough, the texture can be soft, icy, or gritty.
Oftentimes, low fat, low sugar, and low calorie ice cream will freeze with a bump on the top. If the bump is a small dome-like bump, you can process it right away. If the bump is uneven, off-center, icy looking, big, or tall, then you need to get rid of the bump before processing. The easiest way to do this is to put a ziplock bag of warm water on the top of the ice cream. Let it sit for a couple minutes-3 or 4 (the longer you let it sit, the more defrosted the ice cream will get) and then scrape the bump down. It will be soft and melty so it will be easier to scrape.
No, you can’t taste the protein. The protein powder used is unflavored and you’d never even know that there was added protein. This will vary based on the protein powder that you use. The GNC unflavored whey protein that I use works really well.
Looking for more Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Recipes?
Ingredient tips and substitutions for making Ninja Creami Strawberry Shortcake Protein Ice Cream:
The full ingredient list is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card.
- Unsweetened Almond Milk-You can use whatever kind of milk you want. The higher the fat, the creamier the ice cream will be. I used almond milk to keep the calories in the ice cream low. If you prefer, you can use Fairlife milk to add even more protein. You can use whole milk, 2% milk, or your preferred dairy-free milk like coconut milk, oat milk or soy milk.
- Unflavored Whey Protein-This recipe is made with unflavored protein powder. I would not use a flavored protein powder as it will change the taste of the ice cream.
- Sugar-Free Cheesecake Instant Pudding Mix-You need to use the cheesecake flavored pudding mix to get the same flavors. You can use sugar-free or regular. It must be instant pudding mix.
- Strawberry Extract-A little goes a long way. Be sure to not use too much. If you use extra, the ice cream will have a fake strawberry taste to it.
- Fresh Strawberries-You can use frozen strawberries if you prefer. Just be sure to thaw them before adding them as mix-ins.
- Golden Oreos-Any vanilla flavored sandwich cookies should work. But, make sure that they are sandwich cookies with the cream filling. You need the cream for the topping to come together correctly.
- Instant Sugar-Free Strawberry Jell-O Mix– Sugar-free or regular Jell-O powder can be used. Do not use pre-made Jell-O.
Directions for Making the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the almond milk, protein powder, pudding mix, and strawberry extract into a small blender and blend the ingredients together until the pudding mix is completely combined with the liquids. Pour the mixture into a Ninja Creami 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.
- Combine the golden Oreos and Jell-O mix in a small blender and blend until the two combine to create a cookie crumble.
- Dig a well down the center of the ice cream and pour in the chopped strawberries. Process on mix-ins. Top with the Jell-O/cookie crumble.
- Remove the pint from the machine and enjoy!
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Recipe
Strawberry Shortcake Protein Ice Cream
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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
- 12 Fluid Ounces (354 ⅞ ml) Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 1 Scoop (1 Scoop) Unflavored Whey Protein
- 2 Tablespoon (2 Tablespoon) Sugar-Free Cheesecake Instant Pudding Mix
- ¼ Teaspoon (¼ Teaspoon) Strawberry Extract
Mix-Ins
- ½ Cup (72 g) Chopped Fresh Strawberries
Optional
- 1-2 Tablespoons (1 Tablespoons) Unsweetened Almond Milk
Toppings
- 2 (2) Golden Oreos
- 1 Teaspoon (1 Teaspoon) Instant Sugar-Free Strawberry Jell-O Mix
Instructions
Make the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the almond milk, protein powder, pudding mix, and strawberry extract into a small blender and blend the ingredients together until the pudding mix is completely combined with the liquids. Pour the mixture into a Ninja Creami 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.
- Combine the golden Oreos and Jell-O mix in a small blender and blend until the two combine to create a cookie crumble.
- Dig a well down the center of the ice cream and pour in the chopped strawberries. Process on mix-ins. Top with the Jell-O/cookie crumble.
- 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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