Ninja Creami Pumpkin Pie Protein Ice Cream

The fall season can be celebrated with all things pumpkin pie flavored! Whether you are celebrating Halloween, Thanksgiving or just really love the pumpkin flavor, pumpkin pie ice cream is the perfect creamy treat!

To make pumpkin pie ice cream using the Ninja Creami ice cream maker, you can use canned or fresh pumpkin puree. Using real pumpkin puree versus just pumpkin flavorings helps to create a thick and creamy texture with great pumpkin flavor!

My Ninja Creami pumpkin ice cream recipe only uses ½ a cup pumpkin puree. You can add more if you would like. However, a little pumpkin puree goes a very long way. If you prefer a mellower pumpkin flavor, you can cut back on the amount of pumpkin puree used to just a couple of spoonful’s instead of the ½ cup.

Ingredient substitutions for making Ninja Creami Pumpkin Pie Protein Ice Cream:

The full ingredient list is found at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

• Unsweetened Almond Milk- You can use any type of dairy or dairy-free product that you would like. However, since the recipe calls for sweetener and flavorings, I would recommend choosing a milk/non-dairy milk that is unflavored and unsweetened. You can use almond milk, cashew milk, whole milk, skim milk, or any other milk of choice.
• Sugar Substitute- I have found that Swerve, granulated allulose blend works great and does not have a fake sugar aftertaste. If you prefer, you can use a different sugar or sugar substitute like monk fruit sweetener or liquid Stevia. Adjust the amount based on which sugar substitute you use. The Swerve that is used in this recipe is a 1:1 ratio for regular white sugar.
• Protein Powder- Use your favorite brand of unflavored protein powder. If you don’t have unflavored protein powder, you can use vanilla protein powder instead. You can substitute a premade protein shake for the powder and the unsweetened almond milk.
• Guar Gum- Guar gum has no flavor and helps create a great texture. While I have not tried it in ice cream, many have found success with Xanthan gum instead of guar gum.
• Pumpkin Puree– For this recipe, I used canned pumpkin puree. You can make your own or use pumpkin pie filling instead of the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and sugar substitute. Pumpkin pie filling already has sweetener and spices added to it so it is a little easier to use the pie filling instead of the puree. The nutritional information will change if you use pie filling instead of the puree.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice– If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and ginger.

Directions for making Ninja Creami Pumpkin Pie Protein Ice Cream:

Make the Ice Cream Mixture

1. Pour the unsweetened almond milk, protein powder, sugar substitute, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice into a small blender and blend until all ingredients are fully combined. Pour the mixture into a Ninja Creami container.
2. 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

1. After 24 hours, remove the pint container from the freezer.
2. Place the pint container into the outer bowl of the Ninja Creami and then process on “LITE ICE CREAM.”
3. If the ice cream is dry or crumbly looking, pour in a tablespoon or two of unsweetened almond milk and then respin. You may have to repeat this process a couple of times.
4. Remove the pint from the machine and enjoy!

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