Check out my recipe for making Ninja Creami Salted Caramel Butterscotch Chip Protein Ice Cream! It tastes like ice cream…not like protein shakes! It’s the creamiest, and most delicious butterscotch ice cream you’ll ever have!! And you get the added bonus of it being high in protein!
Caramel protein shakes don’t taste as much like caramel once they have been frozen as they do straight out of the bottle. So, this recipe for salted caramel butterscotch chip protein ice cream adds in a few extra ingredients to make the caramel and butterscotch flavors more intense!
This recipe comes in at 288 calories, 32 grams of protein, 2 grams of sugar, and 6 WW points. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts.
Salted caramel ice cream combines the sweet flavors of caramel and in this case butterscotch too, with a little kick of saltiness. It brings salty and sweet together in a perfect, creamy, delicious, protein-packed ice cream…oh and there’s only 2 grams of sugar per pint!!
You’ll notice that I used sugar-free butterscotch pudding mix in this recipe. It’s instant pudding mix, not premade or cook-and-serve pudding. Adding the pudding mix adds a ton of flavor and helps make the texture thick and creamy. I’ve noticed that some instant pudding mixes help a lot with texture but don’t add a whole lot of flavor. I can say, that is not the case with the butterscotch-flavored pudding mix. The butterscotch flavor really stands out!
Using flavored pudding mixes is super easy and very convenient! If you don’t want to use instant pudding mixes in your protein ice cream, you can instead use some sort of gum, but you’d also need to add in butterscotch flavor with syrup, extract, or oil. You can use a very small amount of xanthan gum, guar gum, or locust bean gum instead of the pudding mix. I have only experimented with guar gum, which provides a nice texture.
Taste your protein ice cream before putting it in the freezer!
When protein ice cream, or any ice cream, is frozen, the flavors tend to be less intense. It’s not so much that the mixture loses flavor through the freezing process. Instead, it’s because things taste different when they are very hot or very cold. If you freeze your mixture, it will taste a little different when you eat it and it’s frozen. But, if you were to thaw the mixture completely after freezing, it will taste the same as it did before you froze it.
When I make ice cream, protein ice cream, or regular ice cream, I try to taste it right before I put it in the freezer. If it’s not sweet enough or doesn’t have quite enough flavor, I add more sugar or sugar substitutes and more flavor extract or syrups. Don’t overdo it, but it should be a little strong tasting before freezing.
For this recipe, I used a premier protein salted caramel-flavored protein shake and the results were fantastic! Many people prefer the Fairlife protein shakes over the Premier Protein, but it’s all a matter of what you like the best. Fairlife protein shakes are very hard to find in comparison to the Premier Protein ones. Choose a protein shake that you like the taste and texture of.
Tips for making Ninja Creami Salted Caramel Butterscotch Chip Protein Ice Cream
That’s a tricky question. Because the answer is, “it depends.” It depends on what you add to the protein to make the ice cream. And, it depends on what you consider to be good. It’s not just about flavor, it’s also about texture. When made with the right ingredients, protein ice cream should taste like regular ice cream.
Technically, yes. But freezing just the protein shake with no additional ingredients will provide a mellow, protein shake flavor. In my opinion, protein shakes need to have other things added to them to help with the flavor. Adding in sugar-free pudding mixes, extracts, fruit, or syrups will help the protein shake taste more like ice cream. Also, freezing just a protein shake will result in a VERY hard ice cream. And, once it’s processed in the Ninja Creami it will be very dry and powderlike. You need to add in some sort of thickener/stabilizer to make it less icy and creamier.
No, you cannot create caramel swirls in the actual Ninja Creami ice cream maker. The swirl will be fully incorporated with the rest of the ice cream and you will end up with caramel-flavored ice cream. You can however swirl in some caramel by hand after processing it.
Dairy-based ice creams are a good source of protein. Adding protein shakes, protein powders, cottage cheese, or yogurt to ice cream can increase the amount of protein in ice cream drastically.
You can use any milk or non-dairy milk like coconut milk, cashew milk, or oat milk. The flavor and texture may vary once the protein ice cream is processed.
Click HERE to see a full list of substitutions. Some substitutions provide a less creamy texture.
Looking for more of the best Ninja Creami Recipes? Check out all of our Ninja Creami ice cream recipes here!
Ingredients to make Ninja Creami Salted Caramel Butterscotch Chip Protein Ice Cream:
Ingredient substitutions and tips for making Ninja Creami Salted Caramel Butterscotch Chip Protein Ice Cream:
The full ingredient list is found at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
Sugar and dairy substitution suggestions can be found here.
Caramel Protein Shake- I used a salted caramel premier protein shake for this recipe. But, you can use your favorite brand of protein shake. Since protein shake taste and texture vary by brand, the end product may vary.
Unsweetened Almond Milk– Any dairy or dairy substitute can be used. You can use lowfat or nonfat milk, 2% or whole milk, cashew milk, oat milk, coconut milk, or almond milk.
Sugar-Free Butterscotch Instant Pudding Mix- You can use a pudding mix that has sugar but the nutrition info will change based on what you use. Use the powdered mix and not premade or coook and serve pudding.
Sugar-Free Caramel Syrup– This is the drink syrup, not the ice cream syrup. The syrup is used to help add more caramel flavor to the base of the ice cream. There are a lot of different brands and flavor variations. Pick your favorite.
Salted Caramel Chips– Be sure to chop the chips into small pieces. If you don’t the large chips will get extremely hard and difficult to chew in the finished ice cream. You can use mini chips, which don’t need to be chopped. But finding mini chips that are sugar free is difficult.
Sea Salt– Coarselyground sea salt. If you use table salt or very finely ground salt, the salt will mix in to the base too much and make it all salty. Using coarsley ground salt helps to add a little crunch and a pop of saltiness.
Optional
Unsweetened Almond Milk– Any dairy or dairy substitute can be used. You may not need it. If the ice cream is dry and crumbly after processing, you’ll need to add a tablespoon or two of liquid.
Steps for making Ninja Creami Salted Caramel Butterscotch Chip Protein Ice Cream:
Prepare the mixture:
Steps for making Ninja Creami Salted Caramel Butterscotch Chip Protein Ice Cream:
Process the mixture:
Directions for making Ninja Creami Salted Caramel Butterscotch Chip Protein Ice Cream:
1. Pour the caramel protein shake, ½ cup of unsweetened almond milk, pudding mix, and caramel syrup into a small blender and blend together until the pudding mix is completely combined with the liquids.
2. Pour the mixture into the Ninja Creami pint container.
3. 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.
4. After 24 hours, remove the pint container from the freezer.
5. Place the pint container into the outer bowl of the Ninja Creami and then process on “LITE ICE CREAM.”
6. 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.
7. Pour the caramel chips and sea salt down the center of the ice cream and then process on mix-ins.
8. Remove the pint from the machine and enjoy!
Pin Salted Ninja Creami Salted Caramel Butterscotch Chip Protein Ice Cream on Pinterest for later:
Recipe
Salted Caramel Butterscotch Chip 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.
Original and Deluxe Ingredient Measurements
Use the multiplier below to adjust quantities based on the machine that you own. 1X=Original 16 ounce 1.5X=Deluxe 24 ounces
Ingredients
Ice Cream Base
- 11.5 Fluid Ounces (326 g) Caramel Protein Shake
- 4 Fluid Ounces (118 2/7 ml) Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 2 Tablespoons (2 Tablespoons) Sugar-Free Butterscotch Instant Pudding Mix
- 1 Teaspoon (1 Teaspoon) Sugar-Free Caramel Syrup
Mix-ins
- 1 Tablespoon (1 Tablespoon) Salted Caramel Chips (Chopped)
- ¼ Teaspoon (¼ Teaspoon) Sea Salt
Optional
- 1-2 Tablespoons (2 Tablespoons) Unsweetened Almond Milk
Instructions
Make the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the caramel protein shake, unsweetened almond milk, pudding mix, and caramel syrup into a small blender and blend together until the pudding mix is completely combined with the liquids. Pour the mixture into the 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, pour in a tablespoon or two of unsweetened almond milk and then respin. You may have to repeat this process a couple of times.
- Pour the caramel chips and sea salt down the center of the ice cream and then process on mix-ins.
- 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.
Leave a comment and rate this recipe!
Keep scrolling to see my newest recipes!
Ninja Creami Mandarin Orange Sherbet-Low Calorie
Do you like orange sherbet? I’ll show you how to make a refreshing frozen treat using simple ingredients (no Jell-o or pudding powders in this recipe…there’s real mandarin oranges!) and the Ninja Creami ice cream machine. Not only is it low in calories, but it’s super easy to make since it uses canned mandarin oranges. The flavor is great and it has a super creamy texture! This recipe comes in at 179 calories, 10 grams of protein, 28 grams of sugar, 3 grams of fat, 28 carbs, 8 net carbs (total carbs-allulose) for the ENTIRE pint. See the recipe card at […]
Ninja Creami Chocolate Covered Strawberry Protein Ice Cream
Do you like chocolate covered strawberries? I do! I love them! Well, have you ever thought about making chocolate covered strawberry protein packed ice cream using your Ninja Creami ice cream machine? I’ll show you how to get all of the flavors of chocolate covered strawberries in ice cream form without using pudding mix or premade protein shakes. This recipe comes in at 262 calories, 27 grams of protein, 3 grams of sugar, 12 grams of fat, 49 carbs, 29 net carbs (total carbs-allulose) for the ENTIRE pint. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all […]
Ninja Creami Honeydew Sorbet-Low Calorie
Ninja Creami honeydew sorbet is sweet, refreshing, and so easy to make. With just 4 simple ingredients, you can make a healthy sweet treat that’s not only delicious, but low in calories, sugar, and fat. I’ll show you how to make this delicious homemade sorbet using the Ninja Creami machine. This recipe comes in at 164 calories, 2 grams of protein, 37 grams of sugar, 1 gram of fat, 91 carbs, 41 net carbs (total carbs-allulose) for the ENTIRE pint. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts. The most important ingredient in this […]
Ninja Creami Cantaloupe Frozen Yogurt (Low-Calorie)
If you love the flavor of fresh cantaloupe, then you are going to love my recipe for Cantaloupe Frozen Yogurt, using the Ninja Creami machine. The sweetness of the ripe cantaloupe mixed with the tanginess of the yogurt, makes the perfect treat. I’ll show you how to take just a few simple ingredients and turn them into a low calorie cantaloupe frozen yogurt that’s the perfect snack or dessert! This recipe comes in at 163 calories, 11 grams of protein, 25 grams of sugar, 1 gram of fat, 80 carbs, 30 net carbs (total carbs-allulose) for the ENTIRE pint. See […]
Ninja Creami Pina Colada Protein Ice Cream
Pineapple and coconut go together soooo well! While I do love piña coladas, sometimes you just want the pineapple and coconut flavors and not the actual (delicious) drink. I’ll show you how to make the perfect piña colada ice cream recipe with added protein, using the Ninja Creami ice cream maker. It’s the perfect tropical treat! This recipe comes in at 237 calories, 25 grams of protein, 14 grams of sugar, 6 grams of fat, 47 carbs, 27 net carbs (total carbs-allulose) for the ENTIRE pint. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts. Traditionally, […]
Ninja Creami Watermelon Sorbet (Low Calorie)
Watermelon is one of my favorite fruits. It’s so sweet and delicious, I just can’t get enough. I love using fresh watermelon in Ninja Creami recipes! The texture is great and the sorbet is super light and refreshing! I’ll show you how to use simple ingredients to make the perfect frozen treat! This recipe comes in at 137 calories, 3 grams of protein, 28 grams of sugar, 1 gram of fat, 55 carbs, 35 net carbs (total carbs-allulose) for the ENTIRE pint. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts. You can make so many […]
Ninja Creami Blueberry Protein Ice Cream
If you love blueberries as much as I do, then you’re going to love my recipe for making a protein packed blueberry ice cream in the Ninja Creami ice cream maker. There’s lots of flavor, added protein (using unflavored protein powder),no pudding mix, and a super creamy texture! This recipe comes in at 230 calories, 26 grams of protein, 14 grams of sugar, 73 carbs, 23 grams of net carbs and 4 grams fat for the entire pint. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts. For this recipe, I chose to use unflavored whey […]
Ninja Creami Strawberry Lemonade Sherbet
Who doesn’t love strawberry lemonade? Well, you know what makes it even better? Making sherbet that tastes like strawberry lemonade with the Ninja Creami ice cream maker! This recipe comes in at 114 calories, 5 gram of protein, 11 grams of sugar, 82 carbs, 15 grams of net carbs and 4 grams fat. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts. You can turn just about anything into the perfect treat with a creamy texture using the Ninja Creami ice cream machine. This is one of those Ninja Creami recipes that makes you go…huh? How […]
Ninja Creami Blueberry Sorbet
Oh, how I love blueberries! I’ve made a ton of Ninja Creami recipes with blueberries, but this is my first blueberry sorbet recipe. I’ll show you how to turn just a few ingredients into a super flavorful, dairy-free, healthy treat using the Ninja Creami ice cream maker! This recipe comes in at 130 calories, 2 gram of protein, 23 grams of sugar, 83 carbs, 33 grams of net carbs and 1 grams fat. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts. I’m a sucker for just about anything that has blueberries in it. I seem […]
Ninja Creami Strawberry Shortcake Protein Ice Cream
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 379 calories, 29 grams of protein, 14 grams of sugar, 12 grams of fat, and 42 carbs for the ENTIRE […]
The Ultimate Guide to the new Ninja Swirl by Creami!
There’s a new Ninja Creami that’s just been released! It’s the Ninja Swirl by Creami! Find out about all of the features, where to buy it, and how it compares to the Ninja Creami 7-1, Ninja Creami Deluxe, and the Ninja Creami Breeze. The Ninja Creami is the most popular frozen treat maker on the planet! It’s been around for a few years, but now…there’s a New Ninja Creami…and it makes soft serve in addition to scoopable ice cream. The Ninja Swirl by Creami is available for purchase at the following retailers: You’re probably wondering what’s different about the Ninja […]
Ninja Creami Blueberry Coconut Frozen Yogurt
I LOVE blueberry and coconut flavored things! They are each really good on their own, but together they are the perfect combination of flavors. My recipe for Ninja Creami blueberry coconut frozen yogurt is the perfect combination of flavors with just the right amount of blueberries and shredded coconut added in for texture. This is a super easy recipe to make, thanks to flavored yogurts! The number of yogurt flavors readily available at the grocery store has skyrocketed in the past few years. Blueberry and coconut flavored yogurts make this a super easy recipe to make. The Ninja Creami ice […]
Ninja Creami Cranberry Orange Sorbet-Low Calorie
Did you know that you can make sorbet out of cranberry sauce in the Ninja Creami ice cream machine? Well, you can and it’s super easy to do and tastes amazing. I used canned cranberry sauce, but you could very easily use homemade cranberry sauce leftover from the holidays. This recipe comes in at 278 calories, 1 gram of protein, 56 grams of sugar, 120 carbs, 70 grams of net carbs and 0.2 grams fat. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts. You can’t have Thanksgiving dinner without cranberry sauce! Cranberry sauce is a […]
Ninja Creami Maple Bacon Protein Ice Cream
Bacon makes everything better! That goes for Ninja Creami ice cream too! If you love bacon as much as I do, you have to try my recipe for making Maple Bacon ice cream in the Ninja Creami ice cream maker! It’s sweet, it’s savory, it has a creamy texture, and it even has extra protein added in. This recipe comes in at 643 calories, 35 grams of protein, 61 grams of sugar, 21 grams of fat, 98 carbs, 88 net carbs (total carbs-allulose) for the ENTIRE pint. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts. […]
Ninja Creami Butterfinger Ice Cream
If you like Butterfingers, you’re going to love my recipe for making Butterfinger ice cream in the Ninja Creami ice cream maker. It’s super creamy with the perfect amount of crunch. The rich vanilla base goes really well with the peanut butter and chocolate flavored flaky, crunch, candy pieces. Why does everyone love Butterfinger candy bars so much? Yes, Butterfingers taste great. They combine the flavors of peanut butter and chocolate. You can’t go wrong with that flavor combination! But, I think the texture sets them apart from just about every other candy bar on the market. The texture is […]
Ninja Creami White Chocolate Peppermint Low Calorie Ice Cream
White chocolate peppermint ice cream makes me think of the colder winter months….but it can be eaten all year round! To add to the peppermint flavor and provide a bunch of little crunchy bits, I used starlight mints. But, if you want to make it a little more festive, use candy canes during the winter holidays. This recipe comes in at 285 calories, 9 grams of protein, 29 grams of sugar, 96 carbs, 46 grams of net carbs and 7 grams fat. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts. Making low calorie Ninja Creami […]
The BEST Ninja Creami LOW CALORIE Recipes
Check out my favorite LOW CALORIE Ninja Creami Ice Cream Recipes! If you’re new to the Ninja Creami ice cream maker, or craving something new, I’ve got you covered! Eating low calorie doesn’t have to be hard. The good news is you can still have delicious, creamy, thick ice cream, while sticking to a low calorie diet. I’ve perfected some basic recipes like vanilla and chocolate low calorie ice cream but have also created more complex recipes like chocolate brownie, birthday cake, pumpkin pecan, peanut banana crunch, blueberry cheesecake frozen yogurt, and cherry almond ice cream. Making low calorie ice […]
Ninja Creami Jamoca Almond Fudge Protein Ice Cream
Jamoca Almond Fudge is a really popular ice cream from Baskin Robbins. It’s basically a coffee flavored ice cream with ribbons of fudge and pieces of almonds, mixed throughout. Even though you can’t really make fudge ribbons, you can make something pretty similar at home, using your Ninja Creami ice cream machine. This recipe comes in at 340 calories, 32 grams of protein, 1 gram of sugar, 37 carbs, and 18 fat. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts. Jamoca Almond Fudge ice cream is the perfect combination of coffee, chocolate, and nut flavors. Thanks […]
Ninja Creami Blueberries and Sweet Cream Ice Cream
I absolutely LOVE all things blueberry! I can’t get enough of them. I find myself coming up with new Ninja Creami ice cream maker blueberry recipes all the time! My Ninja Creami blueberries and sweet cream recipe is super easy to make, doesn’t have a bunch of ingredients, and is so delicious! Blueberry ice cream isn’t super popular at the grocery store, but you can make it at home using the Ninja Creami. The flavor is great, and the texture is so so smooth and creamy! I make blueberry ice cream all the time. I have some recipes where I […]
Ninja Creami Chocolate Sorbet-Low Calorie
Have you ever had chocolate sorbet? It’s super thick, super creamy, and super chocolatey, dairy-free, sugar-free, and fantastic tasting! You can even make it in your Ninja Creami ice cream maker! With just 4 simple ingredients (plus water), you’ll be adding this recipe to your regular rotation in no time! This recipe comes in at 55 calories, 20 sugar, 117 carbs, and 17 net carbs (total carbs-allulose) for the ENTIRE pint. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts. While I’d like to say that I created the idea for chocolate sorbet all on my […]
Ninja Creami Rocky Road Protein Ice Cream
I absolutely love rocky road ice cream! But, the chocolate ice cream has to be super chocolatey! I made the perfect, super chocolatey, rocky road protein ice cream using my Ninja Creami ice cream maker. It’s soooo good! This recipe comes in at 342 calories, 30 grams of protein, 18 grams of sugar, 64 carbs, and 12 fat. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts. Adding protein to Ninja Creami ice cream isn’t hard. You can use protein powder (in this case, I used unflavored Whey protein powder) or protein shakes. The trickiest part […]
Cheryl Anderson says
Hey, this wasn’t as yummy as I hoped. I ended up mixing in some condensed milk and caramel syrup just to make it okay. Might need to add even more since the first round didn’t really do much.
Lauren Cardona says
Hi Cheryl- I’m sorry you weren’t in love with this recipe. This recipe has a milder flavor and isn’t overly sweet. Adding the condensed milk and caramel syrup should make it have a stronger flavor and add a lot of sweetness.
ro gard says
I’d like to make this using cottage cheese (no salt cottage cheese, regular is so high in sodium). How would I adjust recipe to use cottage cheese?
Lauren Cardona says
Which ingredient are you trying to replace with the cottage cheese? I would probably cut back on the almond milk and replace it with the cottage cheese. Keep in mind that cottage cheese does make the ice cream taste kind of like cheesecake, depending on how much you use, so the flavor won’t be exactly the same.
MARIA SPINNATO says
I absolutely love all your protein powder recipes. Thank you so very much for everything. with my GI issues, I live almost off all protein shakes etc so having ice cream is such a treat with protein powders. Thank you so much 💓
Lauren Cardona says
Hi Maria! I’m so glad you are enjoying my Ninja Creami protein recipes!
DeAnna says
I’ve owned my Creami for 2 weeks. Have probably used it every day and i can honestly say, this is the first recipe that has completely sold me on this appliance! Love it, thank you!!
Lauren Cardona says
Woo Hoo!! That’s so great to hear!