Making protein ice cream in the Ninja Creami isn’t hard to do once you come up with a good base recipe. It’s very common to just pour a protein shake into the Ninja Creami container, freeze it, and then process it. But, a lot of times the end result tastes like a mild version of a protein shake, only it’s frozen. If you enjoy the flavor that the protein shake provides on your own, this method might work for you. I personally do not like the taste or texture of protein shakes on their own and set out on a mission to make protein ice cream taste like ice cream and not like protein shakes.
After many, many attempts, I created a vanilla protein ice cream using the Ninja Creami that has an amazingly smooth and creami texture AND great flavor!
This recipe comes in at 280 calories, 31 grams of protein, 11 grams of sugar, and 7 WW points. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts.
You can make vanilla ice cream using a protein shake or protein powder. Through my experiments, I haven’t found much difference in the texture of the final product. For this recipe, I’ve used a pre-made vanilla Premier Protein shake. If you prefer, you can make your own shake using vanilla protein powder and the dairy product of your choice. As the ingredients change, the nutritional info will change as well.
While it might be quicker and easier to just open a protein shake, pour it into the Ninja Creami container, freeze, and process it, I strongly believe that a few extra ingredients and a couple of extra minutes makes a MUCH better protein ice cream. I tried the protein shake alone and it tastes like a protein shake. The flavor dulls a little bit, but it still tastes very much like a protein shake. If you LOVE the way protein shakes taste, then you might not need the extra ingredients. I don’t love the protein shake taste so I added a few extra things to make the ice cream taste more like a rich and delicious ice cream!
Why is protein ice cream so popular?
Protein ice cream has become so popular, especially when it comes to the Ninja Creami, because it allows people that are on special diets to enjoy ice cream in just about any flavor you can think of.
Whether you are increasing your protein due to weight loss goals, weight gain goals, food allergies or any other dietary restrictions, drinking protein shakes can get redundant and boring. Creating a new protein-packed ice cream can add a little excitement and great flavor to any snack or meal.
While protein ice creams in the Ninja Creami have become VERY popular, you don’t need to use a protein shake or protein powder to make great ice cream. It’s a matter of preference and adding protein is usually based on someone’s dietary choices and is not being used specifically for taste or texture.
What happens to the leftover Ninja Creami ice cream?
If you have leftover ice cream, simply smooth out the top of the ice cream in the Ninja Creami container, put the lid back on it, and put it back in the freezer.
Usually, Ninja Creami leftovers will be rock-hard when you take them out of the freezer. When you are ready to eat the leftovers there are a couple of options on how to get it ready to eat again.
Leave the container of ice cream on the counter to get soft for about 20 minutes (this will vary based on ingredients and the amount that is left in the container). Eat when it’s soft enough.
Put the container in a bowl of warm water to help soften the ice cream quicker. Eat when it’s soft enough to scoop.
Put the container in the microwave for several seconds. Again, time will vary based on the ingredients and the amount left. Eat when it’s soft enough to scoop.
Put the container into the Ninja Creami and process on the original process used like Ice Cream or Sorbet. This is my preferred method but it doesn’t work well I there are mix-ins that have already been added. This works well for this recipe since there are no mix-ins in the recipe, but if you add chocolate chips or anything else to it, you don’t want to reprocess it or the mix-ins will get completely incorporated with the ice cream base.
DO NOT process leftovers on the re-spin or mix-ins process.
Tips for making Ninja Creami Vanilla Bean Protein Ice Cream
Yes. You can use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean paste but the flavor will be a little different as the extract can sometimes have a slight alcohol flavor to it and the extract does not have as deep of a vanilla flavor.
Yes, you can. This is a great base recipe that provides a lot of vanilla flavor but also works well with all sorts of mix-ins. Add in cookies, cookie dough, fresh berries, or mini chocolate chips! You can even top your protein ice cream with hot fudge and sprinkles, or caramel sauce.
The pudding mix helps to create a great consistency and adds some additional flavor. Instant pudding mix usually has modified cornstarch in it which acts as a stabilizer and helps the ice cream be firmer and have fewer ice crystals. When you use instant pudding you do not need to add another stabilizer like guar gum or cream cheese. It’s a quick and easy way to get the perfect texture for your protein ice cream!
You do not need to use almond milk to make ice cream. The Ninja Creami makes all sorts of treats. Since you control the ingredients you can make full-fat and sugar recipes or make keto, vegan, diabetic, bariatric-friendly, or protein-based treats. Based on your dietary restrictions you can modify almost any recipe to meet your needs.
Instead of using almond milk, you can use whole milk, heavy cream (just a little heavy cream or it can start to turn to butter), unsweetened coconut cream, coconut milk, dairy-free milk like unsweetened oat milk, bananas, or protein powder, and shakes to make protein ice cream.
Click HERE to see a full list of substitutions. Some substitutions provide a less creamy texture.
Looking for more Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Recipes?
Ingredients for making Ninja Creami Vanilla Bean Protein Ice Cream
Ingredient substitutions and tips for making Ninja Creami Vanilla Bean 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.
Vanilla Protein Shake- I use the Premier Protein vanilla premade shakes but you can use whatever brand of shake that you would like. Just be sure to taste the shake and the mixture before freezing it to make sure that it tastes good.
Vanilla Almond Milk- You can use a different type of milk if you would like. Cashew milk, coconut milk, oat milk, or regular milk will work. But, since I used the vanilla flavored almond milk, you’ll want to look for a vanilla alternative milk as well. The vanilla almond milk is sweetened.
Sugar-Free Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix- If you are not watching your sugar intake, you can use the regular INSTANT pudding mix instead of the sugar-free. The measurements are the same.
Vanilla Bean Paste- I almost always use vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract in my Ninja Creami creations because I find that it provides a deeper, richer, vanilla flavor. But, if you would prefer, you can use vanilla extract instead. Just be sure to taste the mixture before freezing to make sure it has enough vanilla flavor for you.
Directions for making Ninja Creami Vanilla Bean Protein Ice Cream:
Make the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the protein shake, almond milk, pudding mix, and vanilla bean paste into a small blender and blend until the pudding mix has completely combined with the other ingredients. Pour this mixture 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 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, pour in a tablespoon or two of unsweetened almond milk and then use the re-spin cycle. 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 Vanilla Bean 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.
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) Vanilla Protein Shake
- 4 Fluid Ounces (118 2/7 ml) Vanilla Almond Milk
- 2 Tablespoons (2 Tablespoons) Sugar-Free Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
- 1 Teaspoon (1 Teaspoon) Vanilla Bean Paste
Optional
- 1-2 Tablespoons (2 Tablespoons) Unsweetened Almond Milk
Instructions
Make the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the protein shake, almond milk, pudding mix, and vanilla bean paste into a small blender and blend until the pudding mix has completely combined with the other ingredients. Pour this mixture 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, pour in a tablespoon or two of unsweetened almond milk and then respin. 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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Wendy Delson says
Can I use 2% milk instead of the protein shake?
Lauren Cardona says
You could, or you could just make my recipe for vanilla bean ice cream that does not have added protein. 🙂 Here’s the link: https://thetastytravelers.com/ninja-creami-vanilla-bean-ice-cream/
Carol B. says
Do you think it would work with plain Fairlife milk and adding more vanilla bean paste?
Lauren Cardona says
Would you be replacing the almond milk or the protein shake?
Donna says
Where does all the sodium come from? Just wanting to know so I can look for an alternate ingredient. Thanks
Lauren Cardona says
The majority is coming from the sugar-free pudding mix and then the protein shake.