The BEST Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Recipes (2024)

Why add protein to ice cream?

With the rise in popularity of using protein shakes and powders in Ninja Creami recipes, many think that it is necessary to achieve the creamy texture of the ice cream. It is not. Adding protein to Ninja Creami ice cream is not necessary unless you are specifically trying to increase your daily protein intake due to diet and fitness goals. Many have found that adding protein to ice cream is a good way to meet their diet and fitness goals while providing endless flavor options. Eating a bowl of ice cream instead of drinking a protein shake has proven to be a delicious way to get more protein in your diet.

How to use the Ninja Creami to make protein ice cream

• Start off by preparing your base recipe and pouring it into a Ninja Creami pint container. Be sure not to fill past the max fill line. If I’m making a base recipe that has several ingredients, I like to blend all ingredients together in a small blender before pouring them into the Ninja Creami containers. The base recipe for high-protein ice cream will be mostly liquid, either a pre-made protein shake or a combination of protein powder and dairy/non-dairy. Depending on the recipe, it will likely also have flavor extracts, stabilizer, or additional sweetener.
• Make sure the top of the mixture is level and then freeze on a level surface for 24 hours. The freezer temperature should be between -7 and 9 degrees Fahrenheit. Based on the temperature of your freezer and the ingredients used, you may be able to freeze for a shorter period of time. Some like to freeze the container without the lid to help reduce the likelihood that a frozen bump will form on the top of the frozen treat.
• Remove from the freezer and place into the Ninja Creami ice cream machine. Select the LITE ICE CREAM cycle if you are using a pre-made protein shake or protein powder mixed with low-fat milk or non-dairy milk. If you are using protein powder mixed with high fat dairy like whole milk or heavy cream, then use the ICE CREAM cycle.
• Once the process has finished, remove the container from the machine. If the ice cream is dry and crumbly (like sand), pour 1-2 tablespoons of liquid into the ice cream and then process on the re-spin cycle. You might need to complete this process more than once. You can use leftover protein shake, fruit juice, milk or cream, or even water as the additional liquid that might be needed for the respin. ***If you are going to be adding mix-ins, it’s not recommended to re-spin multiple times or add much liquid before the mix-ins process as the mix-ins process will continue to spin the ice cream and it might become too soft.
• If you would like to add mix-ins to your Ninja Creami protein ice cream, dig a hole down the center of the ice cream, if there is not already one there, and pour in your favorite mix-ins. Put the ice cream back into the machine and process on mix-ins.

If you are looking for information on how to use the Ninja Creami, answers to the most commonly asked questions, be sure to check out my full post on Ninja Creami FAQs here!

mix-in ideas for making protein ice cream

• Fruit- You can add fruit like strawberries, peaches, blueberries, or raspberries during the mix-ins process. Be sure to cut the fruit into small pieces. I prefer to use fresh fruit as a mix-in, but you can use small pieces of frozen fruit or freeze dried fruit as a mix-in.

• Your favorite granola- Using granola is a great way to add texture to ice cream. If you want even more protein, they even sell protein granola!

• Cookies and candy- Adding small pieces of cookies and candy to a ice cream can add texture and additional flavor to any ice cream.

The flavor combinations are endless when you start adding mix-ins to protein ice cream.

How Much Protein Do Different Milks Have?

A good way to add even more protein to your Ninja Creami protein ice cream recipes is to switch up the dairy products that you add to the protein shake and protein powder. Fairlife milk is one of the highest in protein and coconut milk is one of the lowest in protein.

Ninja Creami Protein Recipes

For my Ninja Creami protein ice cream recipes, I use unflavored GNC Whey protein powder and pre-made Premier Protein shakes. You can use your favorite protein powder or protein shake. The taste and texture of the end product will vary based on what brand you choose.

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