Best Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream (No Pudding Mix + Easy!) (2024)

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Best Ninja Creami protein ice cream recipe without pudding mix! 30+ grams of protein per serving. Just four ingredients! Smooth and creamy vanilla protein ice cream base to add your desired mix-ins too. Increase your protein intake while satisfying your sweet tooth!

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Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Recipe

If you’ve been here for a while you know that when I start on the journey of creating a recipe, I like to make sure it is PERFECT before sharing it with you all. Just like when I started my sourdough bread journey. I waited months before I had the perfect recipe and technique to share with you. Now everyone is loving that sourdough bread recipe and I couldn’t be more grateful. Therefore you should know that I recipe-tested this protein ice cream lots of times before finally nailing the perfect creamy texture and flavor. That’s why when you see I added 2 Tbs. of honey or pure maple syrup. This is because the protein powder doesn’t give it the right amount of sweetness or flavor. Just adding a touch of these natural sweeteners helps so much and gives it the perfect flavor.

Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Recipe Without Pudding Mix

When I first discovered the Ninja Creami I knew I wanted to make a recipe without pudding mix. If you’ve been here a while you know that I’m all about whole food ingredients. I don’t normally like using low-calorie or zero-calorie sweeteners. That’s why when I was seeing all the Ninja Creami protein ice cream recipes with sugar-free pudding mix, I knew I wanted to make a different recipe. People claim that the pudding mix gives the protein ice cream a thicker and smoother texture. Well, I found the perfect ingredient that does the exact same thing but it’s actually a superfood! Collagen is my secret ingredient🤫

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What I love about adding collagen to this Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream

This Ninja Creami protein ice cream is made without pudding mix and the reason for this is we use unflavored collagen! This is a magic healthy ingredient that adds protein and the perfect smooth and creamy texture. I love using the Clean Simple Eats unflavored collagen powder but you can really use any collagen powder. I also love the Vital Proteins collagen and Garden of Life brand. You may have seen the Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream on Reddit. There are so many options and flavor ideas on there too! But you won’t see anything like my recipe because the secret ingredient of collagen.

Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Vanilla

I wanted vanilla to be my first Ninja Creami protein ice cream flavor because it is a staple to which you can add all sorts of mix-ins! Once you have the base vanilla protein ice cream flavor, the possibilities are endless! I found that when I used just vanilla protein powder, the vanilla flavor and sweetness just wasn’t quite there. It felt like it was missing something. That’s why I added just a dash of pure maple syrup or honey to the mixture. This is optional, but let me tell you, it takes the flavor to a whole new level and really makes it feel like normal ice cream!

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Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Cookies And Cream

Like I just said, this vanilla protein ice cream creami recipe is perfect for whatever kind of ice cream flavor you desire! If you’re looking to make this protein ice cream cookies and cream flavor just simply add in 2 homemade healthy Oreos (I have a recipe here) or store-bought Oreos for the mix-in option after your first light ice cream cycle. Easy peasy!

Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Cottage Cheese?

I’m sorry but I don’t get this trend 😆 I’ve tried making cottage cheese ice cream and it was horrible! If you really want extra protein in this Ninja Creami protein ice cream then go ahead and add in a couple spoonfuls of Greek yogurt! But honestly, 35+ grams of protein per serving is absolutely plenty of protein intake for one sitting.

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Ninja Creami Protein Powder Ice Cream

So what protein powder do I recommend for this Ninja Creami protein vanilla ice cream? If you follow me on Instagram you probably already know the answer to this question. My tried and true favorite protein brand for years now… Clean Simple Eats. We use vanilla grass-fed whey protein powder to give this protein ice cream an extra protein punch! Clean Simple Eats protein powder is my jaaaaaaam! It’s the best protein powder I’ve ever had and everyone I have try it says the same thing. I’ve given samples of this protein powder to friends and family and they all start using it regularly because they love it so much. So it’s safe to say it’s truly the best. It blends nicely and isn’t grainy or chalky. I use it in all of my baked oatmeal recipes too! If you need some amazing healthy, meal-prepped breakfasts, I highly recommend checking out my Birthday Cake Baked Oatmeal or my S’mores Baked Oatmeal Flavor!!! So. dang. Good.

Can I Make This Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Dairy-Free or Vegan?

Changing the protein powder brand and type of milk will drastically change this creamy flavor and texture. I’ve tested using almond milk and a vegan protein powder and the texture did not turn out great. That being said, I didn’t add the collagen powder. I’m going to test it again using collagen and see if that helps. Then it won’t be vegan, unfortunately. But it can be dairy-free! Also when I was nursing and had to go dairy-free the Clean Simple Eats protein powder was fine for me to have and didn’t upset my baby’s tummy. So you will just have to see what you feel comfortable trying if you are dairy-free. Sometimes dairy-free people can have whey protein powder. It depends from person to person.

The flavor and texture will vary a lot depending on what protein powder and plant-based milk you use. I’ve tried unsweetened almond milk, Clean Simple Eats whey protein powder, and collagen and the texture was great! I haven’t tested anything else though. I’ve found that you do need to add an extra 2 Tbs. of plant-based milk after the first light ice cream cycle because it does come out pretty powdery. Then just hit respin. I recommend sticking with the recipe as is and somewhere down the line, I will try to create a dairy-free vegan option if it’s not already on the blog now 🙂

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What Are The Macros For This Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream?

When creating this recipe I saw tons of ninja creami recipes using Fairlife milk. Well, as a person who shops at Aldi, I didn’t really want to go out of my way to buy Farilife milk. I did some research and found out WHY people are using this milk. It’s because Fairlife is ultra-filtered. It’s also lactose-free meaning it’s great for people who are lactose intolerant. All these things result in a higher protein, lower sugar, and fat milk. Which I guess is nice! But, is it necessary to make this ninja creami protein ice cream recipe? Nope.

I actually tested Fairlife protein shake and collagen together and it turned out pretty good. I would say it’s not as good as my original recipe with whole milk. Also some tips when using Fairlife milk… since it’s so low-fat, I found that after the first “light ice cream” cycle, I needed to add 2 Tbs. more milk and respin it 2 more times. So if you are using a lower fat milk, you will probably need to “respin” the protein ice cream 1-2x and add about 2 Tbs. more milk.

Let me explain further…

Do I Need Fairlife Milk To Make A Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream?

Absolutely not! This ninja creami protein ice cream recipe will work with virtually any milk. I know all you see on social media is Fairlife milk, but rest assured you can use any milk. Our personal favorite and what we usually use is regular plain old whole milk. Nothing fancy in the slightest. That’s the beauty of this machine. It can do WONDERS and make creamy delicious ice cream with any milk. I’ve tested unsweetened almond milk too and the texture was still fantastic! The flavor and texture do differ slightly depending on the milk type you use though. Plant-based milk will have a slightly icer texture, but still very creamy when you use collagen!

Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Chocolate

Here is my recipe for CHOCOLATE Ninja Cremai Protein Ice Cream. It will vary slightly from the vanilla base. It won’t just be as simple as changing out the protein powder to chocolate, although you can do that. For a richer chocolate flavor though I added in some of my homemade chocolate sauce!

How To Make Protein Ice Cream With Ninja Creami

So how do you make this protein ice cream in the Ninja Creami machine? I’ve seen so many ways of doing this. But dare I say my recipe and instructions are the safest for your machine and create the best texture in a smaller amount of time with less work! Here are my quick Ninja Creami hacks and tips…

Freeze your mixture without putting the lid on. This helps the mixture to freeze without forming a dome or bump on the top. Why I think this is so important goes back to when I accidentally broke our first Ninja Creami machine (see story below).
Defrost your frozen protein ice cream for at least 10 minutes before placing it in your machine to run. When I first got my Ninja Creami machine I did not do this and broke my machine 🫠
Run the outside under hot water for 30 seconds to ensure the sides don’t get icy.
Run it on the full light ice cream cycle.
Scrape down the sides to ensure no icyness.
Add your mix-ins and then run it on a mix-in cycle
ENJOY!

How I Broke My Ninja Creami Machine

The amount of excitement I had for this machine when it first arrived is similar to that of my wedding day I think 😂 So instead of doing the proper research and reading instructions fully, I broke our first machine. The thing is, everywhere on social media I saw people adding the rock-solid ninja creami container to the machine, then adding in a couple of tablespoons of milk and respinning it a couple of times. Well, NO WHERE did I see anyone talk about how you should most definitely DEFROST your container on the counter for at least 10 minutes before running it in the machine. Not even on Ninja’s website did I find this. Or even in the instruction manual! This is a vital error on Ninja’s part because I saw so many reviews of people breaking their machines just like me.

Anyway back to my story. I was so excited about my machine and I had run it 3 times with no problems. Then on the fourth time using it, my machine made the loudest most terrifying noise and then I just heard metal blades gnashing together 🫣It was very scary and honestly traumatic! I unplugged the machine, which I should have done as soon as I heard the noise but I definitely waited a little too long.

What had happened was the blade came OFF and completely tore up the inside rod that it goes to. I think my major mistakes were… 1. Not letting the creami sit out for 10 minutes to thaw. And 2. There was a slight bulge on the top of my mixture which probably made the blade go wonky in the machine and ultimately made it pop off somehow.

Still very scary and I pray it doesn’t happen again! Amazon was nice enough to just take back the machine as defective and I got a new machine a few days later. Saying I was terrified to run the Ninja Creami machine again is an understatement though. My heart would POUND each time I hit the start button… honestly, it still does haha. But following my tips from above gave me the confidence to know that I did everything in my ability to help the machine run smoothly. And I haven’t had any problems since! My Aunt encouraged me to stick with it because the same thing happened to her and I am so glad she did because we LOVE our Ninja Creami maker and wouldn’t change it for the world. Plus it does come with a warranty in case anything were to happen in the future which gives me peace of mind.

What If My Container Is Wobbling When I Put It In The Holder?

Run the outside of the Creami container under hot for about 1 minute. This will help reshape the outside so that it will fit correctly. Do not try to jam on your lid if it’s not fitting perfectly. I found when I used almond milk this happened more often which is weird but maybe almond milk just expands differently than dairy milk.

Macro Differences Depending On The Type Of Milk

I was so curious as to how much the milk changes the macros of this Ninja Creami protein ice cream. The screenshot below shows you the difference in macros using this recipe with whole milk, 2% milk, and Fairlife 2% milk. As you can see Fairlife does give you the most protein and the least amount of sugar and fat. However, the differences are not that significant and I don’t think it matters all that much 🙂 But just wanted to share in case you’re curious like me!

Best Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream (No Pudding Mix + Easy!) (6)

PIN FOR LATER

Best Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream (No Pudding Mix + Easy!) (7)

More Protein Recipes

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Protein Cookie Dough

Lemon Protein Balls

4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Granola

Get My Healthy Treats Cookbook!

Yield: 2 servings

Best Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream (No Pudding Mix + Easy!)

Ingredients

Protein Ice Cream Ingredients

2 cups (16 oz) whole milk (see notes for other milk choices)
2 scoops (64 grams) Clean Simple Eats Simply Vanilla protein powder (code "CLAIRE" for a discount)
1 scoop (10 grams) unflavored collagen (this adds protein & makes it creamy & smooth)
2-3 Tbs. (40 grams) pure maple syrup, honey, or granulated monk fruit sweetener (optional but recommended)

Mix-In Options

2-3 Tbs. protein cookie dough (pictured in blog post & video)
2-3 Tbs. gluten-free cookie dough
2-3 Tbs. creamy peanut butter
1 fresh banana or fruit of choice
2 Tbs. mini chocolate chips (my favorite allergy-friendly brand)

Instructions

1. Add all protein ice cream ingredients to a 24 oz Ninja Creami container (this is for the Ninja Creami Delux 11-in-1 machine Model: NC501) and stir well using a whisk, immersion blender, or electric frother (you could also mix all ingredients in a blender bottle then pour into the Creami container). If you have a Ninja Creami 7-in-1 Model: NC301 just half this recipe.

2. Place in the freezer for at least 12 hours or preferably overnight. I leave mine uncovered to reduce the size of the bulge on top when frozen. You want it as flat on top as possible.

3. When you’re ready to make the Creami, remove the container from the freezer and leave it at room temperature for 10 minutes. If there is a large bulge on top, be sure to scrape it down and flatten with a metal spoon as best you can. Run the outside of the container under hot water for 30 seconds- 1 minute. Dry completely. Doing these two steps keeps your machine safe, prevents icyness, and gives the protein ice cream a creamy texture with fewer spins.

4. Place the container inside the Ninja Creami Deluxe machine and run on a full-light ice cream cycle.Once complete the protein ice cream should have a nice thick ice cream texture (if you're using a lower fat milk and it turns out crumbly/powdery, add 2 Tbs. more milk and "respin" 1-2 more times).

5. Scrape down the sides of the container and make a hole in the center of the protein ice cream, going down about ¾ of the way. Add in your desired mix-ins such as protein cookie dough, gluten-free edible cookie dough, or peanut butter and/or mini chocolate chips.

6. Place the container back in the machine and run a full mix-in cycle.

7. Serve immediately and enjoy! This makes two servings. Full macros for whole milk, Fairlife 2% milk, and regular 2% milk are listed in the blog post above. See notes for storing leftovers and substitution options.

Notes

Milk type: the macros will vary slightly depending on what milk you use. Fairlife 2% milk will give you the highest protein coming in at 34 grams per serving (there are two servings in this recipe). If you use a lower fat milk such as Fairlife or 2% or almond milk, you will need to add another 1-2 Tbs. milk after the first "light ice cream" cycle. Then scrape down the sides and run a "respin" cycle as many times as you need to get the desired texture. I’ve tested unsweetened almond milk & the texture still turns out fabulous if that’s the only ingredient you change. The taste will vary slightly depending on the milk type as well.

Leftovers: If you’re using the 24 oz. container and only plan to eat half, you can run a “top” light ice cream cycle. And then do the mix-in cycle for just the “top” as well. Or if you already ran it through the “full” and have leftovers, be sure to flatten the top of your protein ice cream as much as possible and store it in the freezer for later. When you’re ready to eat the leftovers, follow the instructions as listed in the recipe but click “bottom” “light ice cream” cycle and then a bottom “mix-in” cycle. Enjoy!

Protein Powder: I used Clean Simple Eats Simply Vanilla protein powder for this recipe along with their collagen powder. Any collagen powder should work perfectly. The protein powder you use will change the texture and flavor of this recipe. I’ve found Clean Simple Eats to make this protein ice cream silky smooth and delicious! If you have success with another brand let me know!

Can I Make This Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Dairy-Free or Vegan? Change just the milk to a plant-based milk and keep the collagen and it will work. For a vegan option, you can use a plant-based protein drink like Aloha. I haven’t tested this, but let me know if you try it! I’m in the stages of working on a good vegan recipe for you.

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Happy Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Makin’!