Ninja CREAMis seem to be everyone’s newest obsession, and for good reason. You get actual ice cream (not a sad, icy “dupe”) with added protein, minimal sugar, and extra fun playing with different own mix-ins and custom recipes. It’s no secret that Fairlife milk helps you get the creamiest results, but I’ve noticed that protein powder makes a big difference, too.

I personally stick to whey isolate protein over regular whey or vegan alternatives. Whey isolate specifically undergoes further processing to remove more lactose and fat; “processing” sounds bad but it’s beneficial in this instance, as it results in a higher protein content and tends to be easier on your digestive system. And as much as I would love to be vegan, plant-based protein powders are too harsh on my digestive system and make me really nauseous, so the list I’ve gathered below focuses specifically on whey isolate protein powders.

One note: instead of using cookies and cream protein powder, you’ll get a better result if you use vanilla protein powder and then mix in the cookies later on. The cookie crumbs in the protein powder just get ground out during the processing.

You can also find some of my best Ninja CREAMi protein ice cream recipes here.

best protein powder for Ninja CREAMis

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best chocolate protein powder for Ninja CREAMIs

Body by Bree Chocolate Protein - While I am not one to trust “random” fitness influencers, this protein powder is the real deal and my #1 favorite as far as flavor, digestion, and ingredients go. I highly recommend it to anyone who finds protein powder to be tough on their digestive system, as it’s the gentlest formulation I’ve found. The only downside is I don’t love that it has xanthan gum in it, but it’s truly one of the cleanest and protein powders on the market. The chocolate flavor is noticeable but not overpowering and comes from organic cocoa; you can taste the difference compared to some of the other chocolate protein powders out there. It makes for the best-tasting, creamiest chocolate protein ice cream; it’s a milk chocolate taste reminiscent of a Wendy’s frosty.

Ascent 100% Whey Protein Powder Chocolate - If you’re using Clean Simple Eats protein, I highly recommend switching to Ascent. This is formulated with just stevia, whereas CSE uses stevia plus xylitol and monk fruit; that’s just a lot and can sometimes make your Ninja CREAMis overly (and unnecessarily) sweet. Sometimes Ninja CREAMis can make you full fast because it’s a lot of volume, but this protein powder also helps with that as it’s specifically formulated to be fast-digesting (but not harsh on your system). As far as the chocolate flavor, this is slightly richer than the Body by Bree protein, but not overwhelmingly strong. You can always use vanilla pudding mix instead of chocolate if you want that lighter Wendy’s frosty flavor - check out my go-to chocolate protein ice cream recipe here.

Active Stacks Peptides Protein Powder Chocolate - This is THE protein powder to use if you’re a chocolate lover (especially dark chocolate). It has the richest chocolate flavor out of any protein powder I’ve ever tried; it’s almost reminiscent of a dark chocolate bar, but not as bitter. It’s going to give you a stronger chocolate/ fudge flavor than the other powders I’ve mentioned, and it’s my go-to when I want a frozen hot chocolate vibe. It is pricey, but you only need one scoop for maximum flavor (I don’t recommend double-scooping, as it’s too rich for that). It also has collagen peptides for added nutritional value.

best vanilla protein powder for Ninja CREAMis

Typically vanilla Ninja CREAMis are made for the mix-ins to shine, whether it’s fruit, cookie dough, or chocolate chips. I still want the base to be a decent vanilla, and the ones I’m mentioning below are so good that I sometimes skip the mix-ins (but I do recommend adding a little drop of vanilla bean paste for an elevated touch).

Body by Bree Vanilla Protein - Vanilla protein powder is hard to get right; so many are either too sweet, artificial tasting, or disgustingly chalky. This is going to give your Ninja CREAMi a sweet-cream like base; it’s definitely vanilla but not artificially sweet like other vanilla protein powders can be. It’s creamy but not too rich or heavy, so it’s also the perfect neutral base, whether you want to add fruit, nuts, or cookies. It’s going to compliment your mix-ins; you don’t have to worry about it tasting too sweet no matter what you add. Definitely use this one if you want to make a cheesecake protein ice cream; it really compliments the cheesecake flavor.

Ascent 100% Whey Protein Powder Vanilla Bean - Just like the chocolate version I mentioned above, this is formulated to be fast digesting and sweetened with just stevia, so I recommend it to anyone who wants a lighter (yet still creamy) Ninja CREAMi. It’s a tad sweeter than the Body by Bree protein, but still way better than some of the other vanilla protein powders. I like using Ascent when I’m adding fruit (or fruity pudding mix), or making a pistachio protein ice cream.

Intek Protein Evolution Vanilla - Full disclosure: I feel like you have a lot more wiggle room in regards to protein powder when you’re making Ninja CREAMis versus protein shakes because the milk/ pudding mix combo will help round things out. That being said, I still prioritize clean ingredients, which can sometimes drive the price up. If you’re on a budget, this is probably the most cost-effective protein, clean protein powder you can get (the 5lb tub comes down to $15.60 per lb, so you’re going to get a ton of Ninja CREAMis out of this). While it contains regular whey in addition to the whey isolate, they’ve also formulated it with digestive enzymes so it may be easier on your stomach than other protein powders. I like that it contains amino acids for a complete protein profile and added muscle recovery; I don’t feel guilty about having a Ninja CREAMi instead of a traditional protein shake after my workout whenever I use Intek protein powder as the base. The vanilla flavor is very mild and versatile; the only downside is that the 5lb tub is pretty big to store, haha.