Ninja CREAMi Chocolate Protein Ice Cream

Today’s Ninja CREAMi protein ice cream recipe is a favorite. I have an extreme distaste for most protein-packed dessert recipes as they typically taste bad, leave a terrible aftertaste, and the texture is too gritty to even pretend to enjoy. However, I’ve found that Ninja CREAMi protein recipes are genuinely good (thankfully). The hardest part is letting them freeze; overnight is best, but I’ve found that 8-10 hours is the right amount of time for my freezer. For this recipe, I include a few different notes to help you customize the flavor. The recipe as written will give you a true chocolate flavor; the modifications make it more like a Wendy’s frosty (but still the true ice cream texture), or a mocha. Either way, you’ll still get at least 30 grams of protein. Hope you enjoy!

ninja CREAMi chocolate protein ice cream

ingredients

Makes one CREAMi

• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder; use this one instead if you want a richer, deep flavor.

• 1.5 cups Fairlife milk

  • Feel free to go a little lighter on the milk and then add a few splashes (up to 1/4 cup) of cold brew coffee for a mocha flavor. But don’t go over the fill line! Adjust the milk amount based on how much coffee you add.

• 1-1.5 tablespoons chocolate sugar-free pudding mix (this is a healthier brand that works well, too.)

  • For a Wendy’s frosty/ milk chocolate flavor: use 0.5 tablespoons chocolate sugar-free pudding mix and 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar-free pudding mix

• Optional: 1 tablespoon cocoa powder or hot chocolate mix

  • Milk chocolate hot cocoa mix makes for a lighter flavor; I like to use Starbucks hot chocolate mix since it has a hint of mocha/ more depth than sweetness)

• Optional mix-ins - mini chocolate chips, drizzle of caramel, chopped pretzels etc.

  • Tip: Chop your mix-ins prior to adding them; the Ninja CREAMi will blend them out but won’t make pieces smaller. This is especially true with crunchier or harder mix-ins like pretzels, cookies, and candy.

to prepare:

1. Combine all ingredients (except the mix-ins) and stir well. I just use a spoon, but some prefer to use a hand-held frother. Freeze overnight, or for at least 8 hours.

2. Spin “Lite Ice Cream.”

3. Scrape the sides and add 1-3 tablespoons of Fairlife milk (a splash or two).

4. Re-spin.

5. If you want to add mix-ins, add them into the center and then press “Mix-Ins.”

6. Serve immediately.

   1. I’ve found that regular/ non-protein CREAMis are still good if you re-freeze and re-spin later on, but it’s not worth it for protein-based recipes.

ninja creami protein ice cream tips:

• Add the milk first and then your powders. I like to stir in the pudding mix first, and then add the protein powder afterwards. It mixes better.

• To help avoid icy chunks in your CREAMi, run the pint under warm water for 30ish seconds. You might hear a crack (it’s the mixture separating from the sides). I wait to hear 2 cracks because it also makes it easier to scrape the sides after the spin.

• Use a butter knife to (carefully) scrape the sides. It works better than a spoon.

• Best chocolate protein powders for Ninja CREAMis: Body by Bree Chocolate Protein, Ascent 100% Whey Protein Powder Chocolate, and Active Stacks Peptides Protein Powder Chocolate

  • Clean Simple Eats is a really popular brand I’ve seen others use, but it contains 3 types of different types of sweeteners and I find it makes the CREAMis overly sweet with an artificial taste.

• Best vanilla protein powders for Ninja CREAMis: Body by Bree Vanilla Protein, Ascent 100% Whey Protein Powder Vanilla Bean, Intek Protein Evolution Vanilla

• Vanilla extract really doesn’t do much; use vanilla bean paste instead (it’s a 1:1 ratio). I typically stick to around 1 tsp max.

• 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.

• I highly recommend powdered peanut butter instead of actual peanut butter; it’s less messy and still gives you a great, genuine taste. The one I linked is organic with only 3 ingredients (peanuts, coconut sugar, salt) so it’s not as sketchy or processed as it sounds.

• Base recipe for vanilla protein ice cream: 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1.5 cups milk, 1-1.5 tablespoons vanilla sugar-free pudding mix, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

  • Chocolate: 1.5 cups milk, 1 scoop chocolate protein powder, 1.5 tablespoons chocolate sugar-free pudding mix

    • or 1 tb vanilla sugar-free pudding mix, 0.5 tb chocolate sugar-free pudding mix for a lighter milk chocolate/ Wendy’s frosty taste