Ninja CREAMi Pistachio Protein Ice Cream
Pistachio is one of my favorite ice cream flavors, but it’s hard to find a good one and I’ve been wanting to make a protein version ever since I became obsessed with my Ninja CREAMi. This recipe is definitely simple, with just three ingredients, but you can always dress it up by adding mix-ins or toppings. It’s common for pistachio ice cream to have pieces of pistachio or almond in it, but when you use the Ninja, make sure you chop these up first, since the Ninja doesn’t have a food processor-like component. Aside from that extra step, this is a really simple recipe, and a great way to sneak in an extra 30g of protein. Enjoy!
ninja CREAMi pistachio protein ice cream
ingredients
Makes one CREAMi
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1.5 cups Fairlife milk - this will get you the creamiest ice cream; don’t sub for regular milk
1 tablespoon pistachio sugar-free pudding mix
Optional mix-ins - mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts 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:
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.
Spin “Lite Ice Cream.”
It is normal if it looks crumbly and not like ice cream at this point.
Scrape the sides and add 1-3 more tablespoons of Fairlife milk.
Re-spin.
If you want to add mix-ins, add them into the center and then press “Mix-Ins.”
Serve immediately.
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
