High Protein Ninja Creami Coffee Ice Cream Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links.
This Ninja Creami Coffee Protein Ice Cream is ultra-creamy, thick, and completely free of added sugar - a high-protein, crave-worthy treat that doubles as the perfect post-workout reward while keeping your macros right on track.
For more protein ice cream recipes, you’ll love my Mint Chocolate Chip protein ice cream and my Ninja Creami lemon ice cream.
Coffee Protein Ice Cream at a Glance
⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
❄️ Freeze Time: 24 hours
🍽️ Servings: 1 pint
👍 Difficulty: Easy!
😋 Recipe Highlights: While typical coffee ice cream is 250-300 cal per ½ cup and only 4-6g protein, this recipe is 327 calories for the entire pint and 56 grams of protein! No added sugars or artificial sweeteners. ✅
🛒 Featured Ingredients: Vanilla whey protein isolate, Greek yogurt, allulose, brewed coffee & instant coffee
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Not only is it possible to make a satisfying pint of ice cream with low-calorie ingredients, but it can be just as satisfying as regular ice cream with the right recipe in hand!
Coffee happens to be one of my husband's all-time favorite ice cream flavors, so this one was made by request (and quickly approved).
If you're anything like us and enjoy switching things up, you'll also love some of the other flavors in my Ninja Creami collection, like my Ninja Creami Raspberry Ice Cream for a fun contrast, or my Chocolate-Coconut Ninja Creami Swirl for a healthy indulgence.
For classic comfort flavors, my Peanut Butter Protein Ice Cream, Sugar-Free Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, and Coconut Ice Cream for Ninja Creami are reader favorites - and if you want something a little nostalgic, don't miss the Protein S'mores Ninja Creami.
Jump to:
- Coffee Protein Ice Cream at a Glance
- Why This Recipe Works
- Key Ingredients
- Ingredient Substitutions
- How to Make High-Protein Coffee Ice Cream
- Expert Ninja Creami Tips
- Ninja Creami Mix-In Ideas
- Ninja Creami Coffee Ice Cream FAQs
- Other Ninja Creami Protein Recipes
- Want More Recipes Like This One?
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe is specifically formulated using ice cream chemistry to be thick and creamy while being low in both fat and sugar, thanks to thoughtfully chosen ingredients in proper proportions.
Most protein ice creams out there only use one scoop of protein. However, you need more than one regular scoop of protein if you expect to replace fat and sugar without ice crystals (or you need to consider other additives, like gums, which complicate recipes and may be hard on your gut).
That’s why this recipe uses 50 grams of protein powder (a little over a scoop and a half).
Next–instead of sugar, allulose is my thoughtfully chosen natural sugar substitute.
Allulose lowers the freezing point of the mixture, which is important for proper churning. It also has a clean and natural taste, unlike many other natural or artificial sugar substitutes, which most people prefer.
Key Ingredients
To make this high-protein coffee ice cream for the Ninja Creami, you will need the following simple ingredients. For a complete list of ingredients, be sure to check the recipe card.
Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt– Greek yogurt will stabilize our ice cream to make it smooth and creamy.
If you are concerned that the flavor of yogurt may be too tangy, you can also use cottage cheese–cottage cheese has a neutral flavor, and the texture will be smooth once blended.
Vanilla Whey Protein Isolate– Protein powder is what replaces heavy cream to make this healthy ice cream thick and scoopable. It also provides added sweetness and flavor.
Try to choose a powder made with natural sweeteners if possible.
If you have a coffee-flavored whey isolate, that would also work. Caramel & toffee flavors would be perfect, too.
Instant Coffee Granules- While we also add some prepared brewed coffee, instant coffee granules will boost the coffee flavor. The freezer mutes flavors, so the instant coffee powder can make sure the flavor stays prominent even when frozen.
You can also use instant espresso powder. You may need to cut the amount in half and taste it before adding more.
Ingredient Substitutions
You can make this a vegan coffee ice cream by using a soy-based protein powder, coconut yogurt, and plant-based milk, such as coconut milk.
I like the low-calorie coconut milk beverage carton best for my Creami recipes to keep fat calories down, but canned coconut milk would also be delicious if you don’t mind adding more fat to the macros.
While I use allulose as my sweetener of choice, you can swap it for another natural sugar alternative, such as a monk fruit sweetener or erythritol.
Note: Swapping ingredients changes the taste and texture, so swap things carefully and only as needed.
How to Make High-Protein Coffee Ice Cream
Making coffee protein ice cream is very simple.
1. Add Ingredients to Pint Cup.
To create our ice cream base, add all of the ingredients to the Ninja Creami pint container. Blend with the immersion blender until smooth, or use a whisk.
2. Freeze.
Freeze your pint container for 24 hours. Be sure to put your pint container on a level surface in the freezer.
Tip: Freezing without the lid can help prevent a hump from forming at the top of your ice cream. It’s not 100% guaranteed, but it can help.
3. Spin Ice Cream.
When ready to make the ice cream, install your pint container in the Ninja Creami machine per the instructions for your model. Press the “Lite Ice Cream” button and let it spin.
4. Check Texture & Re-Spin if Needed.
When the spin is over, uninstall the pint from the machine and remove the outer bowl lid to check on the texture of the ice cream. If it’s not yet smooth, reinstall the pint into the machine and press “Re-Spin” to spin it a second time.
Expert Ninja Creami Tips
•For best results, follow the recipe as written. Ingredient swaps can change the taste & texture of the recipe.
•If you decide to alter any ingredients, keep in mind flavors dull in the freezer, so you want to make sure your mixture tastes a little stronger and sweeter than you think is needed.
•If you do not eat the whole pint at once, use the back of a spoon to level out the top and put it back in the freezer to eat again at another time. You will have to spin it in your machine again using the same settings.
•You can also microwave the refrozen leftover ice cream for 30 seconds. It usually is easy to eat with a spoon at that point, but the texture will be firmer than if you spin it again.
•If you’re having issues with your Ninja Creami machine, check out my Ninja Creami Troubleshooting Guide.
Ninja Creami Mix-In Ideas
Work in any of your favorite Creami mix-ins. If you need some ideas, here are my favorites for coffee ice cream specifically:
Ninja Creami Coffee Ice Cream FAQs
There are actually several possible causes of ice crystals. The full depth of ice cream science is beyond the scope of this article, but it comes down to the balance of ingredients.
Ice cream is typically made with heavy cream (aka fat) and sugar. Both of these ingredients contribute to creamy ice cream. Recipes that don’t use them, such as this one, need to compensate in other ways.
My method is to increase the protein. Protein can also make ice cream creamy, and it’s why my recipes are higher in protein than many other Ninja recipe creators. From the added Greek yogurt to extra protein powder, to using skim milk instead of the nut milk…all of this contributes to higher protein, creamier Ninja Creami that is lower in sugar and calories than what you’ll find elsewhere.
Yes, you can put coffee in a Ninja Creami, but not by itself. Freezing and spinning only coffee could potentially damage your machine–coffee without other ingredients will freeze harder than the machine can handle.
It also won’t taste very good. The freezer mutes flavors, so for the best results, you want to make an ice cream base with a strong flavor before freezing.
Follow the recipe listed here to make a high-quality coffee recipe that tastes good and is safe for your Ninja Creami machine.
Other Ninja Creami Protein Recipes
Want More Recipes Like This One?
If you love my Ninja Creami recipes and want some more fun flavors like S’Mores, Pistachio, Monster Cookie, Black Forest Cake, or even Moose Tracks, check out my Ninja Creami Recipe eBook!
The recipe book is available for instant download and offers delicious recipes in an easy-to-access eBook without any ads.
Make this coffee protein ice cream today! Then, please come back to leave a comment and review! It means the world to me to hear from those who try my recipes.
📖 Recipe
Ninja Creami Coffee Ice Cream
Equipment
- Ninja Creami Ice Cream Maker
- Immersion Blender optional
Ingredients
- 100 grams Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt about 1/2 cup–can also use cottage cheese
- 50 grams Vanilla Whey Isolate about 1 1/2 Scoops
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
- 1 teaspoon Instant Coffee Use 1/2 tsp if you don't want the coffee flavor too strong
- 2 tablespoon Allulose or sweetener of choice
- 1/2 cup Prepared Coffee cooled
- 1/2 cup Skim Milk
Instructions
- Add all of your ingredients into the Ninja Creami pint container. Blend together with an immersion blender, or whisk it together well.100 grams Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt, 50 grams Vanilla Whey Isolate, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste, 1 teaspoon Instant Coffee, 2 tablespoon Allulose, 1/2 cup Prepared Coffee, 1/2 cup Skim Milk
- Freeze for 24 hours.
- Put your Ninja Creami pint container in your machine per manufacturer's instructions. Spin once on "Lite Ice Cream."
- Check the texture of your ice cream after the spin to determine if you need another spin. Spin on "Re-Spin" if you would like it creamier.
- Enjoy!
Video
Thank you very much for the advice. I use cottage cheese a lot in my creami blends and enjoy the texture. I’ll give it a go with this recipe.
While I enjoyed the coffee flavour the ice cream turned out too sour. Could it be the yoghurt?
Definitely could be the yogurt or type of yogurt. I’d make sure you’re using a very mild flavored yogurt (such as Fage) or use cottage cheese–cottage cheese may sound weird, but if you blend it all together and then freeze, it makes the ice cream very creamy and cottage cheese has a very neutral flavor.
Great use for my leftover coffee! 😉 Coffee ice cream is creamy, sweet, decadent–I loved it!