Ninja Creami Lemon Ice Cream – High Protein & Sugar-Free
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This Ninja Creami lemon ice cream is protein-packed and sugar-free, filled with a bright citrus flavor! This healthy ice cream is creamy, tart, and satisfying, with nearly 50 grams of protein per pint!
For more delicious protein ice creams, try my chocolate protein ice cream and my Snickerdoodle Ninja Creami recipe.
Recipe at a Glance
This creamy, tangy lemon protein ice cream delivers 47g protein, 309 calories, and 14g net carbs per pint-bright, refreshing, and far better than any store-bought health food.
⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
❄️ Freeze Time: 24 hours
🍽️ Servings: 1 pint
👍 Difficulty: Easy
🛒 Featured Ingredients: Lemon juice, lemon extract, vanilla whey, cottage cheese
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If you’re a lemon lover like me, this is bound to become your new favorite flavor for the Ninja Creami. There’s something so refreshing and satisfying about lemon!
I also appreciate simple flavors that speak for themselves, and I believe lemon is one flavor that does that.
This recipe aims to make a high-protein and low-calorie treat. To do that, we omit heavy cream & whole milk & increase the protein content to recreate the creaminess.
For just 309 calories, you get a full pint of protein ice cream that packs over 47 grams of protein. What could be better? This flavor will have you dreaming of spring!
For more fun recipes, try my chocolate-coconut Ninja Creami Protein Swirl recipe or my Ninja Creami coffee ice cream.
Featured Comment: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Delicious and guilt-free, this lemon ice cream was fantastic! I'll definitely be making it again! I crumbled a couple of shortbread biscuits over the top. -Cheryl
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Key Ingredients
Here are the important ingredients for this chocolate protein ice cream. For a full list of ingredients, check the recipe card.
2% Cottage Cheese – Cottage cheese is the ice cream stabilizer in this recipe, creating a thicky & creamy result. Use whatever brand you like. You can also use a no-added-sugar Greek yogurt if needed (choose plain, vanilla, or lemon flavored).
Vanilla Whey Isolate Protein Powder – Using 50 grams of vanilla whey protein powder replaces the heavy cream in typical ice cream and makes this low-fat ice cream thick and smooth. While many protein ice cream recipes use less powder than I do, the resulting ice cream is usually a little thinner.
I love the Legion brand, but it is sweetened with stevia. If you don’t like stevia, you can use any brand you like, but the quantity in the recipe card is specifically for a whey isolate. You may need more or less with other types of protein.
Allulose – Allulose is a low-calorie, rare sugar found in natural foods. This is my sugar substitute of choice due to its neutral flavor, good safety profile, and the fact that it properly lowers the freezing point so the ice cream churns correctly.
You can use whatever sweetener you prefer, but note that the quantity may need to be adjusted for different types of sweetener.
Lemon Extract – Without the lemon extract, the lemon flavor just isn’t strong enough. Lemon extract is pretty easy to find at most large grocery stores, and it is cheap!
Coconut Milk – Choose an unsweetened coconut milk beverage (the carton kind–not canned coconut milk). You can also use skim milk or almond milk, but note that nut milks make slightly thinner ice cream.
How to Make Ninja Creami Lemon Ice Cream
To make this tart & creamy treat, follow the instructions below.
1. Mix Ingredients.
Add all of the ingredients and just enough coconut to be a bit below the max fill line of the pint container. Then, use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
**I recommend stopping just short of the line because I have noticed adding lemon juice causes more expansion in the freezer.
2. Freeze.
Put a lid on your container and place the pint on a level surface in your freezer for at least 24 hours.
3. Spin.
Remove the pint from the freezer. Install the ice cream pint container in the Ninja Creami ice cream maker per the instructions for your model. Press “Lite Ice Cream” for your first spin.
4. Re-Spin.
Check your ice cream to see how smooth it is. If it is not quite smooth yet, put it back in the machine and do a re-spin cycle. Your ice cream should be ready to eat after your re-spin!
Sometimes people add a tablespoon of milk at the respin, but this is unnecessary and will result in a thinner ice cream.
And just like that, you have a delicious frozen dessert made with minimal effort. Top your Ninja Creami lemon ice cream with lemon zest and fresh fruit, such as raspberries.
Expert Protein Ice Cream Tips
⭐If you do not eat the whole pint at once, flatten the top with the back of your spoon before putting it back in the freezer.
When you want to eat the rest, spin it in your machine using the “Lite Ice Cream” setting. Do a re-spin afterwards if necessary.
⭐If you’re having issues with your Ninja Creami machine, check out my Ninja Creami Troubleshooting Guide.
⭐If you’d like to learn more about making perfect Ninja Creami recipes, check out my post on essential components of the perfect Ninja Creami protein ice cream base.
Nutritional Information
| Serving Size | Calories | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 pint | 309 | 47.5 g | 6.3 g | 34.8 g (10 g net) |
Healthy Lemon Ice Cream FAQs
Your Ninja Creami may not be creamy because you have substituted too many ingredients. In my experience, when you’re trying to make ice cream that is low-fat and sugar-free, your saving grace is protein. Without enough protein to make up for the loss of creaminess from low-fat ingredients, you’re likely to get some iciness.
You should wait the full 24 hours for the Ninja Creami for best results and to avoid the risk of potentially voiding your warranty. It will be tempting to blend your Ninja Creami earlier, but 24 hours is recommended to make sure it’s evenly frozen through the center.
Yes, I believe the Ninja Creami ice cream machine is a great value, especially if you want to make high-protein ice creams! Nothing you can buy at the store even comes close to the deliciousness you can make yourself.
Other Ninja Creami Recipes
If you want to try more fruity protein ice creams, you’ll love my raspberry protein ice cream recipe, my Ninja Creami orange creamsicle recipe, and my Ninja Creami coconut ice cream.
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 Ninja Creami lemon protein ice cream today!
Then, please leave a comment and a 5-star rating! It helps others find my recipes, and it means the world to hear from every reader.
📖 Recipe
Ninja Creami Lemon Ice Cream – Protein Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Ninja Creami Ice Cream Maker
Ingredients
- 100 grams 2% Cottage Cheese about 1/2 cup
- 50 grams Vanilla Whey Isolate about 1 1/2 scoops
- 2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Lemon Extract
- 2 tablespoon Allulose
- 1 cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk
Instructions
- Into the Ninja Creami pint container, add all of the ingredients except the lemon zest. Stop a tad short of the max fill line (lemon juice causes a little bit more expansion in the freezer). Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.100 grams 2% Cottage Cheese, 50 grams Vanilla Whey Isolate, 2 tablespoon Lemon Juice, 1/2 teaspoon Lemon Extract, 2 tablespoon Allulose, 1 cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk
- Place lid on the pint container. Freeze for 24 hours on a flat, level surface.
- When ready to eat, install the pint container into your Ninja Creami as specified per the instructions for your model.
- Spin once on "Lite Ice Cream." Check the texture after the spin to see if it's ready.
- If needed, put the ice cream container back in the machine and press "re-spin."
Video
Notes
⭐If you’re having issues with your Ninja Creami machine, check out my Ninja Creami Troubleshooting Guide.
⭐If you’d like to learn more about making perfect Ninja Creami recipes, check out my post on essential components of the perfect Ninja Creami protein ice cream base.
Nutrition
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Delicious and guilt-free, this lemon ice cream was fantastic! I’ll definitely be making it again! I crumbled a couple of shortbread biscuits over the top.
Can you try to make an orange version? Like an orange sherbert? I expect it would need a little orange juice and some orange extract. I might try it over the weekend and let you know if it works.
That’s a great idea! 🙂 Let me know how yours goes–I’ll see what I can come up with, too! Orange sherbet would be so nostalgic and delicious, yummm.
Yum! This was great! I get tired of making the same flavor over and over, fun to try some new ones.
Me, too! Glad you liked it.