Orange Creamsicle Protein Ice Cream
This post may contain affiliate links.
This luscious and fluffy orange creamsicle Ninja Creami recipe is full of flavor and packed with protein! This recipe is super easy to make right in your Ninja Creami Ice Cream machine and tastes just like the delicious orange creamsicles from our childhood!
You’ll also love my raspberry sorbet for Ninja Creami and my Almond Joy Protein Ice Cream.
Recipe at a Glance
⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
❄️ Freezing Time: 24 hours
🍽️ Servings: 1 pint
👍 Difficulty: Easy!
😋 Recipe Highlights: Nostalgic creamsicle flavor made with simple, real-food ingredients. Packed with protein at 48 grams per pint!
🛒 Featured Ingredients: Cottage cheese, protein powder, mandarin oranges, coconut milk
💪 Ice Cream Macros: 349 calories, 48 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, 55 grams of carbs
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
This orange creamsicle ice cream was developed at the request of a reader. I knew that a nostalgic creamsicle or orange sherbet recipe would be a flavor lots of people would appreciate!
Who doesn’t have fond memories of Creamsicle popsicles at the neighborhood pool? I know I do!
This recipe gets its deep orange flavor from a 4-oz cup of mandarin oranges plus some orange extract. I love using real fruit in fruit-flavored creami recipes as the texture is amazing, not to mention the flavor is much more natural.
The orange extract is also perfect! I like the McCormick brand–it’s made with natural simple ingredients, making this a TRUE orange flavor and not the result of artificial flavors.
This treat is wholesome, high-protein, sweet, and delicious.
Jump to:
- Recipe at a Glance
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Orange Sherbet vs. Creamsicle vs. Julius
- Orange Creamsicle Ninja Creami Ingredients
- Ingredient Substitutions
- Ninja Creami Orange Sherbet Instructions
- Ninja Creami Orange Creamsicle Mix-Ins
- Ninja Creami Orange Sherbet FAQs
- My Favorite Ninja Creami Recipes
- Want More Recipes Like This One?
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe captures that classic orange creamsicle nostalgia in a creamy, scoopable ice cream that's surprisingly high in protein.
It's bright, refreshing, and satisfying, making it the perfect post-workout treat that supports your recovery while tasting amazing!
Orange Sherbet vs. Creamsicle vs. Julius
Orange sherbet is a frozen dessert made with fruit, sugar, and a small amount of dairy, giving it a light, scoopable texture that's creamier than sorbet but lighter than ice cream.
An orange creamsicle combines bright orange sherbet with creamy vanilla ice cream, creating that classic citrus-and-cream flavor most of us grew up loving.
This Ninja Creami orange creamsicle protein recipe sits right between the two. It has the creamy vanilla-orange flavor of a creamsicle with a texture closer to orange sherbet, but it's richer and creamier than an Orange Julius, which is typically more icy and smoothie-like.
Orange Creamsicle Ninja Creami Ingredients
To make this delicious treat, here are a few of the key ingredients. For a full ingredient list, check the recipe card:
Cottage Cheese – You can’t taste the cottage cheese at all. What it does is act as a stabilizer for our homemade ice cream, and it contributes so much creaminess, just like true orange sherbet!
Vanilla Whey Protein – I developed this recipe with vanilla whey isolate protein powder. We use nearly a full two scoops–the extra protein in this ice cream makes it that much more creamy in lieu of heavy cream or other high fat ingredients.
Mandarin Oranges in 100% Juice - Remember those delicious mandarin orange cups? Find some packed in 100% juice. You’re going to throw the whole cup, juice and all, into the pint container.
Orange Extract - Orange extract strengthens the orange flavor in this recipe. You only need about 1/2 tsp. I love the McCormick brand and you can find it at most grocery stores.
Coconut Milk – I love using unsweetened coconut milk (the beverage kind in a carton–not the canned kind) for my fruit-flavored Creami recipes.
Ingredient Substitutions
**Note that any substitutions can change the taste and texture of the original recipe. But if needed, here are some subs you can try:
- Skim milk, whole milk, almond milk, or cashew milk can be used in place of coconut milk.
- You can use monk fruit, stevia, erythritol, or regular sugar in place of allulose. Make sure the sweetener blend you choose is meant to be a 1:1 sugar sub.
- Greek yogurt can be used in place of cottage cheese. Choose a plant-based greek yogurt if needed.
- Plant-based vanilla protein powder can be used in place of whey–if using a different type of protein, use 1 1/2 scoops–not necessarily the gram measurement in the recipe card. These other powders may vary in weight from whey.
Ninja Creami Orange Sherbet Instructions
Just like most of my Ninja Creami recipes, this one is very simple to whip together!
1. Blend Ingredients.
Combine all ingredients into a Ninja Creami pint container, including the juice from the mandarin orange snack cup. Add the coconut milk last, and pour it until it reaches the Max Fill line. You will need a little less than 1 cup. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
2. Freeze.
Place storage lid on the pint container and place pint cup in the freezer on a flat surface for at least 24 hours.
3. Spin.
When ready to eat, you can install the pint container into the outer bowl of your Ninja Creami ice cream maker and fasten the lid assembly. Spin the handle of the outer bowl up and to the side until it locks, then power on your Ninja Creami machine and press “Lite Ice Cream” for the first spin.
4. Re-Spin if Needed.
Check on the texture–if it looks good to you, it’s ready to eat! If you would like to make it fluffier, put it back in the machine and press the re-spin button.
There you have it! This delicious orange creamsicle Ninja Creami recipe has the perfect creamy texture and vibrant orange flavor.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ninja Creami Orange Creamsicle Mix-Ins
Check out these delicious options for some mix-ins! I love adding pistachios to mine.
Ninja Creami Orange Sherbet FAQs
Yes, you can use juice in your Ninja Creami, but juice-only bases freeze very hard and icy, which could cause texture issues or even damage your machine.
For a smoother texture and creamier result, pair citrus juice or fruit with a stabilizer like cottage cheese. Adding milk or coconut milk will also improve texture.
Absolutely. Fresh fruit works well in Ninja Creami recipes as long as it's blended smooth and balanced with other ingredients, like a stabilizer (cottage cheese in this case) or milk. For citrus flavors like orange, canned or peeled segments often give more consistent sweetness and texture than juice alone. This recipe uses a mandarin orange snack cup!
Ninja Creami recipes work best with a combination of liquid, protein or fat, and a natural sweetener. Ingredients like fruit, cottage cheese, milk, yogurt, coconut milk, and protein powder help prevent icy textures while creating a creamy, scoopable result.
My Favorite Ninja Creami Recipes
You’ll also love my classic flavors, like my vanilla protein ice cream, decadent chocolate protein ice cream, and my Toasted Marshmallow Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream.
Here are some of my other fruit-flavored Ninja Creami 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.
If you love this recipe, please come back to leave a comment and review! It means the world to hear from those who try my recipes!
Also, let me know if you have any flavor requests! I love a good challenge. 🙂
📖 Recipe
Orange Creamsicle Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream
Equipment
- Ninja Creami Ice Cream Maker
Ingredients
- 100 grams cottage cheese about 1/2 cup
- 3 tablespoon allulose or other low-calorie sweetener
- 50 grams vanilla whey isolate protein powder just under 2 scoops
- 4 ounce mandarin orange fruit cup in 100% juice
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
- 200 milliliters unsweetened coconut milk beverage a little over 3/4 cup
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into a Ninja Creami pint container, including the juice in the mandarin orange snack cup. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
- Place a lid on the pint container and freeze on a level surface in the freezer for at least 24 hours.
- When ready to eat, you can install the pint container into your Ninja Creami machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. Press "Lite Ice Cream" for the first spin.
- Check on the texture–if it looks good to you, it's ready to eat! If you would like to make it fluffier, put it back in the machine and press "re-spin."
Video
Tastes JUST like a creamsicle! Yum!!
Holly, for the Nutrition Section, are the numbers for the whole recipe or per serving? Thank you.
Yes, that’s the whole recipe! Yours may vary based on any differences in ingredients but should be relatively close if you follow something similar (I use 2% cottage cheese and the mandarins in 100% juice from Dole, and the So Delicious brand unsweetened coconut milk)
Thank you, Holly! I tried a version with just OJ but it wasn’t great. I never thought of using some mandarin oranges. I will definitely be making it this weekend! 🧡
Let me know what you think! We really loved it!