Perfect Vanilla Ninja Creami Base Recipe – Protein Ice Cream
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Tired of icy & lackluster Ninja Creamis with no flavor? This Vanilla Ninja Creami base recipe is a luscious take on classic vanilla ice cream that will satisfy your sweet tooth while being high in protein and lower in sugar than traditional ice cream!
This recipe is perfect for anyone who bought their Ninja Creami machine to make healthy options, like my creamy chocolate protein ice cream and my raspberry protein ice cream.
Vanilla Protein Ice Cream at a Glance
⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
❄️ Freeze Time: 24 hours
🍽️ Servings: 1 pint
👍 Difficulty: Easy!
😋 Recipe Highlights: Creamy vanilla ice cream with nearly 55 grams of protein per pint using natural ingredients and a simple process.
🛒 Featured Ingredients: Whey protein, cottage cheese, vanilla paste
💪 Macros: 344 calories, 55g protein, 2g fat, and 42g carbs
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Everybody needs a solid vanilla Ninja Creami base recipe-it’s versatile for protein ice creams, blizzards, sundaes, or any mix-in. You can simplify your ice cream supplies with this creamy, 55g-protein version that uses everyday ingredients you can get at any grocery store.
After hundreds of Ninja Creamis spun in my kitchen, this vanilla protein base has become my go-to-it’s the reliable foundation that delivers perfect creaminess every single time and serves as the base for fun recipes like my Mint Chocolate Chip Ninja Creami or my Sugar Free Cookies & Cream Ninja Creami.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
This is the perfect protein powerhouse, containing nearly 60 grams! This recipe uses simple staples like cottage cheese and vanilla whey protein powder to create this smooth, thick ice cream base with no iciness.
No more stocking multiple flavors; just swap in extracts or syrups for endless variety, saving money on ingredients. Perfect for blizzards, sundaes, or mix-ins but keeps things simple.
Jump to:
The Essentials of Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream
When it comes to a good quality Ninja Creami protein ice cream recipe, there are 5 crucial components you need for the best consistency. Those are:
- Protein – There are different types of protein you can buy, and they contribute to texture differences in your ice creams. Protein is what helps the ice cream remain thick in the absense of heavy cream.
- Stabilizer – Stabilizers emulsify your ice cream mixture making it creamy and reducing iciness.
- Liquid – Your liquid matters, too! Different liquids process differently in the machine.
- Sweetener – Sweetness diminishes in freezing temperatures. You need more sweetener than you think to make a tasty ice cream.
- Flavorings – Flavors dull in the freezer, too. For ice cream flavors that rival traditional recipes, you will need some flavor enhancers.
I get into all of these components and more in my Guide to Creating Ninja Creami Protein Recipes eBook. This guide is completely free! If you’re interested in it, sign up for my weekly newsletter below, and my eBook will be automatically sent to your email. Otherwise, read on to get this vanilla Ninja Creami base recipe.
Key Ingredients
Here are the key ingredients for my delicious vanilla bean Ninja Creami base recipe. Check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients.
Vanilla Protein Powder – This recipe uses 50 grams of whey protein isolate because it is easily digested and easy to get at almost any grocery store. Be sure to choose a brand you love the taste of. If you don’t enjoy the taste as a shake, it won’t taste any better as ice cream!
For a great-tasting powder with clean ingredients, I highly recommend Legion Athletics. Use can use code SWEETSIMPLE to get BOGO 50% off for new customers (10% cash back for returning customers).
Cottage Cheese – Or plain greek yogurt–either will work. This serves as the stabilizer for our ice cream making it creamy and reducing iciness. Cottage cheese tends to taste more neutral in the ice cream while yogurt can make it a bit tangy, so choose accordingly.
Vanilla Bean Paste – I love vanilla bean paste for the rich vanilla flavor it gives the ice cream. Vanilla paste is a little more concentrated and sweet, making it perfect for frozen mixtures like ice cream since the freezer can dull flavor.
Low-Calorie Sweetener – My favorite is allulose, but there are many options for sugar substitutes and you can use what you like and suits your dietary preferences. Monk fruit sweetener, stevia, erythritol, splenda, etc will work as long as the blend is formulated as a 1:1 replacement for sugar.
How to Make a Vanilla Ninja Creami Base Recipe
Making this vanilla Ninja Creami base recipe is super easy. Just follow the steps below:
1. Combine Ingredients.
Add the cottage cheese (or Greek yogurt), protein powder, vanilla bean paste (or extract), and sweetener to the Ninja Creami pint container. Pour your milk of choice up to the max fill line. Use an immersion blender to blend right in the pint.
2. Freeze Pint for 24 Hours.
Place a lid on the pint container and put in the freezer on a level spot for 24 hours (tip: some believe freezing without the lid helps keep the top of the ice cream mixture flat when freezing. Feel free to try it yourself and see if it helps!)
3. Spin.
Take the pint container out of the freezer and put it in the outer bowl. Place the lid assembly on the bowl and install it in the machine per the manufacturer’s instructions for your model. Press the button for the Lite Ice Cream function to process.
4. Re-Spin or Mix In.
When the first cycle finishes, check the texture of the ice cream. If it looks good to you, go ahead and eat it!
If it looks like it could use some smoothing out, reinstall it in the machine and press “Re-Spin.”
If you would like to add mix-ins, create a well in the center of the ice cream that goes all the way to the bottom of the pint and add your desired mix-ins. Reinstall the pint container in the machine and press Mix-In button.
That’s it! Your Ninja Creami vanilla ice cream recipe is ready to enjoy!
Vanilla Ninja Creami Base Recipe FAQs
The Ninja Creami doesn’t *need* pudding mix. Some people choose to use it as a stabilizer and to add flavor, but none of my recipes at the Sweet, Simple Things use pudding mix.
Usually, yes. But I’ve cut it a little short before and it’s been fine. Just know that improper freezing time could be hard on your machine and affect the final texture of your ice cream.
This is due to an imbalance of the ingredients. There are 5 essential components to a Ninja Creami protein ice cream, and not only do they all need to be included for great results, but they need to be included in the proper quantities. Check out my Essential Components section above for more information.
Other Ninja Creami Flavors
I have a ton of other flavors that are sure to become your next favorite! Try my Ninja Creami Cinnamon Ice Cream, my Ninja Creami Coffee Protein Ice Cream, my Chocolate Peanut Butter Ninja Creami, and my Ninja Creami Protein Dole Whip.
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 give my Ninja Creami vanilla bean ice cream a try, please let me know! Leave a comment and review below, I would love to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Ninja Creami Vanilla Protein Ice Cream Base Recipe
Equipment
- Ninja Creami Ice Cream Maker
Ingredients
- 100 grams cottage cheese about 1/2 cup ** see notes for substitution
- 50 grams vanilla whey protein isolate about 1 1/2 scoops
- 2 tablespoon allulose or other low-calorie sweetener
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup skim milk see notes
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the Ninja Creami pint container. Blend with an immersion blender to combine until smooth.
- Place the lid on the pint container. Put on a level surface in the freezer for 24 hours.
- When properly frozen, you can spin your ice cream. Install the pint into your machine per the manufacturer's instructions for your model. Do the first spin on "Lite Ice Cream."
- When the first cycle finishes, check the texture of the ice cream. If it looks like it could use some smoothing out, re-install it in the machine and press "Re-Spin." If you would like to add mix-ins, create a well in the center of the ice cream that goes all the way to the bottom of the pint and add 1/4 cup of your desired mix-ins. Re-install the pint container in the machine and press Mix-In button.
- Enjoy!
Video
Delicious basic vanilla. Perfect flavor and texture.