Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Low-Calorie Recipes

Ninja Creami protein ice cream is a game-changer when it comes to making low-calorie dessert recipes that actually taste good.

If you don't have a Ninja Creami yet, what the heck are you waiting for?? Seriously, it's some of the best money I've ever spent..and not just in the "kitchen appliance" category 😜

Okay, maybe that's a little overboard. But, if you know me, you know how much I LOVE ice cream. I've been making my OG protein ice cream recipe for a long time and although it's still a great recipe if you only have access to a blender, it honestly just does not do the Ninja Creami justice. This machine is legit magic!

Okay okay, I'll stop raving about it and get to the Ninja Creami low-calorie recipe! (I have no affiliation to Ninja, by the way—I'm just in love with this machine).

P.S. I've linked several products throughout this post so you have easy access to what I personally use and recommend. Anything in pink is a link! 😄

How to Make THE BEST Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Low-Calorie Recipe

A few quick notes about the recipe (DON’T SKIP THIS!!):

1. Protein Powder

Unlike my OG protein ice cream recipe, you have a bit more flexibility with the type of protein powder you can use to make this high-protein, Ninja Creami ice cream. HOWEVER, you must pay attention to the directions I've laid out for you in the recipe below in order to get the best consistency and true ice cream texture!

With all that being said, there are definitely some protein powders that I've found to yield the best results compared to others.

Here are a few of my current favorite protein powders to use for best flavor and consistency:

• Active Stacks Beef Protein Powder (use code RACHEL-G for 15% off)
• Legion Whey or Legion Plant+ Protein Powder (use code "RGFITNESS for 20% off)
• 1st Phorm Level-1 Whey Protein Powder

2. Consistency

If you find that the consistency you're getting with the protein powder and/or milk used is not up to your ice cream standards, a few additions you can try include:

• Add 2% or whole milk in place of fat-free milk or nut milk (or do half and half)
• 50-100 grams fruit (strawberries, blueberries, sliced bananas, etc.)
• 6-10 grams sugar-free Instant pudding mix
• 1 tablespoon cream cheese
• 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream 
• A small pinch of xantham gum or guar gum

*Note: some additions above will obviously add extra calories (I.e., cream cheese, heavy cream, pudding mix)

3. Sweetness/Flavoring

Depending on the brand/flavor of protein powder you use, you may find that adding a bit of extra sweetness/flavoring takes your high-protein, ninja creami ice cream to a whole other level 😋

These are my current favorite ways to bring the flavor up a notch:

• A little extra sweetener. My favorites include:
  • Monk fruit drops
  • Vanilla monk fruit drops
  • English toffee stevia drops
• Sprinkle of pure vanilla bean powder
• Dash of Redmond Real Salt (enhances the flavor, especially in chocolate creamis - don't skip it!)

4. Useful gadgets

• Handheld Immersion Blender - this is a great kitchen appliance to have in general, but especially for making Creamis! You can use a regular blender to mix everything together and then transfer to the Creami pint, but that just means more dishes to clean (no thank you!). And yes, you could just use a plain old whisk, but I've found it hard to really get all the ingredients incorporated.
• Stainless Steel Insulated Bowl - I typically just wrap the Ninja Creami pint with a paper towel and eat it right out of the container, but I've recently been scooping it into this stainless steel bowl. It keeps it from melting and also keeps my hands warm! You could also use a small Yeti cup!
• Extra Ninja Creami Pints - A must-have if you live with others who want to get in on the Ninja Creami action or if you're like me and want to have lots of different options when you open the freezer for your nightly Creami fix 😜
  • Dry-Erase Markers - Pro tip: You can write on the lids with a dry-erase marker to keep track of your flavors and then just wash it away when you're ready for the next one! 
• Long Handle Ice Cream Spoons - Not a necessity, but definitely a "nice-to-have" and makes you feel like you're eating ice cream at an old-school ice cream shop!
• Creami Koozie - keeps your hands warm and slows down melting time while you enjoy your protein ice cream 😋

5. Ninja Creami vs Blender

I said it before, but I'll say it again—your everyday run-of-the-mill blender isn't going to cut it for this recipe. You're going to need a legit Ninja Creami. It's a game-changer for making ice cream in the kitchen.

Here are a few of the notable differences:

• The Ninja Creami isn't trying to be a blender. It's trying to make frozen treats, and it does so with a "creamifying" technique rather than a blending technique.
• All the ingredients in your Ninja Creami need to be frozen before mixing.
• Ninja Creami turns your ingredients into ice cream in 3 minutes, whereas typical blenders (and even other ice cream makers) take 20+ minutes.

Makes 1 Serving

Recipe Ingredients

• 240 mL (~1 cup) milk of choice (I use unsweetened cashew milk because it’s lower in calories and I like to save those calories for mix-ins 😉 but you can use regular milk or whatever you prefer)
• 1 scoop protein powder (my favorites linked above)
• dash of salt
• ~1-2 grams liquid monk fruit, stevia, or sweetener of your choice (linked above)

Method

1. Pour milk of your choice into the Creami pint base. Then, add your protein powder, salt, and sweetener.
2. Use a handheld mixer or whisk to mix it up really well (I use an immersion blender mentioned above)
3. Freeze overnight (the Ninja peeps say it HAS to be for 24 hours but I’ve done as little as 16 hours and it still comes out great).
4. Remove from the freezer and run the outside of the base container under hot water for 20 seconds.
5. Put the container in the machine contraption thingy, lock it in, and press LITE ICE CREAM.
6. When it’s finished, remove the lid and you’ll notice it’s very chalky/crumbly - don’t panic! 😜 Add a splash of milk, put it back in the machine, and hit RE-SPIN.
7. Now, here’s the kicker - sometimes you’ll only need one re-spin and sometimes you’ll need a second re-spin (depending on what type of protein powder and milk you use). If it’s still a little crumbly after the first re-spin cycle, repeat the process one more time: add another splash of milk, put it back in the machine, and hit RE-SPIN.
8. You should now have a perfect pint of low-calorie, high-protein ice cream 😋
9. If you’re adding mix-ins (see my favorites below), now’s the time to do it! With a spoon, make a hole in the middle of the ice cream (if it's not already made by the machine), drop in your mix-ins, return to the machine, and hit the MIX-IN button.
10. Devour! (..And probably go put some of your investment money in Ninja products like I did 🤣)

Ninja Creami Low-Calorie Recipe Mix-ins & Toppings

Feel free to add mix-ins and toppings of your choice to spruce it up a bit! My personal favorite mix-in is my Protein Cookie Dough Bites Recipe

Other favorites include:

• Cacao nibs
• Protein cereal
• Crumbled granola bars
• Melted coconut butter
• Protein Nut butter
• Sugar-free chocolate syrup
• Nuts or seeds (roasted & salted)
• Fresh berries, cut into pieces
• Whipped cream

Average Nutrition Per Serving (without mix-ins or toppings): 150 Calories, 4g Fat, 24g Protein, 5g Carbs

You can even get this down to just about 100 calories if you use a 1/2 scoop of protein powder. The flavor combos, mix-ins, and topping possibilities are endless.

You'll be eating high-protein, low-calorie GUILT-FREE ice cream every single night! Seriously, my dreams have come true 😝 

Almost ALL of my Flex Fam ladies have invested in a Ninja Creami and they love it just as much as I do! ⬇️

Other flavor inspiration and mix-in combos below:

Basic Vanilla 100-Calorie Base

CSE Vanilla Protein makes this taste exactly like a McDonald's vanilla cone!

Oreo Cookie Dough

Strawberry Vanilla

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

I'm testing out more recipes without protein powder that include different types of fruit, milk, and other ways to enhance the consistency even more (sneak peek below).

If you want to be notified when I release more, make sure to join my weekly newsletter!

Want more awesome recipes like this and nutrition/fitness advice to hit your goals? Join my women's-only fitness program and group coaching membership! 

Cinnamon Vanilla Chip

Mixed Berry Sorbet

Chocolate Whip 

Strawberry Vanilla Sorbet

Vanilla Cookie Dough

Pistachio

Using Phormula-1 Vanilla protein powder.

Milk Chocolate

Using Legion Casein and Active Stacks protein powder.