my ninja creami addiction

The Ninja Creami is my new favorite way to whip up treats at home. Whether you’re craving creamy gelato, fruity sorbet, protein-packed snacks, or wild dessert mashups, the Creami is basically a magic wand for frozen goodness. In this post, we’ll dive into some seriously delicious Ninja Creami creations. No fancy chef skills required!

Who started this obsession?

I blame my niece. 🙂 She’s the one who brought her Ninja Creami to my brother’s house and treated him to several amazing ice creams. Then he bought one and treated me. Repeat, repeat. Now I’m totally hooked on the delicious concoctions. I’ll share what has worked for me and offer some recipe ideas.

The basic idea

Start with a base. I typically use half of a 14-ounce Fair Life protein shake or a similar quantity of low-sugar vanilla Greek yogurt. This makes plenty for a single serving. Freeze it in a Ninja Creami container for at least 24 hours. You can use other sorts of frozen bases if you like, such as blended fruits, puddings, or juices. I tried cottage cheese, but the result was a bit too salty for me.

Set out the container for about fifteen minutes before making your treat. (You can skip this step if you’re in a rush, but I think it helps.) Then place it in your Ninja Creami and give it a spin. Since I don’t start with a large quantity of frozen base, I select the “bottom” setting on the machine. After spinning, use a spoon to scrape around the bottom and sides of the container a bit. From here on out, the container will have more in it, so I select the “full” setting.

Now the fun part! Add your desired flavors. I typically add two tablespoons of a sugar-free instant pudding mix and a quarter-cup or half-cup of milk, depending on the thickness desired. Re-spin. Then add some mix-ins, such as chopped nuts, chopped fruit, crushed graham crackers or cookies, etc. Run it through the mix-in cycle and you’re ready to go!

I have tried a couple different brands of protein shake as well as Greek yogurt for the base, and I have always used between a quarter-cup and a half-cup of milk. Some bases need more milk; some need less. I recommend starting with a quarter-cup of milk. If it’s too thick, add more milk and re-spin.

Tips for Ninja Creami first-timers

Thinking of giving your Ninja Creami its first spin? Here are a few tips to help you go from curious to confident:

1. Freeze first.

The Ninja Creami requires your mixture to be fully frozen before spinning. Make your base and freeze it at least 24 hours in the Creami pint. It should be rock solid before you start. Make sure it sets level in your freezer.

2. Don’t overfill the pint.

Always keep your mixture below the “Max Fill” line. The Creami needs room to do its thing. If it’s too full, it might not spin properly (and cleanup gets messy fast!). Using a smaller amount of a frozen base gives you room to add in some fun flavors, and the end result is still an ample serving in my opinion.

3. The texture may surprise you after the first spin.

Your first spin will look crumbly and dry. Adding milk or other liquid before re-spinning improves the texture. You can re-spin more than once if needed.

4. Mix-ins go in after spinning.

Craving cookie chunks, chocolate chips, or swirls of jam? Add those after your treat is spun. Use the “Mix-In” function to gently incorporate goodies without turning them to dust.

5. Be creative and keep notes.

There’s no one right way to Creami! Try fun combinations, keep track of what works (and what doesn’t), and don’t be afraid to experiment. The wildest ideas often turn out to be the best.

6. Clean up right away.

Give the blade and lid a rinse as soon as you’re done. Sticky bits are easier to clean before they harden. I like to wipe down the machine itself carefully as well. Then you’ll be ready for your next frozen adventure.

7. Bonus tip: use what you have.

You don’t need fancy ingredients. Yogurt, fresh fruit (or frozen or canned), protein shakes, coffee creamer, almond milk, even pudding cups. So many everyday things can become a Creami masterpiece.

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A few recipe ideas

Whether you’re new to the Creami or already obsessed, these ideas will inspire your next frozen masterpiece. They start with a protein shake or Greek yogurt base. When I say that, I mean HALF of a 14-ounce protein shake (like Fair Life Core Power) or a similar amount of vanilla Greek yogurt. I divide a 32-ounce tub of yogurt between four Creami containers. The yogurt does add a bit of a tang to the flavor, so keep that in mind. I use the “ice cream” or “lite ice cream” setting on the dial.

You can decide on the fat content and sugar content of your ingredients. I think it turns out better if there’s some fat in it. I tend to use a protein shake or regular (but low sugar) Greek yogurt (I love Too Good brand) with 2% milk, but you can see what works for you. These recipes also use instant pudding mix, and I use the sugar-free version when possible. I’ve had good luck with two tablespoons of sugar-free instant pudding mix or three to four tablespoons of regular. Again, I would start with a quarter-cup of milk. You can always add more and re-spin if needed.

In no particular order:

1. Peach cobbler

Start with a vanilla protein shake base, freeze, and spin. Add two tablespoons vanilla instant pudding mix and milk. Re-spin. Mix in eight crushed vanilla wafers and half a cup of chopped fresh peaches or nectarines. Summer in a scoop.

2. Lemon

Start with a vanilla protein shake or Greek yogurt base, freeze, and spin. Add two tablespoons lemon instant pudding mix and milk. Re-spin. Mix in crushed ginger snaps or graham crackers.

3. Cookies & cream

Start with a vanilla protein shake base, freeze, and spin. Add three tablespoons cookies-and-cream instant pudding mix (I couldn’t find sugar-free) and milk. Re-spin. Mix in four chopped Oreos.

4. Fruity cheesecake

Start with a vanilla protein shake or Greek yogurt base, freeze, and spin. Add two tablespoons instant cheesecake pudding mix and milk. Re-spin. Mix in crushed graham crackers (I use two) and half a cup of fruit. I’ve used chopped frozen cherries, chopped fresh cherries, and blueberries, all with great success. Note: I’ve also used a chocolate protein shake base for this with cherries, and it was delicious too.

5. Pistachio

I’m a pistachio fan! Start with a vanilla protein shake base, freeze, and spin. Add two tablespoons instant pistachio pudding mix and milk. Re-spin. Mix in a fourth of a cup of chopped pistachios. Another idea: use pistachio creamer in place of the milk!!

6. Piña colada

Start with a vanilla protein shake or Greek yogurt base, freeze, and spin. Add three tablespoons coconut cream instant pudding mix (I couldn’t find this in a sugar-free version), half a cup of canned crushed pineapple (undrained), and a quarter cup of coconut milk. Re-spin. Mix in shredded coconut if you like. I didn’t try this with rum (or rum extract), but I’m sure it would be delicious!

7. Banana pudding

Start with a vanilla protein shake base, freeze, and spin. Add two tablespoons banana cream or vanilla instant pudding mix and milk. Re-spin. Mix in one small banana, chopped, and eight crushed vanilla wafers.

8. Root beer

Start with a vanilla protein shake base, freeze, and spin. Add two tablespoons vanilla instant pudding mix, milk, and a shot of Torani root beer syrup. Re-spin. Root beer floaty goodness!

9. Nutella

Start with a chocolate or vanilla protein shake base, freeze, and spin. Add two tablespoons chocolate or vanilla instant pudding mix, milk, and two tablespoons nutella. Re-spin. This would be great with fruit, candy bar pieces, nuts, or crushed cookies mixed in.

10. Raspberry white chocolate

Start with a vanilla protein shake base, freeze, and spin. Add two tablespoons white chocolate instant pudding mix and milk. Re-spin. Mix in half a cup of fresh or frozen raspberries and a tablespoon of white choclate chips. If you happen to have flavored syrups on hand, the raspberry syrup works well here too.

Want chocolate overload?

You can always go with a chocolate protein shake, chocolate instant pudding mix, and any number of chocolate mix-ins. The possibilities are endless!

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Final scoop

Whether you’re blending up bold new flavors or recreating nostalgic favorites, the Ninja Creami makes it easy (and so fun) to bring a little frozen joy into your kitchen. With just a few ingredients and a bit of curiosity, you can craft treats that are cool, creative, and totally customizable.

The Ninja Creami can also be used to create sorbet, smoothies, milkshakes, and more. I haven’t experimented with those other settings yet, so let me know if you do. There are Facebook groups, Reddit threads, and MANY Pinterest pins devoted to Ninja Creami ideas. Share your favorite combinations in the comments or tag me on social media! Let’s keep the Creami creativity going!

Want something lighter? Check out my Ninja Creami sorbet ideas! How about some mug desserts? Try mug apple pie, fudgy mug brownie, or mug cheesecake!

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Fondly,

Crysti