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The BEST Ninja Creami Coffee Protein Ice Cream

Ninja Creami coffee protein ice cream scoops with a spoon in a sundae glass.
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5 from 2 reviews

Ultra-creamy, decadent, full of rich and bold coffee flavors with caramel notes, this Ninja Creami Coffee Protein Ice Cream will satisfy your sweet tooth and is the perfect treat for coffee lovers!

Ingredients

Scale

Ice Cream Base

  • 100ml / 3.5 fluid ounces Ultra-Filtered Low-Fat Milk (such as Fairlife 2% Milk – note 1)
  • 250ml / 1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (or any nut, plant-based milk or other milk of choice)
  • 30 grams / 1 scoop Rule 1 Lightly Salted Caramel Protein Powder (or vanilla or unflavored protein powder – note 2)
  • 2.5 grams / ≈ 1 heaped TSP Instant Espresso Powder (or an instant strong coffee powder – preferably made from Arabica coffee beans)
  • 32 grams / 2 TBSP + 2 TSP Brown Sugar Replacement, to taste (I used Swerve Brown Sugar – note 3)
  • ¼ TSP Guar Gum (note 4)
  • ⅛ TSP Xanthan Gum (optional – note 4)

Optional Mix-ins:

  • Chocolate Chips/Chunks
  • Chopped Protein Bars
  • Nuts
  • Cookie Pieces or Mini Cookies/Cookie Sandwiches

Optional Toppings:

Instructions

  1. Combine the base ingredients: Add the ultra-filtered low-fat milk, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, salted caramel protein powder, brown sugar replacement, guar gum and xanthan gum to the Ninja Creami pint. Use a coffee frother or handheld immersion blender to blend until evenly combined. (You can use a mini blender or food processor to blend the ingredients instead too, then transfer the blended mixture to the pint container.)
  2. Freeze: Place the container in the freezer on a level surface and freeze for 24 hours (note 5) until frozen solid.
  3. Prepare for spinning: Remove the pint and set on the counter for 3-5 minutes. Then run the bottom of the container under hot water from the sink for 30 seconds to help loosen up the icy edges from the sides of the container. Pat-dry, then take off the pint lid. Place it in the outer bowl and lock the lid.
  4. Spin: Turn on your Ninja Creami and install the outer bowl into the machine. Press the “Light Ice Cream” button for the first spin. The ice cream will come out looking crumbly, but that’s perfectly normal.
  5. Shave down ice walls: Eject the outer bowl and remove the pint. Run a butter knife around the edges of the container to help incorporate any icy parts into the ice cream. Place the pint in the outer bowl again and cover and lock the lid. Reinstall into the machine and press the “Re-spin” button.
  6. Add mix-ins (optional): Eject the outer bowl from the machine and remove the lid. If adding any mix-ins, make a hole in the middle of the pint using the butter knife and push your mix-ins of choice all the way down. Cover and lock the lid. Reinstall into the machine run press the “Mix-In” cycle button.
  7. Enjoy! Remove the pint from the machine. Smooth the top with a spoon then scoop into serving dishes if you like. Top with desired toppings and enjoy!

Equipment

Notes

  1. Ultra-Filtered Low-Fat Milk. I used Paul’s Hi-Calcium Low-Fat Milk which is an ultra-filtered long life Australian milk available in some parts of Asia. Ultra-filtered milk is higher in protein than regular milk and has less calories, making it a great choice for healthy low calorie Ninja creami ice creams. Milk with a high protein content also results in a creamier and thicker ice cream consistency. If you’re in the USA or Canada, you can use Fairlife 2% milk or any low-fat ultra-filtered milk from other brands such as Kroger CarbMaster, Organic Valley, Joyya, etc. If you live elsewhere, use any low-fat, semi-skimmed (2% milk) or regular whole milk. I don’t recommend using a fat-free milk or only almond milk as it will result in more ice crystals forming. The ice cream will not be as thick and creamy as you do need some fat to help with the texture.
  2. Salted Caramel Protein Powder. I used Rule 1 brand Lightly Salted Caramel whey protein powder. The protein powder gives caramelized sweet notes to the ice cream and thickens it. Vanilla protein powder or unflavored protein powder can be used instead too. However, add a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract and additional sweetener to taste if using unflavored protein powder. See the ‘FAQs’ section in the post above if you’d like to use a protein shake instead.
  3. Brown Sugar Replacement. I used Swerve Brown Sugar which is made from erythritol and allulose. You can use a white sugar replacement but the coffee ice cream will have less caramelized tones. Feel free to use regular light brown sugar, granulated white sugar or any other sugar-free sweetener of choice.
  4. Guar gum and Xanthan Gum. Guar gum thickens the ice cream base and reduces the formation of ice crystals. It also helps in creating a scoopable ice cream texture. Xanthan gum serves a similar purpose as the guar gum. I find using both of these stabilizers together yields the best texture. However, this depends on the type of protein powder (whey, whey-casein blend, pure casein, or plant-based) you use and what stabilizers are already incorporated in it. If using pure casein protein powder, omit the xanthan gum as it will yield a thick and creamy ice cream without it. If you prefer not to use stabilizers in their natural form, you have a couple of options: 
    • Use 1 tablespoon of vanilla flavored sugar-free instant pudding mix. It already has stabilizers/emulsifiers such as soy lecithin or xanthan gum in it. Keep in mind that pudding mix is already sweetened so you will likely need less sweetener.
    • Use cottage cheese or cream cheese. Use ½ cup (80-90 grams depending on the brand) low sodium or unsalted cottage cheese or cream cheese (1 ounce / 28 grams). You shouldn’t be able to taste it as the flavor will be masked by the other ingredients and the strong coffee flavor.  
    • Add Greek yogurt or protein yogurt. Add 2-3 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt, other thick yogurt, or plain flavored or vanilla protein yogurt. You can omit the xanthan gum but I still would add a little guar gum to reduce the formation of ice crystals.
  5. Ninja Creami Deluxe. Multiply the ingredient amounts by 1.5 if you have a Ninja Creami Deluxe machine.
  6. Ice cream consistency. For ice cream with a soft serve consistency, run the “Re-spin” cycle twice after the initial “Light Ice Cream” spin. However, be careful as the friction and heat caused by multiple rounds of the “Re-spin” cycle may make the ice cream texture too melty and/or stringy.
  7. Make ahead. The ice cream base can be made and frozen up to 2-3 weeks in advance. Note that the longer it is store in the freezer the more ice crystals can form and the less sweet it will become over time. That said, I have frozen bases 2-3 months in advance and they turn out fine upon spinning.
  8. Storing leftovers. If you can’t finish the ice cream, level and smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Cover and refreeze. It will freeze solid again. When ready to enjoy the leftovers, spin on “Light Ice Cream” again. DO NOT spin on the “Re-spin” function as the ice cream has frozen back into its original state. Using the “Re-spin” function when the mixture is frozen solid can damage the machine and the paddle blade.
  9. Nutrition information. The nutritional information provided is an estimate for the ice cream base only. The information will vary with any ingredient substitutes and if adding any toppings or mix-ins.
  10. See the ‘Variations’ section in the post above for more tips on customizing this coffee protein ice cream.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://thatspicychick.com/ninja-creami-coffee-protein-ice-cream/