Ninja Creami dairy-free and vegan ice cream

How plant milks compare in the Creami

Fat is what makes ice cream feel creamy, and plant milks vary widely in fat. Full-fat canned coconut milk is rich enough to behave much like a dairy base. Carton oat, almond and soy milks are much leaner, so they freeze into a harder block that the paddle shaves into a powdery or icy texture unless you add sugar, fat or a thickener.

Note.The XL Deluxe Gen 2 (NC601) lists a dedicated Dairy-Free program. If your model has it, use it for plant bases.

Coconut vanilla base (16 oz pint)

For chocolate, whisk in 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder with the sugar. Coconut flavor shows through, which suits chocolate, mango, pineapple and coffee flavors.

1. 1

   Warm about a third of the coconut milk with the sugar just until the sugar dissolves, then whisk in the rest, or blend everything until smooth.

2. 2

   Stir in vanilla and salt.

3. 3

   Pour into the pint up to the MAX line.

4. 4

   Lid on, freeze level for about 24 hours.

5. 5

   Process on Ice Cream. Re-spin with 1 tablespoon of coconut milk if crumbly.

• 1 can (about 13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk, shaken well
• 1/3 cup sugar or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Oat or almond milk base (16 oz pint)

1. 1

   Blend everything for about 30 seconds so the sugar dissolves and the thickener disperses.

2. 2

   Pour into the pint up to the MAX line.

3. 3

   Lid on, freeze level for about 24 hours.

4. 4

   Process on Lite Ice Cream.

5. 5

   Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the same milk and Re-spin if powdery.

• 1 1/2 cups oat milk or almond milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant vanilla pudding mix (check it is dairy-free), or 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 to 2 tablespoons neutral oil or coconut cream, optional, for extra creaminess
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt

Note.Xanthan gum is strong. Start with about 1/8 teaspoon per pint; more can make the texture gummy. Learn more in cream cheese, pudding mix and xanthan gum in Creami bases.

Fruit-based dairy-free options

Sorbet is naturally dairy-free, so fruit bases are the simplest vegan pints. Fruit canned in syrup, or ripe fruit blended with sugar and lemon juice, processes well on Sorbet. See Creami sorbet for ratios.

A blended frozen banana with a little plant milk makes a creamy, sweet base on its own. Freeze it in the pint to the MAX line and use Smoothie Bowl or Lite Ice Cream depending on how thick you want it. On the Swirl, the Fruit Whip soft serve program is built for fruit-based soft serve.

Fixing icy or powdery dairy-free pints

For more on these textures, see why Creami ice cream gets icy and the re-spin guide. The Creami program picker matches a base to a button on your model.

Choosing a machine for dairy-free ice cream

The Creami is a strong choice for dairy-free cooks because it does not rely on butterfat to churn smoothly, and you can rescue a lean pint with a re-spin. Churning machines can make excellent coconut-based ice cream but tend to struggle more with thin almond or oat bases. Our guide to the best ice cream makers for dairy-free and vegan ice cream compares both types, and the Ninja Creami buying guide covers which models include a Dairy-Free program.

Frequently asked questions

Which Creami program for dairy-free ice cream? Ice Cream for rich coconut or cashew bases, Lite Ice Cream for oat, almond or soy bases, or Dairy-Free on models that have it.

Why is my almond milk Creami ice cream icy? Almond milk is low in fat and mostly water. Add sugar, a little coconut cream or oil, and a thickener, and re-spin if powdery.

Does coconut milk ice cream taste like coconut? Somewhat. Strong flavors like chocolate, coffee and mango cover it well.

Is instant pudding mix vegan? Many instant vanilla and chocolate pudding mixes contain no dairy, but formulas vary. Check the label.