Ninja Creami Lite Ice Cream recipes

Why lean bases need the Lite program

Fat and sugar are what keep regular ice cream soft. Sugar lowers the freezing point, and fat coats ice crystals and adds body. Take most of them out and the base freezes into a harder, icier block. The Lite Ice Cream program is set up for those harder blocks, which is why Ninja points low-fat, low-sugar and sugar-substitute recipes to it.

Even with the right program, lite pints often come out crumbly or powdery on the first spin. That is normal. Run Re-spin, and if it is still dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk to the pint and Re-spin again. The Re-spin guide and the powdery pint fix cover this in more detail.

Basic method for every recipe

1. 1

   Whisk or blend all ingredients until the pudding mix and sweetener are fully dissolved, about 30 to 60 seconds in a blender.

2. 2

   Let the base rest 5 minutes so the pudding mix thickens, then stir again.

3. 3

   Pour into a Creami pint up to the MAX line. If you are short, top up with a little more milk.

4. 4

   Lid the pint and freeze it level for 24 hours.

5. 5

   Process on Lite Ice Cream.

6. 6

   If crumbly, Re-spin. If still dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk and Re-spin again.

Note.Keep the base refrigerated if you are not freezing it right away, and do not leave dairy bases at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Recipe 1: protein shake ice cream

This is the most popular lite Creami base because it takes two ingredients. Use any ready-to-drink protein shake you like the flavor of. Shakes with some fat and a thicker texture tend to spin smoother than very thin ones.

• 1 1/2 cups ready-to-drink protein shake, any flavor
• 1 tablespoon sugar-free instant pudding mix, vanilla or matching flavor
• Optional: 1 to 2 teaspoons sweetener if your shake is not very sweet

More protein ice cream ideas →

Recipe 2: light vanilla

Blend the cream cheese with a splash of the milk first so it does not leave lumps, then add the rest. Allulose tends to keep pints softer than sweeteners like erythritol, which can make a harder, crumblier block. If you want a fully sugar-free pint with specific sweeteners, see Creami keto and sugar-free.

• 1 1/2 cups fat-free or 1 percent milk
• 3 tablespoons granulated sweetener such as allulose or a sugar substitute that measures like sugar, or 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Optional: 1 tablespoon light cream cheese, softened, for a richer texture

Recipe 3: chocolate lite

Cocoa clumps in cold liquid, so blend this one rather than whisking, or mix the cocoa with a few tablespoons of warm milk into a paste first. Almond milk makes a lighter pint with fewer calories than dairy milk, but it is also leaner, so expect to Re-spin.

• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk or fat-free milk
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons sweetener or 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon sugar-free instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Recipe 4: strawberry Greek yogurt

Blend until completely smooth, then pour to the MAX line and use any extra as a smoothie. The yogurt adds protein and tang. On a Deluxe model, you can also use the Frozen Yogurt program for this base. For more yogurt pints, see Creami frozen yogurt. If you want a machine that handles protein and lite bases well, the best ice cream makers for protein ice cream guide compares options, and the best Ninja Creami guide covers the Creami lineup.

• 1 cup nonfat or low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen strawberries
• 2 to 3 tablespoons sweetener, honey or sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frequently asked questions

Can I use the regular Ice Cream program for lite recipes? You can, but Ninja points low-fat and low-sugar bases to Lite Ice Cream because they freeze harder. If a lean pint is powdery on Ice Cream, try Lite Ice Cream next time.

Why is my lite Creami ice cream powdery? Lean bases freeze very hard. Re-spin once, and if it is still dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk and Re-spin again.

Do I need the pudding mix? No, but it helps. A tablespoon of instant pudding mix adds thickeners that make lean bases smoother and less icy. A small amount of cream cheese or a commercial stabilizer does a similar job; see Creami stabilizers.

Can I double these for the Deluxe pints? Scale up by about half for the larger pints, and fill only to the MAX line in either size.