Ninja Creami milkshake: ratio and program

The basic Creami milkshake ratio

A milkshake in the Creami is a frozen pint plus milk. The machine breaks up the frozen block and blends the milk through it, so you get a thick, cold shake without ice watering it down. For a standard 16-ounce pint, about 1/2 cup of milk gives a classic thick shake that still pours slowly. Start there and adjust next time.

The milk goes into a well rather than on top. That lets the blade pull liquid through the whole pint instead of leaving a puddle at the surface.

Step by step

1. 1

   Start with a pint that is frozen solid. Either freeze your own base filled to the MAX line for 24 hours, or pack softened store-bought ice cream into an empty pint up to the MAX line and freeze it until firm.

2. 2

   Use a spoon to make a well in the center about 1.5 inches wide that reaches the bottom of the pint.

3. 3

   Pour about 1/2 cup of cold milk into the well. Add flavorings or small mix-ins such as cookie pieces or a spoon of syrup.

4. 4

   Lock the pint into the outer bowl, attach the lid and run the Milkshake program.

5. 5

   Check the texture. Stir in a splash more milk for a thinner shake.

6. 6

   Pour into a glass and serve right away.

Note.Keep the liquid at or below the top of the pint so it does not overflow during the program. Unplug the machine before removing the blade for cleaning.

Protein milkshake

For a high-protein shake, freeze a pint of ready-to-drink protein shake, about 1 1/2 cups, filled to the MAX line, for 24 hours. A tablespoon of sugar-free instant pudding mix blended in before freezing makes it thicker. Make a well and add about 1/2 cup of milk or more protein shake, then run Milkshake.

Lean protein pints freeze hard, so they may need a splash more liquid than a full-fat pint to blend smoothly. If you prefer a scoopable protein ice cream instead of a shake, see Creami protein ice cream and the lite ice cream recipes.

Best machines for protein ice cream →

Flavor ideas

Syrups and jams add liquid and sugar, so you can cut the milk slightly when you use them. For a vanilla base to freeze ahead, see Creami vanilla ice cream.

• Chocolate: vanilla pint, 1/2 cup milk, 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
• Cookies and cream: vanilla pint, 1/2 cup milk, 2 crushed sandwich cookies
• Strawberry: vanilla pint, 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup sliced strawberries or 2 tablespoons strawberry jam
• Peanut butter: chocolate or vanilla pint, 1/2 cup milk, 1 to 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• Coffee: vanilla pint, 1/2 cup cold brew or strong coffee in place of milk
• Malted: vanilla pint, 1/2 cup milk, 2 tablespoons malted milk powder

Fixing thick, thin or chunky shakes

If the shake is too thick to sip, stir in milk a couple of tablespoons at a time, or run the Milkshake program again after adding a splash. If it is too thin, you used too much milk or the pint was not fully frozen. Next time use less milk, and make sure the pint froze for the full 24 hours, as explained in how long to freeze a Creami pint.

Chunks of frozen base left at the bottom usually mean the well did not go deep enough, so the milk pooled on top. Dig to the bottom of the pint. Large mix-ins can also stay chunky, which is fine if that is what you want. The Creami program picker shows which models include Milkshake, and the best Ninja Creami guide compares the current lineup.

Frequently asked questions

How much milk do you put in a Ninja Creami milkshake? About 1/2 cup for a 16-ounce pint makes a classic thick shake. Use 1/4 cup for very thick and 3/4 cup for a thinner shake.

Can I use store-bought ice cream? Yes. Pack softened ice cream into an empty Creami pint up to the MAX line, freeze until firm, then make a well, add milk and run Milkshake.

Do I have to spin the pint before making a milkshake? No. The Milkshake program works directly on a frozen pint with milk added to a well.

Can I use non-dairy milk? Yes. Oat, almond and soy milk all work. Oat milk tends to give a creamier shake than thinner almond milk.