Vanilla Protein Ninja CREAMi Ice Cream Recipe
- kcal
- 400
- protein
- 29g
- sugar
- 32g
- fat
- 17g
per pint, estimated
Most protein ice cream fails one of two ways: chalky enough to coat your teeth, or so doctored with thickeners it stops tasting like dessert. This pint takes the honest route — a scoop of vanilla whey, real milk, a modest pour of cream, and just enough sugar to keep it from freezing into a brick. The xanthan does quiet work in the background, but a pinch of it won't announce itself. Spun on LITE ICE CREAM, the pint lands somewhere between soft serve and a very thick milkshake, with twenty-nine grams of protein doing the heavy lifting.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | US | Metric | kcal | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanilla whey protein powder | 1 scoop | 30 g | 120 | 24g |
| Whole milk | 1/2 cup | 120 ml | 75 | 4g |
| Heavy cream | 2 tbsp | 30 ml | 100 | 1g |
| Granulated sugar | 2 tbsp | 24 g | 96 | 0g |
| Pure vanilla extract | 1 tsp | 5 ml | 12 | 0g |
| Xanthan gum | 1/8 tsp | 0.4 g | 0 | 0g |
| Pinch of kosher salt | 1/8 tsp | 0.75 g | 0 | 0g |
Per-line macros are for the whole amount listed. Nutrition per pint is estimated — see the methodology on the About page.
Steps
Blend the whey, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, xanthan, and salt for 30-45 seconds, scraping down once. Blending beats whisking for protein bases — it dissolves the powder fully and whips in the air that makes the spin creamy.
Rest the base 5 minutes so the bubbles settle and the xanthan hydrates, then pour into the CREAMi pint up to the max-fill line.
Freeze upright on a level shelf for 24 hours. Protein bases freeze harder than custard — don't shortcut the freeze.
- Spin: LITE ICE CREAM
Process on LITE ICE CREAM. The first pass will look dry and crumbly — that's the protein, not a failure.
- Spin: RE-SPIN
Add 1 tbsp of milk and RE-SPIN until the pint turns glossy and holds soft-serve ridges. Serve immediately.
Store leftovers with plastic wrap pressed to the surface; future servings get the same LITE ICE CREAM plus RE-SPIN treatment.
If it comes out crumbly: respin
If the first spin comes out crumbly, add 1 tbsp of milk and RE-SPIN — protein bases almost always need one. If it's still chalky after that, let it sit 2 minutes, scrape the walls, and give it one more spin.
Still icy after the respin? The icy-fix guide has all seven fixes.
Scaling to your machine
For the 24 oz Deluxe tub (NC501), multiply every ingredient by 1.5 and spin on the Deluxe LITE ICE CREAM setting. On Scoop & Swirl (NC701), the same base spins on LITE ICE CREAM; run MIX-IN if you're adding fruit or crushed cookies.
FAQ
Why LITE ICE CREAM instead of the regular ICE CREAM setting?
LITE ICE CREAM runs a longer, slower processing profile designed for lower-fat, lower-sugar bases — exactly what a protein pint is. The standard ICE CREAM setting often leaves protein bases powdery because it doesn't work the pint as long.
Can I use plant-based protein powder?
You can, but pea and rice blends tend to spin grainier than whey. Keep the xanthan, expect one extra RE-SPIN, and treat a little chalkiness as normal for the category. Blending rather than shaking the base matters even more with plant powders.
How accurate is the 29g protein count?
It's the rounded sum of what's in the pint: 24g from a scoop of whey, plus 4g from the milk and about 1g from the cream. Exact numbers shift a gram or two by brand, so check your protein powder's label if you track closely.
Can I skip the sugar?
You can, but the pint will freeze harder and taste flatter. The 2 tbsp of sugar do texture work as much as sweetening — they lower the freezing point so the blade can actually churn the base. If you cut them, plan on an extra respin.
Chasing protein? Peanut Butter Ninja CREAMi Ice Cream Recipe packs 41g per pint.
More pints to spin next
Cookies & Cream Protein Ninja CREAMi Recipe
Vanilla Greek Yogurt Ninja CREAMi Froyo Recipe
Save this pint forever
The Creambook app saves your spins, scales every recipe to your exact machine, and tracks your macros. Join the waitlist and we'll email you at launch.