Vegan Ninja Creami Ice Cream Recipes Plant-Based (2024)

FAQs

Is Ninja creami worth it for vegans? ›

Now that I have more than 50 batches of homemade vegan protein ice cream under my belt, I can attest that the Ninja Creami is most definitely worth it. Prepping a batch of ice cream literally takes just 5-minutes and the flavor possibilities are endless.

Vegan ice cream interesting facts

It is made using no animal products and instead relies on plant-based ingredients such as coconut, almond, or soy milk. This scrumptious dessert also uses natural sweeteners like agave syrup, and flavourings such as cocoa powder, nuts and fruits.

Plant-based fats are the best way to thicken vegan ice cream. Coconut cream, full-fat coconut milk and coconut oil will give the creamiest and thickest results. Cornstarch and tapioca starch can also be used to thicken but the end result will be a little more icy and a little less creamy.

Ninja recommends freezing Creami bases for 24 hours, but we've had success with 8 to 12 hour freezing times, too. In our experience, freezing bases for 24 hours or longer usually meant they'd be very chalky on the first run through the Creami and require multiple respins.

Ice creams that are lower in fat or sugar will create harder ice cream. Fat doesn't freeze, and sugar lowers the freezing temperature of the water in our mixes. So they both keep our ice cream soft.

For the ice cream base, I chose to use unsweetened oat milk instead of the whole milk that many ice creams require. You could also choose a different non-dairy milk, such as almond milk, coconut milk, etc. It's important to add some fat to the base in order to achieve a nice, creamy texture.

When compared to dairy-based ice cream, there are potential health benefits to plant-based alternatives. Chief amongst them are lower saturated fat levels and zero cholesterol. LDL cholesterol contributes to heart and circulatory diseases. Only animal products contain it.

Sugar content among vegan ice creams can vary dramatically. Some of these products are high in sugar. Others are very low in sugar, replacing this ingredient with substitutes such as erythritol. Some types of vegan ice cream contain as much as 20 or more grams of sugar per serving.

Whilst plant-based products are naturally lactose-free, dairy products such as milk can be lactose-free too. Indeed, lactose can easily be removed from dairy products thanks to an enzyme called lactase. Therefore a lactose-free product isn't necessarily dairy-free.

A common - and better - emulsifier for ice cream is soy lecithin, which can be derived from soybeans, sunflowers and rapeseed. Soy lecithin has a neutral taste, and also allows you to make egg-less ice cream.

What replaces dairy in vegan ice cream? ›

What's the Secret to Vegan Ice Cream? The secret is nothing more than coconut milk. Full-fat, creamy coconut milk.

The common thickeners in non-dairy ice creams are guar gum, xanthan gum, acacia gum, carrageenan, and locust bean gum. These ingredients are added to enhance the texture of liquid to mimic the viscosity of a rich creamy ice cream. Guar, acacia, and xanthan gum can all be added to a recipe while cold.

Keep in mind that the NC300 model of the Ninja Creami appears to be discontinued—Walmart is currently the only authorized retailer selling it in new condition. That said, if you want a convenient way to make ice cream at home it'll do the job. If you want a more sophisticated machine, check out the Ninja Creami Deluxe.

Why does my Ninja Creami ice cream taste greasy? If you're finding that your Ninja Creami Ice Cream has a greasy taste, it's likely due to a high butterfat content in your ice cream mix. This can leave an unpleasantly cloying film in your mouth. The solution is to try using less cream and more milk in your recipe.

Fat and liquid provide the creaminess in the ice cream, and when there's not enough of either, your ice cream may end up more like an ice granita with a crumbly, less creamy texture. Another contributing factor could be freezer temperature. If the freezer is too cold, it could lead to a hard, crumbly texture.

Its blades break down a solid block of frozen ingredients to give the ice cream a smooth and creamy consistency. This means instead of freezing an ice cream machine's bowl and refrigerating the custard to make the ice cream, you freeze the custard base and the CREAMi turns the frozen ingredients into ice cream.

How long does Ninja Creami ice cream last? Several weeks, even months in your freezer. But you're going to want to eat it ASAP after trying it - trust us!

If you're finding that your Ninja Creami Ice Cream has a greasy taste, it's likely due to a high butterfat content in your ice cream mix.

Blenders are made to purée, blend (obviously!), and emulsify ingredients, where the Creami really only has one job: to turn ordinary ingredients into frozen desserts. To operate the Creami, you'll need to freeze your ingredients for 24 hours before processing them into "ice cream."