Easy Ninja Creami Dairy Free Vanilla Protein Ice Cream

The next time you're craving homemade ice cream, you should make this easy Dairy Free Vanilla Protein Ice Cream in your Ninja Creami! Made with just 5 wholesome, simple ingredients, this recipe is the perfect base for making all kinds of dairy-free ice cream in the Ninja Creami ice cream machine. This creamy vanilla ice cream is so delicious you'd never know it was dairy free, refined sugar free and packed with protein!

I finally decided to join the Ninja Creami community and got myself the 5-in-1 Ninja Creami machine. I surprised my ice cream loving husband with this recipe and he thought it was the best vanilla ice cream. He could not believe it was made with non-dairy milk and now he is convinced this is the best ice cream out there! Sometimes we even add our protein shake to the ninja creami pint container and turn that into ice cream so we can enjoy it every single day!

The Ninja Creami creates such a creamy texture even with dairy free ice cream bases, it's truly a dairy-free person's dream come true. One thing I did make sure to do after getting myself the Ninja Creami ice cream maker was to stock up on more Ninja Creami pint containers to make sure I was always ready to make my new favorite dairy-free dessert whenever the mood strikes. Best purchase ever. I currently have five different ice cream bases ready to be blended in my Ninja Creami in my freezer.

If you're a dairy free ice cream lover then you'll want to try some more of my favorite Ninja Creami recipes! Try more classics like Strawberry, Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip, or Coffee or enjoy fun flavors like this Strawberry Matcha Affogato, Apple Pie, Protein Buncha Crunch Ice Cream, Rocky Road, or make the Viral Cracking Latte an affogato by adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream once you make this easy recipe! It would also be delicious on top of this 3 Ingredient Cake Mix Mug Cake!

You might also enjoy this Single Serve Chocolate Protein Ice Cream with 56 grams of protein in the entire pint!

Why You'll Love This Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

• It has minimal ingredients. We all love a great easy gluten free dessert option that doesn't require a lot of time or ingredients (or worse, a trip to the store late at night). This protein ice cream is made with just a five basic ingredients you likely already have at home AND it's a healthier way to enjoy delicious ice cream at home, so double win!

• It is super customizable. Guys, this recipe is the base recipe for ALL of my dairy free ninja creami ice cream recipes, so once you've mastered this you can experiment with so many different flavors! You can add fruit, chocolates and candies, nut butters, nuts, etc. You can also swap out the vanilla protein powder for chocolate protein powder and now you have homemade chocolate ice cream.

• It is dairy free. Of course, this recipe is dairy free, gluten free, and refined sugar free, too! So now you can enjoy something sweet and not feel like garbage afterwards.

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Ninja Creami Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream Ingredients & Tested Substitutions

• Almond Milk. My preference is to use unsweetened almond milk; I like Califia Farms new 3 ingredient organic almond milk, however you may use sweetened or vanilla almond milk if you like. You may also use unsweetened oat milk which will make a nice creamy ice cream.

• Full-fat Coconut Milk. I find the canned coconut milk that works the best has a little bit of guar gum, which is a plant-based thickener. Thai Kitchen and Whole Foods in house brand coconut milk are my personal favorites, but if you'd like to stay away from gums, Trader Joe's has a great option. I do not recommend using low fat coconut milk as it will make the ice cream base less creamy. 

• Medjool Dates. For added sweetness, I use Medjool dates. You may replace them with 1-2 tablespoon of maple syrup instead if you do not have any on hand.

• Vanilla Bean Paste. To really amp up that classic vanilla flavor, using vanilla bean paste or even whole vanilla beans is preferable. If you don't have those on hand, vanilla extract is just fine.

• ​Vanilla Protein Powder. It's important to note that you should enjoy the taste of your protein powder, or you won't enjoy the taste of this ice cream! If you don't have a protein powder you are loyal to, I recommend trying Equip Foods. My personal favorite is their grass fed beef isolate protein because it mixes super well and creates an incredibly creamy texture. You can use PRETTYDELISH to save 15% off your first order.

• ​Sea Salt. This is optional, but I always like to add a pinch of Celtic sea salt to the ice cream base.

Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream Step by Step Instructions

1. Make the ice cream base. Add the almond milk, coconut milk, dates, protein powder, vanilla and sea salt to a blender. Blend until smooth. You may find that a few small bits of the dates remain if your blender is not high speed; this is ok. You can strain them out or leave them in, it's up to you.

2. Freeze the ice cream base. Pour base into the ninja creami container right up to the max fill line. Place storage lid on the container and freeze for a minimum of 8 hours. Ninja recommends at least 24 hours but I don't have that kind of patience and find that 8 hours is plenty.

3. Mix the ice cream. Once the base is frozen, follow the instructions for placing the pint container in your Ninja Creami. For your first spin you will choose the "Lite Ice Cream" function.

4. Respin. Once the first spin is complete, you will need to respin the ice cream mixture in order for it to become super creamy. My best creami prep tip is to add about 2-3 teaspoon additional almond milk, just enough to cover the top of the pint, before you respin.

5. Add mix ins. If you'd like, you can add your favorite mix-ins (think fresh fruit, peanut butter, chocolates and candies) or simply enjoy the vanilla ice cream as is.

Expert Tips & Tricks for Dairy Free Ice Cream in a Ninja Creami

• Customize Your Ice Cream! Add peanut butter or pbfit to the ice cream base for a delicious peanut butter flavored ice cream. Add any kind of fresh fruit to the ice cream base or during the mix in step. My favorite fruit to add to this gluten free dairy free ice cream base has been peach or strawberry. Add chocolate chips, crumble up these Monster Cookie Protein Bites or add this Protein Buncha Crunch as mix ins.
• Respin. Ninja's instructions state that you cannot use the "respin" feature followed by the "mix in" feature. I ALWAYS respin my dairy free ice cream, because it needs this in order to be creamy, and I use the mix in function after with no trouble.
• Add Milk Before Respin: Before respinning, I recommend always adding a little bit more almond milk, or dairy free milk of choice. Just enough to almost cover the top of the pint container is perfect, about 2-3 tsp. This will help ensure the final result is super creamy.
• Leftovers: If you don't finish your pint, simply smooth out the top so it is flat, put the lid back on, and store it in the freezer. You will just need to run it through the "Lite Ice Cream" spin again when you're ready to enjoy your leftover protein desserts!

FAQs of Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream

Do I really need to freeze the base for the full 24 hours?

While the official Ninja Creami instructions recommends waiting a full 24 hours, I don't have the patience for that so I have found that eight hours is typically plenty of time to get a solid, even freeze for this specific dairy-free base.

Can I use the respin and mix-in functions back-to-back?

Okay so hear me out, standard Ninja Creami instructions advise against running these cycles back to back, but I always respin my dairy-free ice cream with a couple teaspoons of almond milk because it needs it to be truly creamy (instead of that powdery ice cream texture). I use the mix-in function right after with no trouble at all.

Will the ice cream base taste like dates?

Honestly, you cannot taste the dates at all. The dates simply provide a subtle, natural sweetness to the base without overpowering the vanilla flavor. If you prefer, you can easily swap them out for 1-2 tbsp. of real maple syrup. Using dates or maple syrup keeps this recipe refined sugar free if you do it this way. This also avoids the grainy texture that you might get in a Ninja Creami ice cream recipe because undissolved sugar tends to be the reason for that unpleasant texture.

Is this vanilla ice cream recipe gluten-free?

Yes! In fact, all my Ninja Creami ice cream flavors are gluten free! The base ingredients are naturally gluten-free; just be sure to double check the labels on your specific protein powder and any fun mix-ins you decide to add to ensure they fit your gluten free dietary needs.

Why is my ice cream powdery or crumbly after the first spin?

Don’t panic! This is completely normal, especially for dairy-free and lower-fat Ninja Creami recipes. Because there is less sugar and fat than traditional ice cream, the first spin often looks like powdery snow. You just need to add 2-3 teaspoons of almond milk to the pint and run the "Respin" function. It will turn magically creamy!

Can I use a low-fat milk instead of full-fat coconut milk?

I recommend using the full-fat canned coconut milk, and here's why: the fats from the coconut milk are what give this dairy-free ice cream that rich, velvety texture we all love. It's not the end of the world to use low-fat coconut milk, but using a low-fat or "lite" version can result in a more icy, less creamy consistency once it’s spun.

Can I make this homemade ice cream without a blender?

Since this recipe uses Medjool dates as the sweetener, a blender is pretty essential to get that base smooth and creamy. If you don't have a blender, you can swap the dates for 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup and whisk the ingredients together in a bowl before freezing!

Why do I need to "respin" the ice cream?

Dairy-free Ninja Creami recipes can sometimes look a little crumbly or powdery after the first spin. This is totally normal! Adding a 2-3 teaspoons of almond milk and hitting "respin" is my favorite trick to transforming that texture into the silky-smooth ice cream you see in the photos.

What do I do when my ice cream is still crumbly after a respin?

No worries! If it's still looking a bit dry, just add 2-3 teaspoons of almond milk and respin again. Sometimes the freezer temperature or the specific protein powder used can make it a little powdery, but an extra respin always does the trick!

What is the best protein powder to use for Ninja Creami recipes?

My golden rule of making protein desserts in the Ninja Creami is to use a protein powder you actually enjoy the taste of! Since it makes up a big part of the flavor profile, a high-quality brand is key. Both whey and plant-based protein powders work beautifully in this recipe, though plant-based proteins sometimes absorb a bit more liquid and may require an extra respin. I like Equip Foods best for vanilla or chocolate protein powder.

How do I store the leftovers if I don't finish the pint?

Simply smooth out the top of the remaining ice cream with the back of a spoon, pop the storage lid back on, and keep it in the freezer. When a craving hits, you will just need to run the frozen leftovers back through the exact same spinning steps.

How To Store Dairy Free Vanilla Protein Ice Cream

If you do not finish your pint in one sitting, smooth over the ice cream that is left in the container with the back of a spoon. Place the lid back on and freeze again. You will need to run the leftovers back through the same steps in the Ninja Creami when you are going to enjoy it again. Note that if you added mix ins, the machine will end up pulverizing them!

More Gluten Free Protein Dessert Recipes You Might Enjoy:

If you like protein packed desserts that require no baking AND just a handful of simple ingredients, you might also enjoy this 4 Ingredient Edible Protein Cookie Dough, these Gluten Free Protein Rice Krispies Treats, or this 3 Ingredient Chocolate Protein Mug Cake recipe. You might also like this protein skillet brookie with a scoop of this vanilla protein ice cream!

Don't forget to drizzle your ice cream with this olive oil caramel sauce or this caramelized banana syrup!

Try a scoop of this vanilla ice cream on this delicious brownie pudding! You really can't go wrong with making any of these recipes, to be honest.

Did you have a chance to make this recipe? If so, please leave me a 5 star rating and review below. I always love and appreciate hearing from you!