Your kids will love this Ninja Creami vanilla ice cream! It's rich, smooth, and very creamy with a bold vanilla flavor. This classic dessert is always a family favorite and it's the perfect after-dinner sweet treat. Made with 4 ingredients homemade vanilla ice cream can not be easier to make using your Ninja Creami ice cream machine!

During the warmer months, you might be looking for a healthier frozen treat to serve your kids. This homemade ice cream is a great choice because it's made without cream cheese or eggs and contains less sugar than traditional ice cream recipes.

This Ninja Creami vanilla ice cream is kind of a mix between a no-churn recipe and a traditional ice cream recipe but without the hassle of cooking or churning the ice cream. All the ingredients are added to a blender and then poured into a pint-size container to freeze for 24 hours. After that, the Ninja Creami does all the work to blend the ice cream base into a deliciously smooth and creamy frozen dessert!

On hot days or at summer parties, you can serve your vanilla ice cream as is, with brownies or pies, or topped with whipped cream, sprinkles, or chocolate sauce for the ultimate ice cream experience!

How to make Ninja Creami vanilla ice cream

Prepare your ingredients. Add heavy cream (you can also use half and half but not recommended), milk, vanilla extract and sugar in to the blender and blend until the sugar dissolves. It will take about 10-15 seconds.

The mixture will also become foamy and thicker. You don't need to blend it for too long otherwise it will become whipped cream.

Pour in the plastic Ninja Creami pint container and place in the freezer on the leveled surface. Let freeze for 20-24 hours.

On the next day install the pint in to your Ninja Creami ice cream maker and press ice cream button. Re spin once or twice after to achieve desired consistency. Serve immediately because this Ninja Creami vanilla ice cream will melt fast!

whipped vanilla ice cream mixture before freezing

Recipe ingredients

Heavy cream. The high-fat content allows the ice cream to be rich, decadent, and easy to scoop.

Whole milk. Combined with the heavy cream creates a nice and creamy ice cream base without being too heavy.

Sugar. Regular white sugar for sweetness.

Vanilla extract. To give that rich vanilla flavor that we all love. Make sure to use a high-quality vanilla extract for the best results.

Substitutions

Vanilla extract. Use vanilla bean paste for a richer and sweeter vanilla flavor. It also adds nice vanilla bean specks all throughout your ice cream. Substitute an equal amount of vanilla bean paste if using instead of the extract.

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Heavy cream. Use unsweetened coconut cream or vegan heavy cream instead if you are dairy free.

Milk. Unsweetened oat milk can be used instead because it has a similar taste and consistency to dairy milk.

Sugar. To make this recipe a bit healthier use a sugar substitute like honey, agave nectar, or stevia. Just make sure to spin the ice cream using the LITE ice cream function instead of the regular ice cream function.

Variations

Ninja creami mixins. If you want a fun and colorful ice cream add in mini chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, or crumbled cookies. Just press the MIXIN function on your Ninja Creami ice cream machine after the ice cream has been spun.

Ice cream topping ideas. Chocolate sauce, sprinkles, chocolate chips, chopped candy, or whipped cream.

Healthier ice cream toppings. Sliced bananas or strawberries.

Double or triple this recipe if you like! This recipe makes one pint's worth of ice cream. If you are making it for a large gathering feel free to increase the recipe to fill a couple of Ninja Creami pints!

Frequently asked questions

Can you use the Ninja Creami in less than 24 hours?

No, it is recommended to freeze the ice cream base for at least 24 hours for the best results. If the ice cream pint isn't completely frozen before mixing your ice cream could turn out icy or have a looser consistency than you would like.

Why is my ice cream dry and crumbly?

If your ice cream is dry or crumbly your recipe probably didn't have enough fat in it. Using a mix of both heavy cream and whole milk is important to achieving a perfectly smooth and creamy scoopable ice cream texture.

Also not using enough sugar can cause the ice cream to have a harder texture.

How do I make my ice cream creamier?

If after the first spin in the Ninja Creami your vanilla ice cream isn't as creamy as you would like, you can pass it through the RE-SPIN cycle with a splash of milk or cream.

Another option would be to add 1 - 2 tablespoons of softened cream cheese to your Ninja Creami ice cream base.

Leftovers

You can double the recipe and pour the mixture in to two pint size containers. Use one in 24 hours and keep another one for later use. If you have any Ninja Creami vanilla ice cream leftovers, just smooth the ice cream on top as much as possible, place the lid on the jar and place it in the freezer.

Before enjoying it again, just let sit on the counter for 3-5 minutes to thaw for a bit. You can re-spin it if you feel like it needs it. I always re-spin for a better, creamier texture!

Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 1 day

Total Time: 1 day 5 minutes

Ingredients

½ cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
⅓ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Instructions

Blend everything in blender for 10 -20 seconds and pour in to Ninja Creami pint cup.
Freeze 24 hours on a leveled surface.
Install the pint into your Ninja Creami and press ICE CREAM button. Re spin once or twice for desired consistency.

Notes

Storage. You can double the recipe and pour the mixture in to two pint size containers. Use one in 24 hours and keep another one for later use. If you have any Ninja Creami vanilla ice cream leftovers, just smooth the ice cream on top as much as possible, place the lid on the jar and place it in the freezer.

Before enjoying it again, just let sit on the counter for 3-5 minutes to thaw for a bit. You can re-spin it if you feel like it needs it. I always re-spin for a better, creamier texture!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 398Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 74mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 0gSugar: 41gProtein: 6g