Dairy-Free Chocolate Creami Recipe | Feasting on Fruit (2024)

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A dairy-free spin on the Ninja Creami trend! Rich vegan chocolate ice cream sweetened with dates, healthy and high-protein, ready in minutes!

So after seeing enough swirly instagram posts of Ninja Creami creations, I finally justified to myself and my husband that this magical machine was something we NEEDed in our lives. And I have used it almost every day since the box showed up, so I think I was right. Finding the right dairy-free ratios started out a little bumpy (literally), but after a few weeks I figured out a recipe to get consistently creamy results! It had to be:

  • CREAMY – not too icy or powdery (part of this is about technique too!)
  • High-protein – you’ll notice a common theme with Creami recipes and that is protein powder, which is part of why I wanted the machine in the first place. A bedtime snack that tastes like ice cream but also packs 30+ grams of protein? YES PLEASE. And yes it is possible to do with plant-based protein too
  • Healthy-ish – not too high in sugar or fat, I wanted that eat-the-whole-pint experience
  • Easy – prep every morning in just a few minutes easy
  • Dairy-free – almost every Ninja Creami recipe you’ll see on the internet starts with “fairlife milk”, so I wanted to bring a dairy-free option to the Creami recipe scene

I started with the classic: chocolate! With chocolate chips mixed in. But don’t worry, I have plenty more flavors in the works…

Creating The Perfect Dairy-Free Chocolate Creami

Just a handful of simple ingredients you probably already have on hand, one blender, and 8ish hours of chilling time. The Ninja Creami instructions do say “freeze overnight”, but I have found that if I pop it in the freeze by about 9am I am usually good to go by post-dinner Netflix time (8-9pm).

Dairy-Free Creami Ingredients

  • Cashew milk. Almond milk will work too, but cashew has a little extra creaminess that is even better here.
  • Coconut milk. Or coconut cream if you want it extra rich, you can sub with dairy-free yogurt or dairy-free creamer.
  • Chocolate protein powder. Your favorite brand or variety, I personally like Sprout Living Chocolate Maca Epic Protein.
  • Medjool dates. For natural sweetness, and a little extra thickness too
  • Cocoa powder. We want it extra chocolatey of course.
  • Vanilla and salt. Both add extra flavor balance and make it taste more like store-bought ice cream.

Ninja Creami Tips

  1. The RE-SPIN function! If there is one tip/secret/key I can give any new Ninja Creami owner, it’s the re-spin button on your machine. The first time you run almost any ice cream recipe, it’s going to come out powdery. But do not lose hope there! Just give it a little stir, add a splash of milk, and re-spin. Still not perfectly creamy? Re-spin again, this time without milk. And then add your mix-ins. It makes ALL the difference.
  2. Use enough fat. Yes we are going for a healthier ice cream, but you still need some fat/richness to get a creamy satisfying texture that isn’t icy. The majority of the base is cashew milk, which is mostly water, so you need the coconut milk for that extra fat. Or if you want to skip the coconut milk, add a tablespoon or two of nut butter.
  3. Sweeten with dates. I’ve made batches with maple syrup too, but blending in dates as the “sugar” adds extra thickness and creaminess too. Win win!
  4. Don’t over-fill your Creami cups. I stay a 1/4 inch or so below the max fill line even. You will still end up with plenty of volume, and it tends to blend better in my experience.
  5. Have fun with mix-ins! Once you get a go-to base recipe down, the fun part is MIX-INS. Chocolate chips, sprinkles, brownie chunks, cookie dough, m&ms, granola, endless possibilities…

More Ice Cream Recipes You’ll Love

  • Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream
  • SunButter Soft Serve
  • Watermelon Mint Ice Cream
  • Dairy-Free Rocky Road Ice Cream

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Dairy-Free Chocolate Creami Recipe | Feasting on Fruit (11)

Dairy-Free Chocolate Creami Recipe

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  • Author: Natalie
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Chilling Time: 8 hours
  • Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1 serving 1x
  • Category: ice cream
  • Method: frozen
  • Cuisine: american
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Description

A dairy-free spin on the Ninja Creami trend! Rich vegan chocolate ice cream sweetened with dates, healthy and high-protein, ready in minutes!

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Blend all the ingredients until smooth.
  2. Pour into a Ninja Creami container and freeze overnight.
  3. Process on the “light ice cream” setting, it will be powdery at this point.
  4. Add a splash of milk (preferably coconut) and “re-spin” once or twice as needed.
  5. Add mix-ins of choice, and process on the “mix-in” setting. Enjoy!

Keywords: dairy free, chocolate, ice cream, soft serve, vegan, high protein, snack, dessert, medjool dates

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Dairy-Free Chocolate Creami Recipe | Feasting on Fruit (12)

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Dairy-Free Chocolate Creami Recipe | Feasting on Fruit (2024)

FAQs

What is the best milk alternative for Ninja Creami? ›

Tips for Making Ninja Creami Recipes without Dairy
  • ​Use coconut cream instead of heavy cream. This provides the fat necessary for a creamy ice cream.
  • Skip the whole milk and use non-dairy milk instead. Almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, etc. ...
  • Use vegan cream cheese. ...
  • Re-spin if the mixture is too icy or crumbly.

Do you really need a Ninja creami? ›

If you are looking to experiment with making ice cream and sorbet with unconventional ingredients (and without having to make a custard base for ice cream), then the Creami might be useful. However, we found most results were crumbly and powdery, hardly like the creamy sorbet and ice cream we expected.

How is dairy free ice cream made? ›

What is vegan ice cream made of? Vegan ice cream recipes often use coconut milk and nut milks in lieu of cow's milk. Xanthan gum is a thickener that helps ice cream gain a creamy texture, without the need for heavy cream and eggs.

Can you use non-dairy milk in an ice cream maker? ›

Yes, it's dairy-free and vegan too (no eggs). Adding a little cornstarch to the coconut milk base, cooling then churning it before freezing, you're bound to make the best homemade vegan ice cream.

What is the healthiest non-dairy milk? ›

The healthiest milk alternative is soy milk because it's nutritionally comparable to dairy milk, says registered dietitian Jamie Nadeau.

Can you just put frozen fruit in the Ninja Creami? ›

Can I use frozen fruit in the Ninja Creami? Yes, you can. But, frozen fruit either needs to be thawed out before using, blended with the other ingredients, or have a liquid, like dairy added to the pint to fill in all of the gaps.

Why is the Ninja Creami so loud? ›

The Ninja Creami is not a quiet or lightweight appliance. As the motor drives the paddle through the ice block, the appliance makes a very loud sound — so loud, in our experience, you won't be able to play music, hear the TV or phone calls, or talk over it.

What is the difference between Ninja Creami and Ninja Creami Deluxe? ›

The original Ninja Creami makes a smaller variety of treats but it typically costs a lot less, so you only need the Deluxe upgrade if you wish to make Italian ice, frozen yogurt, slushies, and creamiccinos. Everything else the Deluxe can make, the original can make, too.

What is ice cream without dairy called? ›

Updated: Jun 13, 2021. You might be surprised to learn that sorbet, Italian ice, sherbet, dairy-free ice cream and vegan ice cream are all different kinds of delectable, frozen treats.

What milk is used in dairy free ice cream? ›

Dairy-less frozen desserts replace milk and cream with alternatives like coconut, soy, oat, cashew, or almond milk. Many other ingredients remain the same between the dairy and dairy-free versions. And, just like dairy ice cream, non-dairy ice cream can vary widely in terms of sugar, fat, and calorie content.

What do you call an ice cream with no dairy products in it? ›

Sorbets. Sorbets are naturally lactose-free because they do not contain dairy. They're typically made from water and fruit juice or purée. Sherbets, on the other hand, will contain dairy in the form of dairy milk or cream, so be sure to inspect the label. Sorbabes' Jam'n Lemon sorbet packs zippy lemony notes.

Can I put store bought ice cream in my Ninja Creami? ›

To customize store-bought ice cream: scoop 1 1/2 cups of store-bought ice cream into a tub. With a spoon, create a 1 1/2-inch wide hole that reaches the bottom of the tub. Add your mix-ins to the hole in the tub. Process using the MIX-IN program.

How long to freeze fruit for Ninja Creami? ›

Instructions. Add your fruit, water, and sweetener to your Ninja CREAMI Pint. Freeze for 24 hours. Then take the CREAMi pint out of freezer and put it into the NINJA Creami Breeze.

Why is my Ninja Creami not creamy? ›

After your first spin, sometimes you open it and find that your ice cream is crumbly or powdery. Don't stop now. Just add a tablespoon or two of liquid and spin on respin. If your ice cream has been in the freezer a long time or your freezer is extra cold, you may even have to repeat the respin several times.

What is the best non-dairy milk for ice cream maker? ›

Kaminsky says that you'll get the best results from dairy-free counterparts that are higher in fat such as canned coconut milk. She typically uses almond milk as her base, but other non-dairy milks can work (steer clear of rice milk because it tends to be too watery).

Do you have to put milk in Ninja Creami? ›

All Ninja Creami mixtures need to have some fat, sugar, or dairy in it.

What is the best milk alternative for whipped cream? ›

The 10 Best Substitutes for Heavy Cream
  • Milk and butter.
  • Soy milk and olive oil.
  • Milk and cornstarch.
  • Half-and-half.
  • Tofu and soy.
  • Yogurt and milk.
  • Evaporated milk.
  • Cottage cheese and milk.

What milk is best for ice cream maker? ›

This is usually due to either not freezing fast enough, or too much water forming large ice crystals. When making ice cream, you want to use whole milk and cream, rather than 2% or skim milk, because it has more fat contributing to smaller ice crystals and a better/creamier texture.

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