I Tried (& Loved) the Viral Ninja Creami, Which Is on Sale for Black Friday Right Now

This was my husband’s go-to kitchen gadget for a while when we first got it, but when I started wanting to increase my protein intake, I figured I would master the art of protein ice cream. For me, simplicity is key. I toss in some milk, a scoop of protein, some monk fruit sweetener and a splash of vanilla. That’s my tried-and-true concoction (on the lite ice cream setting). I judged the machine’s ease of use, functionality (aka how well its results live up to its claims) and the taste, as well as the consistency and quality of the end result. 

Like most home ice cream makers, you have to prep your pints a day in advance to make sure it’s fully frozen, but to be honest, I’ve gotten away with 12 to 15 hours of freeze time and the final product is just as creamy.

For this batch, I just did half a pint of ingredients since this was the last of my milk. I gave the prepped container a mix with my frothing wand and stuck it in the freezer. The next night, I ran the pint under some hot water for about 30 seconds to loosen up the mixture a bit before popping it in the mixing bowl. I then set it to the regular ice cream setting (since I used whole milk) and, voilà, in two minutes my rich, chocolate protein ice cream was ready to eat. But, wait! I threw in five Oreo Thins and popped it back in the machine and used the mix-in setting (which takes roughly another two minutes). This setting didn’t crush up the cookies into crumbs, but perfectly broke them up through the ice cream for that yummy, crunchy texture. 

In the past, I have had to use the “re-spin” feature to run my mixture through the spinning process again when my ingredient ratios are a little off, but I’ve never had a failed batch altogether and the re-spin takes care of any texture discrepancies.

I truly love the functionality of the machine. The quality of the desserts are to die for and I crave them constantly. Being able to get creative with your recipes is so much fun because everything is customizable to exactly what you want. The fact that it only takes two minutes to make the ice cream and then two minutes to fold in the mix-ins is an easy seller. I’m a meal prepper anyway, so taking the time to throw a few prepped pints in the freezer is a very mindless task for me.

And when all I have to do to clean a kitchen gadget is pop the blade out, give the lid a quick rinse, then throw the pint in the dishwasher when I’ve finished my ice cream, I’m in. It’s very easy to maintain and keep clean. Sure, there are a few parts to wash, but no crazy nooks and crannies you have to break your fingers getting to. 

As far as the Ninja Creami’s cons, I have two: It’s very loud and heavy. When I use it after my son is asleep, I have to carry it to a room farther away because it’s woken him several times. At roughly 15 pounds—and with a somewhat bulky shape—it's kind of a pain to tote from place to place.

I’m very big on texture when it comes to ice cream, and even though I’m adding healthier ingredients, the creaminess and flavor is absolutely incredible every time. Even the concoctions that ended up not being a big hit are still eaten because the quality of the ice cream is just so damn good. Plus, if I don’t finish a pint, I just add a splash of milk and re-spin it the next time I want to finish it, and it tastes just as good. 

When I want to switch it up, I’ll swap out the flavor of protein powder and try a new mix-in. While I’ve used all of the settings at least once and can confirm that the final results all taste professionally made, the lite ice cream and sorbet settings are the most used in my household.

My favorite thing about the Ninja Creami is the actual ice cream it makes. Sure, it’s loud and hard to move around, but I don’t even mind it much because the end result is that good. The device has a bunch of functions and can be daunting at first, but after one or two uses it’s a piece of cake (no, seriously, I’ve literally mixed in red velvet cake pieces before and it was incredible).

Making healthier recipes for myself and my family is something I strive to do, especially with a toddler going through a growth spurt, and it’s usually no easy feat making healthy dessert alternatives, but the Ninja Creami hasn’t failed me yet.