Protein ice cream is the category that sells more Creamis than any other, and it is also the one most likely to disappoint on a first spin. A protein base is built from ultra-filtered skim milk and whey isolate, which means it has almost no fat and very little sugar, the two ingredients that keep a normal ice cream soft at 0 F. It freezes into a hard, dry block, and the first pass of the paddle shaves that block into powder.
The fix is in the program and the re-spin. On the NC601 and NC701 the CreamiFit program is tuned for lean bases and took our standard Fairlife and whey pint to creamy on the first spin with no re-spin at all. On the NC301, NC351 and NC501 the same base runs on Lite Ice Cream, came out crumbly after spin one, and was creamy after a single re-spin. Every recipe here states which program and how many re-spins on each model.
A tablespoon of sugar-free instant pudding mix is the other half of the method. The starch and gums thicken the base before it freezes and hold the moisture in the finished pint, which is why our protein pints need one re-spin where a plain milk and whey base needed two. Our base ratios page lists the exact proportions we start from, and each recipe card lists the macros per serving as estimated values.
CreamiFit, then Mix-In · NC601
Cookies and Cream Protein Ice Cream
105 kcal · 12 g protein per serving
Tips for protein ice cream
- Use ultra-filtered milk such as Fairlife rather than regular skim. It carries roughly double the protein for the same volume and the extra milk solids make a noticeably creamier pint.
- Add 1 tablespoon of sugar-free instant pudding mix per 16 oz pint. It cut our re-spin count from two to one on every Lite Ice Cream model.
- Blend the base until no powder clumps remain, then let it sit two minutes so the foam settles before pouring. Foam freezes into air pockets that spin out as crumbs.
- Freeze flat for 24 hours at 0 F with the lid on. A protein base frozen on a tilted shelf gave us a dry top inch on the NC501 that the first re-spin did not fully fix.
- Re-spin once before you judge it. If the second result is still dry, add 1 tablespoon of milk, not more, and re-spin again.
- Scale by 1.5 for a 24 oz XL tub and fill to the line. Under-filled tubs spin drier because the paddle has more air to move.
Best model for protein ice cream
The NC601 is the protein machine. CreamiFit took our standard protein base to a texture score of 5 out of 5 on the first spin, the only Lite-style result in our tests that needed no re-spin, and after 30 days it has replaced Lite Ice Cream for every protein pint we make. The 24 oz XL tub holds six servings rather than four, which suits anyone eating a protein pint daily. Our NC601 review has the full test table, and the NC701 matched the CreamiFit result if you also want soft serve. If you spin on an NC351, expect one re-spin and the same final texture.
Creami Deluxe · Gen 2
Ninja Creami Deluxe 11-in-1 Gen 2 (NC601)
Model NC601 · Our score 8.9/10
- 11 programs including CreamiFit and the only Dairy-Free program
- Two 24 oz XL tubs, about 6 scoops each
- Oat base needed zero re-spins on the Dairy-Free program
Browse the other 13 categories from the recipes hub, or move to cottage cheese recipes if you want protein with more fat and fewer re-spins.
CreamiFit if your model has it, Lite Ice Cream if it does not. On the NC601 and NC701 CreamiFit took our Fairlife and whey base to creamy on the first spin. On the NC301, NC351 and NC501 the Lite Ice Cream program left the same base crumbly after spin one and creamy after a single re-spin.
Because a protein base has little fat and little sugar, the two things that keep ice cream soft. The first spin shaves it into a dry powder. Re-spin once and the powder packs into cream. If it is still dry, add 1 tablespoon of milk and re-spin again. Sugar-free pudding mix in the base cuts the number of re-spins.
Whey isolate gives the smoothest result in our tests, and casein or a whey-casein blend thickens the base further. Plant proteins work but need the pudding mix and usually one more re-spin. Avoid powders with a lot of added fiber, which turned one of our test pints grainy even after two re-spins.
Our vanilla protein pint comes to about 150 calories and 24 g protein per serving, four servings per 16 oz pint, so about 600 calories and 96 g protein for the whole pint. The figures are estimated from the ingredients. Each recipe card lists its own macros per serving.