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

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.

How does the Ninja creamer work? ›

Once the liquid is completely frozen, you screw on the machine's processing lid, which is built with a paddle that has a blade, similar to a blender. You select your preferred preset and the machine drives the spinning paddle through the frozen block to shave the ice and whip it into a creamy, frozen treat.

How to make ice cream in the Ninja Creamery? ›

Utensils
  1. In a large, microwave-safe bowl, microwave the cream cheese for 10 seconds. ...
  2. Slowly mix in the heavy cream and milk until fully combined and sugar is dissolved.
  3. Pour base into an empty CREAMi™ pint. ...
  4. Remove pint from freezer and remove lid from pint. ...
  5. Select ICE CREAM and process.

What is vegan soft serve made from? ›

Ingredients. Cane Sugar, Tapioca Maltodextrin, Organic Cocoa (processed with alkali), Whole Oat Flour, Soy Protein, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum. Contains: Soy.

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

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).

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.

How is Ninja Creami different? ›

Although both blenders and the Ninja Creami contain blades at the base of their container jar, that's really where the similarities end. Blenders are made to purée, blend (obviously!), and emulsify ingredients, where the Creami really only has one job: to turn ordinary ingredients into frozen desserts.

Is the Ninja Creami Deluxe better than the Ninja Creami? ›

The Ninja Creami ice cream makers promise to make a variety of frozen desserts and drinks. The Ninja Creami has seven preset functions: Ice Cream, Sorbet, Lite Ice Cream, Smoothie Bowl, Gelato, and Milkshake. The Ninja Creami Deluxe has 10 preset functions divided between Scoopable and Drinkable options.

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.

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 does the Ninja Creami have to freeze for 24 hours? ›

Freezing is crucial: It's paramount that the base is completely frozen into a solid block for the Ninja Creami to work effectively. Texture is key: The 24-hour freeze time results in smaller ice crystals and enhances the dessert's creaminess. For the most creamy ice cream and smoothest sorbet, this matters!

Is there such thing as dairy free soft serve? ›

Sunrise Supreme. Vegan / non-dairy soft serve dessert mix that's made easy! 100% non-dairy, and made from natural coconut oil, this product category is one of a kind.

What is dairy free soft serve ice cream? ›

It's not made with low-fat or skim milk, or anything like that. Dairy-free frozen desserts typically substitute regular milk with plant-based milk such as almond, soy, coconut, or cashew milk, although there are some amazing brands (*cough, cough, Eclipse*) that take it even further.

Is McDonalds soft serve dairy free? ›

Nutritional Information

Ingredients: Milk, Sugar, Cream, Corn Syrup, Natural Flavor, Mono And Diglycerides, Cellulose Gum, Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Vitamin A Palmitate. Contains: Milk.

Is Dairy-Free Ice Cream actually dairy free? ›

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines ice cream as containing “dairy ingredients.” With that in mind, unless the ice cream is labeled “non-dairy frozen dessert,” it will have at least some dairy in it.

Is Dairy-Free Ice Cream healthier than regular ice cream? ›

Ice creams made from lighter plant-based milk, such as almond milk, can be much lower in calories. Ice creams that use plant-based milk are also usually lower in other nutrients, such as fat, protein, and micronutrients.

What is so delicious dairy-free ice cream made from? ›

Organic Coconutmilk (Filtered Water, Organic Coconut), Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Tapioca Syrup, Pea Protein, Locust Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Natural Flavor, Vanilla Bean Specks.

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