Ninja Creami Orange Creamsicle Protein Ice Cream

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Satisfy your creamsicle cravings with this 4 ingredient protein ice cream that tastes like an Orange Julius! Made in the Ninja Creami, this healthy ice cream will keep you full for hours with 35g of protein.

top view of orange creamsicle ice cream in ninja creami pint with orange slices on top.

I recently got a Ninja Creami and let me tell you... it lives up to the hype. The flavours and textures that you're able to achieve with protein ice cream really change the game for creating healthy desserts.

This Ninja Creami Orange Creamsicle Protein Ice Cream contains just 4 simple ingredients—orange juice, milk, vanilla, and protein powder. Once frozen and creamified in the Ninja Creami, it creates a delicious soft-serve textured ice cream that literally tastes like an Orange Julius. You will not believe you are eating 35g of protein in this ice cream recipe.

Get a couple extra Ninja Creami pints and meal prep your protein desserts for the week. Enjoy it for breakfast, a snack, or satiating dessert.

Note that I have the Ninja Creami Deluxe model, which has 50% larger pints than the regular Ninja Creami. It also has 11 different modes and some new features compared to the original. I've scaled this recipe to serve 1-2 people, with quantities that will fit in the pint cups of any Ninja Creami machine so everyone can make it.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
Step-by-Step Instructions
Make Ahead
Storing Leftover Protein Ice Cream
Tips and Tricks
Frequently Asked Questions
More High Protein Recipes
Recipe
Reviews

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Tastes like a decadent dessert, yet the entire pint has 345 calories and 35g of protein!
Made with 4 simple ingredients.
Healthier than store-bought ice cream.
Super quick and easy to make. Stir the ingredients, freeze, then blend in the Ninja Creami.
Tastes like an orange creamsicle or an Orange Julius smoothie!
Creamy soft-serve texture.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free, nut-free, and vegetarian.

Looking for more protein desserts? Try my Protein Powder Hot Chocolate, Protein Shamrock Shake, Protein Cinnamon Roll Smoothie, or Blueberry Pie Yogurt Bowl.

Ingredient Notes

Here are the ingredients you'll need to make this Ninja Creami protein ice cream:

ingredients to make orange creamsicle protein ice cream.

Orange Juice—I like using No Pulp and reduced sugar to keep the sugar lower in this recipe.
Milk—I use 2% but the quantity of milk is pretty small so any milk should work, even dairy-free.
Vanilla Extract—This adds that creamy vanilla flavour that is classic in a creamsicle.
Vanilla Protein Powder—I like to use the Premier Protein Whey Protein Powder in Vanilla Milkshake. It is creamy and provides 30g protein per serving, plus it doesn't have any weird flavours. Any vanilla protein powder you like will work.

Substitutions

Dairy-Free—Use a neutral flavoured dairy-free milk and plant-based vanilla protein powder.
The Ninja Creami is also great for adding mix-ins like m&ms, chocolate chips, fruit chunks, etc. Blend on Lite Ice Cream first, Re-Spin if you want it softer, then add your mix-ins and blend on Mix-In.
Sweetness—If you like your ice cream sweeter, add 1-2 teaspoon of your favourite sugar-free sweetener.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Be sure to read the recipe card below for the full recipe and nutrition facts. Note that I have the Ninja Creami Deluxe model, as photographed below. I've scaled this recipe to also fit in the smaller original models.

(1) Add all ingredients to the Ninja Creami pint container. Stir and freeze overnight.

Run the pint under warm water for 30 seconds then dry it off. Place in the outer bowl.

(2) Blend on “Lite Ice Cream”, then add 1-2 tablespoon extra orange juice and “Re-spin”. Re-spin again if you want a softer texture.

(3) Enjoy immediately!

mixing, blending with the ninja creami, and final orange creamsicle ice cream pint.

Make Ahead

The base of this protein ice cream must be made ahead of time, as it needs to freeze for at least 12 hours. If you want to meal prep your protein ice cream, you can buy additional Ninja Creami pints for your machine on Amazon, then mix and freeze several pints at once to always have protein ice cream at the ready.

Storing Leftover Protein Ice Cream

The quantity of this recipe makes a good breakfast serving for 1 person, or I usually like to split it with my partner for a healthy protein dessert. It's quite filling!

Should you have leftover protein ice cream, smooth the top flat with a spoon, then place the pint cup back in the freezer. Blend on Lite Ice Cream the next time you want to enjoy it.

Tips and Tricks

Here are some of my top tips for perfect protein ice cream in the Ninja Creami :

While I'm not sure 24 hours is truly necessary like Ninja suggests, the mixture must freeze for at least 12 hours before blending.
A lot of recipes will call for a pinch of xanthan gum to help the texture and creaminess of low-fat protein ice creams. I find it adds too much of an unpleasant flavour, even in small quantities. So I don't recommend it, nor do I think it needs it. Most protein powders have some thickeners already in them, and the Ninja Creami has a really powerful blade.
You can make this recipe entirely plant-based if you prefer, though I do think whey protein powder will give the best taste and texture.
The Lite Ice Cream setting is meant for low fat mixtures like this protein ice cream. If you like your protein ice cream softer, you can Re-Spin a few times.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why run the frozen pint under warm water?

This loosens the frozen sides and bottoms before blending to prevent an icy texture.

Why is my ice cream powdery?

After the first spin, a lot of protein ice creams will have a powdery texture due to the low fat content. Just run a Re-Spin cycle or 2 until you have your desired texture.

Can I make this in a blender?

You could try freezing orange juice into cubes, then adding the other ingredients and blending, but you won't get as thick of a texture as with the Ninja Creami.

Can I make a vegan creamsicle protein ice cream?

You could try using dairy free milk and a plant-based protein powder.

spoon holding scoop of orange creamsicle protein ice cream.

Trust me, getting a Ninja Creami will change your protein game! This healthy creamsicle ice cream recipe is so simple to make and actually tastes like a decadent dessert. Start meal prepping your ice cream for the week!

More High Protein Recipes

See more High Protein Recipes →

Have you made this orange creamsicle protein ice cream? I'd very much appreciate it if you leave a 5-star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and review below, and tag me on instagram @fromoliviaskitchen!

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