Enjoy creamy, delicious pumpkin pie flavors with 32 grams of protein and without the calories! My pumpkin pie ice cream is high in protein and doesn’t contain any refined sugar, making it a healthy Ninja CREAMi recipe. Satisfy your sweet tooth this fall without going back on your health goals.
I don’t know about you but Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. No, it’s not just because I love to eat, but that is a contributing factor ;). Just the thought of Thanksgiving transports me back to my grandmother’s house. My Granny Jo would always let my sister and I decorate the table before the feast and we would find the greatest delight in picking out cloth napkins and making homemade place cards for our loved ones. Another cornerstone of Thanksgiving at Granny Jo’s was pumpkin pie. Creamy, rich, and delicious, there just isn’t anything wrong with this quintessential Thanksgiving dessert.
Thinking back on it now, that is probably why one of my favorite treats as a teenager was pumpkin ice cream from a local orchard. It sounds a little odd, but the pumpkin flavor, paired with a little cinnamon and vanilla made the most delicious and refreshing treat.
Combining all of these fond, and tasty, memories, I developed a delicious and healthy Ninja CREAMi recipe that provides the delicious flavors of pumpkin pie with a healthy twist.
Healthy Ninja CREAMi Recipe Ingredients
Cottage Cheese
I chose cottage cheese as the base of this ice cream because in the Ninja CREAMi instead of milk because it gives it a thicker texture. It almost reminds me of the texture of ice cream you’d get out of the carton from the store or at an ice cream shop, but without the gums that a lot of manufactures add to their ice creams. The cottage cheese is also high in protein, making the ice cream more filling.
Pumpkin Puree
Pumpkin can be quite controversial but I LOVE it. Pumpkin is from the squash family and actually contains a lot of wonderful health benefits. It’s high in vitamin C, vitamins, minerals, and has even been known to settle upset tummies. Something to keep in mind is to make sure you get pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling; that has additional ingredients added that we don’t want for this recipe.
Vanilla Extract
I might be a little vanilla extract crazy, I put it in anything that isn’t savory. It always brings out the flavor of whatever you’re making so much more. I like to make sure my vanilla extract is high quality and doesn’t have any alcohol added.
Pumpkin Pie Spice
I always think it’s kind of funny that pumpkin really doesn’t have much flavor. Whenever you think of pumpkin, you’re really just thinking about the combination of spices that make pumpkin pie spice.
Cinnamon
Even though pumpkin pie spice contains cinnamon, I always think you need a little bit more to get the right balance of flavors.
Graham Crackers
No pie isn’t complete without the crust! The graham crackers give the perfect essence of crust without the extra work required to make dough.
Milk
Sometimes when you are spinning your mixture through the Ninja CREAMi, the consistency gets a little dry, a little bit of milk solves this problem in a flash.
Equipment Needed For Healthy Ninja CREAMi Recipes
Ninja CREAMi Machine
I have the Ninja CREAMi 7-in-1 Machine and I love it but you can also make this recipe with the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe 11-in-1 machine. You can purchase these machines at most stores where you can purchase kitchen appliances, like Target, Kohls, and Amazon.
Ninja CREAMi Pint Container
Each Ninja Creami machine comes with a container that is especially made to be compatible with the machine. If you’re like me, you may find yourself looking to purchase more of these containers to have multiple flavors waiting for you in your freezer at any given time.
Blender
Any blender will work as long as it is able to turn the cottage cheese curds into a creamy consistency. Because there isn’t much volume to this recipe, I find the smaller blenders will work best. I used my Ninja Fit Personal Blender, but anything will do!
Healthy Ninja CREAMi Recipes
If you loving your Ninja CREAMi as much as I am, you may be looking for other healthy recipes to spin in your Ninja CREAMi machine. Here are some of my latest healthy Ninja CREAMi recipes.
Ninja CREAMi Tips For Beginners
Leave the mixture in the freezer for at least 24 hours
The hardest part about using the Ninja CREAMi is definitely waiting the 24 hours before getting to taste the your creation. While it can be frustrating, this is imperative to get the right consistency of your ice cream.
Let Ice Cream Thaw for 10-15 Minutes Before Spinning
I know, I know. You’re probably asking yourself “not only do you have to wait 24 hours before you can taste your treat, you have the let it thaw for another 10-15 minutes before spinning?” I promise, this is very worth the wait! This technique helps the mixture to spin evenly and doesn’t leave any ice chucks.
What to Do With Ninja CREAMi Leftovers
I have to admit, we don’t usually have Ninja CREAMi leftovers in my house. Between my husband and I, we make quick work of these tasty treats. If you have more self control that we do, you can simply smooth out the remaining ice cream in your pint and place it back in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat it again, set it out for 10-15 minutes and spin on the ice cream setting again.
How To Make Healthy Ninja CREAMi Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
Making healthy Ninja CREAMi pumpkin pie ice cream is simple and easy. Prepping the mixture takes less than five minutes and is low mess.
Step 1 – Combine Ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth
Step 2 – Pour mixture into Ninja CREAMi container
Step 3 – Put in the freezer for at least 24 hours
Step 4 – Remove container from the freezer and leave on the counter for 10-15 minutes
Step 5 – Place in the Ninja CREAMi machine and spin on the “ice cream” setting.
Step 6 – Remove lid and check the consistency of the ice cream, if it’s still powdery, you can add 1-2 tablespoons and spin on the “ice cream” setting again. Continue to go through spinning cycles until the ice cream is nice and smooth. This took a total of 3 cycles for me. Meanwhile, crush up graham crackers into small chunks.
Step 7 – Create a hole in the center of the ice cream and pour in half of the graham crackers and spin one final time on the “mix in” setting.
Step 8 – Scoop out ice cream and serve with the remaining graham crackers.
Ninja CREAMi Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
Equipment
- Blender
- Ninja CREAMi Machine
- Ninja CREAMi Pint Container
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cottage Cheese
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree
- 3/4 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1-2 tbsp Milk
- 2-3 Graham Cracker Sheets Crushed into chunks
Instructions
- Combine ingredients (except for the milk and graham crackers) in a blender and blend until smooth
- Pour mixture into Ninja CREAMi container
- Put in the freezer for at least 24 hours
- Remove container from the freezer and leave on the counter for 10 minutes
- If there's a little "hump" on top of the mixture, scrape it off with a spoon or butter knife until the top is smooth.
- Place in the Ninja CREAMi machine and spin on the "ice cream" setting.
- Remove lid and check the consistency of the ice cream, if it's still powdery, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of milk and spin on the "ice cream" setting again. Continue to go through spinning cycles until the ice cream is nice and smooth. Meanwhile, crush up graham crackers into small chunks.
- Create a hole in the center of the ice cream and pour in half of the graham crackers and spin one final time on the "mix in" setting.
- Scoop out ice cream and serve with the remaining graham cracker crumbs.
Healthy Ninja CREMi Recipe FAQ’s
Can I make Ninja CREAMi Ice Cream Without a Machine?
While you won’t get the exact same result as you can with the Ninja CREAMi machine, you can still use the same ingredients to make a healthy pumpkin pie ice cream with just a blender and your freezer! Here are the steps on how to make this recipe without a Ninja CREAMi machine.
- Complete step 1 in the recipe
- Pour mixture into a freezer-safe container
- Freeze for 3-4 hours, or until at scooping consistency
- Sprinkle crushed graham crackers on top
- Serve
What do you do With Leftover Ninja CREAMi?
Leftovers? No problem! I like to smooth the top of the ice cream and stick it back in the freezer. When I’m ready to eat it again, I pull it out and set it on the counter for 15 minutes and then put it back in the Ninja CREAMi and spin it on the “ice cream” function. It’s important that you don’t use the “re-spin” function, according to the machine manual. If it’s powdery, you can add a little splash of milk and spin on the “ice cream” function again.
Very, tasty pumpkin flavor. The cottage cheese makes a creamy lite ice cream. Wish it was a bit “lighter”, I did skip the graham crackers, so will try that next time. Also, may try mini marshmallows.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! I love the idea of mini marshmallows, I’ll have to have that a go.
Great consistency and flavor. Ate it all in one sitting! Really love that it doesn’t have any additional sweeteners or unhealthy additions.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for leaving a review!