Ninja Creami High Protein Pumpkin Ice Cream (Made with Cottage Cheese) Recipe
This Ninja Creami High Protein Pumpkin Ice Cream is a delicious, creamy treat made with cottage cheese for an added protein boost. Perfect for a healthy dessert, it combines pumpkin puree, warm spices, and pure maple syrup to create a smooth and flavorful ice cream that’s both nutritious and satisfying. Made quickly using the Ninja Creami appliance, this recipe is easy to prepare and offers a fantastic low-fat, high-protein alternative to traditional ice cream.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Total Time: 12-24 hours (including freezing)
- Yield: Approximately 1 pint (4 servings) 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Ice Cream Base
- 1 ½ cups 2% or full-fat cottage cheese (Trader Joe’s 2% works great!)
- ½ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/3 cup milk
- 3–4 tbsp pure maple syrup (to taste)
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- Blend the Base: Add the cottage cheese, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, milk, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and sea salt to your Ninja Creami pint container. Use an immersion blender to blend all ingredients until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, ensuring a uniform texture.
- Taste & Adjust: Sample the blended base and adjust sweetness or spice by adding more maple syrup or pumpkin pie spice to your preference, blending briefly again if needed.
- Freeze the Mixture: Secure the lid tightly on the pint container and place it in the freezer. Freeze for 12 to 24 hours until the mixture is completely solid and level inside the container.
- Prepare for Processing: When ready, remove the frozen pint from the freezer and let it rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can warm the outside of the container under hot water for a minute or two. This step softens the ice cream slightly, helping the Ninja Creami machine spin the mixture into a creamy texture.
- Process in Ninja Creami: Insert the pint into your Ninja Creami machine. Select either the “Lite Ice Cream” or “Creamy Ice Cream” function depending on your model. The machine will churn the frozen mixture into smooth, creamy ice cream.
- Re-spin if Needed: If the ice cream texture appears crumbly or icy, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk directly into the pint and run the spin function again until the texture becomes smooth and creamy.
- Serve & Store: Enjoy immediately for a soft-serve style ice cream or transfer the pint back to the freezer for 30 to 60 minutes to achieve a firmer, scoopable consistency.
Notes
- Use 2% or full-fat cottage cheese for best creaminess and flavor.
- Ensure pumpkin puree is pure and not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugars and spices.
- Adjust maple syrup quantity based on your preferred sweetness level.
- Letting the pint rest before processing helps prevent a grainy texture.
- If you don’t have a Ninja Creami, this recipe can be adapted using a blender and traditional freezing methods, but texture may differ.
- For a vegan version, substitute cottage cheese and milk with plant-based alternatives, though texture and protein content will vary.
- Store leftover ice cream in the freezer and allow to soften slightly before scooping.
Keywords: Ninja Creami, pumpkin ice cream, high protein dessert, cottage cheese ice cream, healthy pumpkin recipe, low fat ice cream
