• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Kathleen's Cravings
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
    • Recipe Index
    • All Recipes
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Appetizer and Snack Recipes
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Grilling Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Main Dish Recipes
    • Meatless Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dish Recipes
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Soup Recipes
    • How To
  • Welcome!
    • Welcome!
    • Work With Me
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Fall Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Welcome!
  • Work With Me
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Fall Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Welcome!
    • Work With Me
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Dessert Recipes

    Ninja Creami Vanilla Soft Serve (with Low Fat Milk)

    Published: May 29, 2023 by Kathleen Hansen · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    This Ninja Creami Vanilla Soft Serve recipe uses simple ingredients, including low fat milk to keep the recipe lighter. You'll love this easy vanilla ice-cream that has a softer texture. It is begging to be topped with lots of sprinkles.

    Ninja Creami Vanilla Soft Serve with sprinkles in a bowl with a spoon

    The Ninja Creami appliance lets you make ice-creams, sorbets, and soft serve with unconventional ingredients! With a traditional ice cream maker you add the ice cream base for a frozen canister that churns the ice cream while mixing. But with a Ninja Creami, you freeze the entire base and then it chops and blends it up (similar to a blender, but gives a much creamier texture). Other Ninja Creami recipes to try is this Ninja Creami Peach Sorbet and Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream.

    Jump to:
    • Why I Love It:
    • Ingredients
    • Variations
    • Step by step instructions
    • Leftovers and Storage
    • Recipe Tips
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    Why I Love It:

    • Easy Ingredients - You only need low-fat milk and a few ingredients to add flavor.
    • Tastes Like Soft Serve - This tastes like vanilla soft serve and is even better with added sprinkles.
    • Lighter Vanilla Ice-Cream options - Instead of using heavy cream like typical ice-cream, this Ninja Creami Vanilla Soft Serve recipe uses mainly low fat milk. Also check out this Ninja Creami Frozen Yogurt recipe made with Greek Yogurt.

    Ingredients

    • Low-Fat Milk - You can use nonfat milk, but know the flavor and texture will be slightly impacted. You can also use whole milk. My favorite milk to use is the Fairlife reduced fat milk that is lactose free.
    • Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix - You can use regular or sugar-free. There are two reasons for adding a little bit of this. The first is to serve as a stabilizer that gives the ice cream a thicker, creamier texture. The second is to add more vanilla flavor.
    • Granulated Sugar - Adding a very small amount of sugar adds just enough sweetness.
    • Vanilla Extract - Essential to adding more vanilla flavor!
    • Half and Half - I add just two tablespoons of half and half to add a little more fat (helps with texture and flavor) and use a little bit more for the re-spin.
    • Sprinkles - Optional, but fun to mix in!
    low fat milk, half and half, pudding mix, vanilla extract, sugar, and sprinkles in small bowls

    Variations

    • Other Flavors - You can use other flavors of instant pudding mix to add other spins. Or this recipes also works using chocolate milk and chocolate pudding mix for a chocolate soft serve recipe or try this Ninja Creami Wendy's Chocolate Frosty copycat recipe.
    • Mix-Ins - I love mixing in sprinkles, but other great options are cookie dough chunks, Oreo cookies, chocolate chip cookies, or mini chocolate chips.
    mixing soft serve mixture in pint container
    unfrozen ice cream mixture
    frozen ice cream mixture in pint container
    Vanilla soft serve in pint container

    Step by step instructions

    Making vanilla ice cream in your Ninja Creami is easy! Just mix the ingredients together, freeze, and blend!

    1. Mix Base in Pint Container - I like to use a milk frother to do this, but you can also mix well with a fork or small whisk.
    2. Freeze - Place the pint in the freezer and freeze for 24 hours so it is fully solid. Make sure you place it on a level surface in your freezer.
    3. Prep for Blending - Remove the frozen pint from the freezer. If you have a 'peak' in the center, it's best to scrape most of it away with a spoon.
    4. Blend - Insert into the outer bowl, add the lid, and lock into position. Blend on 'Lite Ice-Cream'
    5. Add Liquid and Re-Spin - Make a little well in the center, add the extra liquid, and re-spin on the same lite ice cream setting.
    6. Enjoy - After the second spin, your soft serve should be thick, creamy and ready to enjoy!
    crumbly ice cream mixture in ninja creami container
    Crumbly after first spin
    Half and half being added to ice cream mixture in ninja creami container
    Add a little more liquid
    Soft serve ice cream in Ninja Creami container
    Creamy after re-spin
    Sprinkles being added to ice cream
    Optional sprinkles mix-in
    Finished soft serve in Ninja Creami base
    Creamy and ready to eat!

    Leftovers and Storage

    If you can't eat the entire pint of soft serve in one sitting, you have two options for storing:

    1. Save for Re-Blending: Use a spoon to smooth out and level the top in the Ninja Creami pint container and put back in the freezer. Freezing with the level top will let you re-spin it in the Ninja Creami when you want to eat it again. This method will give you that same creamy texture. Note that if you mixed in sprinkles, they'll get chopped up when you re-spin.
    2. Store and Thaw Slightly Before Enjoying: If you want to free up your Ninja Creami pint container, you can transfer the leftover ice-cream to another container and freeze. For this method, you won't be able to re-spin it but I find that letting it thaw on the container for a bit or zapping it in the microwave for just 5-10 seconds softens it and the texture is almost as good as the freshly spun ice cream.
    Ninja Creami Vanilla soft serve scooped into bowl

    Recipe Tips

    • Powdery after the First Spin is Normal - It's normal and expected for the mixture to be crumbly after the first spin. The second spin (especially when you add a little more liquid) is when the magic happens!
    • The Machine is Loud -If this is your first time using your Ninja Creami, be aware that it is loud when it is spinning. I find the noise level to be similar to a blender. Might not be the best option during nap time 🙂
    • Freeze without the lid - I've found that freezing the pint without the lid helps prevent the large peak from forming in the middle. If yours does have a peak, it's okay. You'll just want to shave off some of it with a metal spoon so the top is more level.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How long does ice-cream take in the Ninja Creami?

    Once your base is frozen (takes up to 24 hours), the actual spinning and blending into ice-cream takes less than 5 minutes (including the re-spin and mix-ins).

    Does the Ninja Creami really need 24 hours?

    The instructions say to freeze your base for 24 hours before blending because it insures that it is frozen completely solid. The exact freeze time will vary based on your freezer - your base likely can be frozen completely solid in less time. The Ninja Creami will not work properly if it isn't completely frozen.

    Why is my ice-cream powdery from the Ninja Creami?

    It is normal for the ice-cream to be powdery or crumbly after just one spin because the base is frozen so solid. After one more spin, the ice-cream should be creamy and ready to enjoy.

    Does the Ninja Creami make soft serve?

    The Ninja Creami does a great job making soft serve ice cream. The texture is smooth and creamy. If

    Spoon digging into scoop of Ninja Creami vanilla ice cream with sprinkles

    Related Recipes

    • Ninja Creami Frozen Yogurt in pint container.
      Ninja Creami Frozen Yogurt
      ★★★★★
    • Microwave apple crisp made in a mug.
      Individual Apple Crisp in a Mug
      ★★★★★
    • spoon dipping into red velvet mug cake
      Red Velvet Mug Cake
      ★★★★★
    • Stack of air fryer s'mores.
      Air Fryer S'Mores
      ★★★★★

    Like this recipe? Sign up for my e-mail list so you get a weekly e-mail with new recipes from the week as well as occasional ‘bonus’ content not found on the blog! E-mail link sign up!

    Those ads on the page? A portion of all ad revenue is being donated to Warrior Dog Rescue. A MN-based dog rescue that I foster and volunteer with.

    Print

    Recipe

    Ninja Creami Vanilla Soft Serve (with Low Fat Milk)

    Ninja Creami vanilla ice cream with sprinkles in a bowl
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    This Ninja Creami Vanilla Soft Serve recipe uses simple ingredients, including low fat milk to keep the recipe lighter. You'll love this easy vanilla ice-cream that has a softer texture and is begging to be topped with lots of sprinkles.

    • Author: Kathleen Hansen
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Total Time: 24 hours 10 minutes
    • Yield: 1 pint
    • Category: Dessert
    • Method: Ninja Creami
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 cups low fat milk
    • 2 tablespoons half and half
    • 1 tablespoons vanilla instant pudding mix
    • 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1-2 tablespoons liquid for re-spin, half and half or milk
    • 2 tablespoons sprinkles, optional to mix-in

    Instructions

    1. Mix Base in Pint Container - I like to use a milk frother to do this, but you can also mix well with a fork or small whisk.
    2. Freeze - Place the pint in the freezer and freeze for 24 hours so it is fully solid. Make sure you place it on a level surface in your freezer. I like to freeze without a lid as I find it reduces the peak that can form in the middle
    3. Prep for Blending - Remove the frozen pint from the freezer. If you have a 'peak' in the center, it's best to scrape most of it away with a spoon.
    4. Blend - Insert into the outer bowl, add the lid, and lock into position. Blend on 'Lite Ice-Cream'
    5. Add Liquid and Re-Spin - Make a little well in the center, add the extra liquid, and re-spin on the same lite ice cream setting.
    6. Optional Mix-Ins - If adding sprinkles, or other mix-in. Use a spoon to make a well in the center and add the sprinkles. Then blend on the 'mix-ins' setting.
    7. Enjoy - After the second spin (or mix-ins) your soft serve should be thick, creamy and ready to enjoy!

    Notes

    Leftovers? You can either use a spoon to smooth out and level the top in the Ninja Creami pint container and put back in the freezer. Then you can spin again when ready to eat. Or you can transfer the leftover soft serve to another container and freeze. Then thaw on the container for a bit or zap it in the microwave for just 5-10 seconds to soften it and eat again. 

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: ½ pint
    • Calories: 145
    • Sugar: 19.3 g
    • Sodium: 195.3 mg
    • Fat: 4.2 g
    • Carbohydrates: 19.1 g
    • Fiber: 0 g
    • Protein: 6.9 g
    • Cholesterol: 17 mg

    Keywords: Ninja Creami Vanilla Soft Serve, Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice-Cream, Ninja Creami Ice-Cream, Ninja Creami Soft Serve, Ninja Creami Recipe

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @KathleensCravings on Instagram

    Share this:

    • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)

    More Easy Dessert Recipes

    • copycat Wendys frosty in ninja creami pint
      Ninja Creami Wendy's Frosty (Copycat)
    • Ninja Creami peach sorbet scooped in bowl
      Ninja Creami Peaches & Cream Sorbet
    • Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream in a bowl
      Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream (Two-Ingredient)
    • chocolate gluten free mug cake
      Chocolate Gluten Free Mug Cake

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Katie says

      May 29, 2023 at 8:49 am

      This soft serve was so good! Will be making all summer long.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi! I'm Kathleen and welcome! My favorite place to be has always been in the kitchen and I love creating recipes that are easy and approachable. Simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions!

    More about me →

    Easy Fall Eats

    • Ladle of chicken noodle soup in crockpot
      Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
    • Fall Harvest Salad (Apple Cider Vinaigrette)
    • apple crisp with oat topping in a bowl
      Easy Apple Crisp (with Oats)
    • pumpkin banana muffins on a plate
      Easy Pumpkin Banana Muffins
    • Hand picking up chicken slider
      BBQ Chicken Sliders
    • dutch baby with apples
      Apple Dutch Baby Pancake

    Popular Recipes

    • moist banana bread with chocolate chips
      Extra Moist Banana Bread with Oil
    • French onion pasta with thyme
      One Pot French Onion Pasta
    • hand holding pb pumpkin dog treat in front of puppy
      Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats
    • bowl of vegan creamy tomato pasta with bread crumbs
      Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta
    • microwave chocolate chip cookie in a mug with a spoon
      Microwave Chocolate Chip Cookie Mug
    • steak bites with asparagus on a plate
      Air Fryer Steak Tips with Garlic Butter

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About Me
    • Work With Me

    Copyright © 2023 KATHLEEN'S CRAVINGS ON THE SEASONED PRO THEME

     

    Loading Comments...