I first heard about the (unfortunately named) Ninja Creami at the gym. The vegan powerlifters had been using theirs to make “protein ice cream,” the type of dessert which usually dominates the Creami conversation in the various Facebook groups dedicated to the appliance. They could not stop singing its praises, so I asked my boss if I could buy one to test it out. (It’s super popular on TikTok too.)
I ended up buying the lesser Breeze model, because it was cheaper than the capital-C Creami, but I wish I had held out, because the deluxe Ninja Creami 5-in-1 ice cream maker model is currently on sale for $169 at Walmart (down from $280).
If you’re not familiar with how the Creami works, think of it like a reverse ice cream maker. Instead of pouring a cold base into an ice cream machine that freezes the custard as it churns, you completely freeze your base and attach it to the Creami, which then transforms the icy block into sorbet, gelato, ice cream, or “lite” ice cream, using “Creamify technology”—a set of blades that decimates the frozen ingredients, giving them a smooth, creami (sigh) texture.
I’m still perfecting my Creami recipes (watch this space), but I have had a lot of fun playing around with it. While you can use “normal” ice cream bases in the appliance, the fun lies in seeing what you can get away with. Turn a can of peaches into sorbet, a mixture of condensed milk and fruit into two-ingredient ice cream, or—yes—your favorite protein shake into a frozen dessert. It’s great for those with dietary restrictions (the “Lite” setting makes quick work of alt-milk bases), people who want to trick their kids into eating more fruit, or anyone who craves bespoke pints of ice cream, with or without the trouble of making a custard.