Ninja Creami High Protein Pumpkin Ice Cream with Cottage Cheese Recipe
This Ninja Creami High Protein Pumpkin Ice Cream is a creamy, nutritious treat made with cottage cheese and pumpkin puree. Loaded with autumnal flavors from pumpkin pie spice and pure maple syrup, it’s a perfect guilt-free dessert that satisfies sweet cravings while packing a protein punch. Easy to prepare in your Ninja Creami, this recipe delivers a smooth, velvety ice cream that tastes indulgent but remains healthy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 12-24 hours freezing + 10-15 minutes preparation
- Yield: 1 pint (approximately 4 servings) 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 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 the Ninja Creami pint container. Use an immersion blender to blend all the ingredients together until the mixture is perfectly smooth and creamy.
- Taste & Adjust: Sample the base mixture and adjust sweetness by adding more maple syrup if desired, or increase the pumpkin pie spice for extra warmth and flavor.
- Freeze the Mixture: Secure the lid on the pint container and place it in the freezer. Freeze flat and level for 12 to 24 hours until the mixture is completely solid.
- Prep for Spinning: When frozen, remove the pint from the freezer and let it rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. Alternatively, warm the outside of the container under hot running water for 1-2 minutes to soften the edges for smooth spinning.
- Process in Ninja Creami: Insert the pint into the Ninja Creami machine. Select the “Lite Ice Cream” or “Creamy Ice Cream” function depending on your model to process the ice cream to a silky-smooth consistency.
- Re-spin if Needed: If the texture comes out crumbly or rough, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk and run the Re-spin function to achieve a creamy texture.
- Serve & Enjoy: Enjoy the ice cream immediately for a soft-serve style treat, or place back in the freezer for an additional 30 to 60 minutes if you prefer a firmer, scoopable ice cream.
Notes
- Use 2% or full-fat cottage cheese for the creamiest texture.
- Ensure pumpkin puree is pure and not pumpkin pie filling to control sweetness and spice.
- Maple syrup quantity can be adjusted to suit your desired sweetness level.
- Freezing time is critical for proper texture; do not skip freezing 12+ hours.
- Allowing the pint to warm slightly before processing helps avoid an icy texture.
- Adding a splash of milk during re-spin helps smooth out crumbly texture.
- This recipe is high in protein due to cottage cheese, making it a nutritious dessert option.
Keywords: pumpkin ice cream, high protein dessert, Ninja Creami recipes, cottage cheese ice cream, healthy pumpkin dessert, low fat ice cream
