You're going to love this easy recipe for Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream - it only has 3 ingredients (no cream cheese) and is prepped in just minutes!
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Have you heard of the Ninja Creami? It's such a fun kitchen gadget. It makes basically any ice cream under the sun right in your kitchen! And it's completely fool-proof - just freeze ingredients, press a couple of buttons, and voila - you have homemade ice cream.
And the best part? You can make any flavor of ice cream you can imagine. I love Pineapple Dole Whip, 2-ingredient sorbet, and this easy vanilla ice cream recipe you'll see today. It is so delicious, rich, easy to make, and goes with so many other desserts!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- So simple - it uses just 3 basic ingredients and can be prepped in under 5 minutes.
- Love homemade ice cream? You’re going to love this combo! This is not your run-of-the-mill vanilla ice cream from the store. This recipe delivers that rich, thick, creamy consistency you’d expect from traditional homemade ice cream - but without the long wait.
- Great to batch prep for an easy late night snack. We usually make 4-6 ice creams at a time and they last for months...for a fraction of the price of store-bought ice cream!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups half & half - The half & half gives the final ice cream a nice balance between creaminess and firmness.
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk - You'll use the canned variety.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - I've become a huge fan of homemade vanilla extract; it's just 8-10 vanilla beans (sliced open) in a fifth-size bottle of vodka, allowed to mellow out for 6-12 months. It's the way to go! Of course, store-bought extract is fine to use too.
Additions & Substitutions
- You might notice tiny specks in my vanilla ice cream - that's from 2 beans worth of vanilla bean paste (the inside of a bean) mixed in. It’s totally optional, but it adds a pretty touch and a little extra flavor boost.
- Mix-ins are perfect for this recipe! You an add candy, cookies, chocolate chips - you name it, it works. To do this, follow the instructions for the recipe as normal, adding the mix-in after the first process. Then, spin again using the "mix-in" function.
This ice cream recipe pairs perfectly with a mug cake! Try a few of my favorites: Nutella Mug Cake, Hot Chocolate Mug Cake, or Vanilla Mug Cake.
How to Make Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream
- MIX ICE CREAM BASE. Combine all ingredients in a Ninja Creami pint cup. Cover with the lid and pop in the freezer for at least 24 hours.
- SPIN. When ready to serve, use the "ice cream" setting on the Ninja Creami to process.
- Serve immediately.
Step-by-Step Video
Leftovers & Storage
If you have leftovers, cover the pint container with the lid and return it to the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, spin once on the "ice cream" setting, adding a heavy splash of milk and respinning if necessary.
I don’t recommend refreezing more than once - it tends to get thinner the more you refreeze.
Useful Tips & Tricks
- If your ice cream is too firm after the first spin, you can add a heavy splash of milk and spin again using the respin button.
- Make sure not to fill the pint container over the "max" line on the side. With the ingredient amounts used in this recipe, you should be fine!
- I mentioned above that we like batch prepping 4-6 pints at a time; that's obviously not possible with the 2 containers that come with your machine! We bought a few extra pint containers to use for this.
- If you’re batch prepping ice cream, be sure to label the flavors - it’s surprisingly hard to tell them apart once they’re frozen. I like using a piece of tape labeled with a Sharpie on the top of my lids.
I hope you love this easy sweet treat! 🍨 If you give it a try, I'd love for you to leave a comment or rating below. And make sure to follow along for the latest and greatest from the blog!
Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups half & half
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a Ninja Creami pint cup. Cover and freeze for at least 24 hours.
- When ready to serve, use the "ice cream" button on the Ninja Creami to process the ice cream. You should only need one spin to process the ice cream; if you need another one, add ¼ cup milk and use the re-spin button.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Don’t fill the pint container past the "max" line.
- Batch prepping? Buy extra pint containers and label the flavors.
- For mix-ins (candy, cookies, chips): add them after the first spin and use the "mix-in" function instead of "re-spin."
- Leftovers can be refrozen; just cover with the lid and pop in the freezer. When you're ready to serve again, spin once on ice cream mode. I don't recommend doing this more than once!
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If your ice cream is too firm after the first spin, add a generous splash of milk and use the respin button to soften it up.
Nutrition Facts
Leslie Lambert is a lifestyle writer and content creator specializing in home organization, family recipes, and intentional living. With 16 years of experience in blogging and digital storytelling, she helps busy women create calm, purposeful homes they love.
