What if you could make the creamiest, most flavorful ice cream of your life with just a few simple ingredients and your Ninja Creami? If you’ve been searching for the secret to foolproof frozen desserts, you’ve just found it. This is the ultimate guide to making incredible ninja creami recipes with pudding mix, a game-changing method that guarantees a perfect texture every single time.
Forget icy, crumbly results. We’re talking about scoop-shop-level smooth, rich, and delicious ice cream made right in your own kitchen. It’s so simple, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner.
Jump To:
Why You’ll Love This Ninja Creami Pudding Recipe
Honestly, what’s not to love? First off, the simplicity is off the charts. You don’t need a complicated custard base or a laundry list of ingredients. We’re talking about a handful of pantry staples that come together in minutes. It’s the perfect solution for a last-minute dessert craving.
But the real magic is the texture. The stabilizers in a simple box of pudding mix are the secret weapon against ice crystals. This means you get a consistently smooth and creamy product that holds up beautifully, even after being in the freezer. It’s a fantastic base for a high-protein ice cream, too, since the pudding helps create a rich mouthfeel that can sometimes be missing from lite ice cream recipes.
Plus, the flavor possibilities are practically endless. You’re not just stuck with vanilla or chocolate. Any flavor of pudding mix can become the star of your next frozen creation. It’s a budget-friendly way to get creative and customize your desserts exactly how you like them.
Recommended Tools
Ninja NC501 CREAMi Deluxe Machine
Buy
Silicone Spatula 3-piece Set
Buy
Stainless Steel Measuring Cups & Spoons Set
Buy
Glass Meal Prep StorageContainers
BuyAs an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Best Ninja Creami Recipe with Pudding Mix
With only 5 ingredients, it’s really easy to make and the pudding mix helps to create a super thick and creamy texture!
- Total Time: 24 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 Pint 1x
Ingredients
8 Ounces Milk (Whole Milk)
4 Ounces Half and Half
⅓ Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Instant Chocolate Pudding Powder
2 Tablespoons Dark Cocoa Powder
Instructions
1. Pour the milk, half and half, sugar, instant pudding mix, and cocoa powder into a small blender and blend until all ingredients are fully combined. Pour the mixture into a Ninja Creami pint container.
2. Freeze on a level surface for 24 hours. Your freezer should be between 9 and -7 degrees Fahrenheit. To avoid getting a bump on the top of the frozen mixture, freeze with the lid off of the container.
3. After 24 hours, remove the pint container from the freezer.
4. Place the pint container into the outer bowl of the Ninja Creami and then process on “ICE CREAM.”
5. If the ice cream is dry or crumbly looking, pour in a tablespoon or two of milk and then re-spin. If the ice cream looks more like dippin dots, (little balls of ice cream), re-spin without adding liquid.
6. Remove the pint from the machine and enjoy!
Notes
You can substitute the dairy and sugar to fit your dietary needs.
Some substitutes like oat milk, almond milk, coconut milk, and cashew milk have a lower fat content and will likely produce ice crystals and a less creamy result.
Do not use cook and serve pudding mix. It needs to be instant pudding mix.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frozen
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pint
- Calories: 661
- Sugar: 100g
- Sodium: 586mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 113g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 67mg
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll be surprised by how few things you need to make this amazing ice cream. It’s all about simple, easy-to-find ingredients.
- Milk: Your choice here really matters. Whole milk will give you the richest, creamiest result, but you can definitely substitute with 2% or even a high-quality plant-based milk.
- Instant Pudding Mix: This is our star player! A small box of your favorite flavor is all it takes.
- A Sweetener (Optional): Depending on the pudding mix you use, you might want a little extra sweetness. A splash of maple syrup or a tablespoon of monk fruit sweetener works great.
- Vanilla Extract: Even if you’re not making vanilla ice cream, a little bit of vanilla extract adds a wonderful depth of flavor.
Choosing Your Secret Weapon: A Pudding Mix Showdown
Here’s the thing: not all pudding mixes are created equal, and the one you choose will have a big impact on your final ice cream. Let’s break it down.
Instant vs. Cook & Serve: For any Ninja Creami recipe, you must use instant pudding mix. The cook & serve kind requires heat to activate its thickening agents (usually cornstarch), which just won’t work for a no-cook frozen dessert base. Instant pudding uses modified food starch that dissolves and thickens in cold liquid, which is exactly what we need.
Sugared vs. Sugar-Free: This is totally up to you and your dietary needs.
- Regular (Sugared) Pudding Mix: This will give you a classic, sweet ice cream flavor and a super smooth texture. The sugar helps keep the ice cream soft and scoopable.
- Sugar-Free Pudding Mix: A fantastic option for a low carb or keto-friendly (NIH) treat! It works just as well to create a creamy texture. The only thing to watch for is the aftertaste from artificial sweeteners, which some people are sensitive to. You might want to add a little of your preferred non-sugar sweetener, like erythritol or allulose, to balance the flavor.
Ultimately, the choice is yours. Both will produce a wonderfully creamy ice cream; it just comes down to your personal preference for sweetness and ingredients.
How to Make Ninja Creami Ice Cream with Pudding Mix
This is where the fun begins. The process is incredibly simple and almost entirely hands-off. Just a little prep work, some patience while it freezes, and you’re on your way to dessert heaven.
Instructions
- Mix the Base: In a medium bowl or a large measuring cup, whisk together your milk, instant pudding mix, vanilla extract, and any optional sweetener. Keep whisking for about two minutes, or until the pudding mix is completely dissolved and the mixture has started to thicken slightly. You don’t want any gritty bits left!
- Fill the Pint: Pour the mixture into your Ninja Creami pint container. Be careful not to fill it past the max fill line. If you do, the machine can get damaged during the churning process.
- Freeze Solid: Secure the lid on the creami pint container and place it on a level surface in your freezer. Let it freeze for a full 24 hours. I know, waiting is the hardest part, but this step is non-negotiable! The base needs to be frozen completely solid for the Creami to work its magic.
- Spin Cycle: Once frozen solid, take the pint out of the freezer, remove the lid, and place it in the outer bowl of the Ninja Creami. Secure the processing lid, lock it into the machine, and select the “Lite Ice Cream” or “Ice Cream” setting.
- Check and Re-Spin (If Needed): After the first spin, your ice cream might look a little crumbly or powdery. Don’t panic! This is totally normal, especially with lower-fat bases. Just add a tablespoon of milk, put it back in the machine, and hit the “Re-Spin” button. You might need to do this twice, but trust the process. It will transform into a perfectly smooth and creamy ice cream.
- Add Mix-Ins: If you want to add things like chocolate chips, cookie chunks, or sprinkles, now’s the time. Make a small well in the center of your ice cream, drop in your goodies, and use the “Mix-In” function to distribute them evenly.
- Serve and Enjoy! Scoop your homemade ice cream into a bowl and enjoy it right away. It will have a texture similar to soft-serve.
Tips for the Best Pudding Mix Ice Cream
A few little tricks can take your ninja creami ice cream from good to absolutely amazing.
- Don’t Rush the Freeze: I can’t say this enough—let it freeze for a solid 24 hours. A partially frozen base will not churn correctly and can even damage your machine.
- Use a Good Whisk: Make sure the pudding mix is completely dissolved in the milk. Any clumps in the base will still be there after it’s churned. A small immersion blender also works wonders for getting a super smooth base.
- Start with Cold Ingredients: Using cold milk will help the pudding mix dissolve and thicken properly from the get-go.
- Trust the Re-Spin: Seriously, the re-spin button is your best friend. It’s the key to fixing a crumbly texture and achieving that perfect, creamy consistency we’re all after.
Variations and Mix-In Ideas
This is where you can really get creative! The pudding mix base is a blank canvas for all sorts of delicious flavors.
- Pistachio Perfection: Use pistachio-flavored instant pudding mix and toss in some chopped pistachios as a mix-in for a nutty, delicious treat.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup: Start with a chocolate fudge pudding mix. After the final spin, use the mix-in function to add chopped peanut butter cups and a swirl of peanut butter.
- Birthday Cake Bash: Use white chocolate or cheesecake-flavored pudding mix. For mix-ins, add a generous amount of rainbow sprinkles and some chunks of birthday cake-flavored cookies.
- Key Lime Pie: A box of lemon instant pudding is your base here. After it’s churned, mix in some crushed graham crackers. It’s tart, sweet, and incredibly refreshing, especially in the summer.
- Low-Carb Mocha Chip: Use a sugar-free chocolate pudding mix and add a teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the base before freezing. After spinning, mix in some keto-friendly chocolate chips.
- Butterscotch Ripple: Vanilla pudding mix is the perfect base. Once it’s creamy, gently fold in a thick swirl of butterscotch sauce. Don’t overmix—you want those distinct ribbons of flavor.
- Seasonal Delight – Pumpkin Spice: Around autumn, grab a box of vanilla pudding mix and add a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and two tablespoons of pumpkin puree to the base before freezing. It’s a seasonal treat that is hard to beat. For even more ideas, be sure to explore our complete list of the 17+ BEST Ninja Creami Pudding Recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different kind of milk?
Yes, absolutely! While whole dairy milk gives the creamiest results due to its fat content, you can easily substitute it. Almond milk, soy milk, and oat milk all work well. Just be aware that ice creams made with lower-fat milk alternatives are more likely to be a bit crumbly after the first spin and will almost certainly need a re-spin with an extra splash of milk.
What if my ice cream is crumbly after the first spin?
This is the most common “problem,” and it’s thankfully the easiest to fix. A crumbly or powdery texture simply means the fat and sugar content is low, which causes it to freeze harder. Just add one tablespoon of the same milk you used in the base, pop it back into the Creami, and hit the “Re-Spin” button. It should come out perfectly smooth. If it’s still a little crumbly, add one more tablespoon of milk and re-spin again.
How do I store leftover Ninja Creami ice cream?
If you have any ice cream left over, just smooth the top flat with a spoon, put the original lid back on the creami pint container, and pop it back in the freezer (USDA). When you’re ready to eat it again, you’ll need to re-process it in the Ninja Creami on the same setting you originally used. Don’t try to scoop it straight from the freezer—it will be rock hard!
