This Ninja Creami cottage cheese recipe is a simple way to make a creamy, high-protein frozen dessert at home. The cottage cheese gives the base a rich texture and mild tang, and it blends beautifully with sweeteners, vanilla, fruit, or chocolate mix-ins.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 2 to 4 tablespoons milk, as needed for blending
- 2 to 3 tablespoons honey, maple syrup, or sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Optional mix-ins:
- Fresh berries
- Chocolate chips
- Crushed cookies
- Peanut butter
- Granola
- Chopped nuts
- Fruit preserves
- Caramel drizzle
Instructions
- Blend the base.
Add the cottage cheese, honey or maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt to a blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy. If the cottage cheese is very thick, add milk a little at a time until the base becomes easy to blend. - Taste and adjust.
Taste the blended mixture before freezing. Add more sweetener if you want it sweeter, or a little more vanilla if you want a stronger flavor. The base should taste slightly sweeter than you want the finished ice cream to taste because freezing reduces sweetness. - Pour into the pint.
Transfer the mixture into the Ninja Creami pint container. Keep the mixture below the MAX FILL line. If you plan to add mix-ins later, leave a little space near the top. - Freeze completely.
Place the lid on the pint and freeze it upright for at least 24 hours. For the best texture, freeze it on a level surface so it sets evenly. - Spin in the Ninja Creami.
Remove the frozen pint from the freezer and place it into the outer bowl assembly. Attach the lid and process it using the Lite Ice Cream or Ice Cream setting, depending on your machine and preferred texture. - Check the texture.
After the first spin, the mixture may look crumbly or dry. This is common with cottage cheese bases. Use a spoon to check the center and sides before deciding whether it needs more liquid. - Re-spin if needed.
If the texture is not smooth enough, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk and run the Re-spin cycle. Repeat once more if necessary until the ice cream becomes creamy and scoopable. - Add mix-ins.
If you want extra flavor or texture, make a small well in the center of the ice cream, add your mix-ins, and run the Mix-ins cycle to distribute them evenly. - Serve.
Serve immediately for a soft-serve style texture, or freeze for 30 to 60 minutes if you want a firmer scoop.
Recipe Tips
- Full-fat cottage cheese gives the creamiest result.
- Vanilla pairs well with berries, chocolate chips, and caramel.
- For a thicker dessert, use less milk when blending.
- If you want a dessert-style version, add crushed cookies or peanut butter.
- A blender works better than mixing by hand because it removes the curds and creates a smoother base.