This Ninja Creami Strawberry Ice Cream turns a quick strawberry milkshake-style base into a smooth, scoopable frozen treat. It tastes fresh and classic, with real strawberry flavor and a half-and-half base that keeps it light but satisfying. It’s bright, creamy, and easy to make whenever a strawberry ice cream craving hits.
My Go-To Strawberry Ice Cream in the Ninja Creami
This is my favorite ice cream to make in the Ninja Creami. I keep coming back to it because it tastes like real strawberry ice cream without needing a heavy base.
I also love how practical it is. Frozen strawberries work beautifully here, so I can make a pint whenever I want one, not just when berries are at their best.
Fresh or Frozen Strawberries Both Work
Fresh strawberries are wonderful here when they are ripe and sweet. Frozen strawberries work well too because they are blended into the base instead of folded in as chunks.
If your frozen strawberries are very hard, let them sit in the pint with the half-and-half for a few minutes before blending. The goal is a completely smooth base with no firm fruit pieces before it goes into the freezer.
Blend the Base Until It Looks Like a Strawberry Milkshake
Add the strawberries, half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt directly to the Ninja Creami pint, then blend with an immersion blender until the mixture is completely smooth. It should look pale pink and creamy, almost like a strawberry milkshake.
The lemon juice will not make the ice cream taste lemony; it just helps the strawberry flavor taste brighter. Since everything is blended smooth, you do not need to mash or macerate the berries first.
Take an extra minute to check for chunks before freezing. Large pieces of strawberry can freeze hard and affect the final texture.
Freeze the Pint Flat and Solid
Once the strawberry base is smooth, make sure it sits below the max fill line, cover the pint with the storage lid, and place it on a level surface in the freezer. A flat, even surface helps the base freeze evenly.
Try not to tilt the pint or wedge it between other items in the freezer. The top should freeze as evenly as possible, and the base should be completely solid before spinning.
The First Spin Tells You What the Ice Cream Needs
After the first spin, look at the texture before serving. Some pints come out smooth right away, while others look dry or crumbly at first, especially with fruit-based bases.
That does not mean anything went wrong. For this recipe, a tablespoon of half-and-half and a Re-Spin is usually enough to bring it to a creamy, scoopable texture.
Refrozen Creami Ice Cream Needs a Little Help
Ninja Creami ice cream is best right after spinning, when the texture is soft and scoopable. If you have leftovers, smooth the top before putting the pint back in the freezer so it freezes evenly again.
After refreezing, the ice cream will be firmer than it was when freshly spun. Let it sit for a few minutes if needed, or use Re-Spin to bring back the creamy texture.
Make It Sweeter, Richer, or More Strawberry-Forward
- This recipe is lightly sweet, so the strawberry flavor stays fresh. If your strawberries are not very sweet, or you prefer a sweeter ice cream, add 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of sugar before freezing the base.
- For a richer version, replace part or all of the half-and-half with heavy cream. To make the strawberry flavor stronger, use ripe fresh berries when they are in season, or add a few finely chopped strawberries on top after spinning.
- For mix-ins, keep them small and add them after the ice cream is already creamy. Mini chocolate chips, crushed graham crackers, or small pieces of vanilla sandwich cookies all work well with the strawberry base.
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Ninja Creami Strawberry Ice Cream
Equipment
- immersion blender
- Ninja Creami pint container
- Ninja Creami machine
- Spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fresh or frozen strawberries hulled if fresh
- 1 cup half and half single cream in the UK
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅙ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Add the strawberries, half and half, granulated sugar, pure vanilla extract, salt, and lemon juice to a Ninja Creami pint container.
- Blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth.
- Cover the pint with the storage lid.
- Freeze on a level surface for 24 hours.
- Remove the pint from the freezer and take off the lid.
- Place the pint in the outer bowl, attach the paddle lid, and lock it into the Ninja Creami machine.
- Process using the Ice Cream setting.
- If the mixture looks crumbly, add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) half and half.
- Process again using Re Spin until creamy.
- Serve right away.
- If you have leftovers, smooth out the top and cover with the storage lid.
- Freeze again until ready to serve.
Notes:
- Yield: 1 Ninja Creami pint. Serving size: about 1/2 cup.
- Fresh or frozen strawberries both work here. There is no need to thaw frozen strawberries as long as they blend smoothly with the half and half.
- Freeze the pint on a level surface so the base freezes evenly.
- If the ice cream looks dry or crumbly after the first spin, add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) half and half and process again using Re Spin.
- After refreezing leftovers, the ice cream may need another Re Spin before serving.
- For a sweeter ice cream, add 1 to 2 extra tablespoons (12 to 25 g) granulated sugar before freezing.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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