Healthier recipes for your Ninja Creami — how I eliminated artificial sweeteners and still made the richest, creamiest ice cream of the summer

When I wrote my Ninja Creami Swirl review, I decided that the main reason that anyone should consider buying a Ninja Creami machine is so that they could make frozen treats that match their health goals. Whether you are trying to avoid processed foods, cut calories, reduce sugar, avoid dairy, or cater to any other specific dietary needs, any Ninja Creami model can make you a healthier version of ice cream or sorbet. I've tried tons of recipes, and here I'm sharing the ones I like best, specifically without artificial sweeteners. You can alter any recipe to best suit your own preferences.

Just fruit

Canned fruit makes the easiest possible sorbet. Just open a can of your favorite fruit, pour it in, freeze for 24 hours, and spin it on the Sorbet cycle. Canned fruit is so soft that there's no need to blend before freezing. I used a can of mangoes in 100% juice here. If you want more protein, you could add some yogurt or milk of your choice; I suggest a 2:1 fruit to dairy ratio.

One-ingredient mango sorbetKaren Freeman / Future

Simple one-ingredient mango sorbet is deliciousKaren Freeman / Future

Karen Freeman / Future

Karen Freeman / Future

Karen Freeman / Future

I had a ton of watermelon left over from a recent party, so I threw some into the Ninja Creami container. Again, watermelon is a soft fruit so I didn't blend it first, but I did squash it down a bit to release some of the liquid so it would freeze as a solid block. The resulting sorbet had a lovely texture, but it really wasn't sweet enough for my palate so I'd recommend adding some honey before freezing. You could also add milk for some protein, or coconut water for extra electrolytes.

Refreshing Ninja Creami watermelon sorbetKaren Freeman / Future

Karen Freeman / Future

Karen Freeman / Future

Banana date nut (or chocolate) ice cream

Here is the recipe I used, but there are many alterations you could make here. If you don't want nuts at all, you could use cacao powder instead of nut butter for a chocolate flavor. Or use both for a chocolate-nut option.

1/2 cup plain Greek (or vanilla) yogurt

2/3 cup water (or use milk for more protein)

2 tbsp nut butter (I use PB2 powder but any works)

1/2 large banana (or 2/3 small)

4-6 dates to taste (can skip if using flavored yogurt)

(optional) 1 tbsp hemp seeds

(optional) 1 scoop unflavored collagen powder

After blending and freezing for 24 hours, process this on the Frozen Yogurt setting. I used the hemp seeds and collagen for their health benefits, and they don't have an effect on the taste. You could skip those entirely if you like.

Ninja Creami banana date nut ice cream - yes, I ate the whole thingKaren Freeman / Future

Karen Freeman / Future

Pistachio ice cream

I think this is tasty, though a friend of mine remarked that while it had the texture and mouthfeel of ice cream, it "tastes healthy". Do with that what you will.

1/2 cup cottage cheese (I used 2%)

1/4 cup yogurt (I used plain nonfat Greek)

1/2 cup pistachios (I used salted but rinsed them off)

1/2 cup milk (I used almond)

4-8 dates (I used 8 small)

1/4 tsp almond extract

Honey/maple syrup/agave syrup to taste if needed (I used about 1/2 tbsp agave)

If you use unsalted nuts you’ll want to add a pinch of salt. You do need to blend this well before freezing. Taste it before you freeze it to see if you need to add honey or syrup. You want it to be slightly sweeter than you think you need, because frozen food tastes less sweet.

Process this on the Frozen Yogurt cycle. If you like, add more nuts and/or chocolate chips in the Mix-In cycle.

Karen Freeman / Future

Karen Freeman / Future

Karen Freeman / Future

Karen Freeman / Future

Açai bowl

One serving frozen açaí cubes or packet

1/2 banana

Handful berries

Juice or milk to fill line (if milk you’ll want to add a little honey for sweetness)

Blend, then freeze for 24 hours and spin on the Sorbet setting. Top with berries, seeds, nuts, granola, coconut, nut butter, cacao nibs, or whatever you like. I enjoyed mine with chia pudding, pumpkin seeds, and granola.

Karen Freeman / Future

Karen Freeman / Future

Real ice cream

If by healthy you mean wholesome, with no fake anything, just real ingredients, then this is the way. Credit goes to the New York Times. It's a plain base, but by adding vanilla (or any flavor) extract, cacao powder, fruit, or just about anything, including Mix-Ins, you can make any flavor you can imagine. While it's obviously not low in calories, fat, or sugar, it doesn't have any unpronounceable junk in it. It's absolutely delicious and rivals anything you can buy, anywhere.

Here is the basic recipe:

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/8 tsp fine sea salt

6 large egg yolks

In a small pot, simmer the cream, milk, sugar, and salt until the sugar dissolves, about five minutes. Remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks. Whisking constantly, slowly whisk about a third of the hot cream into the yolks.

Whisk the yolk mixture back into the pot with the cream. Return pot to medium-low heat and gently cook until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 170 degrees.) Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.

Pour mixture into the Creami containers no higher than the fill line; this will be enough for two containers. Freeze for 24 hours and process on the regular Ice Cream setting.

Don't be afraid to experiment

It's worth noting that the Ninja Creami is sort of magic in the sense that it creates a lovely texture, almost regardless of what you put into it. However, it doesn't magically change the flavor, as people often hope. If you don't particularly like what you're putting in (a protein shake, for example) hoping that it will taste better after the Ninja Creami treatment, well, you'll be disappointed. You get out what you put in.

The Ninja Creami lends itself to experimentation. Even following someone else's tried and true recipe doesn't guarantee you'll like the results. But keep trying, you'll find the recipes that suit your tastes and health preferences.