High-Protein Pumpkin Ice Cream (Ninja Creami)
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
This high-protein pumpkin ice cream is ultra creamy, packed with cozy fall spices and tastes like pumpkin cheesecake! It’s made with just 6 simple ingredients, has 14 grams of protein per serving and is the perfect fall treat.
I love using cottage cheese as a base for ice cream. It blends up incredibly smooth and creamy, and it’s one of my favorite ways to sneak some extra protein into dessert.
I shared my strawberry cheesecake cottage cheese ice cream for summer, and now we’re giving cottage cheese ice cream a fall twist! This version is made in the Ninja Creami with pumpkin and warm fall spices, and the end result tastes like a cross between pumpkin pie and pumpkin cheesecake.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Ice Cream
- Quick and easy: Everything goes in at once and blends in about two minutes. The freezer does the rest.
- Protein-packed: Each serving has 14 grams of protein thanks to the cottage cheese.
- Pumpkin pie vibes: Graham crackers add crunchy bits of “crust” throughout, while pumpkin and warm spices give it that classic fall flavor.
Ingredients Needed
- full fat cottage cheese – the entire base of the recipe and where the protein and creaminess come from. I like using Good Culture full fat cottage cheese for the best texture and flavor. Low fat freezes noticeably icier and the Creami cannot fully make up for it.
- pumpkin purée – check the label and make sure the only ingredient is pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced and will throw the whole thing off. Homemade pumpkin purée works too.
- maple syrup – adds natural sweetness. You can adjust to taste depending on how sweet your strawberries are. Honey works well as a substitute for maple syrup.
- pumpkin pie spice – the whole fall flavor profile in one spoonful. Store-bought works or you can make homemade pumpin pie spice.
- cinnamon graham crackers – chopped and folded in at the end for that pumpkin pie crust effect. I used Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins, which are gluten-free. Regular cinnamon graham crackers work too if you don’t need this recipe to be gluten-free.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Ice Cream
Step 1: Add all the ingredients, except for the mix-in’s to a blender and blend until completely smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 2: Pour mixture into a Ninja Creami pint, staying below the max fill line, and freeze on a level surface for at least 24 hours.
Step 3: Process on the Lite Ice Cream setting. If it comes out crumbly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk and run the Re-Spin cycle.
Step 4: Make a well in the center, add the chopped graham crackers, and process on the Mix-In cycle. Scoop and top with extra crushed graham crackers and a pinch of cinnamon.
Brittany’s Recipe Tips
- A crumbly first spin is normal: It looks like it failed. It did not. Add a splash of milk, hit Re-Spin, and it comes together. Lower-fat bases almost always need this.
- Do not go above the max fill line: The base expands as it freezes, and overfilling can crack the pint or throw off the spin. It is a line for a reason.
- Add the graham crackers on the Mix-In cycle, not before: Stirring them into the base before freezing turns them to mush. The Mix-In cycle is what keeps them crunchy.
How to Store High-Protein Pumpkin Ice Cream
This ice cream is best right after it comes out of the machine, so enjoy it right away if you can.
Leftovers will freeze solid again, which is completely normal for a Creami base. Just pop the pint back into the machine and run the Re-Spin cycle, adding a splash of milk if needed.
It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks, though the texture is best within the first few days.
Frequently Asked Questions
No! Once blended and frozen, the cottage cheese adds creaminess without a noticeable cottage cheese flavor. The pumpkin, maple syrup and warm spices really shine through.
You can, but I recommend full-fat cottage cheese for the creamiest texture. Since there’s no heavy cream in this recipe, the extra fat helps keep the ice cream rich and creamy rather than icy.
Yes. Blend all the ingredients until completely smooth, then pour the mixture into a loaf pan or freezer-safe container and freeze until firm. Let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before scooping. The texture won’t be quite as smooth and creamy as the Ninja Creami version, but it will still work.
More Ice Cream Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups full fat cottage cheese
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Mix-ins
- ¼ cup Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins, chopped or regular cinnamon graham crackers
Instructions
- Add the cottage cheese, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and salt to a high-powered blender. Blend until completely smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. The mixture should be silky with no cottage cheese curds remaining.1 ½ cups full fat cottage cheese, ¼ cup pumpkin puree, ¼ cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Pour into a Ninja Creami pint container, making sure the mixture does not go above the MAX FILL line.
- Freeze on a level surface for at least 24 hours.
- Once frozen, process using the Lite Ice Cream setting.
- If the ice cream looks crumbly after the first spin, add 1 to 2 Tablespoons of milk and use the Re-Spin function.
- Use a spoon to create a well in the center, then add the chopped graham crackers and process using the Mix-In cycle.¼ cup Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins
- Scoop into a bowl and, if desired, sprinkle with additional crushed graham crackers and finish with a pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftovers in the Creami pint or an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. If stored in the pint, reprocess using the Re-Spin setting before serving, adding a splash of milk if needed.
- No Ninja Creami? Blend the ingredients until completely smooth, pour into a loaf pan or freezer-safe container and freeze until firm. Let sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before scooping. It won’t be quite as creamy as the Creami version, but it will still be delicious.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
