This 3-Ingredient Recipe is My Favorite Nightly Snack

Sorry, Ben & Jerry, I have another date tonight.

When I was a kid growing up in the Midwest suburbs, there were a few essential elements that made for a perfect summer day: swimming at the neighborhood pool from morning until dinner time, refueling with whatever Dad felt like grilling, then walking or driving to the local ice cream shop for a milkshake or a dipped cone. (Butterscotch dip for me, please!)

But even in the depths of winter, I was—and still am—sweet on ice cream as a bedtime snack. These days, since there are some seriously tasty freezer finds, I tend to get the scoop from a store-bought pint or gallon. In addition to being convenient to stock in my own kitchen, tried-and-true options like Tillamook, Ben & Jerry’s, Häagen-Dazs, and Jeni’s also tend to be more budget friendly than going out for ice cream every night.

A few months ago, though, I decided to join the Ninja CREAMi club after spotting a great deal on the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe at Costco for about $70 less than the retail price. I did the math and by DIY-ing, I could save hundreds more dollars every year. Plus, the “creamify” technology in this countertop appliance makes it possible to transform many liquids into frozen desserts (not just cream), so I could easily customize the ingredients and whip up something that would help me reach the ambitious protein goals my dietitian set for me.

Even Oprah Is Obsessed With the Ninja CREAMi, but Is It Worth the Price Tag?

My Favorite Ninja CREAMi Recipe Combinations

In conjunction with strength-training exercise, research suggests that consuming between 20 and 40 grams of protein about 30 minutes before bed may help support muscle growth and strength since our bodies repair themselves overnight. If I constructed my CREAMi blend wisely, it could actually be a fairly healthy, muscle-boosting choice.

I’ve experimented with a few different blends, and find myself coming back to the following as the best Ninja CREAMi recipe:

• One 11.5-ounce caramel protein shake

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

• 1 tablespoon cheesecake pudding mix

After freezing and blending that, I often choose the “mix-in” function to blend in crumbled graham crackers, a few peach slices, or a spoonful of dark chocolate chunks, depending on my mood.

Besides caramel cheesecake, here are a few flavor pairings I’d recommend:

• Cinnamon roll protein shake + cheesecake pudding mix

• Chocolate peanut butter protein shake + chocolate pudding mix + powdered peanut butter

• Vanilla protein shake + chocolate pudding mix (this tastes a lot like a Wendy’s Frosty!)

• Chocolate protein shake + butterscotch pudding mix

My 5 Best Tips For Using a Ninja CREAMi

Now that you have some scoop about what you might want to add to your CREAMi pint, let’s briefly discuss the how. Here are a few tricks I’ve picked up after conducting dozens of delicious trials:

• Choose your base. Premier Protein, Orgain Organic Protein, Muscle Milk, and Fairlife Core Power all offer a wide variety of flavors; I’d suggests grabbing single bottles of each and holding a personal taste test, like our pals at EatingWell did for their guide to the best protein shakes and powders. Some brands of pre-made protein shakes come in larger sizes, so if you give this Ninja CREAMi recipe a try, simply adjust your total liquid level to stay below the “max fill” line, which is about 20 ounces. You could also use all milk, add 1 scoop of protein powder and 1 tablespoon pudding mix for similar results.

• Don’t skip the pudding mix. In tandem with the “creamify” tech, the pudding mix helps create a silky and thick texture that’s reminiscent of a Dairy Queen Blizzard.

• Freeze uncovered. The CREAMi containers, or pints, come with lids, however, I don’t recommend using them unless you plan to freeze for more than a day. As the base is going from liquid to solid, covering the container can cause peaks to form on the top, which can affect the mixing blade. Keep the lids handy for extended storage.

• Build in some defrost time. You can spin the frozen pint directly from the freezer if you don’t plan ahead. But if you can remember to pull the container from the freezer about half an hour before you’d like to mix it, this will help reduce the amount of “re-spins” required and will help produce the best texture.

• Scrape away the icy edges. Even after a little defrost time, there’s usually a bit of icy buildup around the interior of the container after the first spin. I suggest removing the lid, then using a knife to scrape between the ice cream mixture and the inside edge of the pint to bring any icy portions closer to the center of the container so they get blended into the creamy frozen dessert.

3-Ingredient Ninja CREAMi Ice Cream

Yield: About 2 ½ cups

Ingredients

• One 11- to 14-ounce protein shake, such as Premier Protein, Orgain Organic Protein, or Fairlife Core Power

• 6 to 8 ounces milk

• 1 tablespoon pudding mix

Directions

1. In the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe container, add either one 11-to-11 ½-ounce protein shake and 8 ounces (1 cup) of milk OR one 14-ounce protein shake and 6 ounces of milk.

2. Add pudding mix, then use a frother or a fork to combine until the pudding mix dissolves.

3. Freeze for 12 hours without a lid.

4. About 30 minutes before you plan to mix, remove the container from the freezer and allow it to slightly defrost on the counter. If the top surface isn’t flat, use a spoon to scrape down any large bumps.

5. Place the container inside the Ninja CREAMi outer bowl, twist in the lid, then mix on “light ice cream.”

6. Remove the lid, use a knife to scrape down any icy portions along the edges, if present, then “re-spin.”

7. If desired, add any bonus ingredients like candies, crumbled crackers, or sliced fruit, then press “mix-ins.”