I tested this one more times than I'd like to admit, and more than once I skipped the bowl and ate it straight from the pint.
This Ninja Creami Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream blends cream cheese, real pumpkin puree, and pumpkin spice into a half and half base, with graham cracker crumbs added at the end for the crust. There's no pudding mix and no gums. The cream cheese gives it the tang and thickness of cheesecake filling, and it's one of my favorite fall flavors to make once the weather turns.
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream
- 🍒 Mix-In and Topping Ideas
- Serving Size
- Tools You’ll Need
- Recipe Tips and Troubleshooting
- Recipe FAQs
- More Fall-Inspired Flavors
- More Breakfast-Inspired Ice Cream
- Did you try this recipe?
- Ninja Creami Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Tastes like cheesecake filling. Cream cheese gives it tang and thickness, so it reads as cheesecake, not just pumpkin-flavored ice cream.
- Scoopable after one respin. The cream cheese and condensed milk keep the base soft, so a quick respin turns the first crumbly spin creamy.
- No pudding mix, gums, or protein powder. The thickness comes from cream cheese and condensed milk, ingredients you already know.
- Simple grocery-store ingredients. Canned pumpkin, a block of cream cheese, and one graham cracker sheet are all you need beyond the basics.
- Graham cracker crust in every bite. The crumbs go in after spinning, so they stay crunchy instead of blending into the base.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This is just an overview. Jump down to the full recipe card for exact amounts and instructions.
- Half and half: The creamy base. It has enough fat for a smooth scoop without turning waxy on a respin.
- Cream cheese: The cheesecake part. It adds the tang and thickness of cheesecake filling. Full-fat blends smoother and keeps the pint from tasting thin.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Sweetens the base and, because it's so high in sugar, keeps the pint from freezing rock hard and icy.
- Pumpkin puree: Use plain puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, which throws off the balance.
- Pumpkin spice: The cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves that make it taste like pumpkin pie.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the spice and makes the cream cheese taste more like cheesecake.
- Graham cracker: Crushed and added after spinning, it plays the cheesecake crust and adds crunch.
Substitutions
- Cream cheese: Cottage cheese gives a lighter pint with a milder tang, but you lose some of the cheesecake flavor. Blend it until completely smooth so no curds freeze into the base.
- Half and half: Mix equal parts heavy cream and whole milk if you don't have it. Together they come close to half and half's fat level, so the texture stays the same.
- Evaporated milk: Works in place of the half and half in a pinch. It has less fat, so expect a slightly icier pint that may need an extra respin.
- Graham cracker: Gingersnaps or Biscoff cookies work as the crust instead. Both bring their own spice, which suits the pumpkin.
- More fall flavor: A splash of maple syrup or an extra pinch of cinnamon or ginger deepens the spice. Taste the base before freezing so it doesn't get too sweet.
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Blend the base. Soften the cream cheese first so it blends without lumps. Add the half and half, cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, and vanilla to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Save the graham cracker for later.
- Freeze for 24 hours. Pour the base into a Ninja Creami pint without going over the max fill line. Cover and freeze on a level surface for a full 24 hours, so the center freezes solid and spins creamy instead of slushy.
- Spin and respin. Remove the lid, lock the pint into the machine, and press Ice Cream. If it comes out crumbly, which is normal for the first spin, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or half and half to a small well in the center and press Respin.
- Add the graham cracker. Crush the graham cracker, add the crumbs to a well in the center, and run the Mix-In program. You can also fold the crumbs in gently with a spoon.
- Serve. Scoop right away, or level the top, cover, and freeze leftovers to respin later.
🍒 Mix-In and Topping Ideas
Mix-ins (add after spinning, using the Mix-In program)
- Extra graham cracker crumbs: More crust in every bite, for a pint that tastes even more like cheesecake.
- Crushed gingersnaps: The ginger repeats the pumpkin spice, and the cookies stay crunchy in the cold.
- Biscoff cookie pieces: Their caramelized cinnamon flavor matches pumpkin, and they soften slightly into the cream cheese.
- Toasted pecans or walnuts: Toasting brings out their oils, so they taste nutty instead of flat once frozen.
- Toffee bits or white chocolate chips: Toffee adds buttery crunch; white chocolate adds sweetness against the tangy cream cheese.
Toppings (add when serving)
- Caramel drizzle: Drizzle it over each scoop. Mixed into the pint, it freezes stiff and gets lost.
Want more ideas? See the ultimate guide to mix-ins.
Serving Size
This recipe is made for the Ninja Creami Deluxe and its 24-ounce pint, so it makes about 4 servings at roughly 285 calories each.
Using the original 16-ounce pint? Make two-thirds of the recipe so the base stays under the max fill line.
Tools You’ll Need
- Blender: Blends the cream cheese and pumpkin completely smooth, so no lumps freeze into hard bits in the pint.
- Ninja CREAMi Deluxe 11-in-1 Ice Cream & Frozen Treat Maker: The machine I tested this in. The Deluxe uses a 24-ounce pint and has the Ice Cream, Respin, and Mix-In programs used in the steps.
- Extra Ninja Creami pints: Each base needs 24 hours in the freezer, so a spare pint lets you start the next batch while you finish this one.
Recipe Tips and Troubleshooting
- Soften the cream cheese first. Cold cream cheese leaves small lumps in the blender, and those freeze into hard bits in the pint.
- Use full-fat half and half and cream cheese. Lower-fat versions freeze icier and lose the thick cheesecake texture.
- Crumbly after the first spin? That's normal. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or half and half to a small well in the center and press Respin. One respin usually turns it creamy.
- Grainy texture? Usually the cream cheese wasn't fully blended. Blend longer next time. If the pint is extremely firm straight from the freezer, let it sit 2 to 3 minutes before spinning.
- Uneven texture? Freeze the pint on a level surface so it freezes, and spins, evenly.
- Storing leftovers: Level the top before refreezing. An uneven surface can strain the blade on the next spin.
Recipe FAQs
Can I skip the 24-hour freeze?
No. The Creami needs the base frozen solid all the way through. If the center is even slightly soft, the pint spins into slush instead of ice cream.
Why is my ice cream grainy or icy?
Grainy texture usually means the cream cheese wasn't fully blended, so soften it first and blend longer. Icy texture usually comes from lower-fat dairy. Either way, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk and respinning helps smooth it out.
Can I double or triple this recipe?
Yes, but divide the base between separate pints without overfilling any of them, so each one freezes solid and spins evenly.
Can I make this without cream cheese?
Cottage cheese works as a lighter swap, but the pint tastes less like cheesecake. Blend it until completely smooth so no curds freeze into the base.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling?
I wouldn't. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, so the pint ends up too sweet and the spice is hard to control. Use plain canned pumpkin puree.
Can I make this in the original Ninja Creami?
Yes. The recipe is sized for the Deluxe's 24-ounce pint, so make two-thirds of it for the 16-ounce pint and stay under the max fill line.
More Fall-Inspired Flavors
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Did you try this recipe?
Share how it turned out in the comments below, and if you loved it, share it on Facebook, Pinterest & Instagram.
Thank you! - Rose
Ninja Creami Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream
Ninja Creami pumpkin cheesecake ice cream made with cream cheese, real pumpkin puree, and graham cracker crumbs for the crust. No pudding mix or gums, and it spins creamy after one respin.
Equipment
- 1 Ninja Creami Deluxe
- 1 Ninja Creami Container Pint
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup Sweetened condensed milk
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 sheet graham cracker
Instructions
- Soften the cream cheese. Add the half and half, cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, and vanilla to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Save the graham cracker for later.1 cup half and half, 2 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup Sweetened condensed milk, ¾ cup pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the base into a Ninja Creami pint without going over the max fill line. Cover and freeze on a level surface for 24 hours.
- Remove the lid, place the pint in the outer bowl, attach the paddle lid, and lock it into the machine. Press Ice Cream.
- If it's crumbly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or half and half to a small well in the center and press Respin.
- Crush the graham cracker, add the crumbs to a well in the center, and run the Mix-In program.1 sheet graham cracker
- Serve right away, or level the top and freeze leftovers to respin later.
Notes
- Soften the cream cheese before blending. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps that freeze into hard bits.
- Use full-fat half and half and cream cheese. Lower-fat versions freeze icier and lose the cheesecake texture.
- Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced.
- Freeze on a level surface so the pint freezes and spins evenly.
- If the pint is extremely firm, let it sit 2 to 3 minutes before spinning.
- Original Creami (16-ounce pint): Make two-thirds of the recipe and stay under the max fill line.
- Leftovers: Level the top, cover, and freeze. Respin before serving to bring back the creamy texture.
- Nutrition is an estimate and varies with the brands you use.
Tried this recipe?Leave us a comment below and share how it came out!
Rose says
Tastes like a slice of pumpkin cheesecake but colder and creamier. So cozy and so good — hope you guys give it a try!