Ninja Creami Apple Cinnamon Pie Ice Cream (Cottage Cheese) - The Creameri

I made this apple cinnamon pie ice cream once "to test it" and then kept going back to the freezer with a spoon. Zero regrets. The apples are blended right into the base, so every bite tastes like cold apple pie filling, and extra apple chunks and graham crackers give it that pie crust bite. Basically fall in a pint.

If cozy dessert flavors are your thing, you'll also love my Cinnamon Churro Ice Cream, Spiced Hot Chocolate Ice Cream, and Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream.

Ninja Creami apple cinnamon pie ice cream in a bowl with apple chunks and crushed graham crackers.

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Apple Pie Ice Cream
🛒Ingredients
Add-Ins and Swaps
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Pie Ice Cream in the Ninja Creami
🍒Topping and Mix-In Ideas
Tips for Smooth Apple Pie Ice Cream
Serving Size and Pint Size
Tools You’ll Need
Recipe FAQs
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Ninja Creami Apple Cinnamon Pie Ice Cream

Why You'll Love This Apple Pie Ice Cream

Apple in every bite: The apples are blended right into the base, so the flavor runs all the way through instead of sitting in a few chunks.
No pudding mix or gums: It's creamy and scoopable from real ingredients alone.
A little extra protein: Cottage cheese adds some, and it disappears completely once blended.
Rich without heavy cream: Half and half gives it body without turning waxy in the Creami.
Real pie crust bite: Graham crackers and extra apple chunks give you the texture of a slice of pie.
Pantry-friendly: You probably already have most of these ingredients.

🛒Ingredients

Half and half: My go-to base. It has enough fat for a smooth scoop without heavy cream, which turns waxy in the Creami.
Cottage cheese: It adds protein and body. Blended until smooth, you won't taste any tang.
Sweetened condensed milk: It sweetens and softens the scoop. The sugar keeps the pint from freezing rock hard.
Brown sugar: The molasses in it gives you that baked apple pie filling flavor.
Vanilla extract: It rounds out the cinnamon and apple so neither tastes sharp.
Cinnamon: This is the pie spice. Blending it into the base spreads it evenly instead of leaving clumps.
Sea salt: A pinch keeps the sweetness from tasting flat once it's cold.
Canned apples: They're already soft, so they blend smoothly into the base, and the extra chunks stay tender instead of icy. Drain them well, because leftover syrup freezes into icy pockets.
Graham crackers: These go in at the end for the pie crust bite.

Add-Ins and Swaps

Cinnamon graham crackers: These add more spice to the crust bits.
Apple pie filling instead of canned apples: Drain off the syrup first. It's sweeter than plain canned apples, so you may want less brown sugar.
A pinch of nutmeg: It gives a warmer, more pie-shop spice. Blend it into the base with the cinnamon.
Heavy cream and whole milk, mixed half and half: Use equal parts of each when you're out of half and half. Together they're basically half and half, so the texture stays the same.
Light cottage cheese: It works, but full-fat freezes creamier, because the extra fat keeps the pint from turning icy.

How to Make Apple Cinnamon Pie Ice Cream in the Ninja Creami

Blend the base. Add the cottage cheese, apples, half and half, condensed milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, because any curds left behind turn grainy once frozen.
Freeze. Pour into a 24 oz Deluxe Ninja Creami pint and freeze flat for at least 24 hours.
Thaw, then spin. Let the pint sit on the counter for about 5 minutes (closer to 10 in winter), then spin on Ice Cream. If it still looks crumbly, run Respin.
Add graham crackers. Scoop a small well in the center, add the crushed graham crackers, and run the Mix-In cycle.
Stir in the apple chunks. Fold the chopped apples in by hand with a spoon so they stay in chunks.
Serve. Top with extra graham cracker crumbs.

🍒Topping and Mix-In Ideas

Extra crushed graham crackers: Sprinkled on top, they stay crunchy, unlike the ones spun in.
Caramel drizzle: It turns this into caramel apple territory, and the salty edge cuts the sweetness.
Cinnamon sugar: A light dusting adds warm spice to the top without changing the base.
Chopped toasted pecans: They add the nutty crunch of an apple crisp topping. Toast them first so they stay crisp against the cold.
A dollop of whipped cream: It's the à la mode move, and it adds a light contrast to the dense scoop.

Tips for Smooth Apple Pie Ice Cream

Thaw the pint for 5 to 10 minutes before spinning. A slightly softened pint usually spins smooth on the first try. If it's still crumbly, run Respin.
Blend until there are no curds. Any cottage cheese lumps left in the base turn grainy once frozen.
Drain the apples well. Extra syrup freezes into icy pockets.
Too soft after spinning? Pop the pint back in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes so it firms up enough to scoop.
Want crunchier graham crackers? Sprinkle them on top right before serving instead of using Mix-In, since they soften as they sit in the ice cream.

Serving Size and Pint Size

This recipe is made for the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe 24-ounce pint and makes 4 servings.

Using a standard 16-ounce pint? Use two-thirds of each ingredient. The pint fills to about the same level, so it freezes and spins the same way. Just a little less of everything.

Tools You’ll Need

Blender: It breaks the cottage cheese and apples down until silky. Stirring by hand leaves curds that turn grainy once frozen.
Ninja CREAMi Deluxe 11-in-1: This recipe is sized for the Deluxe and its 24-ounce pint. It works in other models with the smaller pint.
Ninja Creami Deluxe Pint Container: An extra pint lets you freeze the next batch while the first one is in use.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use light cottage cheese?

Yes, but full-fat gives the creamiest texture, since the extra fat keeps the pint from turning icy.

Do I need to thaw the pint before spinning?

I let mine sit for about 5 minutes, or closer to 10 in winter. That little bit of softening means I almost always get a smooth pint on the first spin.

Can I make this in the standard 16-ounce pint?

Yes. Use two-thirds of each ingredient so the pint fills to about the same level.