I tested three different bases before I landed on this one. The cream cheese version won by a mile: thick, rich, and the closest to a churro dipped in frosting.
This Ninja Creami Cinnamon Churro Ice Cream blends cream cheese, brown sugar, and cinnamon into a half and half base, with a little condensed milk for sweetness. The brown sugar gives it the caramelized edge of a fresh churro, without a pot of hot oil. There are no gums, no pudding mix, and no eggs.
I make it year-round, but it fits best once the weather turns cold. If you like warm bakery flavors, try my Apple Cinnamon Pie Ice Cream or Maple Cinnamon Toast Crunch Ice Cream next.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Cinnamon Churro Ice Cream
- What Does Cinnamon Churro Ice Cream Taste Like?
- Ingredients You'll Need
- How to Make Cinnamon Churro Ice Cream
- 🍒 Mix-In and Topping Ideas
- Recipe Tips & Troubleshooting
- Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- 👪Serving Size
- 🌀Tools You’ll Need
- Recipe FAQs
- More Fall-Inspired Ice Cream
- Did you try this recipe?
- Ninja Creami Cinnamon Churro Ice Cream
Why You'll Love This Cinnamon Churro Ice Cream
- Tastes like a churro dipped in frosting. Brown sugar and cinnamon give the churro flavor, and cream cheese adds the tang of a frosting dip.
- No frying required. All the cinnamon-sugar flavor, without the hot oil or the cleanup.
- No gums, pudding mix, or eggs. Cream cheese and condensed milk make it thick and scoopable on their own.
- Kid-approved. Cinnamon sugar is an easy flavor for kids to like, and mine ask for this one often.
- Year-round comfort. It's cozy enough for winter but light enough to enjoy in summer, too.
What Does Cinnamon Churro Ice Cream Taste Like?
It tastes like cinnamon-sugar churros in scoopable form. The brown sugar adds a light molasses note, like the caramelized edges of a fresh churro, and the cinnamon brings warmth without overpowering. The cream cheese adds a slight tang, so it's rich without being heavy and sweet without being cloying.
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 rich, scoopable pint without turning waxy the way heavy cream can.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Sweetens the base, and its high sugar content keeps the pint soft enough to scoop.
- Cream cheese: Gives the base its thickness and a light tang, like a churro dipped in frosting. Soften it first so it blends without lumps.
- Brown sugar: The churro flavor. Its molasses adds a caramelized note that white sugar can't.
- Cinnamon: The signature churro spice. It dulls a little once frozen, so don't cut back on it.
- Vanilla extract or bean paste: Rounds out the cinnamon and brown sugar so the flavor tastes like a bakery treat, not just spice.
- Salt: A pinch brings out the cinnamon and keeps the sweetness in check.
Substitutions
- Cream cheese: Use ½ cup cottage cheese for more protein and a lighter texture. 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.
- Brown sugar: White sugar works, but you'll lose the molasses note, so it tastes more like plain cinnamon ice cream than a churro.
- Vanilla: Bourbon vanilla paste gives a deeper, warmer vanilla flavor that suits the brown sugar.
- More spice: Add a dash of nutmeg to the base for extra bakery warmth. Add it before freezing, since spices dull in the cold.
How to Make Cinnamon Churro Ice Cream
- Blend the base. Soften the cream cheese first. Add the half and half, sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt to a blender and blend until completely smooth, with no cream cheese bits left. Any lumps freeze into hard spots.
- Pour and freeze. Pour the base into a Ninja Creami Deluxe 24-ounce pint without going over the max fill line. Freeze on a flat surface for 24 hours, so the pint is solid all the way through.
- First spin. Lock the pint into the machine and press Ice Cream. It may come out crumbly, which is normal for a fully frozen pint.
- Respin. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of half and half to a small well in the center and press Respin. For mix-ins like churro cereal or cookies, make another well, add them, and run Mix-In.
- Scoop or firm up. Eat right away for a soft-serve texture, or freeze for 15 minutes for a firmer scoop.
🍒 Mix-In and Topping Ideas
Mix-ins (add after spinning, using the Mix-In program)
- Churro cereal or Cinnamon Toast Crunch: Doubles the cinnamon-sugar flavor and holds its crunch better than real churros, which go soft in the cold.
- Graham cracker crumbles: Add a honey-cinnamon crunch that tastes like a churro's crisp outside.
- Chopped pecans or walnuts: Toast them first so they taste nutty instead of flat once frozen.
Toppings (add when serving)
- Caramel sauce, warm or cold: Drizzle it on top. Mixed into the pint, it freezes stiff and gets lost.
- Maple syrup: A drizzle adds a second warm, caramel-like note that pairs with the brown sugar.
- Cinnamon sugar: A sprinkle on top gives you the sugary churro coating on the first bite.
- Whipped cream with a dusting of cinnamon: Lightens each scoop and looks like a churro sundae.
Recipe Tips & Troubleshooting
- Too icy or crumbly? Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of half and half to a small well in the center and press Respin. Colder freezers make pints freeze harder, so this happens more in some kitchens than others.
- Too soft after spinning? Freeze for 15 minutes before scooping.
- Grainy texture? The cream cheese wasn't fully blended. Soften it first and blend until there are no visible bits, since any lumps freeze into grainy spots.
- Flavor too mild? Add another pinch of cinnamon or salt to the next batch. Cold dulls flavor, and salt brings the cinnamon forward.
- Base looks separated after freezing? That can happen with a richer base like this one. The spin and respin blend it back together.
- Pint frozen rock-solid? Let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes before spinning, or run warm water around the outside of the pint, so the blade cuts through more easily.
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
How long does it last? About 2 weeks in the freezer for the best texture. After that, ice crystals start to form.
Eating leftovers? Smooth the top flat before refreezing, since an uneven surface can strain the blade on the next spin. When you're ready to eat, respin for the creamiest texture, or let it sit on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes to soften.
Make-ahead tip: The base takes about 10 minutes to blend, so it's easy to freeze two or three pints at once and spin them through the week.
👪Serving Size
This recipe is made for the Ninja Creami Deluxe and its 24-ounce pint, so it makes about 4 servings at roughly 295 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 softened cream cheese completely smooth, so no lumps freeze into grainy spots 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 FAQs
Yes. Swap in ½ cup cottage cheese for more protein and a lighter texture. Blend it until completely smooth so no curds freeze into the base.
The brown sugar. Regular cinnamon ice cream uses white sugar, which gives a cleaner cinnamon flavor. Brown sugar adds a caramelized molasses note, so it tastes like an actual churro.
You can, but the pint won't be as rich or thick. Full-fat cream cheese gives the creamiest texture.
Yes. My kids love this one. It's cinnamon sugar in ice cream form, and there's no caffeine or alcohol in it.
You can, but they go soft in the cold. Churro cereal or Cinnamon Toast Crunch holds its crunch better through the Mix-In program.
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.
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 Cinnamon Churro Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 Ninja Creami Deluxe 24 ounce
- 24 oz Creami Pint
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 1½ cups half & half
- ⅓ cup sweetened condensed milk
- ⅓ cup cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Soften the cream cheese. Add the half and half, sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt to a blender and blend until completely smooth, with no cream cheese bits left.1½ cups half & half, ⅓ cup sweetened condensed milk, ⅓ cup cream cheese, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Pinch of salt
- Pour the base into a Ninja Creami Deluxe 24-ounce pint without going over the max fill line. Freeze on a flat 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 half and half to a small well in the center and press Respin.
- For mix-ins, make a well in the center, add them, and run the Mix-In program.
- Serve right away, or freeze for 15 minutes for a firmer scoop.
Notes
- Soften the cream cheese before blending. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps that freeze into grainy spots.
- Use full-fat cream cheese for the richest, thickest pint.
- Want a stronger churro flavor? Add a pinch more cinnamon or salt next time.
- If the pint freezes rock hard, let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes before spinning.
- Want more protein? Replace the cream cheese with ½ cup cottage cheese, blended until completely smooth.
- Add mix-ins after spinning, never before freezing, so they stay crunchy.
- Original Creami (16-ounce pint): Make two-thirds of the recipe and stay under the max fill line.
- Leftovers: Smooth the top, cover, and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Respin before serving.
- Nutrition is an estimate and varies with the brands you use.
Des says
“Making for the rest of my life” good!
Rose Sioson says
Okay, this might be my favorite review ever 😂 So glad you loved it that much!