A lot of Ninja Creami cookies and cream ice cream recipes use cream cheese or pudding mix to make the texture work. Totally fair, but I wanted a version without either one. This recipe uses sweetened condensed milk instead, and the result is extra creamy, smooth, and packed with that classic cookies and cream flavor. It’s my favorite version so far, and it’s easy to tweak too, whether you want a vegan Oreo version or a mint cookies and cream spin.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Substitution and Additions
- Why condensed milk makes it creamier
- How to Make Ninja Creami Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
- The Oreo Mix-In: Chunky vs. Crumbly
- Serving Size
- Tools You’ll Need
- Tips That Make a Difference
- Recipe FAQs
- More Recipes You'll Love
- Did you try this recipe?
- Ninja Creami Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No cream cheese. No waxy coating, no extra step of softening it first.
- No pudding mix. Just real ingredients you can actually pronounce.
- 5 ingredients total. Milk, heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and Oreos.
- Creamy every time. The condensed milk does the heavy lifting - no gums needed.
- Oreo chunks in every bite. The mix-in function pulls them through perfectly.
Ingredients
- Milk (2% or whole) - This is the base of your pint. Whole milk gives you a slightly richer result, but 2% works beautifully here because the condensed milk picks up the slack on fat and creaminess.
- Heavy cream - A small amount goes a long way. It adds body to the base without making it heavy or over-processed.
- Sweetened condensed milk - This sweetens the base AND adds the fat and sugar structure that keeps the ice cream smooth after spinning. It's the reason this recipe doesn't need cream cheese, pudding mix, or any stabilizers. (If you like clean-ingredient vanilla twists, you'll also love my Ninja Creami Basic Vanilla Base Recipe - it uses the same approach.)
- Vanilla extract - Two teaspoons gives you that classic cookies and cream flavor without overpowering the Oreos.
- Salt - Just a pinch. It balances the sweetness and makes everything taste more like itself.
- Oreo cookies (for mix-in) - Added after spinning, not before freezing. If you freeze them in the base they sink, harden into shards, and don't distribute evenly. Add them fresh as a mix-in and the machine does the work.
Substitution and Additions
- Different Oreo flavors - Golden Oreos give you a vanilla-on-vanilla situation that's sweeter and more caramel-forward. Mint Oreos add a cool finish. Birthday Cake Oreos lean fun and festive. The base works with any of them - just keep the quantity the same.
- Dairy-free - Swap the milk for oat milk and the heavy cream for full-fat coconut cream. Use sweetened condensed coconut milk in place of regular. The texture will be slightly softer but still creamy.
- More chocolate - Add a tablespoon of chocolate sauce into the well before your Oreos go in. It swirls through the base during the mix-in and gives you a little extra chocolate hit.
- Double-stuffed Oreos - More cream filling means a slightly sweeter, more intense cookie flavor throughout. Worth trying if you like it rich.
Why condensed milk makes it creamier
Sweetened condensed milk has more sugar than regular milk, which helps lower the freezing point so fewer large ice crystals form. That means a smoother spin and creamier ice cream. It also adds richness without the fuss of cream cheese, so the base usually turns out smooth on the first spin.
How to Make Ninja Creami Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
- Blend - Whisk the milk, heavy cream, condensed milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Pour into the Ninja Creami pint, just below the max fill line.
- Freeze - Cover and freeze on a flat surface for at least 24 hours for the best texture.
- Spin - Run on Ice Cream. If it looks crumbly, add 1 tablespoon milk and Re-Spin once.
- Mix-in - Make a well in the center, add 4 to 6 roughly broken Oreos, and run Mix-In.
- Scoop - Serve right away for soft and creamy ice cream, or freeze 20 to 30 minutes for a firmer texture.
The Oreo Mix-In: Chunky vs. Crumbly
This is the part most recipes skip over, and it actually makes a real difference.
Too fine (powder or dust): The cookies basically disappear into the base. You get the flavor but almost no texture. It's good, but it doesn't read as cookies and cream.
Too chunky (whole or half cookies): The mix-in function struggles to distribute them evenly. You end up with big cookie pockets in some spots and none in others.
The sweet spot: Roughly quartered cookies, or pieces about the size of a large thumbnail. The machine can pull these through the whole pint evenly, and you still get satisfying texture in every spoonful.
A zip-top bag and a quick tap with the back of a spoon is the easiest method. Give it a few firm taps, not a full smash.
Serving Size
This recipe is made for the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe, yielding 4 servings per pint.
If you’re using a standard 16-ounce Ninja Creami pint instead of the Deluxe 24-ounce, just use two-thirds of each ingredient. Think of it as filling the pint about the same way. Just a little less of everything.
Tools You’ll Need
- Blender: Makes mixing ingredients effortless.
- Ninja CREAMi Deluxe 11-in-1 Ice Cream & Frozen Treat Maker: The star of the show, perfect for creating creamy, smooth ice cream.
- Ninja Creami Pint Container: The pint container is essential for freezing and churning your ice cream mix.
Tips That Make a Difference
- Freeze on a level surface. A tilted pint freezes unevenly and can strain the blade. Check your freezer shelf with a quick eyeball - most shelves are level, but it's worth confirming.
- Don't skip the salt. A pinch makes the vanilla taste more vanilla and the chocolate taste more chocolate. It's a small thing with a real impact.
- Add cookies after spinning, not before. Oreos frozen into the base become icy shards that don't mix in well. Always use the mix-in function.
- Respin before mix-in if needed. If the ice cream is crumbly after the first spin, always respin before adding cookies. Adding mix-ins to a crumbly base means the machine has to work harder and the cookies break down more than you want.
Recipe FAQs
Whole milk gives the richest result, but 2% works great here because the condensed milk carries the creaminess. Skim milk will work but may produce a slightly icier texture.
This usually means the base needs a little more liquid to process smoothly. Make a small indent, add a tablespoon of milk, and hit Re-Spin. One pass almost always fixes it.
I'd skip that. Cookies frozen into the base turn hard and icy and won't distribute well during the mix-in cycle. Adding them fresh after spinning gives you much better texture and distribution.
Put the lid back on your pint, flatten the top of what’s left, and freeze. It keeps well for up to 2 weeks. When you’re ready for more, let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes, then either scoop straight from the pint or run a quick Re-Spin on Lite Ice Cream to bring back the texture.
The condensed milk is what makes this recipe work without cream cheese or pudding mix - it's the texture key. If you swap it out, you'll likely need to add a stabilizer to get the same result. If you love this base, you'll also love my Ninja Creami Low Calorie Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe for a lighter take on a clean vanilla base.
More Recipes You'll Love
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Ninja Creami Mint Cookies and Cream Ice Cream - Same cookies and cream energy with a cool minty base.
- Ninja Creami Birthday Cake Batter Ice Cream - Funfetti vibes, Oreo-adjacent, and a crowd favorite.
- Ninja Creami Old Fashioned Chocolate Ice Cream - The chocolate to your vanilla's vanilla.
- Ninja Creami Basic Vanilla Base Recipe - The foundation recipe if you want to riff on your own flavors and mix-ins.
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 Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 Ninja Creami Deluxe Ice Cream maker
- 1 Ninja Creami Pint Container
- 1 Ninja Creami 24 ounce container pint
Ingredients
- 1½ cups milk 2% or whole
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 –6 Oreo cookies broken into chunks (for mix-in)
Instructions
- Add the milk, heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and salt directly to the Ninja Creami pint container. Use a small whisk, milk frother, or spoon to mix until fully combined and smooth.1½ cups milk, ¼ cup heavy cream, ½ cup sweetened condensed milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 pinch salt
- Freeze on a level surface for 24 hours until completely solid.
- Remove the pint from the freezer and place it into the Ninja Creami outer bowl.
- Process using the Ice Cream setting.
- If the texture looks crumbly or powdery, add 1 tablespoon milk and run Respin once.
- Create a hole in the center of the ice cream, add the broken Oreo cookies, and run the Mix-In cycle.4 –6 Oreo cookies
- Scoop, serve, and try not to eat it straight from the pint standing at the counter.
Notes
- Whole milk gives the creamiest texture, but 2% still works well.
- If the pint is crumbly after spinning, that’s normal. Add a splash of milk and Respin.
- Crush Oreos into big chunks, not crumbs, so you get cookie bites instead of gray dust.
- For stronger cookies and cream flavor, use 6 Oreos instead of 4.
- Want mint cookies and cream? Add ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract to the base.
- Want dairy-free? Use oat milk, vegan condensed milk, coconut cream, and vegan sandwich cookies.
- Re-freezing leftovers? Flatten the top before freezing again for easier respins.
Leave a Reply