Strawberry cheesecake ice cream that actually has protein in it and doesn't taste like a supplement. That's the whole premise here. No protein powder, no Greek yogurt, no compromise on flavor. Just cottage cheese and cream cheese blended smooth with real strawberries, a touch of allulose, and graham cracker pieces folded in after spinning. It tastes like a frozen strawberry cheesecake bar and comes in at roughly 18 to 22 grams of protein per pint depending on the brands you use. Not bad for something that tastes this good.
Looking for a richer version? Try my classic Ninja Creami strawberry cheesecake ice cream made with half and half, cream cheese and fresh berries.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This High Protein Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Ingredients
- Easy Swaps and Add-Ins
- How to Make Ninja Creami High Protein Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
- 🍒Mix-Ins and Topping Ideas
- Serving Size
- Tools You’ll Need
- Recipe Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Recipe Recipes
- Did you try this recipe?
- Ninja Creami High Protein Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Why You'll Love This High Protein Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Tastes like frozen strawberry cheesecake, not a protein shake
- Around 18 to 22g of protein per pint from whole food sources... no powder, no supplements
- Real strawberry flavor from actual fruit
- Naturally sweetened with allulose for a smooth, non-gritty texture
- Graham cracker mix-in gives you that classic cheesecake crust experience in every bite
- Clean ingredients throughout, no pudding mix, no gums, no artificial anything
- A higher-protein upgrade to the Ninja Creami Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream already on the site
Ingredients
- Strawberries - fresh or frozen and thawed; frozen strawberries tend to have a more concentrated, sweeter flavor which works really well here. Hull and drain them before blending.
- Cottage cheese - full-fat gives the best texture and the most protein; blend it completely smooth before adding anything else. This is the same technique used in the Rocky Road and Strawberry Protein Froyo bases.
- Cream cheese - softened to room temperature before blending; cold cream cheese can leave small lumps in the base that don’t fully blend out. This is the ingredient that makes it taste like cheesecake.
- Milk - whole milk gives the richest result; 2% works fine.
- Allulose - a great sweetener for frozen Creami recipes because it stays smooth and helps reduce iciness. Regular sugar works well too if you don’t have allulose.
- Vanilla extract - essential in any cheesecake-flavored recipe; it ties the cream cheese and strawberry together.
Mix-in
- Graham crackers - crushed or broken into small pieces; adds that classic cheesecake crust texture in every bite. About 2 to 3 full sheets is the right amount for one pint
Easy Swaps and Add-Ins
- Regular sugar instead of allulose: Use 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar. The texture stays smooth and the flavor is equally good; allulose just keeps it sugar-free
- Strawberry jam swirl: In addition to the graham cracker mix-in, add a teaspoon of strawberry jam folded into the mix-in well for a jammy ribbon throughout the pint
- Blueberry version: Swap the strawberries for blueberries for a blueberry cheesecake direction. Works with this exact base. Check the Ninja Creami Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream for comparison
- Blackberry version: Same swap with blackberries. The Ninja Creami Blackberry Cheesecake Ice Cream is already on the site if you want to see how that base compares
How to Make Ninja Creami High Protein Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Blend - Add the cottage cheese to your blender first and blend alone for 20 to 30 seconds until completely smooth. No lumps. Then add the softened cream cheese, strawberries, milk, allulose, and vanilla extract. Blend until fully combined and smooth, about 30 to 45 seconds. Give it a taste.
- Freeze - Pour the base into your Ninja Creami pint up to the max fill line. If you want a completely smooth, seed-free result, strain it through a fine mesh strainer before pouring. Seal and freeze on a level surface for at least 24 hours.
- Spin - Pull the pint from the freezer and let it sit on the counter for 2 to 3 minutes. Lock it into your Ninja Creami and select the Ice Cream function. Respin is still crumbly.
- Add the Graham Cracker Mix-In - Once the base is smooth, hollow out a well in the center of the pint. Add the crushed graham crackers, press the lid back on, and select the Mix-In function.
- Scoop and Serve - Scoop right away for a softer, creamier texture. Refreeze for 20 to 30 minutes if you prefer firmer scoops.
🍒Mix-Ins and Topping Ideas
Graham crackers are the classic, but these are fun too:
- Strawberry jam ribbon - swirl a little into the mix-in well for jammy pockets.
- White chocolate chips - sweet, creamy, and very cheesecake-friendly.
- Fresh strawberry chunks - fold in after spinning for little fruit bursts.
- Honey graham crackers - sweeter and more dessert-like than plain grahams.
For more ideas, bookmark the Ultimate Guide to the Best Mix-Ins.
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.
Recipe Tips
- Soften the cream cheese before blending. Cold cream cheese won't blend fully smooth. Thirty minutes on the counter or a quick 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave is all it takes.
- Blend the cottage cheese first, on its own. Same rule as always with cottage cheese bases: blend it alone until completely smooth before adding anything else. It takes 20 extra seconds and makes a real difference in the final texture.
- Taste before freezing. The cheesecake flavor should come through clearly in the liquid base. If it tastes flat, add a tiny squeeze of lemon juice... it sharpens the cream cheese flavor without making it taste citrusy.
- Crush the graham crackers small. Large pieces don't distribute evenly through the Mix-In function. Crush them into small, irregular bits and they'll fold throughout the pint cleanly.
- Don't overfill. Leave a little space at the top of the pint. Overfilled pints make the lid hard to seal and can affect the spin.
Recipe FAQs
Approximately 18 to 22g per pint depending on the brands you use. Cottage cheese contributes around 6 to 7g and cream cheese adds another 5 to 6g. Check the labels on your specific brands for the most accurate count. If you want to push the protein higher, add ½ cup of plain Greek yogurt and reduce the milk to ¼ cup.
No. Blended completely smooth and combined with cream cheese, strawberries, and vanilla, you cannot taste it at all. It functions as a creaminess booster and protein source, not a flavor contributor.
Yes. Thaw them first and drain any excess liquid before blending. Frozen strawberries often have a more concentrated, sweeter flavor than out-of-season fresh ones, which works well in this base.
Yes, and it's actually a good idea. A teaspoon of fresh lemon juice in the base sharpens the cream cheese flavor and makes the whole thing taste more like real cheesecake. Add it with the other ingredients before blending.
Recipe Recipes
- Ninja Creami Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream - the original full-fat version without the protein focus
- Ninja Creami Strawberry Protein Frozen Yogurt - lighter and tangier, higher protein with Greek yogurt
- Ninja Creami Strawberry Banana Ice Cream - the classic fruit base if you want something richer and more indulgent
- Ninja Creami High Protein Vanilla Ice Cream - the highest-protein recipe on the site, good reference point for the protein base approach
- Ninja Creami Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream - same cheesecake base with blueberry if you want to try another flavor
- Ninja Creami Blackberry Cheesecake Ice Cream - a slightly tangier berry direction on the same base
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 High Protein Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Equipment
- Ninja Creami 24 ounce container pint
- Ninja CREAMi Deluxe 11-in-1 Ice Cream & Frozen Treat Maker
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
Ice Cream Base
- 1 cup strawberries
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup allulose
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix-Ins
- Graham crackers crushed or broken into small pieces
Instructions
- Add the strawberries, cottage cheese, cream cheese, milk, allulose, and vanilla extract to a blender.1 cup strawberries, ½ cup cottage cheese, 4 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup milk, ¼ cup allulose, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
- Pour the mixture into a Ninja Creami pint container, making sure it does not go past the max fill line.
- Freeze on a level surface for 24 hours, or until completely solid.
- Remove the pint from the freezer and place it into the Ninja Creami machine.
- Spin on the Ice Cream setting.
- Respin if the texture looks crumbly or powdery. Add a small splash of milk before respinning if needed.
- Add crushed graham crackers to the center of the pint.
- Use the Mix-In setting to evenly incorporate the graham crackers.Graham crackers
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- Use softened cream cheese so the base blends smoothly without little chunks.
- Blend the cottage cheese well until no curds remain for the creamiest texture.
- If the ice cream is crumbly after the first spin, add 1–2 tablespoons of milk and respin.
- Add graham crackers only after spinning so they keep some texture.
- For stronger cheesecake flavor, use full-fat cream cheese.
- Fresh or frozen strawberries can work. If using frozen strawberries, thaw slightly before blending for easier mixing.
- Store leftovers in the pint container with the top flattened before refreezing.
- Re-spin leftovers before serving to bring back the creamy texture.
Michelle says
I have no fresh strawberries this week, is frozen ok to use or will it throw off the consistency?
Rose Sioson says
Yes, frozen strawberries should work just fine! I’d thaw them first and drain off any excess liquid so they don’t add too much extra water to the base. The texture may be slightly different from using fresh, but it should still turn out creamy and delicious.
Korine says
how long does this actually keep in the freezer before the texture starts going downhill, i wanna batch prep a few pints for the week
Rose Sioson says
You can definitely batch prep a few pints for the week! I actually recommend freezing the pints unspun and then processing each one when you’re ready to eat it for the best texture. If you refreeze leftovers after spinning, they may harden up again, but a quick Re-Spin usually brings back that creamy texture.