This recipe started because I wanted to turn my favorite fall flavors - maple and cinnamon - into something I could actually scoop. Most Ninja Creami Maple Cinnamon Toast Crunch Ice Cream recipes I found online used pudding mix, but that's not how I roll. Four batches later, I landed on this cottage cheese base that's creamy, protein-packed, and lets the maple-cinnamon flavor really shine. I'm deep in my maple era right now (we're talking ube lattes and maple walnut pints), and this one might be my current favorite.
If you love cozy cereal vibes, you'll also love my overnight oats ice cream.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Maple Cinnamon Crunch Ice Cream
- What Does It Taste Like
- Ingredients
- Step-By-Step Instructions
- 🍒Topping & Mix-In Ideas
- Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- Recipe Tips That Make a Difference
- 👪Serving Size
- 🌀Tools You’ll Need
- Recipe FAQ
- Breakfast-Inspired Creami Recipes
- Did you try this recipe?
- Ninja Creami Maple Cinnamon Toast Crunch Ice Cream
Why You'll Love This Maple Cinnamon Crunch Ice Cream
- Tastes like maple oatmeal met your favorite cereal - cozy, sweet, and crunchy in all the right ways
- Real food protein - cottage cheese adds around 7g protein per serving without any chalky protein powder
- No gums, pudding mix, or emulsifiers - just ingredients you can actually pronounce
- No cereal milk straining required - skip the soggy cereal mess, add it crunchy during Mix-In
- Batch-prep friendly - I prep this alongside my other fall flavors every weekend
- A flavor you can't buy in stores - maple + Cinnamon Toast Crunch is a combo only your Creami can make
What Does It Taste Like
Imagine the sweet cinnamon milk at the bottom of your cereal bowl - but creamier, maple-kissed, and scoopable.
The base is rich and silky with a gentle maple sweetness that doesn't overpower. Then you get these pockets of crunchy cinnamon cereal that somehow stay crispy even after mixing in.
It's breakfast and dessert rolled into one cozy scoop.
Ingredients
This is just an overview—jump down to the full recipe card for exact amounts and detailed instructions!
- Half and half – the creamy backbone that keeps everything soft and scoopable
- Sweetened condensed milk – adds sweetness and that rich, silky texture
- Cottage cheese – bumps the protein and helps the ice cream stay smooth
- Maple syrup – cozy fall sweetness + your whole kitchen will smell amazing
- Cinnamon toast crunch cereal – brings the crunch + nostalgic breakfast vibes
- Vanilla bean paste or extract – rounds out all the maple-cinnamon goodness
- Cinnamon powder – deepens that breakfast flavor
- Pinch of salt – wakes up every flavor
Add-Ins & Swaps
- Swap for Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Squares, or even granola.
- Add a swirl of extra maple syrup after the Mix-In for a ribbons effect.
- Fold in crushed pecans or walnuts for a maple-nutty vibe.
- Sub half the half-and-half with milk for a lighter base.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Blend the base. Add half and half, sweetened condensed milk, cottage cheese, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon powder, and salt to a blender. Blend until completely smooth — no graininess.
- Pour into your Deluxe pint.
Fill to the max fill line. Tap lightly to release air bubbles. Freeze for 24 hours.
- First spin. Insert the fully frozen pint into your Ninja Creami and run the Ice Cream cycle. Check the texture.
If it looks crumbly (totally normal), hit Respin.
Still crumbly? Add 1–2 tablespoons half and half and Respin again.
- Add the cereal.
Create a hole down the center of the ice cream (to the bottom), add your cinnamon crunch cereal, and run the Mix-In cycle.
- Serve immediately or refreeze.
Eat it soft-serve style or freeze 10–15 minutes for a firmer scoop.
🍒Topping & Mix-In Ideas
- Extra crushed cinnamon cereal after the Mix-In cycle
- A drizzle of warm maple syrup on top
- Toasted walnuts or pecans
- A sprinkle of cinnamon sugar
- Whipped cream (because why not?)
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
How long does it last? About 2 weeks in the freezer. After that, ice crystals start forming.
Eating leftovers? Re-spin before serving for the creamiest texture. The cereal may soften slightly over time, but it's still delicious.
Batch prep tip: I like to prep this alongside my maple walnut and spiced hot chocolate pints on Saturday mornings. Three or four pints, about 10 minutes each. Freeze them all, then spin on demand throughout the week.
Recipe Tips That Make a Difference
- Too icy? Your freezer may run cold - add 1-2 tablespoons half and half before the next spin.
- Still grainy after blending? Blend longer. Cottage cheese should be silky, not chunky. This step matters.
- Too soft after Respin? Pop the pint back in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
- Cereal got soggy? Add it ONLY during the Mix-In cycle, not before freezing the base.
- Want it sweeter? Add an extra tablespoon of maple syrup during blending.
- Base separated after freezing? That's normal with richer bases. Respin pulls it all together.
👪Serving Size
This recipe is made for the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe, ielding 4 servings per pint.
Using a 16-oz Creami? Scale the recipe to ⅔ of the original. Keep the same settings and steps.
🌀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 FAQ
Usually it’s under-hydrated. Add 1 tablespoon half and half and Respin again.
Yep - swap it for Greek yogurt or 2-3 tablespoons cream cheese, but texture will change slightly. Cottage cheese gives the creamiest results.
Not recommended. It gets mushy and disappears. Always add during Mix-In.
About 2 weeks. Re-spin before eating for the creamiest texture.
You can cut the sweetened condensed milk to 2 tablespoons, but expect a firmer pint. You could also try Catalina Crunch cereal instead for a lower-sugar crunch.
Some recipes have you soak cereal in milk for 15-30 minutes, then strain out the soggy cereal. That works, but it's extra steps and you lose the crunch. My method adds the cereal during Mix-In so it stays crispy and you skip the straining mess.
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 Maple Cinnamon Toast Crunch Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 Ninja Creami Ice Cream Deluxe
- 24 oz Ninja Creami Pint
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup half and half
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ cup cottage cheese
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- ⅔ cup Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add half and half, condensed milk, cottage cheese, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon powder, and salt to a blender. Blend until totally smooth.1¼ cup half and half, ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk, ¼ cup cottage cheese, 2 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract, ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder, Pinch of salt
- Pour into a Deluxe pint up to the max fill line.
- Freeze for 24 hours.
- Spin on Ice Cream cycle.
- If crumbly, Respin. Add 1–2 tablespoon half and half if needed.
- Create a center tunnel, add Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Mix-In.⅔ cup Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
- Serve immediately or freeze briefly for a firmer scoop.
Notes
- Always freeze 24 hours; no shortcuts.
- Add cereal only during Mix-In to keep it crunchy.
- Keep extra half and half or any milk on hand for smoothing crumbly spins.
- Blend until cottage cheese is completely silky.
- Add extra maple syrup after Mix-In for sweet ribbons.
- Using a 16-oz Creami? Scale the recipe to ⅔ of the original. Keep the same settings and steps.
Rose says
Maple + Cinnamon Toast Crunch is such a vibe — creamy, sweet, and crunchy in the best way. Tastes like breakfast turned into dessert! Hope you guys give it a try!