This might sound wild, but olive oil makes ice cream unbelievably silky.
If you love subtle richness with a hint of fruitiness, this Ninja Creami olive oil ice cream is going to surprise you in the best way.
I started testing this while playing with different vanilla bases — classic, lighter, high-protein, half-and-half — and this version ended up being the smoothest of them all. Rich but not heavy. Creamy without feeling flat. I kept sneaking spoonfuls straight from the pint.
If you like elegant-but-approachable flavors, this one’s for you.
If you’re into fun vanilla twists, you’ll also love my Ninja Creami Vanilla Bean Ice Cream — it’s the base I keep coming back to.)
I actually got the idea after tasting the Arbequina Olive Oil Ice Cream from Salt & Straw — it’s smooth, slightly fruity, and nothing like what you’d expect from olive oil. That inspired me to try it in the Ninja Creami and see if I could get that same creamy, melt-on-your-tongue feel at home.
A little lemon turned out to be the secret ingredient. It gives the base a gentle brightness that keeps the olive oil flavor from feeling too heavy or flat. Together, they make the ice cream taste balanced, rich, and just a little unexpected.
That was my only goal, a smoother, richer scoop with a hint of fruity flavor from the oil. And honestly, it worked better than I expected.
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Olive Oil Ice Cream
- What Kind of Olive Oil Works Best in Ice Cream?
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Easy Swaps & Add-Ins
- How to Make Ninja Creami Olive Oil Ice Cream
- 🍒Topping & Mix-In Ideas That Actually Work
- Recipe Tips That Make a Difference
- 👪Serving Size
- 🌀Tools You’ll Need
- Recipe FAQs
- Vanilla Ice Cream Variations
- Unique Ice Cream Flavors
- Did you try this recipe?
- Ninja Creami Olive Oil Ice Cream
Why You’ll Love This Olive Oil Ice Cream
- Unusual but totally approachable, the olive oil flavor is subtle, not savory
- Ultra creamy texture thanks to extra fat without heavy cream overload
- Smooth, scoopable results after one respin
- Simple ingredients you probably already have
- Feels fancy but eats easy — great with sea salt, citrus, or chocolate
- Reliable Ninja Creami workflow — blend, freeze, spin, respin
What Kind of Olive Oil Works Best in Ice Cream?
Not all olive oil belongs in dessert. For this recipe, stick with a mild, fruity extra virgin olive oil — nothing bitter, peppery, or grassy.
Look for oils labeled delicate, smooth, or buttery. If it tastes pleasant on its own with a slightly fruity finish, it’ll taste amazing once frozen. Strong oils can overpower the vanilla and throw the balance off fast.
Quick test: take a tiny sip. If you’d drizzle it on vanilla ice cream without flinching, you’re good.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This is just an overview—jump down to the full recipe card for exact amounts and detailed instructions!
- Half and half — It's equal parts heavy cream and whole milk for rich creaminess without being overly heavy
- Olive oil (extra virgin, mild, fruity) — gives that gentle, fruity note. I used Kirkland Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil I got from Costco.
- Sweetened condensed milk — to sweeten without crystallization
- Vanilla extract — rounds and balances the flavor
- Lemon juice or zest — brightens the flavor and keeps the olive oil from tasting flat or too rich. Just a small amount makes a big difference.
Easy Swaps & Add-Ins
- Use heavy cream + whole milk instead of half and half (for extra richness)
- Swap allulose for erythritol or monk fruit sweetener, testing sweetness levels
- Try infusing citrus zest (lemon, orange) or herb (rosemary, basil) into the base
- Use vanilla bean paste instead of extract for more depth
- Add pinch of sea salt or flake salt at the end to highlight flavors
- Stir in mix-ins like candied nuts, dark chocolate shavings, or olive oil sea salt drizzles
How to Make Ninja Creami Olive Oil Ice Cream
- Blend: Combine half and half, olive oil, allulose (or condensed milk), lemon juice or zest and vanilla in blender. Blend until fully emulsified and smooth.
- Freeze: Pour into a pint container (Creami pint) and freeze on a level surface for 24 hours.
- Spin: Insert into the Ninja Creami and run the “Ice Cream” mode.
- Respin: If texture is crumbly, make a small hole in the center, add a splash of half and half, then run “Respin.”
- Scoop / Finish: Scoop it. Optionally, drizzle a bit more olive oil or sprinkle flake salt, or fold in your mix-ins.
🍒Topping & Mix-In Ideas That Actually Work
- Flaked sea salt or Maldon
- Crushed pistachios or almonds
- Dark chocolate shavings or nibs
- Citrus zest flakes
- Candied nuts or brittle
- Swirl of fruit compote (berries, fig)
Recipe Tips That Make a Difference
- Use fresh olive oil — old oil tastes flat once frozen
- Freeze the pint perfectly level for even spinning
- If it’s crumbly after the first spin, don’t panic, one respin fixes it
- Add mix-ins only after the base is creamy
👪Serving Size
This recipe is made for the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe (24 ounces) , yielding 4 servings per pint.
🌀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 FAQs
Yes, if you emulsify well and use mild olive oil. The flavor holds, though more subtle after freezing.
Yes — substitute half and half with full-fat coconut milk or a rich nut cream base. Expect slight texture change.
Usually due to low fat, improper freezing, or insufficient blending. Use enough fat, freeze solid, respin, and adjust your sweetener.
Yes — when blended properly, it emulsifies into the base and creates an extra-smooth texture with a subtle fruity note.
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 Olive Oil Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 Ninja Creami Deluxe
- 1 Blender
- 1i Ninja Creami Container Pint
Ingredients
- 2 cups half and half
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk or adjust with condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice or zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Blend: Combine half and half, olive oil, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and lemon in a blender. Blend until smooth and fully emulsified — meaning the olive oil is completely mixed in with no oily layer on top. It should look creamy and uniform, not separated.2 cups half and half, 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup sweetened condensed milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- Freeze: Pour into a Ninja Creami pint and freeze for 24 hours on a level surface.
- Spin: Run the “Ice Cream” mode on your Ninja Creami.
- Respin: If the texture looks crumbly, make a small well in the center, add about 1 tablespoon of half and half, then respin until smooth.
- Scoop & Serve: Scoop and enjoy right away, or drizzle extra olive oil and add mix-ins like sea salt or nuts.
Notes
- Use mild, fresh extra virgin olive oil — avoid peppery or bitter oils
- Chill mixture well before freezing (if your ingredients are warm)
- Don’t overfill the pint — leave headspace for expansion
- Store flat and respin as needed to refresh texture
Rose says
Never thought olive oil would taste this good in ice cream, but it’s shockingly smooth and buttery. Such a unique flavor — hope you guys give it a try!