Root beer floats were a childhood staple for me, so when I was thinking about what I hadn’t tried in the Ninja Creami yet, root beer ice cream felt like the obvious next pint.
My first attempt used actual root beer soda mixed straight into the base. It came out icy, and the root beer flavor almost disappeared once it froze.
So I ordered root beer extract from Amazon and swapped it in. That did it: the same nostalgic float flavor, but creamy and scoopable instead of sippable. If you like nostalgic flavors like this, my Ninja Creami Birthday Cake Batter Ice Cream is worth trying next.
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Root Beer Ice Cream
- Ingredients
- Easy Swaps and Add-Ins
- How to Make Ninja Creami Root Beer Ice Cream
- 🍒Fun Mix-Ins and Topping Ideas
- Make It a Root Beer Ice Cream Float or Sundae
- Serving Size
- Tools You’ll Need
- Tips for Creamy Root Beer Ice Cream
- Recipe FAQs
- More Nostalgic Ninja Creami Recipes
- Did you try this recipe?
- Ninja Creami Root Beer Ice Cream
Why You’ll Love This Root Beer Ice Cream
- Root beer float flavor in a scoop. Root beer extract and vanilla together taste just like a float, so you get that nostalgic flavor without the soda going flat or the ice cream melting into it.
- Real root beer flavor that holds up when frozen. Extract keeps its flavor through freezing, while root beer soda turns icy and loses most of its taste. It’s the reason this version works.
- No pudding mix or gums. The base is just milk, cream, sugar, and flavorings, so the ingredient list stays short and easy to read.
- Six ingredients, one bottle to buy. You likely have everything except the root beer extract, which you can find at Target or on Amazon.
- Easy to turn into a float or sundae. Pour cold root beer over a scoop for a float, or top it with whipped cream and a cherry for a sundae.
- A hit with kids and adults. Kids love the soda-shop flavor, and adults get a taste of childhood.
Ingredients
Here's what goes into the base:
- Whole milk: Milk makes up most of the base and keeps it from being too heavy. Whole milk gives the creamiest result, but 2% works if you want it a little lighter.
- Heavy cream: Cream adds the fat that keeps the ice cream smooth and scoopable instead of icy. [See note 1.]
- Granulated sugar: Sugar sweetens the base and also keeps it soft enough to scoop. It dissolves cleanly without changing the root beer flavor.
- Root beer extract: This is where all the root beer flavor comes from. Soda turns icy and loses its flavor once frozen, so extract is the key. Look for LorAnn or Watkins at Target or on Amazon. Brands vary in strength, so start with the amount in the recipe card and taste before freezing.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla rounds out the root beer and gives it that classic float flavor, the same way vanilla ice cream does in a float.
- Pinch of salt: A little salt brings out the root beer and vanilla, so the flavor stays bright once frozen.
Taste the base before freezing. It should taste clearly root beer flavored, a little stronger than you want the finished ice cream to be, since cold dulls flavor once it’s frozen.
See the recipe card below for quantities.
Easy Swaps and Add-Ins
- Dairy-free: Use full-fat oat milk or coconut milk instead of whole milk, and coconut cream instead of heavy cream. The coconut cream adds back the fat that keeps it creamy, though the texture will be slightly softer.
- Sugar-free: Use allulose instead of sugar, in the same amount. Allulose freezes soft and smooth, while erythritol-based sweeteners like Swerve can recrystallize and turn gritty once frozen. Avoid liquid sweeteners, which can make the pint icy.
- More root beer flavor: For a bolder root beer taste, increase the extract to ¾ teaspoon. Taste the base before freezing. It should taste clearly root beer flavored, since the flavor mellows a little once frozen.
- Root beer float swirl: Spin a pint of my Basic Vanilla Base alongside this one, then layer scoops of both in a bowl or glass. You get the look and taste of a root beer float in every spoonful.
How to Make Ninja Creami Root Beer Ice Cream
- Blend. Add the milk, heavy cream, sugar, root beer extract, vanilla, and salt to a blender or straight into your Creami pint. Blend or whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved and the base looks smooth, not frothy. Taste it. It should taste clearly root beer flavored, a little stronger than you want the finished ice cream, since freezing mellows the flavor.
- Freeze. Pour the base into your Ninja Creami pint, staying below the max fill line. Seal it and freeze on a level surface for at least 24 hours, so it freezes solid and evenly all the way through.
- Spin. Let the pint sit on the counter for 2 to 3 minutes, then lock it into your Ninja Creami and run the Ice Cream program.
- Respin if needed. If it looks crumbly after the first spin, that’s normal. Run Respin once, and it should come together smooth and scoopable.
- Scoop and serve. Scoop right away for a soft-serve texture, or put the pint back in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes for firmer scoops.
🍒Fun Mix-Ins and Topping Ideas
Root beer goes well with classic soda-shop add-ins. For mix-ins, make a well down the center of the spun ice cream, add them, and run the Mix-In program. Toppings go on right before serving.
- Crushed vanilla wafers: The buttery vanilla cookie pieces add crunch and echo the vanilla in a root beer float.
- Hot fudge swirl: Chocolate and root beer work well together, and a swirl of hot fudge turns a scoop into a soda-shop sundae.
- Maraschino cherries: These are the classic float topping. Chop them and pat them dry before folding them in, since the syrup can make the ice cream icy around each piece.
- Caramel ribbon: Caramel brings out the vanilla and the warm, sweet notes in root beer.
- Crushed pretzels: The salty crunch balances the sweetness, for a sweet and salty scoop.
For more on what to add and when, see my guide to the best Ninja Creami mix-ins.
Make It a Root Beer Ice Cream Float or Sundae
Once your pint is spun, you can take it a few directions:
Root beer ice cream float: Add one or two generous scoops to a tall glass, then slowly pour cold root beer soda over the top. It will foam up a little, which is exactly what you want.
Root beer ice cream sundae: Scoop it into a bowl and top with whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel or hot fudge, and a cherry.
Root beer freeze: Blend a scoop with about ½ cup of cold root beer soda until thick. It lands somewhere between a milkshake and a slushie.
Serving Size
This recipe is made for the Ninja Creami Deluxe and makes 4 servings from one 24 oz pint.
If you have the original Ninja Creami with a 16 oz pint, use about two thirds of each ingredient.
Tools You’ll Need
- Blender: A blender dissolves the sugar completely and mixes the extract evenly through the base. Undissolved sugar can leave the finished ice cream gritty.
- Ninja Creami Deluxe: This recipe is sized for the Deluxe’s 24 oz pint. If you have the original 16 oz Creami, use about two thirds of each ingredient.
- Extra Ninja Creami pints: These let you keep one pint ready to spin while another is freezing. They’re especially handy if you’re making a vanilla pint for the float swirl.
Tips for Creamy Root Beer Ice Cream
- Dissolve the sugar fully before freezing. Undissolved sugar sinks and leaves the finished ice cream gritty. A minute in the blender or a good 30-second whisk takes care of it.
- Taste the base first. It should taste clearly root beer flavored, a little stronger than you want the final ice cream to be, since freezing mellows the flavor. Adjust the extract now, because you can’t fix it after it’s frozen.
- Freeze the pint on a level surface. A pint frozen at an angle gives the blade an uneven surface to cut through, which can leave parts crumbly and parts soft.
- Leave room at the top. Stay below the max fill line. An overfilled pint is harder to seal and can strain the machine during the spin.
- One respin is usually enough. If it’s still crumbly after a second spin, the base probably wasn’t fully frozen. Give it the full 24 hours next time.
- Root beer extracts vary in strength. LorAnn’s is strong and true to root beer. With another brand, start with [amount], taste, and add more as needed.
Recipe FAQs
You can, but it’s tricky. My first attempt used soda, and it came out icy with very little root beer flavor. The extra water in soda freezes into ice crystals, and the flavor fades once it’s frozen. Extract gives you a strong, consistent root beer taste without the iciness.
The most common causes are not enough fat in the base, not freezing the full 24 hours, or skipping the respin. Use whole milk and heavy cream as listed, rather than all milk, and give the pint the full freeze time. One respin usually fixes any leftover texture.
Yes. Use allulose in place of the sugar, in the same amount. Allulose freezes soft and smooth, while erythritol-based sweeteners can recrystallize and turn gritty. Avoid liquid sweeteners, which can make the pint icy.
Yes. Use full-fat oat milk or coconut milk instead of the whole milk, and coconut cream instead of the heavy cream. The texture will be slightly softer, but still creamy and scoopable.
Yes. The root beer extract and vanilla together land very close to a float, just in ice cream form. For the full float experience, pour a little cold root beer soda over a scoop when serving.
More Nostalgic Ninja Creami Recipes
If you liked this one, here are a few more worth trying:
- Ninja Creami Cotton Candy Ice Cream: a carnival classic, swirled into a pint
- Ninja Creami Bubble Gum Ice Cream: the old-school ice cream shop flavor
- Ninja Creami Blue Moon Ice Cream: a nostalgic Midwest favorite
- Ninja Creami Marshmallow Ice Cream: sweet and fluffy, and great for float-style serving
- Ninja Creami Salted Caramel Ice Cream: for when you want to build a sundae
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 Root Beer Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 Ninja Creami Pint Container 24 ounces
- 1 Ninja Creami Deluxe Ice Cream maker
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole milk or 2%
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon root beer extract LorAnn or Watkins recommended
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add the milk, heavy cream, sugar, root beer extract, vanilla, and salt to a bowl or Ninja Creami pint.1 ½ cups whole milk or 2%, ½ cup heavy cream, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ tsp root beer extract, 1 pinch of salt, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Whisk well until the sugar is fully dissolved. Don’t rush this part or the texture can turn a little gritty.
- Pour into the Creami pint, staying below the max fill line.
- Freeze on a level surface for at least 24 hours.
- Remove the pint from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Place the pint in the Ninja Creami and run the Ice Cream cycle.
- If the ice cream looks crumbly or powdery, use Respin once. Add 1 tablespoon of milk before respinning if it still looks dry.
- Scoop right away for soft-serve texture, or refreeze for 20 to 30 minutes for firmer scoops.
Notes
- Root beer extract is strong. Start with ½ teaspoon, then increase next time if you want bolder flavor.
- Whole milk gives the creamiest texture, but 2% works too. It may spin slightly icier.
- Make sure the sugar is fully dissolved before freezing for the smoothest scoop.
- For a root beer float vibe, top with whipped cream or a splash of cold root beer right before serving.
- Add mix-ins only after spinning, using the Mix-In cycle.
- This recipe is for a 24oz standard pint.
- For a standard 16 oz pint, use 1 cup milk, ⅓ cup heavy cream, ⅓ cup sugar, ⅓ teaspoon root beer extract, ⅔ teaspoon vanilla extract, and a small pinch of salt.
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