When I was new to the Ninja Creami, my mix-ins kept disappearing into the base. During one test, I froze the Oreos right in the base, so the spin ground them up and my cookies and cream came out gray. Other times I forgot to switch to the Mix-In setting and ran a regular spin instead, with the same result. Trial and error taught me which mix-ins hold up and which ones get crushed, sink to the bottom, or turn icy.
The short answer: add Ninja Creami mix ins after the final spin, not before. Make a hole down the center of the pint, add your mix-ins, and run the Mix-In setting. Below are the mix-ins that work best for ice cream and for sorbet and gelato, plus how to keep each one in pieces.
If you need a base to start from, my classic vanilla base works with almost everything here. For equipment that makes the process easier, see my Ninja Creami tools list.
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How to Add Mix-Ins in the Ninja Creami
- Spin until smooth first. Run your usual setting, and respin if the pint is crumbly. Do every respin before the mix-ins go in, since any spin after them grinds them up.
- Make a hole down the center. Use a spoon to dig a hole about 1½ inches wide, all the way to the bottom of the pint. This gives the mix-ins room to spread through the whole pint instead of piling on top.
- Add your mix-ins. Chop large pieces small first, and freeze sauces like caramel ahead of time so they hold their shape. Start with a small amount, since you can always add more.
- Run the Mix-In setting. Use the Mix-In setting, not a regular spin or a respin. It folds the mix-ins in without breaking them down.
- Serve right away. If you store leftovers and respin them later, the mix-ins will get crushed. Add fresh mix-ins and run the Mix-In setting again instead.
Never freeze mix-ins into the base. They'll get ground up on the first spin. That's how my Oreo pint turned gray.
Best Mix-Ins for Creami Ice Cream Recipes
1. Crushed Cookies
Oreos, Biscoff, or chocolate chip cookies. Crush them into small pieces, not fine crumbs, since crumbs dissolve into the base and turn it gray. Add them after the final spin with the Mix-In setting. For a full recipe, see my cookies and cream ice cream.
2. Chocolate Chips and Chunks
Mini chips or chopped chocolate bars spread through the pint evenly, while big chunks sink and turn rock hard when frozen. Use dark, milk, or white chocolate to match your base. They go well with my old-fashioned chocolate ice cream.
3. Fruit Chunks
Frozen strawberries, blueberries, mango, or bananas, cut small. Add them after spinning so they stay in pieces. Fresh, watery fruit tends to freeze into icy chunks, so frozen or freeze-dried fruit holds up better. Try them with my creamy strawberry sorbet.
4. Nuts and Nut Butters
Chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts add crunch. Use roasted, unsalted nuts for the best flavor. For nut butter, swirl a spoonful in by hand after spinning so it stays in ribbons. My PB2 peanut butter ice cream builds a whole pint around peanut butter.
5. Brownie or Cake Pieces
Soft baked brownies or pound cake, cut into small chunks. Fold them in gently after spinning, since they break apart easily. My chocolate brownie ice cream has the full version.
6. Candy Pieces
Chopped Reese's, M&M's, or caramel bits. Smaller pieces stay spread through the pint instead of sinking. For a full recipe, see my peanut butter cup ice cream.
7. Cereal Mix-Ins
Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Puffs, or Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Add them right before serving, since cereal softens the longer it sits in the pint. My maple Cinnamon Toast Crunch ice cream uses this one.
8. Flavor Extracts
Vanilla, almond, peppermint, or coconut extract. This is the one mix-in that goes in before freezing: blend a small amount into the base so it spreads evenly. It works well in my classic vanilla base.
9. Cookie Dough Bites
Use safe-to-eat cookie dough, made with heat-treated flour and no raw eggs. Add the bites after the final spin so they stay whole instead of getting mixed into the base.
10. Swirls: Caramel, Fudge, Fruit Jam
Pre-freeze the sauce for a few minutes so it's thick, then spoon it into the hole and swirl gently by hand. Running the Mix-In setting blends sauces in completely, so swirling by hand is what keeps the ribbons.
11. Sprinkles
Classic rainbow, chocolate, or seasonal sprinkles add color and crunch. Add them right before serving so the colors don't bleed into the base. They're the star of my birthday cake batter ice cream.
Mix-Ins for Creami Sorbet and Gelato Recipes
1. Fresh Herbs
Mint or basil, chopped very fine. Blend them into the base before freezing so the flavor spreads through the whole pint. They add freshness to fruit sorbets without overpowering the fruit. Start with a small amount, since herbs get stronger as the base sits.
2. Citrus Zest
Lemon, lime, or orange zest brightens fruity pints. Blend it into the base before freezing. Use a microplane and zest only the colored part of the peel, since the white pith underneath is bitter.
3. Coconut Flakes
Unsweetened coconut flakes go well with tropical sorbets. Toast them lightly for more flavor, then add them after the final spin with the Mix-In setting. They're a natural match for my pineapple Dole Whip.
4. Crushed Freeze-Dried Fruit
Freeze-dried raspberries, strawberries, or mango. Crush them lightly and add them after the final spin. Because they're dried, they add flavor and crunch without watering down the pint or freezing into icy chunks. Try freeze-dried mango in my mango sorbet.
Mix-In Mistakes to Avoid
- Freezing mix-ins into the base. The first spin grinds them up. That's how my Oreo pint turned gray. The only exceptions are extracts, herbs, and citrus zest, which are meant to blend in.
- Using a regular spin instead of Mix-In. A regular spin or respin breaks mix-ins down. The Mix-In setting folds them in without crushing them.
- Adding mix-ins before the last respin. If the pint needs a respin, do it first. Any spin after the mix-ins go in grinds them up.
- Using big pieces. Large chunks sink to the bottom and freeze rock hard. Chop everything small so it spreads through the pint.
- Adding room-temperature sauces. Caramel, fudge, and jam melt into the base unless they're thick. Pre-freeze them for a few minutes first.
- Respinning leftovers with mix-ins. Stored mix-ins get crushed if you respin the pint. Add fresh mix-ins and run the Mix-In setting again instead.
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