Ninja Creami Banana Pudding Protein Ice Cream

If banana pudding is your comfort dessert, this is the frozen version you’ll want on repeat. This Ninja Creami banana pudding protein ice cream tastes like the classic Southern dessert — sweet banana, creamy vanilla, and crushed wafers — but it’s built on almond milk and vanilla protein powder, so each scoop lands at just 52 calories with 3 grams of protein.

It’s the kind of recipe that feels like a treat and works like a snack. Blend, freeze overnight, spin, and you have soft-serve that’s genuinely good post-workout or after dinner.

Why You’ll Love It

• Tastes like real banana pudding. Fresh banana, banana pudding mix, and a handful of vanilla wafers do the heavy lifting — no artificial aftertaste.
• Legitimately high in protein. Vanilla protein powder turns dessert into something that fits your macros.
• Only 52 calories a serving. Almond milk and sugar-free pudding mix keep it light without making it taste “diet.”
• Five core ingredients. Everything comes together in one bowl before it hits the freezer.
• Easy to customize. Adjust the sweetness, swap protein flavors, or fold in mix-ins after spinning.

If you’re new to protein desserts in this machine, our Ninja Creami vanilla protein ice cream is the simplest starting point, and the cookies and cream protein ice cream is the next one people get hooked on.

Ingredients

• Unsweetened almond milk — the low-calorie base that keeps the texture creamy. Any unsweetened milk works if almond isn’t your thing.
• Vanilla protein powder — adds the protein and reinforces the vanilla-pudding flavor. Whey and casein blends tend to spin the smoothest; plant proteins work but can read slightly grainier.
• Sugar-free banana pudding mix — the flavor anchor. It thickens the base and gives you that unmistakable banana pudding taste without added sugar.
• Sweetener of choice — honey, maple syrup, or a sugar substitute. Start low and taste; protein powders vary in how sweet they already are.
• Banana extract (optional) — dials the banana flavor up a notch. Skip it and the pudding mix still carries the recipe.
• Fresh banana and crushed vanilla wafers — for serving. This is where it stops tasting like protein ice cream and starts tasting like dessert.

How to Make Banana Pudding Protein Ice Cream in the Ninja Creami

Step 1: Blend the base. In a bowl or blender, combine the almond milk, vanilla protein powder, banana pudding mix, sweetener, and banana extract if using. Blend or whisk until completely smooth — no lumps of powder or pudding mix left.

Step 2: Freeze 24 hours. Pour the base into your Ninja Creami pint container, seal it, and freeze on a level shelf for at least 24 hours, until frozen solid.

Step 3: Spin. Set the frozen pint into the Ninja Creami and run the Ice Cream program. If it comes out crumbly or powdery the first time, add a splash of almond milk and run the Re-Spin cycle — that’s normal for lighter, protein-based bases.

Step 4: Add the good stuff and serve. Top with fresh banana slices and crushed vanilla wafers, then serve as soft-serve right away or refreeze briefly for a firmer scoop.

Pro Tips for the Creamiest Texture

• Store smart. Keep leftovers in an airtight container up to a week and re-spin before serving, since it firms up hard in the freezer.
• Freeze it fully flat. A level freeze means an even spin. A tilted pint gives you an uneven pull.
• Don’t skip the Re-Spin. Protein and almond milk bases are lighter than dairy-heavy ones, so a second cycle with a splash of milk is often what takes it from icy to creamy.
• Blend until truly smooth. Undissolved pudding mix or protein powder is the main cause of grittiness.
• Taste before freezing. You can’t fix sweetness after it’s frozen, so adjust the base first.
• Add mix-ins after spinning. Fold in extra wafers, banana, or chocolate chips using the Mix-In program so they stay intact.

Variations to Try

Once you’ve made it, this base is easy to riff on. Use chocolate protein powder for a banana-chocolate twist, or lean into the dessert side with our richer copycat Blue Bell banana pudding ice cream. Craving fruit instead? The strawberry and peach versions use the same method, mango sorbet is the dairy-free option, and a strawberry milkshake is a fun way to use the same machine. Cooler weather? Pumpkin and butterscotch are the seasonal favorites.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different protein powder? Yes. Any vanilla protein works, and other flavors are fine too — just know they’ll shift the taste. Vanilla keeps it closest to real banana pudding.

What if I don’t have banana extract? Leave it out. The banana pudding mix and fresh banana still deliver plenty of banana flavor; the extract just intensifies it.

Can I use regular banana pudding mix instead of sugar-free? You can. It adds sugar and calories, so dial back the sweetener to compensate.

How long does it need to freeze? At least 24 hours, until completely solid. Spinning a partially frozen pint is the fastest way to a soupy result.

Why is my ice cream crumbly or powdery? That’s typical for lighter protein bases. Add a splash of almond milk and run the Re-Spin cycle — it should turn smooth and creamy.

How do I store leftovers? Airtight container in the freezer, up to a week. It freezes firm, so re-spin or let it sit a few minutes before scooping.

More Ninja Creami Recipes

• NINJA CREAMI PEACH ICE CREAM
• NINJA CREAMI STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKE
• EASY NINJA CREAMI COPYCAT SONIC NERDS SLUSHES
• NINJA CREAMI PUMPKIN ICE CREAM
• NINJA CREAMI BUTTERSCOTCH ICE CREAM
• EASY NINJA CREAMI STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM
• NINJA CREAMI MANGO SORBET

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