Ninja Creami peanut butter ice cream — the recipe that tastes like real Reese's

Peanut butter ice cream in the Ninja Creami is one of the easiest flavours to get right and one of the most satisfying results. The natural fat in peanut butter solves most of the texture challenges that lower-fat bases struggle with, and the flavour holds up through freezing better than most fruit-based alternatives.

Why peanut butter works so well

Standard high-protein bases use low-fat ingredients to keep calories manageable. Peanut butter introduces fat deliberately — but that fat is doing structural work. The fat in peanut butter doesn't freeze into hard crystals the way water does. It stays semi-solid, coating the ice crystals that form and producing a naturally creamy, scoopable result without as much reliance on stabilisers.

The challenge is that peanut butter adds calories quickly. This recipe uses powdered peanut butter (PB2 or similar) in the base and real peanut butter as a mix-in, which keeps the calorie count manageable while still hitting the flavour.

The formula

Ingredients (makes 1 pint):

• 150g low-fat cottage cheese (blended smooth)
• 200ml Fairlife milk
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 2 tbsp powdered peanut butter (PB2 or similar — 45 calories, 5g protein per 2 tbsp)
• 1 tbsp sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
• 3 tbsp allulose or sweetener
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Mix-in after processing:

• 1 tbsp natural peanut butter (the real thing — add via Mix-in function)

Method:

1. Blend cottage cheese and milk completely smooth.
2. Add all base ingredients and blend until combined.
3. Taste — the peanut butter flavour should be clear but the base will taste sweeter before freezing.
4. Pour to fill line. Freeze flat for 24+ hours.
5. Remove and let sit at room temperature for 8–10 minutes.
6. Process on Ice Cream setting.
7. Add 1 tbsp real peanut butter via Mix-in function.
8. If crumbly before mix-in: add 1–2 tbsp milk and Re-spin first.

Macros (per full pint, including mix-in)

• Calories: 275–300
• Protein: 29–33g
• Carbs: 18–24g
• Fat: 8–11g (primarily from the peanut butter mix-in)

Variations

Peanut butter chocolate (Reese's style): Use chocolate protein powder instead of vanilla. Add 1 tbsp cocoa powder to the base. Mix in 1 tbsp peanut butter after processing.

Peanut butter banana: Add half a ripe banana to the base blend. Natural sweetness, improved texture, adds about 15g carbs.

Peanut butter honey: Replace 1 tbsp of sweetener with 1 tsp of honey in the base (adds a caramelised depth). Add a swirl of sugar-free caramel sauce via Mix-in.

Peanut butter cookie: After processing, mix in 2–3 crumbled sugar-free peanut butter cookies.

The powdered vs. liquid peanut butter question

Real peanut butter in the base (not just as a mix-in) can make the base harder to process — the fat can prevent the machine from getting a clean initial pass. Powdered peanut butter in the base gives the flavour without this issue. The real peanut butter mixed in after processing gives the full fat experience and the visible swirl. This two-stage approach is more reliable than using only liquid peanut butter.

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For 50 complete Ninja Creami recipes with full macros — including chocolate, caramel, seasonal flavours, and specialty combinations — the Ninja Creami Bible has the complete collection.

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