Ninja Creami Grape Ice Cream
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Grape ice cream may not be the most common flavor of ice cream, but I truly believe it's something everyone should try. If you're a fan of grape-flavored items, move this grape ice cream to the top of your list!
On our honeymoon in Colorado, Alex and I wanted to try Voodoo Doughnuts since we had heard of all of their fantastic and unique flavors. The doughnut I wanted to try the most was called the "Grape Ape". It was a classic vanilla doughnut with vanilla frosting, grape dust, and purple sprinkles.
Now, I have no idea what grape dust is, but it was purple and tasted like delicious, artificial grape. This gave Alex and I the idea for a grape ice cream!
Since grape dust isn't sold in stores, we had to get creative on how to come up with the grape flavor in our Ninja Creami ice cream recipe. After wandering the aisles of the grocery store, we stumbled across the flavor packets that are used to flavor drinks.
And what did we see: grape Kool-Aid packets! Bonus: they're only $0.39. What better way to flavor ice cream than with a strong, grape-flavored powder!
I like a strong grape flavor, so we decided to use the whole Kool-Aid packet in the ice cream. It did have a good strong flavor, so if subtle grape flavors are more your thing, feel free to only use 3/4 or 1/2 of the Kool-Aid packet.
So grab some grape Kool-Aid powder, a Ninja Creami pint, and get spinning!
To Make Dairy-Free Grape Ice Cream, Use the Following:
- 1 tbsp vegan cream cheese for 1 tbsp cream cheese
- 1 cup oat milk for 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup cream of coconut for 3/4 cup heavy cream
First Time Using the Ninja Creami or Looking for Tips?
While the Ninja Creami is a machine with only 7 (or 11) buttons, it can still be intimidating! Here are a few tips and tricks Alex and I have picked up since beginning our ice cream journey with the Ninja Creami!
- How grape is the grape flavor? If you like grape candy, you'll love the full Kool-Aid packet in the ice cream. However, if you don't like sour or grape flavoring, then stick to half of a packet while making the mixture. You can always try the mixture before putting it into the Ninja Creami pint and add more from there!
- If I put the pint back into the freezer, do I need to mix the ice cream up again before enjoying? Surprisingly, no! When using the typical base ingredients (whole milk, heavy cream), re-spinning is probably best to get the ice cream back to its original creamy consistency after freezing. However, we have found when using oat milk and cream of coconut, our first spin leaves the ice cream very creamy (almost like a soft-serve texture). After putting it in the freezer for 24 hours after this original spin, the ice cream is the perfect texture to enjoy without re-spinning! My suggestion is see how the texture is without a re-spin, and re-spin only as necessary!
- What button should I use to spin my ice cream? This all depends on the consistency you're going for! Each button operates the machine at varying speeds. For thicker concoctions (like ice cream), the ice cream button is best. However, if using eggs in the recipe (like a gelato), use the gelato button! The sorbet button is best used with fruit mixtures. For example, if mixing a can of pineapples in heavy syrup, use the sorbet button to make a delicious fruity creation! Overall, it's something you can experiment with to find your personal preference for your ice cream consistency!
Looking for More Ninja Creami Recipes?
If you’re on the hunt for more Ninja Creami recipes, be sure to grab one of our recipe e-books, Top 25 Ninja Creami Recipes ($2.99), or the great value of over 50 recipes in Ninja Creami Cookbook: Ice Cream & Gelato Edition! Each includes favorites such as cake batter gelato, red velvet ice cream, Shirley Temple ice cream, and many more!
If you’re like us and are running out of ice cream storage containers, grab a two-pack of Ninja Creami pints to keep your freezer full with all of your ice cream creations!
Or if you don’t have a Ninja Creami and are on the fence about getting one, check out my honest review!
Do You Want to Make Your Own Ninja Creami Cookbook?
If you want to make your own version of a Ninja Creami cookbook, check out our Ninja Creami Recipe Page Template! Besides the fun design, it has space to write the spin setting, number of servings, ingredients, directions, and notes (everything a Creami recipe needs)!
Ninja Creami grape ice cream is one of the most fun and delicious ice cream flavors we've made. By using a Kool-Aid packet, the recipe is simple and packs a "grape" punch!
To make this recipe in the Ninja Creami Deluxe, multiply all ingredients by 1.5
Note: 1 serving = 1 pint
- 1 tbsp Cream Cheese
- 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- 1 packet Grape Kool-Aid Mix
Place 1 tbsp cream cheese in a medium bowl and microwave for 5-10 seconds. If the cream cheese was in the fridge, these 5-10 seconds in the microwave will help soften it up to mix well with the other ingredients.
Combine cream cheese with 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Whisk until the ingredients are mixed together.
Whisk in 1 packet of grape Kool-Aid drink mix.
Slowly whisk in 1 cup whole milk and 3/4 cup heavy cream.
Pour the mixture into a Ninja Creami pint container, ensuring it does not go over the max fill line.
Freeze the pint for 24 hours, making sure it is placed on a flat surface in the freezer.
After 24 hours, remove the pint from the freezer, and plug in your Ninja Creami machine! Time for the magic.
Remove the lid from the pint and grab the Ninja Creami outer bowl. Place the pint securely into the outer bowl and cover with the lid. Once the lid is on, place the outer bowl into the machine, twisting to the right until it locks into place. Press the "Ice Cream" button and (try to) wait patiently for the creamy treat coming your way.
Once the process is finished, press and hold the button on the left side of the Creami to twist the bowl to the left and remove it from the machine. Twist the lid off of the outer bowl and remove the pint.
Now your grape ice cream is ready to enjoy!
If you don't like following recipes, don't worry - you can customize it however you want! We personally use oat milk and coconut cream to avoid most of the dairy, and it's some of the best ice cream we've ever had.
If you liked this recipe, check out our recipe for chocolate salted caramel ice cream here.
Thank you for using the recipe!