Ninja Creami Lemon Basil Ice Cream
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While it may not be a popular thing to do, adding herbs into ice cream adds delicious flavor. After our coriander parsley ice cream turned out great, Alex and I wanted to experiment with other herb ice cream flavors.
We took inspiration from the many herbs and plants that we're growing on our windowsill. We have cilantro, rosemary, basil, peppers, and a lemon tree. We picked lemon and basil, and so the lemon basil ice cream was born!
Herbs in ice cream add a truly unique and tasty flavor, even though the flavors probably will never be seen at the grocery store in the ice cream aisle. That doesn't mean we shouldn't try them though!
I think one of the best parts about having a Ninja Creami is getting to experiment with any flavor we want (plus we know all of the ingredients that are going into it). We no longer need to buy the same five flavors of ice cream at the store, we can use any old ingredient we have laying around the house and turn it into something creamy and delicious!
This lemon basil ice cream may surprise you. The sweetness and tang from the lemon shines through, with a hint of basil rounding out the flavor and providing a fantastic ice cream experience. Plus putting basil in ice cream counts as getting your greens for the day, right?
Even if you're not sure of putting herbs in your ice cream, give this flavor a try - it won't disappoint!
To Make Dairy-Free Lemon Basil 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!
- Do I have to use fresh basil? Yes, fresh basil is recommended as it brings the best flavor and texture to the lemon basil ice cream.
- What if I don't have a lemon and just want to use lemon juice? You can definitely do that! However, the ice cream may not have such a great burst of lemon as the lemon zest really adds to the pop of flavor.
- 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)!
Lemon basil ice cream made with the Ninja Creami brings the flavor of lemon with an undertone of basil to a delicious, creamy treat that is refreshing and delicious!
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 tsp Lemon Extract
- 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
- Lemon Juice From a Whole Lemon
- Zest From a Whole Lemon
- 1/2 tbsp Finely Chopped Fresh Basil
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 tsp lemon extract and 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Whisk until the ingredients are mixed together.
From a whole lemon, gather the zest and lemon juice.
Combine the zest and lemon juice from an entire lemon into the mixture, whisking until combined.
Finely chop fresh basil and gather 1/2 tbsp.
Whisk in the 1/2 tbsp fresh basil until combined.
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, ensuring 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 lemon basil 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 carrot cake ice cream here.
Thank you for using the recipe!