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You’ve heard of matcha tea, but now, meet matcha ice cream!
Matcha is a tea that comes from a powder that is typically mixed into milk or water to be consumed. It has great health benefits, since the entire tea leaf is in the powder that gets consumed (instead of steeping tea with the leaves/powder and disposing of it).
That means we can call this ice cream healthy, right?
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we wanted to post an ice cream that was green. What better way to make ice cream green naturally than matcha powder? So grab your Ninja Creami and make this delicious Creami ice cream recipe!
I have to say, I am not a tea drinker. I tried it a bit in college, but it never stuck. I wasn’t a huge fan of the earthy flavor most teas had, even if they were flavored. Matcha became trendy a few years ago and I remember looking everywhere to find a matcha latte to see what the hype was about.
As a non-tea drinker, I was surprised when I actually enjoyed it! It really does have a different type of tea flavor, so give this ice cream a try even if you’re not typically a fan of tea.
We were able to find matcha tea powder at our local Target, so finding the extra ingredient for this ice cream isn’t too difficult! It can also be found at most local grocery stores in the tea section.
If you’re in need of a fun St. Patrick’s Day green treat or just need a good ‘ole ice cream pick-me-up, give this delicious Ninja Creami matcha ice cream a try!
To Make Dairy-Free Matcha 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!
- Is matcha different than green tea? Yes! It’s mostly in how it’s grown and the resulting flavor. Manufacturers grow matcha tea leaves in the shade and they tend to be in much more controlled environments than green tea leaves. This gives matcha a more rich and full flavor compared to green tea. You can try a substitute with green tea powder, but it won’t taste the same and may not have the full flavor!
- Does the ice cream have an earthy flavor? Surprisingly, not so much. There is a slight earthy hint, but it is not overwhelming or too much! As someone who doesn’t drink green tea, I found this ice cream to be delicious.
- 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 Matcha Ice Cream Recipe
Description
Matcha ice cream takes matcha powder and adds it into ice cream for a surprisingly rich and delicious result!
You can find match powder at most local grocery stores (we found it at our local Target)!
To make this recipe in the Ninja Creami Deluxe, multiply all ingredients by 1.5
Note: 1 serving = 1 pint
Ingredients
Instructions
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 vanilla extract and 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Whisk until the ingredients are mixed together.
Combine 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, and 1.5 tsp matcha green tea powder in a Blender Bottle (or something that can be closed to shake).
Shake vigorously to stir the matcha powder into the milk and cream until fully mixed. The mixture will be a nice, smooth green.
Combine the shaken matcha milk/cream into the cream cheese/extract/sugar mixture. Whisk until combined.
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 matcha ice cream is ready to enjoy!
Note
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 blueberry ice cream here.
I love the dairy-free version! I’m lactose intolerant, so I think it would be great!
I would never have thought of this! Great idea and delicious recipe. Will definitely be saving it for summer!
this recipe was so good!! thank you!