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With the holiday season in full swing, now’s the time to make even more holiday ice cream! Because you can never have enough ice cream.
Our new flavor perfect for the holidays (or really, any time of year): peppermint stick gelato!
Every year growing up, I I would ask my mom for candy canes to hang on our Christmas tree. Every year, she said yes. As a kid, having access to 15 delicious candy canes throughout the days leading up to Christmas made my sweet tooth very happy.
Sometimes I would be good and ask if I could have one, other times you could find me snatching one off the tree and running to my room to eat it.
One thing that hasn’t changed as I got older was my love for peppermint treats. Between taking a few peppermints at restaurants (even though you’re not supposed to) to always having candy canes at Christmas, I love all things peppermint. So, this peppermint stick gelato was a no-brainer for our next Ninja Creami gelato recipe!
All you need on hand is a few candy canes to crush up and use in the base (plus more for a mix-in if you want). The best part: this gelato recipe only takes a few minutes and a few ingredients.
So grab some candy canes, a Ninja Creami pint, and get spinning!
To Make Dairy-Free Peppermint Stick Gelato, Use the Following:
- 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 candy canes or can I use another type of peppermint? You can use any type of peppermint, it doesn’t have to specifically be candy canes! We used a large peppermint stick and crushed it into tiny pieces.
- Can I omit the vanilla extract? Sure! I find that adding the vanilla extract tames out the strong peppermint flavor if you want, but you can just as easily omit the vanilla extract and just use the peppermint extract!
- Can I spin this on “Ice Cream” if my Creami doesn’t have a Gelato button? Yes! I’ve spun my gelato on ice cream and have never had an issue!
- 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 Peppermint Stick Gelato
Description
Peppermint stick gelato is the perfect holiday treat! Using candy canes and peppermint extract, this delicious and flavorful recipe packs a great holiday punch!
To make this recipe in the Ninja Creami Deluxe, multiply all ingredients by 1.5
Note: 1 serving = 1 pint
Ingredients
Instructions
Crush a few candy canes with a mallet (or your hand) to get 1/4 cup crushed candy canes.
Note: You can use also use peppermints or a peppermint stick.
Combine 1 tsp peppermint extract, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup whole milk, 3/4 cup heavy cream, 2 egg yolks, 1/4 cup crushed candy canes in a pot and cook on the stove at medium heat for 5 minutes, whisking constantly. This will ensure the eggs will not be scrambled.
Pour the mixture into a Ninja Creami pint container, ensuring it does not go over the max fill line.
Wait for the pint to cool, then place it into the freezer (ensuring it is on a flat surface). Freeze for 24 hours.
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 "Gelato" 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.
(Optional) Carve a hole down the center of the spun gelato, adding additional crushed candy cane. I used about 1/4 cup, but the quantity is up to your preference!
(Optional) Place the pint back in the Ninja Creami and select the "Mix-In" button.
When finished, remove the pint from the Creami.
Now your peppermint stick gelato 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 white chocolate peppermint ice cream here.