Carrot Cake Ice Cream

This Carrot Cake Ice Cream is a creamy Ninja CREAMi recipe made with real shredded carrots, warm spices, maple syrup, and a sweet cream cheese mixture blended in for that classic carrot cake flavor. Chopped walnuts add a little crunch, making it taste like carrot cake in ice cream form.

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My Ninja Creami has become one of those appliances I keep finding excuses to use. Once you get the hang of it, it’s hard not to start looking at every dessert and wondering if it could become ice cream. Try my Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream made in the Ninja Creami.

Carrot cake felt like a fun one to try because it’s already such a favorite. I wanted the flavor to come through without making it feel too rich or too much like straight frosting. The maple syrup keeps it cozy, the spices give it that familiar carrot cake taste, and the walnuts add just enough crunch at the end. My fiancé tried it and said it really did taste like carrot cake! I agree.

Ingredients

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The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.

• Whole milk: This gives the ice cream base enough creaminess without making it too heavy. I don’t recommend using skim milk because the texture may turn out icier.
• Heavy whipping cream: This helps make the ice cream richer and smoother after it spins in the Ninja Creami.
• Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup whenever possible for the best flavor.
• Ground cinnamon: Cinnamon gives the ice cream that warm carrot cake flavor. Make sure your cinnamon is fresh because older spices can taste a little flat.
• Ground nutmeg: A little nutmeg goes a long way. It adds warmth without overpowering the other flavors.
• Ground ginger: Ginger adds a gentle spice that makes the ice cream taste more like carrot cake instead of plain cinnamon ice cream.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla rounds out the flavor and helps bring the creamy base and spices together.
• Shredded carrot: Finely shred the carrot so it blends smoothly into the base. A box grater works well, but you can also use a food processor to save time.
• Salt: Just a pinch helps balance the sweetness and makes the spices stand out more.
• Cream cheese: Let it soften first so it mixes smoothly. Cold cream cheese can leave little lumps in the mixture.
• Milk: This loosens the cream cheese mixture, allowing it to blend more easily into the ice cream during the Mix-In cycle.
• Chopped walnuts: Add these at the end so they keep their crunch. Chop them small enough that they mix evenly through the pint.

How to Make Carrot Cake Ice Cream in the Ninja Creami

• Step One: In a blender, combine the milk, heavy whipping cream, maple syrup, spices, vanilla, shredded carrot, and salt. Blend until mostly smooth.
• Step Two: Pour the base into your Ninja Creami pint container. Secure the lid and freeze for 24 hours until solid.

• Step Three: For the cream cheese mix-in, beat together the softened cream cheese, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Chill in the fridge until ready to use.

• Step Four: After freezing, place the pint into the Ninja Creami and use the “Ice Cream” function to spin.
• Step Five: Use a spoon to create a small tunnel in the center of the ice cream. Pour in the cream cheese mixture and use the “Mix-In” function to swirl it through.
• Step Six: Add in chopped walnuts using the “Mix-In” function. Serve cold.

Variations and Substitutions

• Use pecans instead of walnuts: Pecans are a great swap if you prefer a slightly sweeter, buttery crunch. Chop them small so they mix evenly through the ice cream.
• Skip the nuts: If you don’t like walnuts or need a nut-free version, you can leave them out. The ice cream will still have plenty of carrot cake flavor from the spices and cream cheese mixture.
• Add raisins: Raisins are a classic carrot cake add-in. Use a small amount and add them with the Mix-In function so they don’t get completely blended into the base.
• Try brown sugar instead of maple syrup: Maple syrup gives this ice cream a cozy flavor, but brown sugar can also work if that’s what you have. Dissolve it well in the milk mixture before freezing.
• Use pumpkin pie spice: If you don’t want to measure out the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger separately, you can use pumpkin pie spice instead. It will give the ice cream a slightly different flavor, but it still works well with the carrot and cream cheese.
• Make it extra creamy: If your ice cream looks crumbly after the first spin and you aren’t adding the cream cheese mixture, add a splash of milk and use the Re-spin function. This helps smooth it out. 
• Add shredded coconut: If you like coconut in carrot cake, add a tablespoon or two with the walnuts. Sweetened shredded coconut will make the ice cream a little sweeter.
• Leave out the cream cheese mixture; you can skip it for a lighter carrot-spice ice cream. It won’t have that carrot cake frosting flavor, but it will still be creamy and warmly spiced.

Storage Instructions

• Freeze: Store any leftover ice cream in the Ninja Creami pint container with the lid secured tightly. Smooth the top into an even layer before freezing again so it spins the next time properly.
• How long it lasts: It’s best enjoyed within 1 to 2 weeks. Keep it stored in the Ninja Creami pint container with the lid tightly sealed. The texture is best when it’s freshly spun, but leftovers can be re-spun before serving to bring back the creaminess.
• Best enjoyed fresh: This ice cream is best within a few days of making it. The walnuts may soften a little as they sit, but the flavor will still be delicious.
• Do not store at room temperature: Like any homemade ice cream, it should go back in the freezer as soon as you’re done serving it.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Use a level surface in the freezer: Set the Ninja Creami pint on a flat spot so the base freezes evenly. If it freezes at an angle, it may not spin as smoothly.
• Do not go past the max fill line: The mixture expands a little as it freezes, so make sure the base stays below the max fill line on the pint container.
• Taste the base before freezing: If you like your ice cream sweeter or more spiced, adjust it before it goes into the freezer. Once it’s frozen, it’s harder to change the flavor.
• Use freshly shredded carrot: Bagged shredded carrots are usually too thick and dry for this recipe. Freshly shredded carrot blends better and gives the ice cream a nicer texture.
• Let the pint freeze for the full 24 hours: It may be tempting to spin it sooner, but the base needs to be frozen solid for the Ninja Creami to work properly.
• Re-spin before serving: Once the ice cream has been frozen again, it will harden. Place the pint back in the Ninja Creami and use the Re-spin function to bring back the creamy texture.

Ice Cream Recipes

• Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
• Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
• Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

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