11 Tasty Mix-Ins That Transform Your Ninja CREAMi Creations

A source of frosty euphoria, the Ninja CREAMi makes homemade ice cream endlessly customizable. It can also create sorbets, frozen yogurt, milkshakes, and other similar frozen desserts, so it has a slight leg up on the many single-use appliances out there. Trying out different recipes is hard to resist, especially when it comes to mix-ins.

Instead of churning the ice cream like a traditional machine would, the Ninja CREAMi spins a frozen base until it reaches the right consistency. With churned ice cream, the mix-ins would be added before freezing, but when using the Ninja, you introduce them afterward. The appliance has a special setting for mixing in the chosen additions, evenly incorporating them into the ice cream.

Depending on the type and the size of your mix-ins, they can affect the final texture of the ice cream. Softer items can completely blend into the ice cream base, while harder, chunkier additions are more likely to retain their shape and crunchy texture in the end result. Both options are okay, it just depends on what kind of frozen creation you're craving. As the customization options are plenty, we handpicked 11 delicious mix-ins to add to your next Ninja dessert, taking it from basic to bangin'.

Cookies and ice cream are a match made in heaven. Oreos are the standard choice, of course, having given us one of the most iconic ice cream flavors, cookies and cream. But you can think beyond that. Chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, and festive gingerbread are all great options. The sky (or better yet, your pantry) is the limit. Keep the chunks fairly large so they don't get pulverized into the base, though you can also try freezing them to ensure they don't crumble too much.

If you're adding chocolate chips to your ice cream on autopilot, it's time to switch things up a bit with Java chips. They differ from chocolate chips in that they are coffee-flavored. This could elevate your homemade dessert and make it feel more luxurious — a handy trick when you're hosting company. For flavor combos, java chips go fantastically with hazelnut ice cream, as well as bring a new dimension to the classic vanilla.

The strong sweetness and cloud-like airy texture of meringue make the perfect contrast to a dense, creamy ice cream. As meringues have such a delicate texture, they'll largely blend into the base and make it sweeter, so keep that in mind when you're initially adding sugar to the base. Or, pair the meringue mix-in with ice creams that are tarter in nature, such as lemon and berry.

Christmas-flavored ice cream is definitely a thing. The sugary and minty candy cane adds a visual, seasonal, and (most importantly) flavorful zing to Ninja's homemade ice cream. Use it to spice up the classic peppermint ice cream, or go with eggnog ice cream for a peak festive experience. If you're more of a sorbet person, add a crushed candy cane to a refreshing citrusy sorbet instead.

Fresh fruit is not the best mix-in for a Ninja Creami because it mostly just gets blended into the base. Instead, reach for frozen options when aiming for freshness and dried fruit when going for extra sweetness. Banana chips are our top choice, as they come in large, crunchy pieces. Coconut flakes are also a good pick.

Speaking of crunchy things, mini pretzels make a great mix-in. Instead of the usual sweet additions, the pretzels bring a salty contrast to your Ninja ice cream. They also pair well with other, more neutral mix-ins, such as hazelnuts or walnuts, giving your ice cream a trail-mix vibe. That said, chocolate-covered pretzels are always an option for those who want to lean into the sweetness.

Lemon zest is the easiest way to add a zippy touch to your ice cream, and it works even better in a sorbet. Because sorbets are so icy and light, they can sometimes have a one-dimensional flavor that's lacking a bit of depth. Lemon zest would bring an extra dimension to the frozen dessert whether you're working with tart berry-forward creations or something like our sweet three-ingredient peach sorbet.

The sweet, crunchy vessel that holds those creamy scoops of ice cream can become the star of the show in its own right, too. Break the cone into medium-sized pieces and add it as a mix-in to your next Ninja ice cream. Since it pairs well with any flavor, you'll always have a fun addition close at hand if you keep a box of cones in your pantry.

Ever wished you could swap out milk for ice cream when eating your morning cereal? The Ninja CREAMi can mix your preferred cereal directly into your frozen treat, creating the ultimate dessert to feed your inner child. People on Reddit have reported mixing in Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cheerios, Honeycomb, Froot Loops, and many others. Just don't mix them too harshly, lest they turn powdery.

Sorbets don't usually come with fun textural add-ins because they're too icy. But since the CREAMi adds the mix-ins only at the very end (rather than freezing them directly into the sorbet), you have a bit more room for experimentation. Gummy bears, for example, can bring a whole new element of fun to the sophisticated fruity dessert.

Boozy ice cream and sorbets are nothing new, but adding alcohol as a mix-in does change the game a little bit, as the intense flavor notes will definitely be in the forefront. Less is more is the rule here, as adding too much liquor can have dire consequences for homemade ice cream. Alcohol has a lower freezing point than water and can thus create a frozen dessert that's way too soft, especially when working with high-proof drinks. Some boozy additions that people have shared on platforms like Facebook include rum, bourbon, piña colada, and Bailey's.