Ninja Creami Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
Ninja Creami Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream features sweet and creamy vanilla ice cream mixed with dark chocolate peanut butter cups. It is literally the best dessert for peanut butter, chocolate and ice cream lovers! The vanilla ice cream base comes together in 5 minutes in a mixing bowl, then it’s off to the freezer for 24 hours. From here it’s mixed in the Ninja Creami ice cream machine with your favorite peanut butter cups. Simple, easy and sooo good. Enjoy topped with more peanut butter cups for the best treat any day of the week!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure here.
Why This Recipe is So Good
- This recipe is sooo simple to make. Using my Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream recipe as a base, this peanut butter cup version is made by mixing dark chocolate peanut butter cups into the ice cream. It’s chunky and full of peanut butter and chocolatey flavor!
- It only takes 5 minutes to prep. Even though you have to wait 24 hours for the ice cream base to freeze, it only takes 5 minutes to mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Because of this long wait time, prep a few pint containers in advance so you always have ice cream on hand whenever your sweet tooth comes calling!
- It’s customizable! Use dark chocolate or milk chocolate peanut butter cups. Add protein powder or powdered peanut butter to increase the peanut flavors. Or add cocoa powder to make chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream.
- It’s made without pudding mix, instead, this ninja creami ice cream recipe is made with a few simple whole ingredients – milk, cream, sugar, vanilla bean paste, and cream cheese.
Recipe Ingredients
- Milk and cream – Whole milk and heavy whipping cream will give this ice cream the perfect rich, creamy, and smooth ice cream consistency.
- Cream cheese – Thickens the ice cream giving it the perfect scoopable ice cream texture. Make sure it’s extra soft before trying to mix it with the sugar so you don’t have any cream cheese chunks.
- Vanilla – I love to use vanilla bean paste instead of extract because you can’t taste the alcohol in the paste which can sometimes be noticeable in your ice cream. Plus the paste has a richer vanilla flavor and lovely vanilla bean speckles.
- Peanut butter cups – I used these Unreal Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, but really any nut butter cup can be used instead. Just make sure to cut each one in half so they will blend throughout the ice cream. Don’t worry- you’ll still have chunks!
How to Make Ninja Creami Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
All ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- In a large mixing bowl stir together softened cream cheese and sugar until there aren’t any chunks of cream cheese left. Next, stir in vanilla bean paste and salt.
- Whisk in heavy cream and milk until everything is well incorporated.
- Pour your ice cream base into a ninja creami pint container, top with a lid then freeze for 24 hours on a level surface.
- The next day, remove the lid then place the pint into the outer container and into the ninja creami ice cream machine. Press the “ICE CREAM” button then allow it to run through the cycle.
- Cut your peanut butter cups in half.
- Remove the pint container from the outer bowl then make a hole in the middle at least 1 inch wide, making sure it goes all the way to the bottom of the container. Stick the peanut butter cup halves into the hole then return it to the ice cream machine. Run the “MIX-IN” cycle.
- Scoop, and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions —
This just helps to thicken up the ice cream even more to make it taste like and have the consistency of traditional ice cream. Vanilla pudding mix is sometimes used for the same reason. However, I find that a tablespoon of cream cheese does the trick nicely!
This can happen if you over-blend the heavy cream. It will turn into butter if over-blended and leave a waxy or greasy taste to the ice cream. I usually just whisk all the ingredients together instead of using a blender to help avoid this problem.
Looking For More Recipes?
- Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream
- Ninja Creami Chocolate Ice Cream
- Ninja Creami Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
- Ninja Creami Gingerbread Ice Cream
- Ninja Creami Sweet Potato Ice Cream
- Ninja Creami Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream
If you love this recipe, 📌 save it to Pinterest for later or leave this recipe a ⭐️ 5-star rating! Subscribe to The Midwest Kitchen Blog’s Newsletter for more recipes like this delivered straight to your inbox!
Ninja Creami Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon full-fat cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 4-5 peanut butter cups cut in half
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl stir together softened cream cheese and granulated sugar until there aren’t any chunks of cream cheese and it’s well incorporated. Next, stir in vanilla bean paste or extract and salt.
- Whisk in milk and heavy cream until combined.
- Pour the ice cream base into a Ninja Creami pint container. Top with the lid then freeze on a level surface for 24 hours.
- The next day, remove the lid then insert the pint container into the outer container of the ninja creami. Press the “Ice Cream” button then allow it to run through the cycle. This usually takes less than 2 minutes.
- While your ice cream is blending, remove the wrappers from your peanut butter cups then cut them in half.
- Make a hole in the middle of the ice cream at least 1 inch wide making sure it goes all the way to the bottom of the container. Place the peanut butter cups into the hole then run it through the ninja creami once more but press the “MIX-IN” button this time.
- If your ice cream is too soft after mixing in the peanut butter cups, pop your pint container back into the freezer for 30 minutes before scooping and serving.
- Enjoy!
Notes
How To Store/ Make Ahead
- Store unblended ice cream in the freezer for up to 3 months. Store blended ice cream for up to 2 months.
- Store leftover peanut butter cup ice cream in freezer-safe storage containers. We love these containers(affiliate).
Tips and Tricks
- Use really soft cream cheese or put it in the microwave for a few seconds. You don’t want cream cheese chunks in your ice cream so this step is important.
- Make chocolate peanut butter ice cream: To the cream cheese sugar mixture, stir in 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
- Peanut butter cups: I used the Unreal Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter cups(affiliate), but really any nut butter cup can be used instead. Just make sure to cut each one in half so they will blend throughout the ice cream. You’ll still have chunks.
- Milk and cream: I’ve only tested this recipe with dairy heavy cream and whole dairy milk.
Nutrition
All nutrition information is automatically generated and should be only used as a rough estimate. This recipe card may contain affiliate links.
