This Ninja Creami Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream is a creamy orange frozen dessert made with orange Kool-Aid drink mix, cream cheese, cream, and milk. The smooth creamy citrus profile gives the ice cream a nostalgic creamsicle flavor while still staying soft enough to scoop after freezing.

This Ninja Creami Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream works well as a simple summer dessert when you want something creamy and citrus flavored without making a complicated homemade ice cream base. The sweetened drink mix helps keep the ice cream softer than many homemade frozen desserts while still giving it a strong orange flavor. The orange Kool-Aid drink mix can usually be found at most grocery stores, making this one of the easier homemade Ninja Creami ice cream recipes to pull together on a hot summer day.

I originally made this orange creamsicle ice cream because my partner loved a discontinued orange creamsicle frozen dessert that became difficult to find. Since the blue raspberry version worked well in the Ninja Creami, I decided to use the same base with orange drink mix instead. The creamy orange flavor ended up tasting very similar to an old-fashioned creamsicle frozen treat. This orange creamsicle ice cream is made with softened cream cheese, orange Kool-Aid drink mix, 18% cream, and 2% milk blended together in a Ninja Creami pint container before freezing overnight.

At a Look: This Ninja Creami Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream is a creamy orange ice cream made with orange Kool-Aid drink mix, cream cheese, cream, and milk. The sweetened drink mix helps keep the ice cream softer and easier to scoop after freezing.

Why You’ll Love This Ninja Creami Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream

Nostalgic Creamsicle Flavor: The nostalgic orange creamsicle flavor works especially well for anyone with a serious sweet tooth looking for an easy frozen dessert.

Soft Scoop Texture: The sweetened drink mix helps keep the Ninja Creami ice cream softer and easier to scoop straight from the pint container after freezing.

Simple Ice Cream Base: This recipe skips cooked custard steps and comes together with a quick blended ice cream base instead.

Creamy Citrus Flavor: The orange drink mix gives the ice cream a strong candy-like orange flavor with noticeable tanginess and sweetness similar to classic orange creamsicle treats. The flavor is much more concentrated than fresh orange juice, and the softer texture makes smaller servings feel surprisingly rich and satisfying.

How to Make Ninja Creami Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream

This Ninja Creami Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream comes together with a simple blended ice cream base before freezing overnight in the pint container.

Begin by softening the cream cheese in the microwave for about 10 seconds so it blends more easily. Add the orange Kool-Aid drink mix powder to the softened cream cheese and begin mixing them together in a bowl. The powder can look dry or clumpy at first, so adding a small amount of cream while mixing helps smooth it out more easily.

Continue adding the 18% cream gradually while mixing thoroughly. It is important to keep mixing until the drink crystals dissolve fully into the base so the finished ice cream texture stays smooth instead of grainy. Use immersion blender if needed only enough to break down any lumps of cream cheese. Once the cream has been fully blended in, stir in the 2% milk.

Pour the orange ice cream base into the Ninja Creami pint container. If there is still room below the max fill line, top it off with a little extra milk. Place the lid on the pint container and freeze the mixture on a level surface for at least 24 hours.  Unlike some Ninja Creami recipes that freeze with a large raised bump in the center, this orange creamsicle ice cream froze surprisingly flat after freezing overnight, which helped make the first spin process very smooth. Attach the outer bowl lid and secure the lid assembly before placing the bowl assembly onto the motor base of the Ninja Creami ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Before processing, scrape down any raised bump that formed on the top of the frozen ice cream so the surface is level. Process the pint using the ice cream setting on the Ninja Creami machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If this is your first time using a Ninja Creami machine, carefully follow the manufacturer’s directions when attaching the pint container and outer bowl assembly before starting the first spin.

After the first spin, this orange creamsicle ice cream is usually soft enough to scoop immediately without needing the re-spin function. The flatter frozen surface and softer texture meant this batch processed more smoothly than many other homemade Ninja Creami ice cream recipes. The finished texture was surprisingly smooth and creamy with very little iciness, almost more like a soft serve texture after the first spin than a firmer homemade ice cream. If the texture looks dry or crumbly instead, there may have been a slight measuring difference in the base ingredients, and using the re-spin button can help smooth the texture further before serving.

Ingredients

This Ninja Creami Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream uses a simple combination of dairy ingredients and orange drink mix to create a creamy citrus-flavored frozen dessert.

Cream Cheese: The cream cheese helps thicken the ice cream base while improving the creamy texture after spinning. It also helps reduce iciness in the finished pint.

Orange Kool-Aid Drink Mix: The orange drink mix provides both the orange flavor and sweetness for the ice cream base while helping keep the texture softer after freezing.

18% Cream: Using 18% cream gives the ice cream richness without creating the heavier greasy mouthfeel that higher-fat cream sometimes causes in Ninja Creami recipes.

2% Milk: The milk balances the cream while helping keep the ice cream base smooth and scoopable after processing.

Substitutions and Add-Ins for Ninja Creami Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream

This orange creamsicle ice cream base is flexible enough for a few simple substitutions without changing the overall texture too much.

Cream Cheese: This helps maintain the creamy texture of the ice cream and is difficult to fully replace without affecting the consistency. Cottage cheese or Greek yogurt may work, although the texture may become slightly less smooth.

Orange Kool-Aid Drink Mix: Different orange drink mix brands may slightly change the sweetness and intensity of the orange flavor. Other Kool-Aid flavors can also be used with the same base. Fresh orange juice and orange extract are not recommended for this recipe because they change both the sweetness and texture of the ice cream base compared to the sweetened drink mix.

18% Cream: Lower-fat cream products can be used, but the lower the fat content, the more icy the final texture may become. Heavy cream can also be used if preferred, although 18% cream keeps the finished ice cream slightly lighter.

2% Milk: Whole milk creates a slightly richer texture, while non-dairy milk alternatives may slightly soften the ice cream after freezing.

Add-In Ideas: Mini marshmallows, white chocolate chips, mandarin orange pieces, or vanilla sandwich cookie pieces all work well with the creamy orange flavor. If you prefer frozen desserts made entirely with natural ingredients, this recipe may not be the best fit since the orange flavor comes from sweetened drink mix powder.

Expert Tips, Serving and Storing Suggestions

Tip #1: Mix the drink crystals in thoroughly. This prevents the finished ice cream from being gritty and ensures the texture stays smooth.

Tip #2: Freeze the Ninja Creami pint container on a flat, level surface so the machine can process the frozen base evenly.

Tip #3: If the ice cream becomes too firm after refreezing, a small splash of milk during the re-spin cycle can help soften the texture again.

Tip #4: Extra pint containers can be helpful if you regularly make multiple Ninja Creami recipes ahead for summer desserts or family gatherings.

This orange creamsicle ice cream works well served in waffle cones, dessert bowls, or blended into a milkshake for a softer frozen treat. Fresh peaches, nectarines, or other fresh fruit pair especially well with the creamy orange flavor during summer. The soft texture and nostalgic creamsicle flavor make this a refreshing treat on a hot summer day.

Store leftover ice cream in the Ninja Creami pint container with the lid tightly sealed. Re-spin the ice cream if needed after refreezing to improve the texture before serving again.