After Trying the New Ninja Swirl Soft Serve Machine by CREAMi, I’m Never Buying a Frosty Again

The Ninja Swirl by CREAMi vows to turn “almost anything” into an ice cream or soft serve-like treat. Much like the OG CREAMi, this ice cream maker is fully equipped with 13 different settings designed to make swirlable or scoopable frozen treats, ranging from fruit whips to gelato. There’s even an option to add in mix-ins, and a CREAMiFit function, which helps you make high protein, lower-calorie desserts. But how are they different? Well, the Swirl is slightly heftier in weight than the original, with an eight-pound difference between the two, clocking in at nearly 21 pounds. Then there’s the price jump, with the original CREAMi starting at $2oo, and the Swirl at $350. The Swirl also has an attached dispense handle and comes with sturdy soft serve pints—with screw-on lids—to really give you that full ice-cream-parlor-at-home vibe.

In the box, you can find your machine, two 16-ounce CREAMi swirl pints (with storage lids) and a reliable handbook featuring recipes ranging from easy to intermediate to advanced. That last part is crucial, because admittedly, the 13 one-touch programs can feel overwhelming at first.

I know I said this machine promises to provide yummy soft serve ice cream at your fingertips, but there is a waiting period before you can dive into your frozen goodness. Before the spin and swirl process, which I’ll touch on shortly, you have to whisk together your ice cream base and freeze it for 24 hours. The machine setup takes minutes and is relatively painless, but this is definitely a dessert you prep beforehand. And if you’re not a fan of waiting, Ninja suggests using store-bought ice cream to speed up the process, if you want swirled soft serve in minutes rather than hours. And honestly, who doesn’t? However, in an effort to experiment, I followed the easy vanilla soft serve recipe provided in the booklet, which includes:

• ⅓ cup of granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp of vanilla instant pudding mix
• 1 cup of whole milk
• ¾ cup + 1 tbsp of heavy cream
• 1 tbsp of vanilla extract

As much as I love creamy soft serve, it’s not something I like to eat liberally by the spoonful—at least not without a Lactaid. So, for my second round of testing, I whisked up a dairy-free alternative to see how it compares in taste, texture and swirl quality. In place of whole milk, I used unsweetened oat milk. Instead of heavy cream, I subbed in dairy-free heavy whipping cream. And spoiler: I could barely tell the difference.

The blending process is where things took a turn for me. This was my first time trying a CREAMi, but I familiarized myself with it enough through social media, scoping out how other users felt about their machines. And the general consensus among CREAMi owners? It’s loud, like aggressively loud. During the spin process—which is five minutes long, might I add—it sounds louder than the average blender or corded vacuum cleaner if I were to make a comparison. This is definitely not sneak-to-the-kitchen-in-your-PJs, midnight snack material.

After the spin process, the dispense lid is slotted onto the swirl pint, which is then attached to the swirl base atop the machine. Once secured and locked in, pull down the dispense lever under your cup or cone, and you’re free to swirl away.

Now, I’m no stranger to a good soft serve cone. Forget McDonald’s or seasonal ice cream trucks, I grew up in New Jersey, where local mom-and-pop ice cream shops aren’t a rarity. In fact, quite the opposite. Summer beach days on the Jersey Shore aren’t complete without a vanilla cone (topped with non-negotiable rainbow sprinkles) in hand, melting away on your beach towel. But all this to say, I know what to look for in a good soft serve, and I was pleasantly surprised with the results from this CREAMi.

Upon my first taste test, the flavor was a rich vanilla, which I’m sure is credit to the instant pudding mix added to the base. The texture, however, was light and what do ya know *soft* with a faint iciness reminiscent of Wendy’s famous frosty dessert. The dairy-free mixture surprised me the most, as it also held that same tasty vanilla flavor and creamy soft serve texture. Often with dairy-free frozen desserts, I find some fall flat in texture or in flavor, with profiles I can only describe as grainy or dull. I honestly expected to have to re-spin for optimal smoothness, but I didn’t need to. On the first try, the dairy-free ice cream spun into a smooth, un-chalky consistency, creamy enough to gently swipe your spoon through it. After trying my hand at a few (failed) swirling techniques, I decided to test out the mix-in setting for my final trial. I added crushed-up Oreos to the plain vanilla base, and after a minute spin, I had turned my creamy leftovers into a delish cookies and cream treat.

One pint makes enough ice cream for four servings but as someone who lives with only one other person (who’s sugar-conscious), I topped the remaining off with the given storage lids, saving the rest for later. Post-dinner dessert has never tasted sweeter.