High Protein Ice Cream Recipe

Greek yogurt and milk give this base enough fat and protein structure to churn soft without a cooked custard, while a small amount of protein powder boosts the protein count per serving without turning the texture chalky or icy.

Prep

15 min

Cook

240 min

Total

255 min

Servings

4

Ingredients

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Instructions

1. 1In a blender, combine the Greek yogurt, milk, protein powder, honey, vanilla extract, salt and xanthan gum if using.
2. 2Blend on medium speed for 30-45 seconds, scraping down the sides once, until completely smooth with no lumps of protein powder or yogurt streaks.
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3. 3Taste the base and adjust sweetness now; it should taste slightly oversweet, since freezing dulls sweetness.
4. 4Chill the base in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours, so it churns colder and firmer.
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5. 5Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions, about 20-25 minutes, until it reaches soft-serve consistency and has visibly increased in volume.
6. 6Transfer to a freezer-safe container, press a piece of parchment or plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and freeze for at least 4 hours, until firm enough to scoop.
7. 7If churning without a machine, pour the chilled base into a shallow freezer-safe dish and freeze, whisking vigorously or blending briefly every 30-45 minutes for the first 3 hours to break up ice crystals, then freeze undisturbed until firm.
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Tips & variations

• Use a mild-flavored whey or casein isolate rather than a heavily flavored blend; strong artificial sweeteners in some protein powders get more noticeable once frozen.
• Cottage cheese blended completely smooth can replace up to half the Greek yogurt for an even higher protein count, just blend longer to eliminate any curds.
• Stir in mini chocolate chips, crushed freeze-dried strawberries, or a swirl of natural peanut butter during the last minute of churning.
• If the base tastes slightly tangy from the yogurt, an extra half teaspoon of vanilla extract or a pinch more honey balances it out.

Storage & reheating

Store in an airtight, freezer-safe container with plastic wrap or parchment pressed directly against the surface to limit ice crystals. Because this base has less sugar and fat than traditional ice cream, it freezes harder; let it sit at room temperature for 8-10 minutes before scooping. Keeps well for up to 2 weeks; texture gets icier after that.

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