Here’s my go-to Ninja Creami fruit sorbet recipe that’s refreshing, light, and completely dairy-free. With just fresh fruit, a touch of sweetener, and a few minutes in the Ninja Creami, you’ll have a smooth and icy treat that tastes like summer.
I make this sorbet at least once a week during the hot months, and my kids always ask for seconds. It’s become our favorite after-dinner dessert, especially when we want something cool and fruity without the guilt. Plus, it’s way cheaper than store-bought sorbet!
Why You’ll Love This Fruit Sorbet
- 3-ingredient simplicity – You only need fresh strawberries, a touch of sugar, and optional lemon juice to create this refreshing treat – it doesn’t get easier than that!
- Naturally dairy-free – This sorbet is perfect for anyone who’s lactose intolerant or following a vegan diet, giving you all the creamy satisfaction without any dairy.
- Healthier dessert option – Made primarily from real fruit with just a touch of sugar, this sorbet lets you enjoy a sweet treat without artificial ingredients or preservatives.
- Customizable sweetness – You can adjust the sugar to your taste or even skip it completely if your strawberries are naturally sweet enough.
What Kind of Strawberries Should I Use?
Fresh or frozen strawberries will both work great for making sorbet in your Ninja Creami. If you’re using fresh berries, look for ones that are bright red throughout with no white or green patches – these will give you the sweetest flavor. During peak strawberry season (usually spring and early summer), fresh berries are your best bet since they’ll be at their ripest and most flavorful. If you’re making this outside of strawberry season, frozen berries are actually a fantastic choice since they’re picked and frozen at peak ripeness. Just make sure your frozen berries don’t have any freezer burn or ice crystals, which can affect the texture of your sorbet.
Options for Substitutions
Making sorbet in your Ninja Creami is super flexible – here are some helpful swaps you can try:
- Strawberries: You can use pretty much any fruit you like! Raspberries, mangoes, peaches, or blueberries all work great. Just make sure whatever fruit you use is ripe and sweet. If using frozen fruit, let it thaw slightly before pureeing.
- Granulated sugar: Not into regular sugar? Try honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar instead. Start with 1 tablespoon since these are sweeter than regular sugar. You can also use monk fruit sweetener or stevia for a sugar-free option – just check the conversion chart on the package.
- Lemon juice: Lime juice works just as well as lemon. You could also try a splash of orange juice, or skip the citrus altogether if your fruit is already pretty tart. The citrus just helps bring out the fruit flavor and keep the color bright.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Making
The biggest challenge when making fruit sorbet in the Ninja Creami is using fruit with too much water content, which can lead to icy, crystallized results – make sure to drain your strawberries well and pat them dry before freezing.
Getting the sugar ratio right is crucial – skipping sugar entirely might seem healthier, but a small amount helps prevent large ice crystals from forming and creates a smoother texture (if your strawberries are very sweet, you can reduce the sugar, but don’t eliminate it completely).
Temperature control is key – your fruit mixture needs to be frozen solid (at least 24 hours) before processing, and if your sorbet comes out crumbly or powdery, let it sit at room temperature for 1-2 minutes before re-spinning it in the Creami.
A splash of lemon juice isn’t just for flavor – it helps maintain the bright color of your strawberries and prevents the sorbet from tasting flat, so don’t skip this simple but important addition.
What to Serve With Fruit Sorbet?
This refreshing strawberry sorbet is perfect on its own, but there are some fun ways to dress it up for serving! A few fresh berries on top make it look extra nice, and they add a bit of texture too. I like to pair it with a simple butter cookie or shortbread on the side – the crispy cookie is such a nice contrast to the smooth, icy sorbet. For special occasions, you can add a little fresh mint leaf on top or serve it alongside a slice of pound cake or angel food cake for a light but satisfying dessert combo.
Storage Instructions
Keep Frozen: Your homemade sorbet needs to stay in the freezer to maintain that perfect scoopable texture. Keep it in a freezer-safe container with a tight-fitting lid. It’ll stay fresh and tasty for up to 2 weeks, though the texture is best within the first week.
Prevent Ice Crystals: To keep your sorbet smooth and prevent ice crystals from forming, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sorbet before putting the lid on. This helps protect it from freezer burn and maintains that lovely texture we all love.
Serving Tips: When you’re ready to enjoy your sorbet, let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes to soften slightly. This makes it easier to scoop and brings out the fresh strawberry flavor. If it gets too hard, you can always re-spin it in your Ninja Creami for that perfect consistency.
Preparation Time | 10-15 minutes |
Cooking Time | 720 minutes |
Total Time | 730-735 minutes |
Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 250-300
- Protein: 2-4 g
- Fat: 0-1 g
- Carbohydrates: 60-65 g
Ingredients
- 1 container (16 oz) fresh strawberries, washed and hulled (see note for substitution with frozen)
- 2 tbsp white sugar, optional
- Optional: a splash of lemon juice
Step 1: Blend the Ingredients
- 1 container (16 oz) fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
- 2 tbsp white sugar, optional
- optional: a splash of lemon juice
Place the washed and hulled strawberries, white sugar (if using), and a splash of lemon juice (if desired) into a high-powered blender or food processor.
Blend on high until the mixture is smooth and creamy, with little to no lumps remaining.
I like to add the optional lemon juice, as it brightens up the flavor of the strawberries.
Step 2: Freeze the Strawberry Mixture
- blended strawberry mixture from Step 1
Pour the blended strawberry mixture into a Creami container.
Place the container in the freezer and let it freeze for at least 12 hours, or keep it frozen until you’re ready to make the sorbet.
Step 3: Process the Sorbet in the Machine
Once fully frozen, remove the Creami container from the freezer.
Secure it into the machine, following your model’s instructions.
For the Creami Deluxe machine, select ‘full’ and then ‘sorbet,’ then press start to process the sorbet until smooth.
If you want the sorbet extra creamy, you can process it a second time.
Step 4: Serve and Store the Sorbet
Once processed, serve the strawberry sorbet immediately and enjoy!
Store any leftovers in the freezer.
For even more flavor, I like to top each serving with a few extra slices of fresh strawberries.