This Low Carb Chocolate Orange Ice Cream made in the Ninja Creami blends cacao, melted sugar free chocolate chips, and fresh orange zest into a creamy base with just 4g carbs per serving.
Every spoonful starts with deep, dark chocolate and finishes with a bright hit of orange, like the chocolate orange you used to crack open at Christmas, only colder and creamier.
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- Why this low carb chocolate orange ice cream works
- Ingredients for Low Carb Chocolate Orange Ninja Creami Ice Cream
- Step by step instructions
- How to make low carb orange chocolate ice cream in the ninja creami
- Recipe Tips for Sugar Free Chocolate Orange Ice Cream
- Variations & Swaps
- Macros and Nutrition
- Storage
- Calling all ice cream lovers!
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More low carb ninja creami recipes
- Recipe Card
Chocolate and orange is one of those pairings I come back to every holiday season, and this one turned out so creamy I've been keeping a pint in the freezer at all times.
If you're on a citrus kick like me, my Low Carb Cranberry Orange Spice Ice Cream brings that same orange brightness with a festive cranberry swirl, and if you want something warm and cozy for winter, try my Sugar Free Snickerdoodle Ice Cream or Low Carb Maple Walnut Ice Cream. For a lighter, tropical change of pace, my Low Carb Coconut Lime Ice Cream is a reader favorite all year round.
Why this low carb chocolate orange ice cream works
- At 4g total carbs per serving, this low carb chocolate orange ice cream fits right into your day without having to plan around dessert
- Sugar free chocolate chips and a low carb sweetener mean this diabetic friendly chocolate orange ice cream has no added sugar, but it still tastes like the real deal
- It's a crowd pleaser that the whole family will happily dig into, nobody at the table has to know it's sugar free chocolate orange ice cream
- It's easy to make: melt, blend, freeze, and let the Ninja Creami do the rest, with no cooking or custard to fuss over
- The base freezes for 24 hours, so you can prep a pint ahead and have a chocolate orange dessert ready to spin for the holidays
Ingredients for Low Carb Chocolate Orange Ninja Creami Ice Cream
- Unsweetened vanilla almond milk: The light base of this Ninja Creami chocolate orange ice cream, and the vanilla adds a soft background flavor
- Cream cheese: Gives the base body and creaminess so it spins up smooth instead of icy
- Cacao powder: Brings that deep, slightly bitter dark chocolate flavor; unsweetened cocoa powder works too
- Sugar free chocolate chips and coconut oil: The chips are melted with a little coconut oil first, which helps them melt evenly without splitting, then blended into the base for an extra layer of chocolate in every bite
- Orange zest and orange extract: Fresh zest for bright, natural citrus, extract to make the orange flavor pop through the chocolate
- Powdered sweetener: Dissolves easily into the cold base so there's no grittiness; use your favorite low carb option
- Vanilla, espresso powder, and salt: Small amounts that round out the chocolate and make every other flavor taste stronger
- Heavy whipping cream: Added after the first spin on the Mix-In setting for that super creamy finish
* See the recipe card for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Step by step instructions
How to make low carb orange chocolate ice cream in the ninja creami
STEP 1: Melt the sugar free chocolate chips with the coconut oil in the microwave.
STEP 2: Blend the melted chocolate with everything except the heavy cream until smooth.
STEP 3: Pour into the Ninja Creami pint and freeze for 24 hours.
STEP 4: Process on Lite Ice Cream, then add the heavy cream to a center well and process on Mix-In.
Melt the sugar free chocolate chips in short bursts: 30 seconds, stir, another 30 seconds, stir, then a final 15 seconds. The ¼ teaspoon of coconut oil helps them melt evenly, and stirring between rounds keeps the chocolate smooth and glossy instead of splitting or turning grainy.
Recipe Tips for Sugar Free Chocolate Orange Ice Cream
- Don't skip the well before adding the heavy cream, pushing the butter knife all the way to the bottom lets the cream spread through the whole pint on Respin
- Zest only the bright orange layer of the peel, the white pith underneath is bitter and will show up in the final flavor
- Let the cream cheese soften for a few minutes before blending so it disappears completely into the base
- Freeze the pint on a flat surface so the top stays level, an uneven top can make the blade work harder on the first spin
- If it looks crumbly after the Lite Ice Cream cycle, that's normal, the heavy cream and respin cycle smooth it right out
- Start with ¼ teaspoon orange extract, a little goes a long way and too much can taste artificial next to the chocolate
Variations & Swaps
- Cocoa instead of cacao: Unsweetened cocoa powder works 1:1 and gives a slightly milder chocolate flavor
- Butter instead of coconut oil: A small pat of butter also helps the chips melt smoothly
- Mocha orange: Bump the espresso powder up to ½ teaspoon for a noticeable coffee note
- Topping idea: Finish with extra orange zest or a few sugar free chocolate shavings right before serving
- Coconut cream instead of heavy cream: Use 1 tablespoon of coconut cream on the Mix-In cycle, it still gives a creamy finish and adds a light coconut note that works with the chocolate
Macros and Nutrition
Each serving of this low carb chocolate orange ice cream comes in at 165 calories and 4g total carbs. Here's the full breakdown per serving.
Serves 4. Nutrition is an estimate and will vary with the brands used.
Storage
- Store covered in the freezer for up to 2 weeks
- Let it sit 5 to 10 minutes before scooping if it's frozen solid, or respin briefly
- The orange flavor gets a little stronger after a day or two in the freezer, so leftovers taste even more like a chocolate orange
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Frequently Asked Questions
I'd skip it. Orange juice adds sugar and carbs, while zest and extract give you all the orange flavor for almost no carbs.
Yes. This recipe is low carb with no added sugar, coming in at 4g total carbs and 165 calories per serving, made with cream cheese, almond milk, and sugar free chocolate chips.
Melting the chips with a little coconut oil lets them blend smoothly into the base, so the chocolate flavor runs through every bite instead of sitting in hard pieces.
A crumbly texture after the first spin is normal for a low sugar base. Adding the heavy cream and processing on Mix-In smooths it out, and you can respin once more if needed.
Recipe Card
Low Carb Chocolate Orange Ice Cream (Ninja Creami)
Ingredients
- 2 oz (56.7 g) sugar free chocolate chips melted
- ¼ teaspoon (1 g) coconut oil
- 1.5 cups (354.88 ml) unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 2 tablespoon (13 g) powdered sweetener sugar substitute
- 1 teaspoon (4.93 ml) vanilla extract
- 2 oz (56.7 g) cream cheese
- 3 tablespoon (15 g) Cacao powder
- ¼ teaspoon espresso powder
- ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) salt
- 2 tablespoon (12 g) orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon (1.23 ml) orange extract
Respin
- 1 tablespoon (14.79 ml) Heavy Whipping Cream 35%
Instructions
- Use the multiplier above to adjust quantities based on your machine: 1X for Original 7 in 1 (16 ounces) and 1.5X for Deluxe (24 ounces).
- Add the sugar free chocolate chips and coconut oil to a small microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then microwave another 30 seconds and stir again. Microwave for a final 15 seconds and stir until the chocolate is smooth and fully melted
- Add remaining ingredients with the melted chocolate to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, with no visible lumps of cream cheese
- Pour the base into a Ninja Creami pint, secure the lid, and freeze on a level surface for 24 hours
- Remove the lid, place the pint in the outer bowl, and lock it into the Ninja Creami
- Process on the Lite Ice Cream setting
- Use a butter knife to create a well down the center of the ice cream, reaching to the bottom of the pint
- Pour the heavy whipping cream into the well
- Process on the Respin setting
- Serve and enjoy
Notes
More Information
This recipe card provides the basic details to make this recipe. For more information, tips and variations please review the content above the recipe card.
Updates and Revisions
If conflicting information between the video and recipe card, the recipe card will always have the most up to date information, ingredients and instructions.
Nutritional Information
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooked food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more food guidelines
Oscar Chimenti says
Tastes exactly like the holiday chocolate orange, just creamier.