Protein Ice Cream Recipes: Every Swap Ranked by Protein Density

A classic custard ice cream is mostly cream, yolks and sugar, so very little of its energy comes from protein. The recipes below change one thing at a time, from the dairy base to the sweetener to the protein powder, and rank each batch per serving. Everything is our own formulation, with macros computed from USDA ingredient data and the label panels of products we track, and a table at the end sets them against the store-bought products we hold.

How these were made: formulated by ProteinBenchmark; macros are computed from USDA ingredient data and, for products we track, their label panels. The recipes have not been kitchen-tested, and the images are AI-generated illustrations, not photos of the finished dishes.

Overhead of three scoops of pale ice cream in small bowls beside a metal loaf tin and a spoon
AI-generated illustration

The ranking

Per serving, sorted by Protein Density (% of calories from protein). Platinum 40%+ · Gold 25–39% · Silver 15–24% · Avoid under 15%. Every figure is an estimate (est.), for the serving described on each recipe, without toppings. Where the sources for a product panel disagree, each recipe card that uses it states the figure used and the disagreement.

# Recipe Protein Calories Density g / 100 cal Tier
1 Step 5: Whey Plus Casein
about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch)
 17.6g 96 73.1%est. 18.3g Platinum
2 Alternative: Single-Pint Machine Pint (Ninja Creami-style)
half a pint (1/2 of the batch)
 30.2g 168 71.8%est. 17.9g Platinum
3 Step 4: Whey Protein Added
about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch)
 17.4g 98 71.2%est. 17.8g Platinum
4 Chocolate Branch
about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch)
 18.6g 108 69%est. 17.3g Platinum
5 Strawberry Branch
about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch)
 16.8g 101 66.6%est. 16.7g Platinum
6 Step 3: Zero-Calorie Sweetener
about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch)
 9.1g 58 62.9%est. 15.7g Platinum
7 Step 2 (alternative): Cottage Cheese Base
about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch)
 10.6g 162 26.2%est. 6.5g Gold
8 Step 2: Greek Yogurt Base
about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch)
 9.1g 142 25.7%est. 6.4g Gold
9 Step 1: Skim-Milk Base
about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch)
 4g 128 12.6%est. 3.1g Avoid
10 Classic Custard Ice Cream (baseline)
about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch)
 6g 377 6.3%est. 1.6g Avoid

The swap ladder

Each rung changes one thing from the build it follows. Deltas are per serving against that build.

Step Swap Protein Calories Density
0 Classic Custard Ice Cream (baseline) 6g 377 6.3%
1 Step 1: Skim-Milk Base
360 g heavy cream, 360 g whole milk and 90 g egg yolk to 720 g skim milk (Removes the cream and yolks)
Protein drops 2g but density rises 6.3% because calories fall 249 kcal.
 4g -2g 128 -249 12.6% +6.3%
2 Step 2: Greek Yogurt Base
420 g of the skim milk to 420 g nonfat plain Greek yogurt (Fage Total 0%) (Greek yogurt replaces part of the skim milk)
 9.1g +5.1g 142 +14 25.7% +13.1%
2 (alt) Step 2 (alternative): Cottage Cheese Base
420 g of the skim milk to 420 g Good Culture 2% cottage cheese, blended very smooth (Blend until no curds remain)
 10.6g +6.6g 162 +34 26.2% +13.6%
3 Step 3: Zero-Calorie Sweetener
130 g granulated sugar to 12 g zero-calorie powdered sweetener, to taste (Sugar is replaced by a zero-calorie powdered sweetener, to taste)
 9.1g 0g 58 -84 62.9% +37.2%
4 Step 4: Whey Protein Added
nothing to 60 g Naked Whey, unflavored (two 30 g servings) (Whisk it into the liquid first to avoid clumps)
 17.4g +8.3g 98 +40 71.2% +8.3%
5 Step 5: Whey Plus Casein
60 g whey to 30 g whey plus 30 g micellar casein (Half the whey is replaced by micellar casein)
 17.6g +0.2g 96 -2 73.1% +1.9%
5 (alt) Alternative: Single-Pint Machine Pint (Ninja Creami-style) 30.2g +24.2g 168 -209 71.8% +65.5%

The recipes

Thick, smooth ice cream in a bowl with a spoon standing upright in it
AI-generated illustration

#1 Step 5: Whey Plus Casein

Platinum

Half the whey is swapped for micellar casein.

Per serving: 17.6g protein · 96 kcal · 73.1% (est.)

about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch) · Prep 15 min · Cook 0 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

  • Skim milk: 300 g
  • Plain nonfat Greek yogurt (Fage Total 0%) (2.5 label servings of 170 g): 420 g
  • Naked Whey, unflavored (1 label serving of 30 g): 30 g
  • Micellar casein powder (Naked Casein) (1 label serving of 30 g): 30 g
  • Zero-calorie powdered sweetener, to taste: 12 g
  • Vanilla extract: 8 g
Products used (label panel values)
  • Naked Nutrition Naked Casein — manufacturer page (nakednutrition.com), seen 2026-10-24
  • Naked Nutrition Naked Whey — manufacturer page (nakednutrition.com), seen 2026-10-24
  • Fage Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt — retailer label copies (stopandshop.com, hannaford.com), seen 2026-10-24 Retailer copies for the 16 oz tub agree on 90 kcal and 18 g protein per 3/4 cup (170 g); the manufacturer page was not loaded, so this stays at retailer level.

Method

  1. Whisk the whey and casein into the skim milk until no lumps remain; casein thickens as it sits, so give it a minute.
  2. Whisk that into the yogurt, sweetener and vanilla and chill 30 minutes.
  3. Churn in a machine, or freeze in a shallow tin, stirring hard every 45 minutes for 3 hours. Freeze at least 6 hours (or overnight) in a shallow lidded container, then let it sit 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.
Frozen soft-serve-style ice cream swirled in a pint tub with a spoon
AI-generated illustration

#2 Alternative: Single-Pint Machine Pint (Ninja Creami-style)

Platinum

A no-yogurt pint built from skim milk, whey and casein, frozen solid in the pint tub and processed in a pint-style machine such as a Ninja Creami.

Per serving: 30.2g protein · 168 kcal · 71.8% (est.)

half a pint (1/2 of the batch) · Prep 5 min · Cook 0 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

  • Skim milk: 280 g
  • Naked Whey, unflavored (1 label serving of 30 g): 30 g
  • Micellar casein powder (Naked Casein) (1 label serving of 30 g): 30 g
  • Zero-calorie powdered sweetener, to taste: 6 g
  • Vanilla extract: 4 g
Products used (label panel values)

Method

  1. Blend or shake the skim milk with the whey, casein, sweetener and vanilla until smooth and pour into a pint tub (a Creami pint to its fill line).
  2. Freeze level for at least 24 hours.
  3. Run it through your machine's ice cream or lite ice cream setting. If it comes out powdery, add a tablespoon of milk and run the re-spin setting once.
  4. Eat right away; leftovers refreeze harder and need another pass.
Dense off-white ice cream in a bowl, scooped into a neat ball with a visible ridged edge
AI-generated illustration

#3 Step 4: Whey Protein Added

Platinum

60 g of Naked Whey, unflavored (two 30 g servings) goes into the base.

Per serving: 17.4g protein · 98 kcal · 71.2% (est.)

about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch) · Prep 15 min · Cook 0 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

  • Skim milk: 300 g
  • Plain nonfat Greek yogurt (Fage Total 0%) (2.5 label servings of 170 g): 420 g
  • Naked Whey, unflavored (2 label servings of 30 g): 60 g
  • Zero-calorie powdered sweetener, to taste: 12 g
  • Vanilla extract: 8 g
Products used (label panel values)
  • Naked Nutrition Naked Whey — manufacturer page (nakednutrition.com), seen 2026-10-24
  • Fage Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt — retailer label copies (stopandshop.com, hannaford.com), seen 2026-10-24 Retailer copies for the 16 oz tub agree on 90 kcal and 18 g protein per 3/4 cup (170 g); the manufacturer page was not loaded, so this stays at retailer level.

Method

  1. Whisk the whey into the skim milk until no lumps remain, then whisk that into the yogurt, sweetener and vanilla.
  2. Chill 30 minutes.
  3. Churn in a machine, or freeze in a shallow tin, stirring hard every 45 minutes for 3 hours. Freeze at least 6 hours (or overnight) in a shallow lidded container, then let it sit 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.
Dark brown scoops of ice cream in a bowl with a few cocoa dust specks on the rim
AI-generated illustration

#4 Chocolate Branch

Platinum

Step 5 with unsweetened cocoa whisked in.

Per serving: 18.6g protein · 108 kcal · 69% (est.)

about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch) · Prep 15 min · Cook 0 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

  • Skim milk: 300 g
  • Plain nonfat Greek yogurt (Fage Total 0%) (2.5 label servings of 170 g): 420 g
  • Naked Whey, unflavored (1 label serving of 30 g): 30 g
  • Micellar casein powder (Naked Casein) (1 label serving of 30 g): 30 g
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder: 30 g
  • Zero-calorie powdered sweetener, to taste: 18 g
  • Vanilla extract: 8 g
Products used (label panel values)
  • Naked Nutrition Naked Casein — manufacturer page (nakednutrition.com), seen 2026-10-24
  • Naked Nutrition Naked Whey — manufacturer page (nakednutrition.com), seen 2026-10-24
  • Fage Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt — retailer label copies (stopandshop.com, hannaford.com), seen 2026-10-24 Retailer copies for the 16 oz tub agree on 90 kcal and 18 g protein per 3/4 cup (170 g); the manufacturer page was not loaded, so this stays at retailer level.

Method

  1. Sift the cocoa into the skim milk and whisk until no dry pockets remain, then whisk in the whey, casein and sweetener.
  2. Whisk that into the yogurt and vanilla and chill 30 minutes.
  3. Churn in a machine, or freeze in a shallow tin, stirring hard every 45 minutes for 3 hours. Freeze at least 6 hours (or overnight) in a shallow lidded container, then let it sit 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.
Pink ice cream scoops in a bowl topped with a halved fresh strawberry
AI-generated illustration

#5 Strawberry Branch

Platinum

Step 5 with strawberries blended in for flavor.

Per serving: 16.8g protein · 101 kcal · 66.6% (est.)

about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch) · Prep 15 min · Cook 0 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

  • Skim milk: 100 g
  • Strawberries: 300 g
  • Plain nonfat Greek yogurt (Fage Total 0%) (2.5 label servings of 170 g): 420 g
  • Naked Whey, unflavored (1 label serving of 30 g): 30 g
  • Micellar casein powder (Naked Casein) (1 label serving of 30 g): 30 g
  • Zero-calorie powdered sweetener, to taste: 12 g
  • Vanilla extract: 8 g
Products used (label panel values)
  • Naked Nutrition Naked Casein — manufacturer page (nakednutrition.com), seen 2026-10-24
  • Naked Nutrition Naked Whey — manufacturer page (nakednutrition.com), seen 2026-10-24
  • Fage Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt — retailer label copies (stopandshop.com, hannaford.com), seen 2026-10-24 Retailer copies for the 16 oz tub agree on 90 kcal and 18 g protein per 3/4 cup (170 g); the manufacturer page was not loaded, so this stays at retailer level.

Method

  1. Blend the strawberries with the skim milk until smooth, then whisk in the whey, casein and sweetener until no lumps remain.
  2. Whisk that into the yogurt and vanilla and chill 30 minutes.
  3. Churn in a machine, or freeze in a shallow tin, stirring hard every 45 minutes for 3 hours. Freeze at least 6 hours (or overnight) in a shallow lidded container, then let it sit 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.
Firm white scoops in a bowl with a light dusting of frost on the surface
AI-generated illustration

#6 Step 3: Zero-Calorie Sweetener

Platinum

The sugar is replaced by a zero-calorie sweetener.

Per serving: 9.1g protein · 58 kcal · 62.9% (est.) · 4.7g carbs · 0g fat

about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch) · Prep 15 min · Cook 0 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

  • Skim milk: 300 g
  • Plain nonfat Greek yogurt (Fage Total 0%) (2.5 label servings of 170 g): 420 g
  • Zero-calorie powdered sweetener, to taste: 12 g
  • Vanilla extract: 8 g
Products used (label panel values)
  • Fage Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt — retailer label copies (stopandshop.com, hannaford.com), seen 2026-10-24 Retailer copies for the 16 oz tub agree on 90 kcal and 18 g protein per 3/4 cup (170 g); the manufacturer page was not loaded, so this stays at retailer level.

Method

  1. Whisk the sweetener into the skim milk until dissolved, then whisk into the yogurt and vanilla until smooth.
  2. Chill 30 minutes.
  3. Churn in a machine, or freeze in a shallow tin, stirring hard every 45 minutes for 3 hours. Freeze at least 6 hours (or overnight) in a shallow lidded container, then let it sit 5 to 10 minutes before scooping. Without sugar it freezes harder, so give it extra time to soften.
Pale scoops of smooth ice cream in a bowl beside a small tub of cottage cheese
AI-generated illustration

#7 Step 2 (alternative): Cottage Cheese Base

Gold

Blended 2% cottage cheese replaces 420 g of the skim milk instead of the yogurt.

Per serving: 10.6g protein · 162 kcal · 26.2% (est.) · 26.9g carbs · 1.3g fat

about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch) · Prep 15 min · Cook 0 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

  • Skim milk: 300 g
  • Good Culture 2% low-fat cottage cheese, blended very smooth (3.8 label servings of 110 g): 420 g
  • Granulated sugar: 130 g
  • Vanilla extract: 8 g
Products used (label panel values)
  • Good Culture 2% Low-Fat Cottage Cheese — manufacturer page (goodculture.com, shoprite.com), seen 2026-10-28 Manufacturer page confirms the 110 g serving (1/2 cup), 90 kcal, 14 g protein and 2 g fat; retailer copies still disagree on calories (80 to 100 kcal), which is noted here rather than used. Good Culture also sells a non-organic Simply 2% line.

Method

  1. Blend the cottage cheese with the skim milk until it is completely smooth with no curds left, scraping down the sides a couple of times.
  2. Blend in the sugar and vanilla, then chill 30 minutes.
  3. Churn in a machine, or freeze in a shallow tin, stirring hard every 45 minutes for 3 hours. Freeze at least 6 hours (or overnight) in a shallow lidded container, then let it sit 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.
Thick off-white frozen yogurt scoops in a ceramic bowl with a spoon resting beside them
AI-generated illustration

#8 Step 2: Greek Yogurt Base

Gold

Nonfat Greek yogurt replaces 420 g of the skim milk; the sugar stays in.

Per serving: 9.1g protein · 142 kcal · 25.7% (est.) · 26.4g carbs · 0g fat

about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch) · Prep 15 min · Cook 0 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

  • Skim milk: 300 g
  • Plain nonfat Greek yogurt (Fage Total 0%) (2.5 label servings of 170 g): 420 g
  • Granulated sugar: 130 g
  • Vanilla extract: 8 g
Products used (label panel values)
  • Fage Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt — retailer label copies (stopandshop.com, hannaford.com), seen 2026-10-24 Retailer copies for the 16 oz tub agree on 90 kcal and 18 g protein per 3/4 cup (170 g); the manufacturer page was not loaded, so this stays at retailer level.

Method

  1. Whisk the sugar into the skim milk until dissolved, then whisk that into the yogurt along with the vanilla until completely smooth.
  2. Chill 30 minutes.
  3. Churn in a machine, or freeze in a shallow tin, stirring hard every 45 minutes for 3 hours. Freeze at least 6 hours (or overnight) in a shallow lidded container, then let it sit 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.
Smooth white scoops of ice cream in a small glass dish, slightly more matte than the custard version
AI-generated illustration

#9 Step 1: Skim-Milk Base

Avoid

The cream and yolks come out and skim milk replaces them; the ladder row shows the change in protein, calories and density.

Per serving: 4g protein · 128 kcal · 12.6% (est.) · 27.8g carbs · 0.1g fat

about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch) · Prep 15 min · Cook 5 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

  • Skim milk: 720 g
  • Granulated sugar: 130 g
  • Vanilla extract: 8 g

Method

  1. Warm a third of the milk with the sugar until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the rest of the milk and the vanilla.
  2. Chill until very cold.
  3. Churn in a machine, or freeze in a shallow tin, stirring hard every 45 minutes for 3 hours. Freeze at least 6 hours (or overnight) in a shallow lidded container, then let it sit 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.
Scoop of pale cream-colored vanilla ice cream flecked with vanilla seeds in a white bowl
AI-generated illustration

#10 Classic Custard Ice Cream (baseline)

Avoid

The traditional premium vanilla: heavy cream, whole milk, egg yolks and a generous amount of sugar. This is the baseline every swap is measured against.

Per serving: 6g protein · 377 kcal · 6.3% (est.) · 27g carbs · 27.6g fat

about 1 cup (1/6 of the batch) · Prep 20 min · Cook 15 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

  • Heavy whipping cream: 360 g
  • Whole milk: 360 g
  • Egg yolks (about 5.3 large egg yolks): 90 g
  • Granulated sugar: 130 g
  • Vanilla extract: 8 g

Method

  1. Warm the cream, milk and half the sugar in a saucepan until steaming, not boiling.
  2. Whisk the yolks with the remaining sugar, then pour in a ladleful of the hot liquid while whisking, and stir the mixture back into the pan.
  3. Cook over low heat, stirring, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain, stir in the vanilla, and chill until cold.
  4. Churn in an ice cream machine, or freeze in a shallow tin and stir hard every 45 minutes for 3 hours. Freeze at least 6 hours (or overnight) in a shallow lidded container, then let it sit 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.

Versus store-bought

Label servings differ from recipe servings, so compare density and grams of protein per 100 kcal, not grams per serving. Only the products we track are shown.

Store-bought product Density g / 100 cal Compared with Recipe density Recipe g / 100 cal
Halo Top Vanilla Bean Pint
5g protein, 90 kcal per 85 g label serving — retailer label copies (foodlion.com, giantfoodstores.com, heb.com), seen 2026-10-24
Retailer copies show a 2/3 cup serving at 90 kcal and 5 g protein; the 85 g serving weight is not printed on them.
 22.2% Silver 5.6g Step 5: Whey Plus Casein 73.1% Platinum 18.3g
Yasso Sea Salt Caramel Greek Yogurt Bar
4g protein, 100 kcal per 65 g label serving — retailer label copies (hannaford.com, stopandshop.com, giantfoodstores.com), seen 2026-10-24
This is the 4 ct 14 oz 'Sea Salt Caramel' box, not the separate 'Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Crunch' bar (150 kcal). The per-bar serving weight is not printed on the copies checked; the 65 g in this record is unverified.
 16% Silver 4g Step 2: Greek Yogurt Base 25.7% Gold 6.4g

Protein Ice Cream FAQ

Which protein ice cream recipe has the most protein?

Alternative: Single-Pint Machine Pint (Ninja Creami-style) has the most protein among 9 of the 10 protein ice cream recipes ranked here (excluding the baseline, Classic Custard Ice Cream; it is shown for comparison): 30.2g per serving (168 kcal, 71.8% Protein Density, Platinum tier). Step 5: Whey Plus Casein has the highest density at 73.1%. The baseline, Classic Custard Ice Cream, has 6g per serving at 6.3% (Avoid tier).

How much protein is in a serving of protein ice cream?

Across the 9 rebuilt recipes (excluding the baseline, Classic Custard Ice Cream), a serving has 4g to 30.2g of protein. The baseline (Classic Custard Ice Cream) has 6g per serving. Serving sizes are defined on each recipe card and differ between recipes, and all figures are estimates computed from USDA ingredient data.

Can I make protein ice cream without protein powder?

Yes. Step 2 (alternative): Cottage Cheese Base uses no powder and reaches 10.6g protein per serving (26.2% Protein Density, Gold tier). 4 of the 9 rebuilt recipes use no protein powder.

How do protein ice cream recipes with protein powder compare with powder-free ones?

The highest-density recipe with protein powder is Step 5: Whey Plus Casein at 73.1% (Platinum tier); the highest-density powder-free recipe is Step 3: Zero-Calorie Sweetener at 62.9% (Platinum tier). The recipes differ in other ingredients as well, so the gap is not attributable to the powder alone.

Which swap adds the most protein to protein ice cream?

Among the main-ladder steps (alternatives to a step and serving ideas are not compared), Step 4: Whey Protein Added adds the most protein in a single step: +8.3g per serving (9.1g to 17.4g), +40 kcal, taking density from 62.9% to 71.2%.

Can a swap lower protein and still improve density?

Yes. Step 1: Skim-Milk Base: Protein drops 2g but density rises 6.3% because calories fall 249 kcal. Density rises because it is a ratio of protein to calories.

NEXT IN THIS GROUP Protein tiramisu, ranked Another dessert rebuilt swap by swap, with the trade-offs shown. OPEN CROSS THE DATASET Protein powders by leucine The whey and casein used in the powder rungs, ranked by leucine per serving. OPEN UNDERSTAND THE METRIC How Protein Density is scored The formula, tier thresholds and sources behind every ranking on this page. OPEN
All recipes Every recipe family, ranked by Protein Density. →
Estimate — honest disclosure: Estimate. Macros are computed from USDA SR-Legacy ingredient data (and, for protein powders, the manufacturer nutrition panel) for the ingredient weights shown, divided by the stated number of servings. Brands, ingredient substitutions and cooking losses change real-world numbers. These are our own formulations and have not been kitchen-tested. Ingredient FDC IDs are recorded for every USDA-sourced ingredient; protein powders use the manufacturer nutrition panel. Servings are as stated on each recipe, and syrup, butter on top and other toppings are not counted. See methodology for the scoring formula and sources.
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