Your new favorite ice cream recipe is just a scoop away thanks to our Maple Oatmeal Cookie Dough Ice Cream recipe made with Lifeway Kefir and Farmer Cheese! This healthy dessert is filled with seasonal flavor and a touch of indulgence from real maple syrup, oats, and almond butter used to make the cookie dough swirls, while our kefir and farmer cheese pack in the protein along with live and active cultures for better gut health.
This healthy ice cream is the perfect way to celebrate the fall season to its fullest and one you can feel good about from start to finish. Smooth, creamy, rich, and naturally sweet, it hits all the right spots and textures that you love about ice cream—without all the artificial ingredients, stabilizers, and refined sugars found in store-bought varieties.
Even better, this easy ice cream recipe can be made in a Ninja Creami® or without one using our easy no-churn method. It’s also adaptable if you want to include additional mix-ins of your choice. No matter how you prepare it, you can be sure this recipe supports your gut health, muscles, and bone health since it’s made with Lifeway Kefir. Our kefir is the perfect replacement to milk and cream in ice cream recipes thanks to its incredible texture, and it contains live probiotic cultures that keep your ice cream the perfect consistency while also helping aid digestion. Freezing for short time periods won’t completely diminish the cultures, and most of them will remain alive and active once you eat the ice cream.
Our farmer cheese is another secret weapon in this Maple Oatmeal Cookie Dough Ice Cream recipe. You won’t ever taste it, but it packs in the protein with a mild flavor and adds a delicious richness that’s hard to beat. Unlike cottage cheese ice cream recipes out there, there’s no pre-blending required before you use our farmer cheese. It’s ready to use right out of the container, and its smooth, whipped texture is a dream to make desserts with.
So scoop your way to better gut health, and enjoy every bite of this seasonal Maple Oatmeal Cookie Dough Ice Cream in the process. We hope you love it!
The Benefits of Cultured Dairy for Better Health:
Research continues to show the importance of eating healthy foods, including cultured dairy such as kefir, for optimal digestion and gut health, a strong immune system, and to support the microbiome. Fermented foods like kefir hold important value in this line of research due to the link between the gut-brain axis and overall health. Specifically, kefir has been shown to help diversify the microbiome, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, support healthier blood sugar levels, and improve satiety since the bioavailable protein it contains triggers the release of GLP-1.
Lifeway Kefir is packed with a variety of vital nutrients important for overall health, including bone and muscle health; these include vitamin D3, K, calcium, and vitamin B12. Along with our probiotic-rich kefir, Lifeway also offers artisan-made Farmer Cheese, a creamy, high-protein cheese made with live and active cultures to support healthy muscles and a healthy microbiome. Lifeway Farmer Cheese is easy to spread, free of gums and thickeners, and contains no added salt or sugar for optimal health benefits.
Prep Time: Varies Servings: 2-3Ingredients
For the Ice Cream Base:
- 1 1/2 cups Lowfat Plain Kefir
- *or use our Whole Milk Kefir for a richer texture and less tart flavor
- 1 cup Farmer Cheese
- *or 1 cup mashed banana if you don't have our Farmer Cheese on hand or in stores near you
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract (or alcohol-free vanilla flavoring)
For the Oatmeal Cookie Dough Swirls:
- 1/4 cup quick oats (use gluten-free if needed)
- 1-2 tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup raw almond butter (or roasted for a richer flavor)
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Directions
Make the Oatmeal Cookie Dough Pieces for the Swirls:
Line a large plate with parchment paper. Add almond butter, maple syrup, quick oats, and cinnamon to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir with a rubber spatula until the ingredients are fully combined, and a thick dough forms. Add more oats, one tablespoon at a time, to thicken dough if necessary. Roll dough into small balls and place on your prepared plate. Make sure that the pieces aren't touching. Cover and freeze dough until firm, at least 2-3 hours.- After the cookie dough bites are frozen and firm, make the ice cream base below using whichever method you're choosing to make the ice cream with.
For the Ice Cream Base - No Churn Method:
Place all the base ingredients in a food processor or a blender and process until smooth. Pour ice cream base into a freezer-safe container and mix/stir in the frozen cookie dough pieces. You can add in chunks or use a hand mixer to make them into swirls. Tightly seal your container and freeze for 5-6 hours. Let ice cream soften on the counter for 5-10 minutes before serving.For the Ice Cream Base - Ninja Creami® method:
Place all the base ingredients in a food processor or a blender and process until smooth. Pour the ice cream base mixture into a Ninja Creami pint and freeze for at least 24 hours. Process ice cream in the Ninja Creami using the “Lite Ice Cream” setting. “Respin” to improve the texture if needed. Use a spoon to create a well in the center of your ice cream, and add the oatmeal cookie dough pieces. Process with the “Mix-In” setting to incorporate them as swirls or chunks, depending on how long you process it.Optional Mix-Ins:
Mix these in with your cookie dough swirls and/or add them on top when serving if you want flavor variations! Options include; Chopped/sliced nuts (walnuts, almonds, or pecans), dark chocolate chips, Raisins for an oatmeal raisin cookie dough flavor, or additional spices (ex: ginger, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice).
- This ice cream base can be made ahead a couple of days depending on which method you want to use. Be sure to keep it covered so it doesn't freezer burn if making ahead. If using a Creami®, be sure to wait until you're ready to enjoy before adding the cookie dough pieces or other mix-ins.
