5 Ninja ice cream recipes that truly smell like summer

There are flavors that instantly conjure up summer. The first granita of the season, a sorbet made with perfectly ripe apricots, an iced mojito as an aperitif. These five recipes are the ones we make every year as soon as the temperature rises, because they are simple, impressive, and capture something that supermarket ice cream will never be able to replicate: the taste of good fruit at the right time.

Why summer is the best season to take your Ninja out

The Ninja CREAMi and SLUSHi are available year-round, but summer gives them an advantage that other seasons don't: fruit. A strawberry sorbet in January made with imported fruit yields a decent result. The same sorbet made with strawberries bought at the market in June is something completely different—more fragrant, naturally sweeter, requiring less added sugar, and truly tasting like what you were looking for.

That's the real strength of these machines: they faithfully reproduce the quality of what you put in them. The better the fruit, the better the result. Summer is the season when this equation is most in your favor.

Another advantage of the season is the opportunity it offers. A sorbet served at the table after a meal on the patio, a granita prepared in advance for drinks with friends—the machine fits perfectly into this more relaxed and social way of life. These five recipes were chosen for that reason too: they're made to be shared.

1. Watermelon sorbet — two ingredients, guaranteed results

Watermelon is probably the fruit most associated with summer in the collective imagination. There's a reason for that: it's 92% water, naturally sweet, and has that instantly recognizable taste that triggers something in the brain from the very first bite. As a sorbet, it yields a remarkably light—almost ethereal—resulting in a vibrant red color that requires no artificial coloring.

The base is simply watermelon flesh blended with a little coconut water to bind it. You pour it into the container, freeze it for 24 hours, and the Sorbet setting does the rest. If you want to take it a step further, a few fresh mint leaves in the blender before freezing add an extra refreshing dimension, and a touch of lime zest enhances the flavor without making it heavy.

This sorbet is also perfect for not wasting anything: half a watermelon that had been waiting in the fridge since last night has found its purpose.

Machine: Ninja CREAMi or Swirl — Mode: Sorbet
→ See the full recipe

2. Apricot sorbet — the scent of summer concentrated in a jar

The ripe apricot is perhaps the fruit least forgiving of mistakes. Bought too early or too far from its origin, it's bland and cottony. Bought at the right time—preferably at the market, a vibrant orange, slightly soft to the touch—it's one of the most fragrant fruits in existence. And in a sorbet, that fragrance is concentrated in a truly astonishing way.

Three ingredients are all you need: ripe apricots, a little sugar, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Blend, pour into a jar, freeze, and stir. The resulting color is magnificent—a deep orange that no artificial coloring can truly replicate. And if the fruit is sweetened just right, the texture is remarkably smooth from the very first blend.

The game-changing trick: add a few basil leaves to the blender before freezing. The apricot-basil combination is surprising at first bite, and you'll be asking for seconds immediately. For those with a sweet tooth, a drizzle of honey just before serving—the combination is perfect.

This sorbet is also one of the best introductions to the CREAMi for someone discovering the machine, because the result is immediately convincing, with very little technique.

Machine: Ninja CREAMi or Swirl — Mode: Sorbet
→ See the full recipe

3. Homemade lemonade granita — the alcohol-free drink you really choose

Homemade lemonade has long since transcended its status as a children's drink. Made with freshly squeezed lemons, balanced in sugar, and ice-cold—it's a serious beverage, and it deserves a better fate than a glass with ice cubes that melts in ten minutes.

Transformed into a granita with SLUSHi, it becomes something else entirely: a crystalline texture that melts slowly on the tongue, a pure lemon flavor preserved without dilution, and a refreshing acidity that truly quenches thirst. And contrary to what you might think, it's often the recipe adults choose first from those in this guide—not because they don't drink alcohol, but because it's simply better than anything you can find in a bottle.

The recipe is simple: freshly squeezed lemon juice, water, and sugar, poured directly into the reservoir. The Iced Juice mode takes care of the rest in about thirty minutes. For presentation, rub the rim of the glass with a lemon slice and turn it upside down in granulated sugar for that sweet, frosted edge that contrasts perfectly with the granita's acidity.

Machine: Ninja SLUSHi or SLUSHi MAX — Mode: Frozen Juice
→ See the full recipe

4. The iced mojito — the aperitif that changes everything

The mojito is one of the most imitated and least successful cocktails in the world. The bar version, often hastily made with bagged mint leaves and bottled lime juice, regularly disappoints. The homemade version with SLUSHi, on the other hand, has everything going for it to be truly good—because you choose your ingredients.

High-quality white rum, ice-cold lemon-lime soda, mint syrup, and freshly squeezed lime juice. All in the reservoir, Iced Cocktail mode. The machine maintains the optimal temperature throughout the cycle, which lasts between 30 and 42 minutes depending on the starting temperature. This isn't a recipe to whip up five minutes before guests arrive—it's a recipe to prepare in advance, and that's precisely what makes it so appealing: while you welcome your guests, the SLUSHi takes care of the drinks.

Two practical details that make a real difference: use ingredients straight from the fridge to reduce freezing time, and place your glasses in the freezer for at least 15 minutes before serving. A frosted glass radically changes the experience—the first sip is a burst of freshness, and the granita stays cold all the way to the bottom.

Machine: Ninja SLUSHi or SLUSHi MAX — Mode: Frozen Cocktail (contains alcohol)
→ See the full recipe

5. The Iced Hugo Spritz — the floral aperitif that's got people talking

The Hugo Spritz took a few years to establish itself against its Aperol-based cousin, but it has finally dethroned it in many circles—and it's easy to see why. Elderflower liqueur brings a delicate, floral dimension that Aperol simply can't match, and combined with Prosecco and sparkling water, it creates something elegant and incredibly easy to drink.

In granita form, this balance is even more pronounced. The Prosecco bubbles partially persist in the icy texture, giving it an almost effervescent quality. The elderflower flavor is more distinct than in the liquid version. And visually, served in a frosted glass with a few mint leaves, it's the kind of drink that brings conversation to a standstill.

The most important tip for this recipe: don't skimp on the Prosecco. A decent DOC or DOCG will give a radically superior result to an entry-level sparkling wine, because the aromas are released directly into the granita without being masked by anything else. This is perhaps the recipe in this guide where the quality of the ingredients matters most.

Machine: Ninja SLUSHi or SLUSHi MAX — Mode: Frozen Cocktail (contains alcohol)
→ See the full recipe

The basic rules to make it work every time

For CREAMi and Swirl recipes, there is only one rule that is absolutely non-negotiable: 24 hours of freezing at a minimum of -18°C. This is the number one reason beginners fail. A base that isn't cold enough results in a grainy, runny texture coming out of the machine. If you're in a hurry but still want good results, use store-bought ice cream as a base and go straight to the Re-spin—it works great with the Milkshake or Mix-In.

If your ice cream comes out too compact on the first spin—which often happens when the freezer is set below -21°C—a few seconds of re-spin usually solves the problem. The machine is designed to operate within a range of -12°C to -21°C: if your freezer is colder, let the container sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before starting the program.

For SLUSHi recipes, the key principle to remember is that the ingredients must contain sugar For the frosting process to work correctly, naturally sweet fruit juices will work without adding sugar, but for drinks with less sugar, a tablespoon of sugar or syrup is enough. The SLUSHi will even alert you if your mixture isn't sweet enough—that's one of the advantages of SlushAssist on the MAX model.

And last but not least: the quality of the fruit makes all the difference in a sorbet. A perfectly ripe apricot bought at the market and an imported apricot out of season will not give the same result, regardless of the power of your machine.