Artisan stracciatella gelato for the Ninja Creami Deluxe with a silky vanilla base and delicate hand-drizzled dark chocolate flakes for a classic Italian finish.
Prep time
25 min
Cook time
10 min
Total time
24 hr 35 min
Servings
6
Time Plan
25 min active · 24 hr 35 min total
- Make and chill the gelato base25 min
- Freeze until solid24 hr
Recipe Snapshot
DifficultyEasy
MealDessert
Meal PrepExcellent
Freezer FriendlyYes
Family FriendlyYes
CuisineItalian
Chef's Tips
Use a good-quality 70 percent dark chocolate for the cleanest flavour and best snap.
Freeze the base in the Ninja Creami Deluxe container on a completely level surface for at least 16 hours, ideally 24 hours, for the most even spin.
If the frozen top domes upward, scrape off a thin layer before spinning so the container sits flat in the machine.
Drizzle the chocolate in by hand after spinning rather than using Mix-In if you want finer, more traditional stracciatella flakes.
Tools Used
Saucepan(opens in a new tab)Whisk(opens in a new tab)Immersion Blender(opens in a new tab)Mixing Bowl(opens in a new tab)Spatula(opens in a new tab)
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Ingredients
Ingredients
Servings
6 servings1×
Scale
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Gelato Base
Stracciatella Chocolate
Instructions
Gelato Base
- 1
Whisk the milk powder, caster sugar, xanthan gum, and fine sea salt together in a small bowl.
- 2
Put the whole milk, double cream, and glucose syrup into a saucepan.
- 3
Heat gently over medium-low heat until warm, about 45 to 50C, but do not let it simmer.
- 4
Gradually whisk in the dry mixture until fully smooth.
- 5
Continue heating and stirring until the base reaches about 70 to 75C, without boiling.
- 6
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste.
- 7
Blend with an immersion blender for about 30 seconds if you have one, then cool the base quickly.
Freeze and Spin
- 1
Pour the cold base into one Ninja Creami Deluxe container.
- 2
Freeze it on a completely level surface for at least 16 hours, ideally 24 hours.
- 3
If the top domes during freezing, scrape off a thin layer to flatten it before spinning.
- 4
Run the Gelato program.
- 5
If the texture looks slightly crumbly after the first spin, run Re-Spin once without adding liquid.
Stracciatella Chocolate
- 1
Melt the dark chocolate with the optional coconut oil in short bursts until smooth.
- 2
Let the chocolate cool for 2 to 3 minutes so it stays fluid but is no longer extremely hot.
- 3
Leave the freshly spun gelato in the Ninja Creami container.
- 4
Stir the gelato gently in slow circular motions while very slowly drizzling in the melted chocolate.
- 5
Fold only enough to distribute the chocolate so it hardens into fine, delicate flakes rather than large chunks.
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Learn More
Everything you want to know about this recipe.
Ninja Creami Deluxe Stracciatella Gelato
Ninja Creami Deluxe Stracciatella Gelato
This Ninja Creami Deluxe stracciatella gelato is built to mimic the classic Italian style, where thin ribbons of melted chocolate hit cold gelato and set into fragile flakes. That gives you a cleaner, more delicate texture than folding in chopped chocolate or standard chips.
The base itself is a simple vanilla gelato with enough milk solids, glucose, and stabiliser support to spin smoothly and hold a dense, creamy body. Once the gelato is spun, the chocolate is added by hand so you stay in control of the flake size.
Why This Recipe Works
Why This Recipe Works
Stracciatella is really about contrast. The gelato needs to stay smooth and mellow so the chocolate stands out in thin shards rather than heavy chunks. Using a fluid, slightly cooled melted chocolate gives you that effect much more reliably than stirring in ready-made chips.
The base is also balanced to work well in the Ninja Creami Deluxe. Milk powder, glucose syrup, and a small amount of xanthan gum help the frozen base spin more evenly and give the finished gelato a more polished texture.
Creami Deluxe Tips
Creami Deluxe Tips
Freeze the base fully flat in the Ninja Creami Deluxe container for at least 16 hours, but aim for 24 hours when possible. A longer, level freeze usually gives the most even first spin.
If the surface rises into a dome while freezing, scrape a thin layer off before running the Gelato program. That helps the tub sit properly in the machine and keeps the spin more consistent.
When adding the chocolate, work slowly and avoid aggressive stirring. A gentle drizzle and light folding motion are what create the fine stracciatella flakes.
Portion Guidance for Goals
Portion Guidance for Goals
Treat this as a rich dessert rather than a light snack. One modest scoop or a small bowl is usually enough because the gelato is dense and satisfying.
When to Eat
When to Eat
This works well as a make-ahead freezer dessert when you want something more refined than a quick ice cream base, especially for dinner guests or warm weather weekends.
Balance Tip
Balance Tip
Stracciatella gelato does not need extra sauces. If you want to dress it up, finish with a few extra curls of dark chocolate rather than syrup so the texture stays clean and not overly sweet.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 portion (about 115 g)
Calories 20310%
% Reference Intake*
Total Fat 11g16%
Saturated Fat 7g35%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 31mg
Sodium 56mg
Total Carbohydrates 22g8%
Dietary Fiber 1g
Sugars 18g20%
Protein 4g8%
* Reference intakes are based on an average adult's 8,400 kJ / 2,000 kcal diet. Your needs may be higher or lower.
FAQs
Why drizzle the chocolate by hand instead of using Mix-In?
Hand-drizzling creates thinner, more delicate chocolate flakes that are closer to classic stracciatella gelato. The Mix-In program tends to leave larger chocolate pieces.
Why freeze it for 24 hours if 16 hours is enough?
Sixteen hours is the practical minimum, but 24 hours usually gives a more even freeze and a more predictable first spin in the Ninja Creami Deluxe.
Do I need the coconut oil in the chocolate?
No. It is optional. It only helps the melted chocolate drizzle a little more thinly and set into finer flakes.
Can I make the base ahead of time?
Yes. Freeze the base in the same Ninja Creami Deluxe container you plan to spin in, then keep it frozen until you are ready to process it.
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Miriam S.
· 5 Aug 2026This tasted much closer to proper gelato than versions made with chocolate chips. The texture was smoother and the flakes were finer.
Ben T.
· 5 Aug 2026I froze the base for the full 24 hours and scraped the top flat first. It spun much more evenly that way.
Laura C.
· 5 Aug 2026Drizzling the chocolate by hand made a huge difference. The flakes stayed thin and crisp instead of turning into chunks.
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