Ninja Creami Swirl: Soft-Serve Swirls + Best Recipes
By Marty Cole · June 24, 2026
The Ninja Creami Swirl (model NC701, sold as the Scoop and Swirl) is the Creami with a soft-serve machine bolted on. If you have ever wanted to pull a swirl of soft serve into a cone at home, this is the one that does it. Here is what it actually adds and how to get the most out of it.
What is different about the Swirl
Everything the regular Creami does, the Swirl does too: you freeze a base in a pint for about 24 hours, then spin it into ice cream, gelato, sorbet, or a protein pint. The new part is soft serve. Per SharkNinja, the Swirl runs 13 programs total and adds six soft-serve programs (Soft Serve, Fruit Whip, Frozen Custard, CreamiFit, Swirled Frozen Yogurt, and Lite Ice Cream), plus an integrated dispensing nozzle and a three-speed handle. So instead of scooping, you pull a lever and dispense a swirl straight into a cone or bowl.
A couple of things to know: it uses its own 2-in-1 pints that are not cross-compatible with older Creami models, and it costs noticeably more than a classic Creami Deluxe. If you only ever scoop, you do not need it. If the swirl is the whole appeal, it is the only model that does it.
Best recipes to run on the Swirl
Any Creami recipe works, but the ones that show off the soft-serve dispensing are the smooth, creamy bases:
- Protein soft serve. A vanilla bean protein base dispensed as soft serve is the healthy-feeling treat this machine was made for. Keep a little fat and sugar in it so it swirls smooth (see the not-creamy fix).
- Classic swirl. A rich Dutch chocolate dispenses into a beautiful dark swirl.
- Gelato and fruit whip. Denser bases like pistachio gelato and fruit-forward ones like strawberry sorbet both do well on the fruit-whip and soft-serve settings.
How to get a clean swirl
The soft-serve programs want a base that is smooth and not too hard. If your swirl comes out crumbly or stiff, it is the same fix as a regular Creami: a touch more fat or sugar, and re-spin before you dispense. A base that is too lean freezes too hard for the nozzle to push cleanly.
New to the Creami side of things in general? The mix-in guide and sorbet guide both apply to the Swirl too.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Ninja Creami Swirl do that the regular Creami does not?
It adds soft serve. Per SharkNinja, the Swirl (NC701) runs 13 programs including six soft-serve programs and has an integrated dispensing nozzle with a three-speed handle, so you can dispense a swirl into a cone instead of scooping. It still does everything the regular Creami does.
Are Ninja Creami Swirl pints compatible with the older Creami?
No. The Swirl uses its own 2-in-1 pints that are not cross-compatible with older Creami models, so buy pints made for the Swirl.
Is the Ninja Creami Swirl worth it over the Deluxe?
Only if you want the soft-serve swirl function. It costs noticeably more than a Creami Deluxe. If you are happy scooping, the Deluxe does the ice cream, gelato, and sorbet for less. If pulling a soft-serve swirl is the appeal, the Swirl is the only model that does it.
Recipes from this guide
Get the machine
Ninja SLUSHi Frozen Drink Maker
The 64 oz machine every Slushi recipe here is tuned for.
Check price →Ninja SLUSHi Twist (2 Flavors at Once)
Dual-tank Slushi: two flavors at once, up to 20% ABV.
Check price →Ninja CREAMi Ice Cream Maker
Turn frozen bases into ice cream, gelato & sorbet.
Check price →Ninja CREAMi Deluxe (11-in-1)
Bigger pints and more programs for serious batchers.
Check price →Ninja CREAMi Swirl
Soft-serve style swirls straight from the machine.
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