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Ninja Slushi Dole Whip Recipe: How to Recreate the Disney Icons Pineapple Soft Serve at Home (Without Watering down the Taste)
You need not be told: it is not ordinary pineapple ice cream, when you have stood in a long line in a theme park just to get a frosty cup of Dole Whip. And it is bright, tropical, ultra creamy as well as somehow light. Dole Whip is a dairy free soft serve served through a machine in the parks and most of us have tried some versions of blenders (some with ice cream) at home, to mixed success. Here, I will demonstrate how to prepare a Ninja SLUSHitm Dole Whip that does not thin out the strong taste of pineapples and a blender technique in case you do not have the machine. The brief history, how to make it (slush) (sugar percentage, temperature, texture), dairy free and vegan, and many fix it tips will be included, so it will look (and taste) like the original.
Brief history:
Dole Whip originated in the mid-1980s as a dairy-free pineapple soft serve sponsored by Disney on its Enchanted Tiki Room, subsequently gaining a cult following as refreshing, vegan (pineapple and other fruit flavors), gluten free, and lower-calorie than most of the other snacks available at the park. Disney even released a home version in 2020, based on vanilla ice cream, pineapple juice, and frozen pineapple- good in a rapid blender correction, but not the dairy free formula used in the parks.
You will find two full recipes (Ninja SLUSHi and blender), adjusted to that smooth, pipeable texture and aggressive pineapple burst–and choices in the event that you desire the swirl to be vegan and refined sugar savvy. And when you happen to be in a hot climate (I can see you, summer heat!), then the SLUSHi technique is dreamy: no ice, no dilution, and you can leave it at dispense ready texture over hours to the point of a party.
So what is Dole Whip about making Dole Whip? (A Short, Juicy History)
Dole Whip, also known as Dole Soft Serve, was conceived in the early 80s when Dole Food Company invented a shelf stable, dairy free soft serve mix that was able to withstand Florida heat. It first opened at Walt Disney World in 1984 as Dole Pineapple Whip and at Disneyland in 1986–and has since become associated with the parks, around the Enchanted Tiki Room. The concept was straightforward; offer one tropical, dairy free swirl, which visitors of numerous diets could savor. The flavors increased with time not only to pineapple, but pineapple is the icon.
In terms of diet, the fruit flavors of Dole Soft Serve are promoted as dairy free, gluten free, cholesterol free, and (with fruit flavors) vegan, which is a massive factor that made it become popular among a wide range of people. Beyond the parks, the identical soft serve confection is also sold to foodservice (and subsequently even retail), and is usually made by adding water to a powder and swirling in a soft serve machine, hence the fine and creamy consistency that is difficult to achieve without churning.
In the 2020 lockdown, Disney had released a home blender version – frozen pineapple + pineapple juice + vanilla ice cream, which was widely reported in the press. It is tasty, quick and simple but not the in park dairy free soft serve, it is a nod in the home friendly direction. A blender technique will be provided below, and a dairy free one will be closer to the essence of the original.
More Recipes: Ninja Slushi Orange Julius Recipe
Why Dole Whip at Home Is a Sleeper Hit with the Ninja SLUSHitm
The texture of soft serve is a product of two factors; the micro sized ice crystals and air (overrun). The classic blenders are pulverizing and heating simultaneously; they can also produce a delicious pineapple shake, although it is difficult to achieve the same creamy spoonable slush with neither ice cream nor stabilizers. The Ninja SLUSHitm Professional Frozen Drink Maker (FS301) chills without the use of any ice and scrapes into smooth slush, then leaves the flavor of pineapple intact as a concentrate. It also has a freeze level control to tweak the thickness and a built in logic to indicate mixes too low in sugar (won’t freeze well) or too sweet/alcoholic (won’t set) which you will see in the temperature lights.
There are two facts about machines that are vital in relation to Dole Whip:
Minimum sugar: The SLUSHi requires at least a minimum of sugar (in the liquid) of at least ~4 percent or it will beep/flash a low sugar warning. Pineapple juice and fruit are natural sources of sugars and a small dose of added sugar/maple/honey (or even date syrup) puts you in the sweet zone but does not make it cloying.
Freeze level: In case the slush is not thick enough you simply adjust the temperature level higher and take an extra minute or two; in case it is too thick to dispense, then drop down a notch or pour in a small amount of cold liquid and continue. The manual and inspiration guides also suggest that you remember to keep the unit running to easily dispense and to run the rinse cycle between flavors.
Conclusion: the lack of ice freeze feature of the SLUSHi renders it ideal to make a full flavor Dole Whip–and since pineapple is already quite sweet/acidic it enters the freezing range of the machine with few modifications.
Kitchen Materials and equipment you will be using (And why each decision matters)
All you need to make a Dole Whip style treat is a can of pineapple and a glass of juice in the blender, but to achieve the mall/park quality creaminess in the SLUSHi we are selective about the liquids we use and we do not violate the sugar window.
Core shopping list:
Pineapple (chunks): frozen pinesaple is concentrated further, and the bottom of the pineapples is maintained at an extra cold temperature.
Pineapple juice (100%): the main ingredient sweet, tart and machine stable.
Creaminess (please select one):
- Coconut milk/creamer (unsweetened): provides body and contains tropical flavor (dairy free).
- Oat milk (barista style, unsweetened): vegan friendly, neutral and creamy.
- Vanilla ice cream (when preparing Disney 2020 blender riff), dairy or non dairy.
Sweetener (to taste): maple syrup, honey, or sugar (SLUSHi sugar -percent and balance)
Vanilla ( optional ) a drop or two enhance the odor of soft serve.
Pinch of salt (optional): rounds acidity.
Dole, too, posted a dairy-free pineapple recipe called pineapple Dole Whip inspired, which mixes frozen pineapple, pineapple juice, and coconut/oat creamer with a little mango to get the cream. Our SLUSHi base will not be over the top, though I will add a mango twist to models.
Comparison of Fresh vs. Frozen vs. Juice (Pineapple)
Your best friend is frozen pineapple: it is convenient, concentrated and consistent. Once you have a fresh one, cube it then freeze it in a sheet pan; it has to be kept cool and blending raw fruit directly to slush form tends to make it a watery, fibrous meal. A mix of frozen pineapple + juice is popular with many reliable imitators to achieve the land that spoonable, swirl ready texture.
Juice is important, as well. 100% pineapple juice provides sugar and acidic properties, which maintain the texture and flavor. The juice dilutes an overly thick base and makes the machine contain sufficient dissolved material to create a smooth slush. Adding a splash of orange or lemonade to make it lighter would be a nice idea though you should keep an eye on the sugar logic of the machine (see next section).
Banana tip: 1/2 banana may be placed in the home recipe to make it creamy. It is delicious but it changes the traditional taste to more of a tropical smoothie over classic Dole Whip, if you want the park experience, leave the banana out – or add it in small amounts 1/4 banana so that pineapple can shine through. Coconut or oat is more similar to a brand aligned dairy free creaminess.
Creaminess Comparisons: Vegan, Ice Creamy, and Ninja Creami
When you want the authentic spirit, the fruit flavors at the parks are dairy free and vegan (fruit flavors) and therefore a combination of pineapple and a small portion of plant cream is in the right direction. The just-pineapple + juice + coconut/oat strategy is already illustrated by the Dole itself, not to mention the mango that could be added to make it smoother. Provided you desire to stay vegan without losing the supple feel of the mouth, coconut cream is miraculous in minute quantities.
Want the Disney 2020 taste of home, then stick with the blender formula of vanilla ice cream + frozen pineapple + pineapple juice. It is not the park formula but it is popular because of the reasons, fast, creamy, and kid approved. It is also the most lenient when it comes to piping a swirl in a blender.
Own a Ninja CREAMi? That is completely a different machine (refreezes and reappears a frozen pint). It is an excellent dairy free pineapple soft serve, but in this article we will be talking of the Ninja SLUSHi in on tap slush no ice. (You can ask yourself later, the CREAMi sorbet cycle, which comes with pineapple + juice + your choice of milk is an entertaining option, too.)
Sweetness 101: The SLUSHi Sugar Rule (And What Those Beeps Mean)
The SLUSHi depends on the concentration of the sugar in order to freeze. When you put too little sugar into the base (e.g. just water and a little juice), the machine will flash a downward temperature light pattern then beep, indicating to add sugar. When it is too sweet or is too alcoholic, then it flashes up. It is easy to fix it, adding a few tablespoons of simple syrup or juice (to make it low-sugar) or water/juice (to make it too high-sugar) it down, restart, etc. Targeting [?]4% sugar, which will be achieved automatically by pineapple juice and fruit; a tablespoon or two of sugar/maple in a 24 ounce portion should often do the job without making the product taste overly sweet.
Also: no ice-cubes in the SLUSHi chamber–this is a liquid-chilling machine which scrapes the sides to form fine crystals. Do NOT put solids in or everything in will be chilled best (and faster cycles).
Ninja SLUSHi Dole Whip (No Ice, Full Flavor) Master Recipe
This is a dairy-free, fruit-centered, and sugar window optimized base of the Ninja SLUSHi. Pours like an old fashioned slush, and a quick cold squirt succeeding will allow you to make a convincing swirl.
Yield: 2-3 servings ([?] 20-24 fl oz total)
Time: 5 minutes preparation time, 45-60 minutes freeze/churn (hands off).
Ingredients: (All ice-cold):
1 cup 100% pineapple juice (cold)
11/4 cups pineapple, frozen (You can slightly thaw it 3-5 min to blend with)
1/2 cup unsweetened Coconut or oat milk (barista version to make it body-y)
1-2 Tbsp sugar, maple syrup or honey (as desired; helps to freeze it)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (not a must though it is beautiful)
Add fine salt (balances acidity) pinch of it.
The logic behind this: Pineapple juice imparts sugars + acidity; a little plant “cream” would offer body without being dairy free–in keeping with the vibe of Dole Whip fruit flavors that are vegan/gluten free.
Method:
1) Blend the base. Single-serving Blitz pineapple juice, frozen pineapple, coconut/oat milk, sweetener, vanilla, and salt in blender until very smooth. Taste; it must be sweet tart pleasant. Prepare the bottom as chilled, as necessary.
2) Load the SLUSHi. Okuchiyasi SUi Niki. Select Slush preset. Begin with the default mid freeze level.
3) Let RapidChill do its thing. The unit will be frozen and scraped approximately 45-60 minutes based on volume and initial temperature.
4) Verification of check and dispenser. Pull the lever to test dispense. Should it be too soft, put the freeze level one notch higher and run a few more minutes, should it be too thick to pour, decrease one level or add 1-2 Tbsp splash cold juice/milk and restart. With the unit running you serve, and thus the smoothest pour. [9].
5) Swirl option: To swirl, firmer To freeze the slush in a loaf pan, freeze it 15-20 min. and then using a piping bag (large star tip) and pipe the slush. When it comes to a park style float, just pour the slush in a cup and pour over with chilled pineapple juice.
Machine sanity checks:
Beeps + downward flushing lights = add sugar (you are too low in sugar).
High flashing lights + beeps = base too sweet / alcoholic, add a little cold juice / water and continue.
Between batches use the rinse cycle to preserve flavors.
Texture Adjustment: Freezing Levels, Sweetness, and Serving Windows.
Just imagine your SLUSHi as a miniature slush bar. Freeze levels do not qualify as hard science; they are your shortcut to adding/losing weight, i.e. making yourself thinner/fatter:
Thicker/ colder: Increase by one level and allow to run 10-15 minutes.
Softer/sippable Low, one level or put a drinking spoon of cold juice and run 2-3 minutes.
Since pineapple is acidic, when the result is sharp, a teaspoon of sugar or a dribble of coconut cream adds the buttery, but does not make it sweet. Keep in mind that the machine should have sugar so that it freezes well-at least at 4 per cent, though, so by no means be bashful about a tablespoon when your juice is so tart. The materials of the owner also mention that the machine is most likely to spit out the materials in the middle of a run with the machine full to the max line.
In a party, the SLUSHi will be able to maintain the base at the temperature of hours and can be topped again with more chilled base so that the taps can keep flowing. In case you are changing the flavour (e.g., pineapple – mango), you can run a rinse between batches and dry the spout to avoid drips.
Serve Like the Parks: Floats, Swirls and Tiny Upgrades.
The time-honored presentation is a swirl in a cup, or a float (swirl over pineapple juice). To that park nostalgia pop, you may do it with lemon wedge or a small umbrella. In case you like a sweet spicy balance, a small sprinkle of tajin on top will work- pineapple + chili lime is a sleep hit. And to please her extra: pipe your swirl into a hollowed out pineapple as a show stopping center piece.
On the swirl, you have to remember: a rather firmer mixture (freezer chill 15-20 min post-dispensing) and a big star tip = the swoopy ridges we all take pictures of.
Blender Method Fast Copycat (Dairy Free and Park Inspired or the Disney 2020 At Home Version)
No SLUSHi? No problem. There are two sound blender tracks:
1) Vegan, park inspired: frozen pineapple + pineapple juice and a small portion of coconut/oat (creamer) to make it frothy.
2) Disney 2020 home recipe frozen pineapple + pineapple juice + vanilla ice (dairy or non dairy).
Both are simple and both can be piped provided that you give them a couple of minutes in freezer. The key distinction: the ice cream one also has more of a pineapple milkshake taste (it is very creamy), whereas the dairy free one feels more like the vegan version of the fruit flavor Dole Whip offered at the parks.
Blender Dole Whip (Park Inspired, Dairy Free).
Yield: 2-3 servings
Equipment: a blender, a frozen pineapple, pineapple juice, some coconut or oat creamer (unsweetened), some sugar/maple (as desired), some pinch of salt, some vanilla (as preferred).
Procedure: This is done by adding liquids, followed by pineapple. Micro Pulse to shred the fruit, and mix to a smooth and thick consistency. Add more frozen pineapple in case it is too thin and add a tablespoon of juice at a time and pulse. At this point, your mixture is ready, so chill it 20 minutes; pipe a swirl, perhaps.
Dole Whip (Quick and Creamy) Blender Dole Blend Disney 2020 Home.
Ingredients: 2 cups Pineapple frozen, 4 oz pineapple juice and 1 large scoop ice cream vanilla.
Method: Blend until creamy. To freeze, swirl and freeze 20-30min and pipe. Still: it does have dairy unless you use a non dairy vanilla, and it is not the in park dairy free formula–however, it is an official at home share of 2020 and it is extremely delicious.
Pro tip- On blender only versions a pinch (1/8 resin) of xanthan gum ( 1/8 tsp) can be added to keep the texture longer, without flavoring it, and when you are either slow sipping or photographing. Begin small so as not to be gummy.
Ratios, Pulsing and Piping to Success
Mixes should be warmed in a short time; vibes should be pulsed, scraped and blended in brief bursts to maintain the soft serve consistency. This is done by placing liquids under the blades then frozen fruit to prevent the presence of air pockets. In case the mixture begins to separate after several minutes in the glass, add 1/8 tsp xanthan gum; it is a vegan/gluten-free smoothie thickener that prevents separation and gives it a creamy texture (it works).
In the case of piping, pour the thick mixture in a bag, refrigerate 15 minutes-30 minutes, and after refrigeration, pipe. Should it feel too soft, re chilling a bit and should it be too firm you can knead the bag or wait 2-3 minutes and re-try.
Customizations & Customize it (Keep the Pineapple Star, but Make It Yours)
It is a playground as soon as you nail the bottom. A few tried and true riffs:
Mango Pineapple “Sunrise”: Add 1/4-1/2 cup frozen mango to give it a creamy texture; this would replicate Dole home recipe suggestion of dairy free. It is a softening of the acidity with sunshine sweetness.
Float Love: Fill the cup with chilled pineapple juice and top it with your Dole Whip slush this is one of the park favorites and a crowd winner.
True Soft Serve Mix (Foodservice): In case you desire the Dole texture and you have a soft serve/ice cream machine, you can literally purchase Dole Soft Serve powder (pineapple + other fruit flavors). It is gluten free, dairy free and takes water into the machine. (Note: the vanilla/chocolate ones are not dairy free, either.)
Retail Shortcut: Within the past few years, Dole Whip has been making its way to retail in certain markets (sorbet ish pints). The taste is perfect, but the consistency is not the same as on tap soft serve; the SLUSHi offers the feeling of being freshly rotated at home.
Spice and Salt: little sprinkle of tajin or pinch of flake salt on a swirl of pineapple = why did I not do this sooner?
Vegan, dairy free, and all this allergen (so everyone can enjoy)
The good news is that Dole Soft Serve fruit flavors have been positioned as being dairy free, lactose free, gluten free, and vegan; it is also kosher and cholesterol free. This is why the dairy free SLUSHi base (pineapple + plant milk) is the most authentic to the spirit of the park. Note that fruit flavors are always safe because non fruit flavors are not vegan vanilla/coconut in the Dole line contains milk derivatives. Never purchase the powder unless you read the labels.
In the case of home version blenders (even non dairy), any time you add ice cream (even non dairy), the texture will be skewed creamy, to keep it light, oat/coconut will do the trick and increase or decrease sweetness to taste. In case you are in need of an alternative to refined sugar, you can use maple or date syrup, which will comply with SLUSHi sugar threshold and provide a similar caramel-like flavor.
Fausts: Troubleshooting: Quick Solutions to the Most Frequent Dole Whip
Questions
My SLUSHi isn’t freezing
Check sugar level: when the lights on the unit flash down and make beep noises, then you have an overly low level of sugar in the mix. Add1-2 Tbsp simple syrup/maple/honey, stir, and resume. See that all was well chilled.
It is too thick to flow out of dispensers.
The freeze level can be lowered an additional notch or a tablespoon of cold juice added and allowed to run another 2-3 minutes. Turn on the dispense when the unit is running so that the flow can be smoothest.
Is it possible to use official Dole Soft Serve mix?
Yes, when you have soft serve/ice cream machine. Dole Soft Serve is a mixture of water and is dairy free (fruits), vegan and gluten free. It is as close as it is to park texture, provided you have the right device.
But did not Disney have a recipe with ice cream?
They did in April 2020- a three ingredient blender version(frozen pineapple, pineapple juice, vanilla ice cream). It is rightfully tasting, only not the in park dairy free soft serve. We have put that blender technique above there to be convenient.
Can I enrich my blender variant without ice cream?
Yes–frozen fruit, minimum liquids, add 1/8 tsp xanthan gum, and chill briefly and then pipe it out.
Is Dole Whip actually vegan?
Fruits (such as pineapple) of Dole Soft Serve are promoted as vegan and dairy free; milk derivatives may be found in vanilla/chocolate versions. The pineapple Dole Whip is commonly described as vegan at parks. Inquire, or never ignore signage, whether you have got stringent dietary requirements.
Make Ahead, Storage and Party service.
SLUSHi benefit: You have up to an hour to serve the batch… excellent on a birthday or at night in summer. The auger has the capability to maintain the slush at temperature when the program is done. Fill up again with more pre chilled base and a second round. Rinse Between flavors and dry off spout to avoid drips.
Version used in the blender: Eat directly, however you can freeze in a loaf pan and allow to thaw 5-10 minutes then scoop. To make a photo worthy swirl, the blended mixture must be chilled 20-30 minutes in the freezer, and then piped.
Leftovers: SLUSHi slush can be solidified in the freezer; it can be re loosened by adding a splash of juice or, assuming you have a CREAMi, by a tablespoon of liquid, which is known as Re Spin.
Nutrition like a balance (Just In case you are counting)
Dole fruit flavor soft serve (2/3 cup) has an estimated calorie content of an approximate of -110, with a g sugar content of 24-25, with no cholesterol, according to the Dole Soft Serve nutrition materials. Your homemade version can be altered to suit your preferences in regards to choice of sweetener and cream; dairy free coconut/oat will increase a few calories and a touch of fat but will remain plant based. With sugar on watch Add no added sugar juice and minimal added sweetener to SLUSHi freezing (about [?]4 percent), allowing the fruit to add the rest.
Style Recipe Cards as a PDF
lack a description of the way they should be used
Dairy Free, No Ice Ninja SLUSHi Dole Whip.
Serves 2-3 Active: 5 min Tot. (freeze/churn): 45-60 min.
Ingredients (all cold):
1 cup 100% pineapple juice
11/4 cups pineapple chunks (thawed 3-5 min slightly) frozen.
2 teaspoons honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut or oat milk
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut or oat milk
2 teaspoons agave nectar or maple syrup or honey
1-2 Tbsp sugar, maple, or honey (to taste; helps to freeze)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (option)
Pinch fine salt
Directions:
1) Mix all till smooth; add and taste to soft sweet tart. Chill 10-15 minutes if needed.
2) Pour into Ninja SLUSHi. Set Slush option; begin with mid freeze setting.
3) Run ~45-60 minutes. Test dispense. Freeze level up/ down to thicker/softer texture. Do not turn off unit when dispensing to prevent a plugged unit.
4) Use instantally as slush, or keep cold 15-20 minutes that it may be piped into a swirl. In case of a float pour slush into a cup then add a splash of chilled pineapple juice.
Machine instructions: When lights reduce downwards add a tablespoon syrup/juice to sugar and or when reduce upward add a portion of juice/water to dilute. Reset and resume.
Blender Dole Whip Two Ways (Choose Your Adventure).
A) Park Inspired (Dairy Free)
2 cups frozen pineapple
1/2-3/4 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup no-sugar-added coconut or oat creamer.
Sugar /maple, 1-2 Tbsp to taste; pinch salt, vanilla to taste.
Technique: The first to be used are liquids and then fruit. Stir, will it blend To creamy. Chill 20 min.; pipe, should one wish.
B) Disney 2020 (Creamiest) Version home.
2 cups frozen pineapple
4 oz pineapple juice
1 large Scoop vanilla ice cream (dairy or non dairy)
Procedure: Blend smooth Freeze 20-30 minutes to pipe. Note: Delicious and official, however, not the in park dairy free formula.
Stability tip: Add 1/8 tsp xanthan gum when your blender version separates: it is a thickening, flavorless stabilizer.
FAQs You Didn’t Know You Had
Does the actual Dole Whip contain powder?
Yes–Dole Soft Serve commercial is mixed in a soft serve machine with water. The outcome is creamy, scoopable soft serve which is vegan and dairy free with fruit flavors. It is the reason why home versions strive to replicate the texture using either churning or stabilizers.
Is it possible in an ice cream maker rather than SLUSHi?
Yes–whip (pineapple + juice + coconut/oat + sugar) your dairy free base like sorbet until soft serve texture; pipe right away. There is a fantastic job by ice cream makers to control ice crystals.
Since when did Dole Whip appear at Disney?
Introduced in Magic Kingdom in 1984, in Disneyland in 1986; the fruit flavors have since become iconic.
Are all flavors vegan?
Fruits (pineapple/raspberry/mango/ lemon etc.) are vegan and dairy free; vanilla/ chocolate contain milk derivatives, thus they are not vegan.
