Looking for a healthier alternative to ice cream? Satisfy your sweet tooth with vegan banana ice cream. You won't believe how good this is until you try it. Learn how to customize this delicious treat with simple ingredients and enjoy a delicious dessert anytime. Kid-approved!
"I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream."
Thanks to Barney, we can sing this catchy song even if we are plant-based and indulge in this delicious plant-based frozen treat - banana 'nice' cream.
If the only running you do is chasing the ice cream truck, I promise, you can stop running and make delicious vegan ice cream anytime at home. No Breyer's remorse here.
If you want something delicious to accompany this 'nice' cream, try Banana Kiwi Dessert Pizza. I also have a tasty vegan version of the DoubleTree Hilton Chocolate Chip Cookie, Vegan Coffee Cake Cookies, or Vegan Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies you can try.
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Ingredients
Here's all you need to make this dairy-free banana ice cream. See the recipe card for suggested quantities.
- Bananas - I wait for my bananas to start auditioning for the role of "spotted and slightly squishy" before I peel them, chuck them into a ziplock, and then send them straight to the freezer. I've heard tales of wise ones who lay them out on a tray, freeze them individually, and THEN tuck them into a ziplock, ensuring they don't turn into a banana glacier. But hey, who has that kind of freezer real estate? Not me. So, I skip the formalities and just prepare for an epic showdown of wrestling those frozen bananas apart when the time comes. If you wait 2-3 minutes for them to unfreeze, it's much easier to pull the raw frozen bananas apart.
- Milk - Plant-based milk helps the blender and food processor get the party started - especially if the bananas are rock solid from the freezer. Letting the bananas defrost for a few minutes also helps them to blend. Start with a tablespoon. Then, drizzle it into the top of the food processor if necessary to keep things moving.
- Optional - Add-In Ingredients - Add other ingredients to blend with the bananas. Add about ½ cup of frozen fruits like blueberries, strawberries, or mangos. If you want something decadent, add some cocoa, peanut butter, or vegan hazelnut spread like TBH instead. PB2 is a good option if you want to keep this dessert low in calories and fat.
Topping Ideas
- Easy Vegan Trail Mix
- Nuts
- Coconut Shreds
- Vegan Chocolate Chips
- UNREAL Chocolate Gems
- Chocolate Syrup
- Cocowhip
- Oreos
- Wild Blueberries (frozen or fresh)
- Pomegranate Seeds (frozen or fresh)
Variations
Think of this recipe as the starting base to make dozens of varieties of flavored banana ice cream. Here are some variations for you to try:
- Epic Vanilla Snowman - 2 bananas and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Berry & Banana Ice Cream - 2 bananas plus ½ to 1 cup of frozen berry of choice
- Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream - 2 bananas and about ¼ cup of peanut butter, or PB2. Top with chocolate chips and toasted coconut shreds.
- Cookies 'n Cream Banana Ice Cream - lend a couple of bananas with about 5 Oreos or any cookies you choose.
- Chocolate Chip Banana Ice Cream - 2 bananas, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, topped with vegan chocolate chips, walnuts, and coconut shreds
How To Make Banana Ice Cream
Here is the process in pictures. Super simple. See the recipe card for any additional recipe information.
Step 1: Place chopped frozen bananas in a food processor or blender along with a tablespoon of milk.
Step 2: Blend until well combined. Drizzle additional milk into the food processor or blender to facilitate the blending.
Step 3: Top with toppings.
Top Tips
- This recipe gives you a soft-serve texture that is best eaten immediately.
- If you're using a blender, ensure you have a tamper to push the banana around.
- For reference, cocoa and cacao are different. The one you choose depends on your health goals and tastes. Check out this site for an easy reference for what you prefer.
Recipe FAQS
A regular blender can work, but you may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the blender more often to ensure a smooth consistency. You will also need a tamper for your blender.
More Delicious Chilled Vegan Desserts
Got a minute? I'd love for you to dive into the comments and rate this Homemade Vegan Banana Ice Cream recipe. Your feedback is invaluable—did you love it? Did you make any fun twists? Let me know how my directions worked for you so I can keep improving my recipes. Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for inspiration.
Vegan Banana Ice Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 bananas frozen
- ¼ cup plant-based milk - you may not use all of it
Optional add-ins to blend with the bananas
- ¼ cup frozen fruit of choice ¼ - ½ cup
- ¼ cup peanut butter or PB2
- 2 tablespoons cocoa
- 5 Oreos can also be used as a topping
- vegan hazelnut spread
- vanilla extract
Topping Suggestions
- semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips
- chopped walnuts
- peanuts
- vegan whipped cream
- vegan caramel
- pistachios
- coconut shreds
- vegan hazelnut spread
- UNREAL chocolate gems similar to M&Ms
- strawberries frozen or fresh
- pomegranate seeds frozen or fresh
- blueberries frozen or fresh
Instructions
- Prepare: Freeze bananas for at least 12 hours.
- Combine Ingredients: Place frozen bananas in a high-speed blender or a food processor with one tablespoon of milk.
- Add-Ins: If adding additional frozen fruit, PB2, or cocoa, add it in with the bananas.
- Additional Milk: Add more milk while the food processor is blending by dripping it in through the top a tablespoon at a time to prevent getting runny ice cream but encourage easier blending. You may not need to use all the milk. Blend for 2-3 minutes or until soft serve ice cream consistency.
- Add Toppings: Top with your favorite toppings.
Anonymous says
It tastes just like traditional ice cream!