Homemade Vegan Banana Ice Cream

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 guilt-free dessert or breakfast anytime.

"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. 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, I have a delicious vegan version of the DoubleTree Hilton Chocolate Chip Cookie, Vegan Coffee Cake Cookies, or Vegan Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies you can try.

Ingredients

Here's all you need to make vegan 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 them 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 - Ad-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)

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.

Flavor Ideas

There are dozens of ways to enjoy this as a decadent dessert or a healthy plant-based breakfast. Here are some flavor ideas for you to try:

• Epic Vanilla Snowman - 2 bananas and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Very Berry - 2 bananas plus ½ to 1 cup of frozen berry of choice
• Creamy Obsession - 2 bananas and about ¼ cup of vegan nutella spread, peanut butter, or PB2. Top with chocolate chips and toasted coconut shreds.
• Cookies 'n Cream - Blend a couple of bananas with about 5 Oreos or any cookies you choose.
• Cool Twist Chocolate Chip - 2 bananas, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, topped with vegan chocolate chips, walnuts, and coconut shreds

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.

FAQS