Banana Ice Cream
Learn how to make homemade banana ice cream using frozen bananas and milk! This easy Banana Ice Cream recipe takes just 10 minutes to make and doesn’t require an ice cream maker.
Frozen Banana Ice Cream is made without any added sugar, is easily made dairy-free and vegan, and is naturally gluten-free too.
Sometimes called “nice cream”, this fruity ice cream alternative is so tasty, you might not even miss the real thing.
A no-churn banana ice cream made with just 3 simple ingredients could not be any easier! For another no-churn option, try this Fat Elvis Ice Cream next.
If you like banana ice cream, you’ll also love our recipe for Banana Popsicles. You can enjoy them plain, or dipped in melted chocolate!
Why You’re Going to Love this Nice Cream Banana Ice Cream Recipe
No-Churn Ice Cream Recipe – while we love making ice cream using our ice cream maker, you can absolutely make delicious no-churn ice cream without any special equipment! You will need a blender or food processor to make banana ice cream, but you don’t need an ice cream machine.
Dairy-Free Option – If you want a banana ice cream treat that’s dairy free, this is the recipe you need!
We do have traditional banana ice cream recipes here too, so check out Banana Pudding Ice Cream or Bananas Foster Ice Cream if you’re looking for a full-fat dairy ice cream with bananas in it.
Ingredients in Homemade Banana Ice Cream
Overripe Bananas – You want to use brown, overripe bananas to make nice cream. The more ripe the bananas are, the more sweetness they’ll add to your banana ice cream. Green bananas will not work in this recipe.
Milk – You can use any type of milk, including dairy-free options.
Salt – A small pinch of salt is optional, but I find that it really helps to balance the sweetness of the bananas to make the flavor of homemade banana ice cream perfect.
How to Make Banana Ice Cream from Scratch
- Peel and slice the bananas into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Add the sliced bananas to a zip-top bag or container, and place it in the freezer for at least six hours, or overnight.
- Add half of the banana slices to a high-powered blender or food processor along with 1 tablespoon of milk and a small pinch of salt.
- Blend until very smooth, adding another tablespoon of milk if needed, until no chunks remain.
- Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan or shallow ice cream container. Then repeat the blending process with the rest of the ingredients. (I find it best to blend this amount of bananas in two batches so that the mixture can get super smooth.)
- Freeze for 1-2 hours for a firm ice cream texture, or serve right away if you prefer.
These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the recipe below.
How to Store Banana Ice Cream
Store this homemade Banana Ice Cream in the freezer in an airtight container with a piece of parchment paper or wax paper pressed on top for up to one month.
Tips for Making This No Churn Banana Ice Cream Recipe
Use quality ingredients – When making homemade ice cream, you’ll want to make sure you are using high-quality ingredients for the best outcome.
Use very ripe bananas – You want the bananas you use to make ice cream to be very soft, very ripe, and very sweet. The peels should be brown, or mostly brown.
Chill out – If possible, always start with chilled ingredients. This is important for homemade no-churn ice cream recipes and ice cream maker recipes.
Don’t skimp on the fat – High-fat milk and cream are essential when making homemade ice cream. In banana ice cream, you’ll get the creamiest results if you use whole milk or barista-style oat milk with the bananas. For really creamy banana ice cream, use half and half.
Don’t overmix – Bananas that are over blended can get starchy, so blend only until the mixture is smooth.
Don’t go crazy with the add-ins – If you’re adding in additional ingredients, pick one or two and make sure they are chopped into pieces no larger than a blueberry or pea.
Don’t skimp on the sugar – Sugar not only adds sweetness to homemade ice creams, but it also helps with the texture. Sugar is essential for the creamy texture of ice cream.
Can You Blend The Bananas First, Then Freeze Them?
I like the way you’re thinking, but this nice cream recipe won’t work if you do the steps in the wrong order!
You should slice the bananas, then freeze them. This way, when you blend them together with the milk, the texture will be creamy.
If you add frozen banana puree to a blender, you’ll end up with a much different texture, that will be starchy, gooey, and icy.
Can You Freeze the Bananas Whole?
Whole frozen bananas are great for making smoothies, you don’t want to use whole frozen bananas (peeled or with the peel still on) to make banana ice cream.
Sliced bananas will process faster in the blender, which means they’ll become ice cream faster, with less mixing.
Using frozen sliced bananas is the best way to get your banana ice cream super smooth without any lumps too.
Is It Better to Use a Blender or a Food Processor For Banana Ice Cream?
If you have a food processor, use it! You’ll get the best results using this machine. The recipe will work using a high-powered blender, but it will work better in a food processor.
You won’t get great banana ice cream results using a standard blender, so be sure to use a high-speed one like a Vitamix or Ninja.
Banana Nice Cream Add-Ins
You can mix in small pieces of chocolate, chocolate chips, chopped fruit, or sprinkles if you like.
I prefer to not add mix-ins, and instead, add toppings when serving. Banana ice cream makes excellent ice cream sundaes!
Make homemade hot fudge sauce, caramelized bananas or drizzle melted peanut butter over banana ice cream for a decadent treat.
Looking for more dairy-free ice cream recipes? Try our Oat Milk Ice Cream, or Coconut Mint Ice Cream flavors next.
Banana Ice Cream Flavors
Try these easy additions to change the flavor of your banana ice cream!
Vanilla Banana Ice Cream – Add 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
Berry Banana Ice Cream – Blend in 1/2 to 1 cup of frozen berries – any kind will be delicious – and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Chocolate Banana Ice Cream – add 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream – When adding the ice cream mixture to the container, drizzle melted peanut butter or peanut butter ice cream topping in between the layers.
More No Churn Ice Cream Recipes
- Anabolic Ice Cream
- Protein Ice Cream
- Neapolitan Ice Cream
- Ice Cream in a Bag
- No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream
- Banoffee Pie Ice Cream
Looking for another banana dessert, try this vegan banana pudding next.
Our Favorite Ice Cream Making Tools:
- Cuisinart 2QT Ice Cream Maker – Works with ice cream, sorbets, and frozen yogurt.
- Ice Cream Scoop – Make sure you have a good ice cream scoop. This is one of our favorites.
- Ice Cream Containers – We love keeping a couple of ice cream containers on hand for when we make homemade ice cream.
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Nice Cream Banana Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 4 medium-sized overripe bananas they should be starting to turn brown, or are already brown
- 2 – 4 tablespoons milk or dairy-free milk of choice
- small pinch of salt
Instructions
- Peel bananas and slice them into ½ inch pieces.
- Place the banana pieces into a zip-top bag or container, and freeze them for 6 hours, or overnight.
- Add ½ of the banana slices to a high-powered food processor, or blender, along with 1 tablespoon of milk or dairy-free milk, and a small pinch of salt.
- Process or blend until smooth. If the mixture won’t blend, add another tablespoon of milk and blend again, until no chunks remain.
- Transfer the banana ice cream to container, and repeat with the remaining banana pieces and milk.
- You can serve this banana ice cream right away, or freeze for 1-2 hours for a firmer texture.
- Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Notes
- Depending on how large the bananas are, you may need to add additional milk or dairy-free milk one tablespoon at a time, to get a smooth consistency.
- You can omit the salt, but we think it helps balance the sweetness in the bananas.
- Feel free to add 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to enhance the flavor even more.
- You can keep frozen banana slices in your freezer in advance, for making banana ice cream.
