Banana Ice Cream Recipe: 3 Tips for Making Banana Ice Cream

One-ingredient banana “ice cream” is a fruit purée made from blended frozen bananas with the same creamy texture as soft-serve ice cream or an old-fashioned milkshake, minus the added sugar or sweeteners. Banana ice cream is commonly known as the original “nice cream,” which now refers to any frozen fruit purée. Unlike traditional ice cream, which is often made using an ice cream maker, you can make nice cream with a blender.

Thanks to their high pectin content, frozen bananas turn into a smooth, custard-style treat when blended, making it a popular vegan ice cream option. Some banana ice cream recipes call for a couple of tablespoons of almond milk, coconut milk, or heavy cream to enhance the dessert’s creaminess. Common additions to the recipe include peanut butter, maple syrup, and chocolate peanut butter (cocoa powder mixed with peanut butter).

Pure banana flavor is a perfect pairing for a range of different complementary ingredients. Try one, or combine a few for dynamic homemade ice cream:

1. 1. Add vanilla flavoring. Add a ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla seed paste to the banana in the final stages of blending for a simple spin on classic ice cream flavors.
2. 2. Incorporate spices for extra dimension. To add a little warmth and dimension to the banana’s sweetness, consider adding a ½ teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and ground cardamom.
3. 3. Add rum for a boost of heat. For pops of boozy heat, soak a ¼ cup of raisins in a splash of your favorite rum, then stir it into the finished ice cream.
4. 4. Swirl in some nut butter. Bananas and nut butters are an iconic match. Before serving or storing, swirl a tablespoon or two of almond butter or peanut butter through the banana purée.
5. 5. Use cocoa powder for a chocolate twist. Experiment with different levels of chocolatey flavor: For a treat closer to banana-meets-chocolate ice cream, use a tablespoon of cocoa powder. For a nuttier flavor, swirl in a spoonful or two of a chocolate hazelnut spread.

The next time you decide to make banana ice cream, consider these tips:

1. 1. Slice overripe bananas before freezing. To freeze bananas ahead of time for banana ice cream, peel and slice ripe bananas into coins and flash freeze them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Transfer the frozen fruit to a plastic bag or airtight container and store it for later use.
2. 2. Add mix-ins. Like all the best ice creams, you can level up banana ice cream with textural additions like chopped pecans, chocolate chips (try dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate for variations on the theme), or a swirl of dulce de leche. For extra natural sweetness, use fresh fruit like macerated strawberries or diced pineapple or peaches.
3. 3. Create an even richer mouthfeel. For an extra boost of dairy-free creaminess, add a couple of teaspoons of almond milk, cashew milk, or coconut milk before blending.