I’ve mentioned banana ice cream in a post before, but just in case someone missed it I thought it was important enough to dedicate an entire post to it today. This recipe somehow magically turns regular old bananas into delicious, creamy, cold, banana flavored ice cream without using any cream or an ice cream maker. I love it because it is good, good for you, incredibly simple to make, and (my new favorite reason) cheap!! I would venture to say that bananas are the cheapest fruit available in any grocery store…so bring it on!
There are also many different variations to this recipe. Feel free to play around and try adding in peanut butter, homemade chocolate sauce, a shot of chilled espresso, or even another type of frozen fruit. You can also top the ice cream with some granola sprinkles from the same yummy granola recipe that I made on the Charlotte Today Show this morning! No matter what extras you add in though, if you like bananas I guarantee you will be happy with the outcome of this recipe. So have fun with it and enjoy!
Banana Ice Cream
This recipe somehow magically turns regular old bananas into delicious, creamy, cold, banana flavored ice cream without using any cream or an ice cream maker.
Ingredients
- 4 bananas, frozen
- ½ cup milk, (or less)
Variations:
- peanut butter
- chocolate sauce
- espresso, chilled
- frozen fruit
Instructions
-
Peel the bananas, break them into thirds, enclose them into a Tupperware container, and stick them in the freezer overnight (or longer). I usually throw bananas in the freezer whenever they are about to go bad, and I’ve left them in there for weeks before so there is no rush.
-
When you are ready for the ice cream just put the bananas in a blender with 1/4 cup or 1/3 cup milk. I don’t have a fancy, expensive VitaMix so I have to shake my little cheapo Target blender around a bit to get it all to blend properly. Just keep adding small amounts of milk until the consistency resembles ice cream.
It is that easy!
Recipe Notes
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
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Yay I love this recipe. It’s crazy how easy it is, and how delicious it tastes. Perfect use of those bananas that are just about to go too far into brown territory to eat! I have a bad habit of buying too many bananas because they’re so cheap, and then only eating a few. :P
Hooray for a use for bananas that are about to go bad! I cannot wait to try this one. Also, I’m happy you’re combining the two blogs. Good move. :)
I’ve done this as a milkshake, but never as ice cream. Totally going to try it – we, too, end up with too many bananas, and my stomach doesn’t always love ice cream.
I add some full fat yogurt and sometimes strawberries and freeze in those popsicle moulds and mi kids love them
I only like bananas that are practically green, so when they are the perfect ripeness, I store them in the fridge. They store there for several weeks and don’t ripen more. I have saved so many bananas that way – now I can buy more than one or two at a time. They do turn brown on the outside, but they are still fine inside.
I’m with you, I love green bananas!
Sooo, the ice cream didn’t go over with the kids too well. I blame it on my blender, though. I had to add a lot more milk than suggested to make the blade turn and of course it turned out too liquidy.
Anyway, I added Baileys for an adult version and LOVE it. ;)
I found a similar base recipe elsewhere and we’ve been making this for a couple months now. However, we don’t use milk, only bananas. Our personal favorite variation is to use 2 T peanut butter and 1 T cocoa for every 2 bananas. It’s wonderful!
I can’t drink milk and have made this several times with just water. it is delish that way :-)
I love your description, I have a cheapo Target blender too! That made me LOL. :D I am also surprised it’s that easy and I’m happy I don’t have to keep making banana bread for those overripe bananas! Thank you for sharing!
I made this today using coconut milk. My blender didn’t cut it though…had to use the food processor. It was a hit!
Since it makes so much, do you freeze the rest? And does it freeze well?
I’ve never tried to refreeze it, but since bananas are so cheap it might not hurt to experiment! Let us know!
I used heavy cream and it was yummy! Ice cream every night! ;)
I cut the bananas smaller before freezing, add vanilla for liquid and flavor. It’s wonderful.
Could you use almond milk instead of regular milk?
RE: Almond Milk
YES! My daughters and I love the Banana Chocolate shake from the vegan book “Raw Food, Real World” (Melngailis, Kenney) which uses raw/homemade Almond Milk frozen bananas, cocoa and agave (i use a little honey instead) and cinnamon. It tastes like a full fat dairy creation but it’s dairy free and still delicious (even if we’re not dairy free or vegan :-)
Try this, this weekend. It ended up being more of a smoothie than ice cream. But I blame the fact that I only have a blender and a weak one at that.
WHOA! I feel like I’m eating REAL icecream! Even my super-sugar eater (18 years old) says, “So when are you going to make more banana crap?” which, translated, means, “Yeah, I’m not going to admit how good it is because it’s healthy, but I want more.”
Then, him and I made a strawberry, banana version, which takes longer because frozen strawberries are harder, and it was also very good!
I’m going to try this. Bananas work awesome in smoothies and this looks easy. Just wish I could find a way to make plain old vanilla in my Vitamix without using powdered milk (ugh!).
We make a wonderful homemade vanilla ice cream in our ice cream maker…the boxed stuff doesn’t even taste good to us anymore! Here’s a recipe: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/06/16/recipe-homemade-maple-pecan-ice-cream/
Um, hello?! Are you kidding me here? I just made this stuff, and I can not get over how unbelievably good, creamy, mouth-feely fantastic this stuff is. Totally worth all the frustration of getting my blender to do it. Holy wow. My husband and I eat real ice cream probably 3-4 nights a week after the kids go to bed (one of our few remaining totally not real indulgences), and I am totally willing to let most of that go. Frozen bananas + wee bit of milk = MAGIC.
You made me laugh…so glad you liked it!! I was totally shocked the first time too :)
I just pureed 5 bananas in the blender (not frozen) and dumped the banana liquid into the ice cream maker. Same effect but this seemed easier than trying to get frozen bananas to move through the blender. YUM! We’re hooked! Thanks for the idea, I love your blog!
I made this this weekend and I couldn’t believe the consistency of it! I used my food processor and added just a teensy bit of milk to two bananas–so good! I put the leftover back on the freezer and it tasted just as good later! Thank you for this.
I have a cheapie version of the “ninja blender”- it was maybe forty bucks, but I used it every single day and it was so worth it- with a few pulses, you can make salsa, or guacamole, or sometimes I just frozen raspberries and a tiny bit of soy milk to make a delicious sorbet, and it does a PHENOMINAL job making this banana ice cream! so yum!
Guess I should have read before posting my comment… but I second this post!! :)
Love banana ice cream! But you should try it in the food processor instead. Cut the bananas into slices, freeze for at least an hour, then put them in the food processor. Let it do its magic. That’s it! No milk needed. However, I do love to add raw, organic peanut butter and a little cocoa powder. Delicious! I feel like I’m cheating!
I got a Ninja master prep blender for $35 at Walmart. IT IS SO WORTH IT!!! You will have absolutely NO trouble blending frozen bananas in seconds. I promise. No shaking required!! I make smoothies every morning with this blender with only frozen fruit, juice, and peanut butter and it’s so quick and easy!
we have one too! cant wait to try all these awesome recipies!!
Okay – I’m off to put some bananas into the freezer. Cherio…
Thank you again for yet another great recipe! My kids loved it. We used bananas with a little bit of almond milk and vanilla. YUM!
Here’s my favorite version: for each serving blend one frozen banana, 4 or 5 frozen strawberries and about 3/4 cup of orange juice. Fabulous!
Amazing!!! Too easy and only two ingredients! I am amazed with the consistency and texture! I would have liked PB or cocoa, but, to my amazement, my 4-year-old loved it just like that, so I am going to leave it as is! It made so much from four bananas that I put the leftovers in the Ice Cream Cool Cones and refroze them for later… they are almost better like that! Both my 4-year-old and I had some in the Cool Cones just now… to die for! A treat I really, really feel good about giving my girl and I can also enjoy while losing the weight from Baby #2! Thanks for yet another wonderful recipe, this will be another to add to our rapidly growing list of favorites-to-make-again-soon! (So far our faves are Whole Wheat Honey Sandwich Bread, Banana Pancakes, Whole Wheat Biscuits, Pumpkin Bread, Banana Bread, Whole Wheat Brownies… and my ultimate favorite GRANOLA!!!!)
I make this all time using only sliced frozen bananas and pineapple juice blended in my magic bullet. The magic bullet does a great job pulvertizing it into a thick, creamy treat! Super yummy and great for someone who can’t/doesn’t eat dairy :)
ok so my question is can I blend then freeze?? My blender has had a very hard life and I would hate for it to die, even though it sounds like this banana ice cream would be a worthy cause. Also if I add the PB and cocoa powder do I need honey or some sweetener? We use the made in store PB so its not really sweet, and I remember as a kid getting cocoa powder from the cabinet and nestle chocolate milk mix confused…it didn’t end well.
You can add extras like cocoa and PB, but freezing it after you blend will change the consistency quite a bit (in a bad way).
Ben and Jerry’s make an ice cream called chunky monkey. I copy it with banana ice cream and peanuts and chocolate chips. I have kept it in the freezer for a few days. It does the same thing as an open container of ice cream would, ice crystals, etc.
We’ve done banana milkshakes forever as well- just add more milk, and a dash of cinnamon. Really good after yard work or football practice on a 100 degree Alabama day!
PS If you can’t have chocolate, a book called Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon has an awesome carob chip recipe.
Hey- I just discovered your site a few weeks ago and have tried about 5 or 6 recipes and have absolutely LOVED every single one! I just bought an ice cream maker yesterday since I love ice cream but would love to make a more healthy version at home. I was wondering if you know of any good recipes for chocolate ice cream or frozen yogurt?
Here is my basic ice cream recipe…you could add unsweetened cocoa or strawberries or whatever you’d like to it! https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/06/16/recipe-homemade-maple-pecan-ice-cream/
how much cocoa would you recommend?
I would start with a tablespoon and taste test before you add more. Good luck!
Hi Lisa,
This recipe reminds me of what I make in my Yonanas machine. Have you seen them? They are the ultimate whole foods “ice cream” maker. You just put frozen bananas in with whatever other fruit you would like and it churns out really creamy “ice cream”. I gave some to a friend who isn’t into whole foods at all, and he couldn’t believe there was nothing in it except for fruit. I put your chocolate sauce on it which put it over the top. Thank you for all of your awesome recipes!!
This was amazing…. me and my boyfriend loved it. And we haven’t even started the 100 days yet, But we are trying some recipes already. Thank you
Haha!! I totally LOL’d. I love how “down to earth” you are! Can’t wait to try this recipe!!
We just eat the bananas straight. I slice them up, bag them up, and eat a few here and there. The dogs love them too! If I know I’m going to make banana bread, I squish them up in the bag before freezing, but we buy bananas like crazy and always have some in the freezer.
I have read about this banana magic before and I have always been skeptical. So I saw this post a couple days ago and I had one browning banana so I decided to give it a try. One thing to note– don’t throw in the freezer before peeling. Maybe this is obvious to other people, but not to me! I could not peel it when I went to use it!
Anyway, last night I cut the peel off and made one small bowl– and it was amazing. I can’t wait to freeze more bananas and try it with peanut butter. It’s so darned good! Thanks!
you are lucky with your budget i have a $200 budget MONTHLY for 3 people – here is a tip; I buy the speckled bananas in the local market they are cheaper – I use them in smoothies- Orange Juice frozen fruit or OJ and banana – :-) I found whole wheat flour that was discontinued in my local store I got 4 bags – I have been making my own bread. I live in NC discovered that cantaloupe and butternut squash and zucchini, Roma lettuce grow well in my back yard tip: warm fresh cut from the garden is better than chilled cantaloupe :-)
I am still amazed that this turned out exactly like ice cream! We made some last night along with the chocolate sauce. It rocked and completely satisfied my ice cream craving.FYI we made ours in the food processor and it turned out fabulously.
Any suggestions for making vanilla ice cream?
Hi Nikki. We don’t have a vanilla ice cream recipe to share. Here are a couple other ice cream recipes that we do have: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/06/16/recipe-homemade-maple-pecan-ice-cream/ and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/04/26/recipe-strawberry-ice-cream/. Enjoy. ~Amy
almond or peanut butter and cocoa powder…. My favorite additions :):)
There’s a Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood episode where they make this and call it Banana Swirl. My 2-year-old loves it… but calls it Banana Squirrel. I add a spoonful of yogurt also.
I recommend cutting the banana pieces smaller…. Just ruined my blender
I don’t have a blender, so I mashed my bananas in a plastic baggie, then slopped it into a bowl, mixed in one-ingredient chunky peanut butter, wrapped some saran wrap around the top and tossed it in the freezer…Once it was frozen, about 5 hours later, I had a frozen block of banana mush. I started scraping the top, alternately putting splashes of vanilla coconut milk on the top to help soften it. In the end I had a very nice ice cream consistency, scooped it into bowls, and topped with sliced strawberries. My fiance absolutely loved it! He kept asking what I used to make it! (Hot chocolate powder? Butter? Sugar?) When I informed him that it was only 4 bananas and a scoop of peanut butter (and the splash of milk), he begged me to make it every single day, but with 12 bananas instead.
Wonderful recipe, thank you for the share. I will be making it multiple times a week, I am sure! Next time, with some more healthy mix-ins! I’m thinking some of your homemade granola!
This is great! Being someone who doesn’t eat dairy, I substitute with vanilla almond milk & also add half an avocado for creaminess, no one ever guesses that!! they think it’s sugar & dairy, so delish! Sometimes add frozen berries for variety…
Okay, I will be trying this. I will either use coconut or homemade almond milk. I may add some cocoa powder.
Absolutely delicious! Made the chocolate sauce as well and topped with sliced almonds. I can’t wait to try it again with some variations, i.e. frozen berries, some cashews, etc.
Add some milk of choice (I like almond milk), 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract, and some chocolate chips for a healthy mint chocolate chip shake! You can also throw some spinach in there to make it green and even healthier…and you can’t even taste it.
Hi, I always make this in summer. I have to say that I make it with ‘just’ frozen bananas. Absolutely nothing else added at all. Sometimes maybe a little real vanilla. If you keep mixing until it turns white it is absolutely delicious. You can also add (frozen) strawberries which makes it pink and kids love it. :)
Add a teaspoon of vanilla to this recipe. HEAVEN! :-) Thanks for sharing. My daughter likes this better than ice cream!
We were skeptical, but, WOW! Tried this last night and it was a big hit! We mixed it with peanut butter and topped it with the two-ingredient chocolate sauce…yum! Can’t wait to try other variations.
I add some coffee ice cubes,a tbl spoon of raw fusion vanilla protein and a little raw organic cacao powder too!
Omg! Delish.
This is actually a comment for your mint chocolate chip recipe that is in your wonderful cook book~ Have you ever been introduced to doTerra’s brand of essential oils? The peppermint oil can be used to replace the extract and is SOOOO amazingly yummy and gives it an even better flavor, I feel like anyway. Plus then you are getting all the health benefits of using peppermint essential oil while eating your ice cream which is fun. Just thought I would mention it if you ever want to try it. Just as there are different levels of purity in our food, there are different levels with extracts and essential oils and I love doTerra’s because they are Certified pure theraputic grade essential oils and you can cook with them and really taste the difference! If you have been introduced to them- awesome! If not, I think you could really appreciate the level of ”whole-ness” and quality of them.
I’m not trying to be a crazy follower pushing you into something super out there, I just think you could enjoy cooking with eo’s AND they are fascinating to learn about health wise, just like nutrition. They are beginning to do quite a bit more research with their oils so anyway, just wanted to mention them. We love your recipes!!!
I have to say, I was skeptical also. I froze bananas many weeks ago to do this…finally got around to it last night. OMGOODNESS!!! it was incredible! I couldn’t believe it was exactly like ice cream!!! I added peanut butter to mine. So tasty! I can’t wait to try other variations. Kid and Husband approved also!!!
P.S. I used my Cuisinart Food Processor and it made the “ice cream” very smooth!
If you don’t use all the ice cream, cam you put it back into the freezer for later?
Hello. You can, though it does freeze pretty solid.
I love the mug/bowl in the banana ice cream recipe. Ordering info?
Hello Chris. Pier 1 and World Market have very similar styles.
Your banana ice cream reminds me of our favorite ice cream my dad made. We thought it was the best ice cream we had ever tasted and called it Best Ever. I use the Cuisinart ice cream maker. Ingredients are one mashed banana, juice of one lemon and juice of one orange. Refrigerate so it will be cold when added to milk. Put 1 cup half/half and 1 cup whole milk (I have never made it this way, I usually use 2 cups of 2%) and 1 cup of sugar. Ugh, I’m sure you could find a healthier substitute for the sugar. While Cuisinart is running, pour in milk and dissolved sugar and run for 10 minutes. Without stopping, pour in fruit mixture. Run for 15-20 minutes, longer if necessary. Ice cream will be soft until you put it in the freezer, but this is the best way to eat it. Hope you find that you can improve on the recipe.
I added malt powder and it was delicious!
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I made banana ice cream this week. I used cream instead of milk and added frozen berry mix (blueberries and blackberries). My blender wasn’t doing a good job of mixing every thing so I transferred everything to my food processor. Perfect! This turned out SO good. I’ll make it again soon.
I slice the banana before freezing, and use my food processor. For a different flavor, I add pumpkin pie spice.
I was so excited to try this…unfortunately my kids didn’t like it. I can see this being a base for a more complex dessert though. At the very least I learned how to properly freeze bananas.
This banana icecream is really cool my kids love it and enjoy it every weekend. Thanks