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Learn how to make banana ice cream in a blender or food processor with this easy recipe! Whether you make banana, strawberry, or chocolate peanut butter-flavored ice cream, it’s an ultra-creamy vegan dessert that’s perfect for summer or year-round.

3 different flavors of banana ice cream cones.
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Easy and Customizable Homemade Banana Ice Cream

There’s nothing like a nice cold treat on a hot summer day! Whether it’s a bowl of mixed berry ice cream, creamy lemon ice pops, or this homemade banana ice cream, we can’t get enough.

Homemade ice cream from frozen bananas is one of our favorite refreshing desserts because it couldn’t be easier to make. All you need are simple ingredients and a blender or food processor. No ice cream maker needed!

What we love most about this vegan banana ice cream recipe is how fun it is to customize. While we included banana, strawberry, and chocolate peanut butter variations in this recipe, you can put your own spin on it using any of the flavor ideas listed below. Whip up a batch of your favorite ice cream flavor, freeze it, and then enjoy it throughout the summer or year-round!

Looking for more frozen vegan desserts to try? Check out our healthy watermelon popsicles, healthy banana popsicles, peanut butter and chocolate covered bananas, and strawberry sorbet with mint.

The Ingredients and Substitutes

ingredients for banana ice cream in individual bowls and jars.

Banana Ice Cream

  • Bananas: Slice up a bunch of ripe bananas and freeze them before making all 3 recipes for the best results.
  • Plant-based milk: Any dairy-free milk works great in vegan ice cream. You can also use water or coconut water as a substitute.
  • Agave syrup: This natural sweetener balances the flavors in the vegan ice cream and transforms it into a sweet dessert. Maple syrup also works, but the flavor of the plant-based ice cream will be slightly different.
  • Vanilla extract: For a little extra sweetness and balance.

Strawberry Banana Ice Cream

In addition to the bananas, plant milk, agave, and vanilla, you’ll also need:

  • Strawberries: Use frozen strawberries to give the vegan ice cream a smooth and frosty consistency and gorgeous pink color.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

In addition to the bananas, plant milk, agave, and vanilla, you’ll also need:

  • Cocoa powder: This gives the vegan ice cream a distinctly chocolatey flavor.
  • Peanut butter: Use crunchy or smooth all-natural peanut butter, or swap it for almond butter! If you’re only craving vegan chocolate ice cream, omit the peanut butter.

Flavor Variations

Customize your vegan banana nice cream with any of these flavor boosters or mix-ins:

  • Other fruits: In addition to the bananas, add frozen mango, pineapple, kiwi, peaches, or cherries for a fruity twist.
  • Nuts: For a nice crunch and added nutty flavor, mix in some crushed peanuts, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, or pecans by hand.
  • Vegan chocolate chips: Stir in about ½ cup of vegan chocolate chips for a crunchy, double chocolatey flavor.
  • Extracts: Blend in 1 to 2 teaspoons of mint, peppermint, almond, or banana extract to play with the flavors.
  • Sauces: Use a spatula to swirl in caramel sauce, vegan chocolate sauce, peanut butter, or almond butter after blending.
  • Jam: Stir in a generous scoop of your favorite fruit jam for some added fruitiness.
  • Vegan cookies: Break up your favorite vegan cookies, like vegan peanut butter cookies or edible peanut butter cookie dough, and fold in the pieces at the end.
  • Vegan brownies: Chop up a few leftover vegan brownies and stir them into the plant-based ice cream for a chewy, decadent texture.
  • Protein powder: Make vegan protein ice cream by blending in up to 3 tablespoons of your favorite plant-based protein powder. Plain, chocolate, vanilla, peanut butter, or toffee-flavored protein powder would all be delicious!

How to Make Frozen Banana Ice Cream

Strawberry Banana Ice Cream

  • Add the frozen bananas, frozen strawberries, agave, vanilla, and your choice of plant-based milk.
ingredients for strawberry banana ice cream in a food processor.
  • Blend or pulse until you have a smooth vegan ice cream.
  • Scoop into a bowl and enjoy!
blended strawberry banana ice cream in a food processor.
blended strawberry banana ice cream in a glass container.

Banana Ice Cream

  • Add the frozen bananas, agave, vanilla, and your choice of plant milk into a food processor or high-powered blender.
ingredients for banana ice cream in a food processor.
  • Blend or pulse until you have a smooth vegan ice cream.
  • Scoop into a bowl and enjoy!
blended banana ice cream in a food processor.
banana ice cream in a glass container.

Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

  • Add the frozen bananas, cocoa powder, peanut butter, agave, vanilla, and your choice of plant milk into a food processor or high-powered blender.
ingredients for banana ice cream in a food processor.
  • Blend or pulse until you have a smooth vegan ice cream.
  • Scoop into a bowl and enjoy!
blended chocolate pb banana ice cream in a food processor.
blended chocolate pb banana ice cream in a glass container.

If you like a little texture in your vegan ice cream, stir in leftover chopped banana slices, chopped strawberries, a drizzle of peanut butter, chopped peanuts, or any other mix-ins into the blended ice cream before freezing.

FAQs

Do you need an ice cream maker for this recipe?

Nope! This no-churn vegan ice cream recipe is a breeze to make in a regular or high-powered blender or food processor.

What’s the best non-dairy milk for healthy banana ice cream?

Coconut milk is a fantastic choice for vegan ice cream because it’s rich, thick, and fatty, similar to whole milk. Almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, and cashew milk are also great options. Try this chocolate oat milk with the chocolate and peanut butter flavor for double chocolate flavor!

How long do frozen bananas last?

Stored properly, you can freeze bananas for about 6 months. We recommend cutting them into slices and placing them in a ziplock bag with as much air removed as possible.

Pro Recipe Tips

  • Slice the bananas: Frozen bananas are easier to blend when they’re chopped into slices rather than kept whole. Slice the bananas before you freeze them—they will be difficult to cut through once frozen. The same is true for the strawberries!
  • If you’re using a Vitamix or another high-powered blender, you won’t need to use any plant-based milk. Otherwise, add the vegan milk little by little until you reach your desired consistency.
  • For a firmer, thicker vegan ice cream, scoop the vegan ice cream into a loaf pan or another storage container and freeze it for up to 1 hour before serving.
3 different flavors of banana ice cream in individual glass containers.

Serving Suggestions

Treat yourself to a vegan ice cream cone for a quick treat on hot days or a bowl of banana ice cream for dessert. Want to go all out? Use the nice cream for a vegan sundae topped with any of these delicious toppings:

Storage Instructions

Store homemade banana ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. To prevent freezer burn, press a layer of plastic wrap on top of the vegan ice cream before sealing the lid on top.

3 different flavors of banana ice cream in individual storage containers.

More Vegan Dessert Recipes

Photos by Alfonso Revilla

Banana Ice Cream (3 Ways!)

4.97 from 53 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Servings: 1 to 2 servings
Learn how to make banana ice cream in a blender or food processor with this easy recipe! Whether you make banana, strawberry, or chocolate peanut butter-flavored ice cream, it’s an ultra-creamy vegan dessert that’s perfect for summer or year-round.

Ingredients 

Banana Ice Cream

  • 2 frozen bananas (preferably sliced)
  • Splash of plant-based milk (optional)
  • ½ tablespoon of agave (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)

Strawberry Banana Ice Cream

  • 2 frozen bananas (preferably sliced)
  • 2 cups of frozen strawberries
  • ¼ cup of plant-based milk (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon of agave (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)

Chocolate PB Banana Ice Cream

  • 3 frozen bananas
  • 3 tablespoons of peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup of plant-based milk (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon of agave (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions 

  • In a food processor or high-powered blender, pulse or blend the frozen sliced bananas until you have thick, creamy vegan ice cream.
  • Scoop into a bowl or ice cream cones and eat immediately. 

Notes

  • Slice the bananas: Frozen bananas are easier to blend when they’re chopped into slices rather than kept whole. Slice the bananas before you freeze them—they will be difficult to cut through once frozen. The same is true for the strawberries!
  • If you’re using a Vitamix or another high-powered blender, you won’t need to use any plant-based milk. Otherwise, add the vegan milk little by little until you reach your desired consistency.
  • For a firmer, thicker vegan ice cream, scoop the vegan ice cream into a loaf pan or another storage container and freeze it for up to 1 hour before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 255kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 10mgPotassium: 869mgFiber: 6gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 210IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mg

Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.

Additional Info

Author: Toni Okamoto
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Method: Food Processor, Blender
Diet: Vegan
Tried this recipe?Please tag us at @PlantBasedOnABudget! 🙂

Photos by Alfonso Revilla

About

Toni Okamoto

“They say you are what you eat, so I strive to be healthy.
My goal in life is not to be rich or wealthy,
‘Cause true wealth comes from good health and wise ways…
we got to start taking better care of ourselves ” – Dead Prez

More about Toni Okamoto
4.97 from 53 votes (53 ratings without comment)

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