Banana Ice Cream – 3 Ways!
Bananas are pretty amazing. They not only make for an amazing snack on the go and are a crucial part of any epic smoothie but, once frozen, they can become the creamiest and most delicious soft-serve like ice cream. This recipe for Banana Ice Cream -3 Ways! Is one to cherish and turn to whenever those sweet cravings hit and you’d rather go for something wholesome.
It is super easy to make and only needs a couple of easy-to-find at-home ingredients. It will please both little ones and grown-ups and it can be very refreshing on hot days. If you’ve never tried it before, you might be shocked at how much like soft-serve it tastes. You might even not realize it is actually just blended bananas.
How to Make Banana Ice Cream?
One of the best features of this Banana Ice Cream recipe is that you don’t need to use a fancy ice cream machine or expensive ingredients, all you need is a high-speed blender or food processor, some frozen bananas, and some liquid (be it plant milk, water or coconut water). That’s it. Amazing, right? You might not even need the liquid ingredient if your bananas have had a little time to soften up or if you have a really powerful blender.
Depending on how you freeze your bananas, you throw your banana slices (or chunks) into the machine you’ll be using for blending with the other ingredients (milk, vanilla, and agave) and blend or mix until smooth. You’ll be amazed at how creamy the end result is, so good! If you are adding any other ingredients then add them before mixing. Isn’t that a breeze? So easy and so rewarding and delicious.
How to Freeze Bananas?
If you’re wondering how to freeze bananas, then you’re not alone. It might seem like an obvious process but if you’ve never done it before it might be confusing. Do you freeze the bananas with the peel on? Do you slice them before or freeze them whole? So many valid questions to be answered. Let’s go to the basics:
- Freeze bananas when ripe. Yellow and spotty is the way to go since they’ll be sweeter and easier to blend, not to mention easier to digest.
- Make sure you buy an extra (or two) bundle of bananas at the store to freeze later when they are fully ripe. If you love this ice cream or are a huge smoothie lover (who isn’t?) you’ll want to have frozen bananas available to you at all times.
- You can store your frozen bananas in a resealable freezer-friendly bag (like these!) or in a freezer-friendly container.
Now, on to how to freeze them step by step:
- Peel your ripe bananas and slice them. You can also freeze whole or halves if you’re short of time.
- Place them in a bag or container and freeze. Make sure they are properly sealed or they might absorb smells from other things in your freezer. We don’t think you’d appreciate eating some lasagna-tasting soft serve.
- If you need to use it soon after freezing, we recommend waiting at least 12 to 24 hours for the desired consistency.
How Long Will Frozen Bananas Last?
Once you’ve mastered the seamless process of freezing your bananas, how long can you keep them in there before you’d need to toss them away? The answer is: if they are stored properly they should be good to go for at least 6 months. Make sure you keep an eye for when they start turning brown.
Do I Need a High-Speed Blender to Make Banana Ice Cream?
Not at all! A simple and classic food processor will do just fine. Just make sure you add a bit of plant milk if you realize it is struggling to blend it.
How Can I Flavor Homemade Banana Soft Serve?
We love all different types of banana ice creams out there. This recipe covers a few of them. The classic banana flavored and vanilla-infused, the pink strawberry flavored, and our favorite, the indulgent and creamy Chocolate Banana PB. But the truth is, you can use anything you like to both flavors or color your basic Banana Ice Cream recipe. Let’s see some other fun variations:
- Tropical Soft Serve: Add some frozen or fresh mango (or pineapple) chunks to the basic recipe and blend with a touch of coconut milk. You have yourself a delicious banana mango coconut ice cream.
- Caramel Swirl: Blend some soft dates with water to create a delicious caramel sauce. Mix it into the basic Banana Ice Cream recipe and enjoy.
- Chocolate Mint Chip: Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder, with some mint extract and chocolate chips to your bananas before blending. Voila!
Best Toppings for Banana Ice Cream?
The sky’s the limit. There are endless possibilities of amazing toppings for a creamy soft serve like banana ice cream. From granola to fresh seasonal fruit, chopped nuts, and nut butter swirls. Get creative with what you have and keep in mind that crunch is always good.
Can I Store Leftover Banana Ice Cream?
In our experience, refreezing whatever was left from your banana blending experience is not the best way to go. Since you’d be refreezing the bananas and the consistency might be affected, it is best to enjoy it straight away. If you just want to firm it up a bit after blending, you can freeze for about 45 minutes and then eat immediately after.
How to Make High-Protein Banana Ice Cream?
If you’d like to add a nice plant protein punch to this delicious dessert, then feel free to add a tablespoon of your favorite plant-based protein powder. Chocolate, vanilla, or toffee flavors sound wonderful.
Can I Eat it for Breakfast?
Absolutely! Don’t be fooled by the dessert-like appearance of this creamy Banana Ice Cream, it can be enjoyed as a sweet breakfast or a healthy afternoon snack. There’s no wrong time to enjoy this tasty treat!
We truly hope you enjoy the simplicity of this Banana Ice Cream recipe! Let us know in the comments which is your favorite way to eat it and, don’t forget to tag us on Instagram or Facebook if you decide to give it a try!
More Easy Desserts?
Banana Ice Cream - 3 Ways!
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 ice cream.
- Scoop into a bowl or ice cream cones and eat immediately.
Notes
- If you have a Vitamix, you don’t need to use any milk. If you are using anything else, you can add milk by the tablespoon until it goes smoothly.
- If you want it to firm up a little more, put it in a loaf pan or storage container and freeze for 45 minutes to an hour.
- Nutrition facts are for vanilla option.
Nutrition
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
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