Refreshing 3 Ingredient Banana Ice Cream Recipe
This post is all about how I make the easiest 3 ingredient banana ice cream that’s super refreshing.
When I first went plant-based, I was obsessed with making banana nice cream! It is so incredibly easy to make and I always had frozen fruit stashed away just for this sweet treat.
I love that you can make a big batch of it and store it in your freezer for when you want a simple and light dessert!
With just a few ingredients and a blender, you can easily recreate this recipe and add your own spin to it with your favorite toppings and flavor combinations!
*At the bottom of this post you’ll find even more banana ice cream flavor combos.
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Best 3 Ingredient Banana Ice Cream Recipe
Banana Icecream Ingredients
Bananas: I got super lucky and was gifted a rack of apple bananas. That’s a lot of bananas! Which means I had plenty to use to make a big batch of banana nice cream for this recipe.
You can really use any type of bananas you want. Most importantly, make sure you’re using ripe bananas. A few brown spots on the peel means they are ready to make the best nice cream.
Using ripe bananas helps to make your ice cream recipe super creamy and sweet but without the dairy. Use frozen bananas as your base for any of the flavor combos you decide to create.
Cherries: This ingredient is optional but I’ve been on a cherry kick lately so I wanted to include it!
This is the fun section of the ingredient list though because you can truly add whatever flavor combinations you prefer! Anything from chocolate to peanut butter or various other fruits will work perfectly! Make sure whatever fruit you choose that it is frozen.
Plant-based milk: I am an oat milk fan but I also love using Ripple milk for a bit of extra protein to my ice cream.
You can really use whatever plant-based milk you prefer. Almond milk, coconut milk, macadamia nut milk, or soy milk are great options too.
You can use water if you don’t have plant-based milk on hand but the recipe won’t come out as creamy.
High-powered blender: My absolute favorite blender is the super popular Vitamix! Yes, it is expensive but I truly think it is worth the investment because it works so well and will last for years! My Vitamix was actually a hand-me-down so it’s probably at least 5-7 years old at this point.
This thing really is a powerhouse and will ensure that although you’re using hard, frozen fruit, the blades will still turn. Some other blenders may not be able to handle this. You can let your fruit dethaw just a bit if your blender is having trouble turning the blades with the tough fruit.
But most importantly, use whatever blender you already own!
*You can also use a food processor. I love this recipe because you don’t necessarily need an ice cream maker and you can simply use whatever appliance you have.
Optional banana ice cream toppings: Normally I just eat the banana nice cream just as it is but if you want it to be extra special you can add on some fun toppings. If you are having your nice cream as a meal then these toppings can make it more filling.
DIY nice cream toppings:
- Granola or cereal
- Chopped nuts
- Crushed graham crackers
- Chia seeds, flax seeds, or hemp seeds
- Cacao nibs
- Dark chocolate chips
- Your favorite candy (cookie dough bites, sprinkles, gummy worms etc.)
- Whip cream
- Coconut flakes
- Peanut butter or other nut butters
- Honey or agave
- Coconut cream
- Date syrup or maple syrup
- Chocolate sauce
- Ice cream cones or bowls. It can be fun to put your nice cream in a classic cone!
- Fresh fruit that isn’t in the ice cream blend for extra variety!
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Homemade 3 ingredient banana ice cream instructions:
- Start with frozen fruit! None of the fruit you use for this recipe should be room temperature. If you want your ice cream to be thick like more typical ice cream then you have to use frozen fruit. Room temperature fruit is ok for smoothies or juices but not nice cream!
- Put your frozen fruit and a touch of plant-based milk into your blender. Start blending slowly and then speed it up as the ingredients begin to get crushed.
- If the blades in your blender aren’t turning, you may need to use a bit more plant-based milk. You may also need to use a spoon to move around the frozen fruit so the blender blades can catch the fruit at a different angle.
- Don’t over-blend your mixture because if it starts to heat up or get liquidy you will end up with a smoothie and not a fun nice cream dessert 🙁
3 Ingredient Banana Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 Blender (You can also use a food proccessor)
Ingredients
- 2-3 Bananas Frozen
- 1/3 Cup Cherries (or other desired fruit) Frozen
- 2 tbsp Plant based milk Oat milk, almond milk or soy milk are great options
Instructions
- Slice fruit into pieces. Freeze the banana slices and cherry pieces in an air tight container in the freezer for about 2 hours.
- Pour your frozen fruit into your bender. Add a bit of plant based milk.
- Turn on your blender to the lowest setting. Slowly crank up the speed on your blender and add more milk if needed.
Video
Banana ice cream storage tips:
Use whatever storage containers you already own to store your leftover ice cream in your freezer. I personally really love these ones by Ukonserve. They’re super durable and fit perfectly in my freezer. I’ve had one container for almost 8 years and it’s still going strong.
Just make sure it’s a freezer-safe container whichever one you choose.
Maybe make a big batch of ice cream so that you always have some stashed away in your freezer when you need a sweet treat!
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FAQ about homemade banana ice cream
How do I achieve the soft-serve consistency in my banana ice cream?
The right consistency of your ice cream can be tricky to find. Make sure to start with a splash of milk and slowly add more as you go.
If your ice cream has turned into a smoothie you can add more frozen fruit or even a bit of ice.
If your blender isn’t pushing the frozen fruit around you may need to add more liquid or gently shake the blender for the ingredients to shift around.
With a bit of experimentation, you can get the perfect consistency that mimics traditional ice cream.
Banana ice cream flavor combinations
The best part about learning this banana ice cream base recipe and techniques, is that it is easily customizable.
You can remake your favorite traditional ice cream flavors in this healthier version!
Here are some creative flavors you can try out:
Chocolate Nice Cream – Add cocoa powder to your banana ice cream base. Drizzle on some chocolate sauce. Sprinkle on some cacao nibs or chocolate chips.
Peanut Butter Nice Cream – Blend in a scoop of peanut butter to your banana ice cream base. Sprinkle on some crushed graham crackers and cacao nibs.
Mixed Berry Nice Cream – Add frozen strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries. Sprinkle some granola and agave syrup on top.
Tropical Nice Cream – Blend in mango, pineapple & a splash of coconut milk. Sprinkle on some toasted coconut flakes.
Banana Bread Nice Cream– Add 1 tsp of vanilla extra. Top it with crushed walnuts, a bit of cinnamon, and crushed graham crackers.
Salted Caramel Nice Cream– Add in date syrup or maple syrup and a sprinkle of salt. Top it with chopped nuts and caramel syrup.
Birthday Cake Nice Cream- Add just a few raspberries (or food coloring) to get a bright pink base. Break up pieces of cake throughout the ice cream. Add colorful sprinkles to the top!
What is your favorite 3 ingredient banana ice cream flavor? Let us know in the comments below! I’m sure others in the community would love to learn from you as well.
Stay well,
Maggie
This post was all about an easy 3 ingredient banana ice cream recipe.
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