This Tropical Banana Ice Cream is a bright and refreshing frozen treat that'll have you thinking of hot, summer days at the beach.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
If you've never tried homemade banana ice cream (also known as "nice cream") before, you'll be surprised at how thick and creamy it tastes for how ridiculously easy it is to make. When mixed with delicious chunks of frozen mango and pineapple, it becomes a tropical paradise with every scoop. What else makes this recipe such a big hit?
- No ice cream maker required - don't worry, no churning here! Grab a blender or food processor and you're good to go.
- Natural and nutritious - made with whole foods, and without the high calories, refined sugars, trans-fats, and artificial additives that traditional ice cream has.
- Dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan - this recipe accommodates many common dietary restrictions, making it accessible to many people.
- Easily customizable - this tropical banana flavour is just one of the many unique flavours you can create by mixing in your own add-ins.
- Satisfies the sweet-tooth - and does it in a healthier way than traditional ice cream, brownies, cakes, pies, etc.
The Magic of Frozen Bananas
Have you ever heard about the magic of frozen bananas? If you haven't, you're in for a treat. When blended, frozen bananas produce a velvety smooth, luxuriously creamy texture that closely mimics the consistency of traditional ice cream or gelato. Due to their natural sweetness, ripened bananas often don't need much (or any) added sweetener, making them a delicious frozen dessert that really hits the mark when you're craving a little something sweet.
Ingredients
Please see recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Frozen bananas - the star of the show! Make sure to use ripened, frozen bananas for a naturally sweet and thick, creamy consistency.
- Unsweetened almond milk - you can use any kind of milk you like, whether cow's milk or plant-based milk. All you need is a small amount to help make the blending process easier.
- Vanilla extract - a splash of vanilla makes a big difference in flavour.
- Frozen pineapple and mango - two of my favourite tropical fruits! But you can use whatever you like that reminds you of warm, sunny beach days (try it with peaches!).
- Maple syrup - I find that just a small amount of natural sweetener works well in this recipe.
Instructions
STEP 1: First, let's prepare our frozen bananas by peeling and slicing them so they're easier to blend.
STEP 2: Throw banana slices in a sealable container or freezer bag and freeze for 3+ hours until they harden (or overnight for best results).
STEP 3: Add the ingredients into a high-speed blender or food processor.
STEP 4: Blend the ingredients into a smooth consistency. Periodically stop to stir and scrape down the sides for an even blend.
STEP 5: Once it's blended, scoop it out and enjoy as a smooth and creamy soft-serve, or freeze it for later as a hard-serve ice cream!
Equipment
When it comes to making "nice cream", a high-powered blender or food processor will give you the best results every time. A high-powered blender will have the strength and speed needed to crush through frozen fruits without breaking a sweat. I personally love using my Vitamix blender everyday - it comes with a handy tamper that I stir the ice cream with during blending. A good food processor also works well, but you may just need to stir and scrape it a bit more frequently to keep things moving.
Enjoy as Soft-Serve or Hard-Serve
Another helpful tip? You can enjoy this ice cream as either a soft-serve or hard-serve! For a soft-serve, just eat it as soon as it finishes blending. For a hard-serve, simply freeze it for a few hours to let the ice cream harden; when you take it out, let it sit on the counter for 15-20 minutes to soften at room temperature, and then scoop and enjoy! (or leave it out for longer to turn it into a soft-serve again)
Soft-serve
Hard-serve
Storage
You can store this in the freezer for up to 1-2 months without any issue - just make sure to use a sealable container to prevent freezer burn. Then, all you have to do is thaw it for 15-20 minutes whenever you're ready to eat!
For storage, I love using these 16-ounce (473 ml) wide-mouth mason jars. They're a perfect size for storing one pint of ice cream (which is what this recipe makes), with a sealable lid and a wide-mouth opening that makes it easy to clean and scoop out of.
Toasty's Tips
- Top it off with some coconut flakes for a more tropical vibe.
- Instead of mango and pineapple, use your favourite tropical fruits (peaches work great in this recipe!)
- If using a blender, start at a slow speed and then slowly move up to higher speeds - this will give the frozen bananas a chance to crush and break down before blending.
- If using a food processor, give it a few pulses first before blending.
- Keep frozen bananas in the freezer handy - this makes it easy to whip up a fresh batch of banana ice cream whenever you like! They're also great for thickening smoothies.
- Use a parchment paper-lined baking tray to freeze the banana slices on in order to prevent them from sticking together.
- Instead of slicing and freezing bananas myself, I often like the convenience of pre-packaged frozen banana slices. They're already ripened and ready to use!
FAQ
Why is my blender struggling to blend the bananas smoothly?
If your blender is struggling to blend the ingredients, there are a few things you can try. Add a splash of milk to help things move. Periodically pause blending to stir and scrape the banana, then blend again to keep things moving. And skip those slower, older blenders which often struggle with blending frozen bananas due to lack of power. Instead, use a high-powered blender or food processor for best results.
Can I use fresh fruits instead of frozen?
Frozen bananas are a must for this recipe to produce the thick consistency needed for ice cream. As for the tropical fruits, I also recommend using frozen - any kind of frozen fruits will help thicken our recipe, which is always what we want.
Do I have to use milk?
If you have a strong enough blender or food processor, you can try blending without using any milk, although you may need to use a bit more elbow grease to scrape and stir the banana. A small amount of milk helps it blend more easily, but you can try blending without it to start, and then slowly adding it only as needed.
Is this banana ice cream healthy?
You bet! Bananas are packed with essential nutrients, fibre, and are naturally sweet. You won't find the high amounts of added sugar, trans fats, and other additives of traditional ice cream - plus it's much lower in calories! You can even add in your favourite superfoods to make it even more nutritious.
Try These Other Ice Cream Flavours
Check out these other easy and delicious homemade ice cream flavours:
📖 Recipe
Tropical Banana Ice Cream
Suggested Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 small/medium bananas (or 3 large bananas) - frozen and ripened
- 2 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 cup pineapple and mango chunks - frozen (fresh is fine as well)
Instructions
- Prepare frozen bananas by peeling and slicing them so they're easier to blend.
- Freeze banana slices for 3+ hours until they harden (or overnight for best results). Use a sealable container or freezer bag to prevent freezer burn.
- Pour ingredients into a high-speed blender or food processor.
- Blend the ingredients until it turns into a smooth consistency. Periodically stop to stir and scrape down the sides for an even blend.
- Once it's blended, scoop it out and enjoy as a smooth and creamy soft-serve, or freeze it for later as a hard-serve ice cream!
Notes
- Video: Watch the step-by-step video tutorial here.
- If using a blender, start at a slow speed and then slowly move up to higher speeds once the frozen bananas have started breaking down.
- If using a food processor, give it a few pulses first before blending.
- Top it off with some coconut flakes for a more tropical vibe.
- Instead of mango and pineapple, use your favourite tropical fruits (peaches work great in this recipe!)
- If your blender is struggling to blend the ingredients, try adding a splash of milk. Stop the blender or food processor periodically to stir and scrape the bananas, and then continue blending. And use either a high-speed blender or food processor - lower-powered blenders often struggle with crushing and blending frozen bananas into a smooth puree.
- Use a parchment paper-lined baking tray to freeze the banana slices on in order to prevent them from sticking together.
- Instead of slicing and freezing bananas myself, I often like the convenience of pre-packaged frozen banana slices. They're already ripened and ready to use!
STEP-BY-STEP VIDEO
You can find step-by-step video tutorials for all of my recipes on my YouTube Channel. There you'll find many more tips and tricks to help you along!
Nutrition
Note: Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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