Banana Nice Cream

Whip up a plant-based creamy treat in minutes with a handful of ingredients. All you need is a blender or food processor to make smooth and frosty banana nice cream with no added sugar. Easy variations include chocolate, peanut butter, strawberry, and more!

By
Robin Asbell
Robin Asbell
Robin Asbell
Chef Robin Asbell is an author of 11 cookbooks and a freelance writer with hundreds of articles, all focusing on plant-forward, global foods. 
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Published March 25, 2023
Robin Asbell
Scoops of Banana Nice Cream in a Bowl With a Spoon, and on the Counter, a Kitchen Towel

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Banana bread is warming comfort, but did you know those ripe bananas languishing on the counter can be transformed into a cool, creamy soft serve? We all get that craving for a bowl of something cold and sweet. With a little planning, you can freeze sliced bananas, and buzz up a purely plant-based soft-serve, adorably called “nice cream”, with a truly satisfying texture and flavor that might surprise you.

The Magic of Frozen Bananas

Our friend, the banana, is pretty unique. Fruits like apples are juicy and crisp, but if you freeze them, the juices become icy, and the crisp cellulose collapses. Bananas, on the other hand, have more starches and less water, and a dense texture with none of the crispness of other fruits. When you freeze a ‘nanner, it stays creamy, and is easy to puree. When our tongues taste very cold foods, the flavors are muted a bit, and the sweetness becomes predominant. That makes a frozen banana taste a little less like a banana, and more like ice cream. A bit of vanilla helps fool you into thinking it’s the soft serve of childhood memories!

Banana Nice Cream Variations in Three Small Bowls Next to Two Spoons and a Kitchen Towel

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Secrets for the Best Nice Cream

There is really only one challenge, and that’s making a smooth puree before the bananas thaw. To make this easier, make sure to slice the bananas thinly before freezing. That means the blender or food processor can blast through more quickly, without as much heat-creating friction.  

Whether you use a blender or food processor, have your ingredients and serving bowls or tub ready, and don’t get the bananas out of the freezer until go time. Blend, scrape, blend, scrape, and as soon as it’s smooth, serve. If it is a little soft for your taste, park it in the freezer for half an hour or so, then stir. If you freeze your nice cream until it’s solid, just take it out of the freezer to soften at room temperature for about half an hour. It won’t be quite like soft serve, but it will be delicious.

Go Wild With Flavors

Basic vanilla nice cream is fantastic, but once you’ve savored that, try making chocolate, peanut butter, strawberry, or whatever your heart desires. You’ll see our five flavor variations in the recipe below.

Once you’ve fallen in love with banana nice cream, you’ll want to stash sliced bananas in the freezer for spontaneous blending. You’ll be serving a healthy fruit snack, in the guise of ice cream. That’s pretty nice.

Three Scoops of Banana Nice Cream in a Bowl With a Spoon, and on the Counter, a Kitchen Towel

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

More Easy Frozen Desserts

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How to Make Banana Nice Cream

Banana Nice Cream

Prep Time 15 mins
Freezing Time 4 hrs
Total Time 4 hrs 15 mins
Servings 4 servings
Yield 2 cups

You’ll need to freeze the bananas ahead of time, so plan accordingly.

Ingredients

  • 4 large bananas, sliced and frozen (about 4 cups slices)

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 2 tablespoons plain milk, either dairy or non-dairy

Chocolate variation:

  • 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Peanut butter variation:

  • 1/4 cup peanut butter

  • 2 tablespoons honey

Caramel pecan swirl variation:

Strawberry variation:

  • 1 cup frozen strawberries

  • 2 tablespoons honey

Chocolate chip variation:

  • 3 ounces dark chocolate, melted

Method

Basic Nice Cream:
  1. Freeze the bananas:

    24 hours before serving, peel and slice the bananas thinly (about 1/4 inch thick) and spread on a parchment-lined pan. Freeze until solid. If not using that day, transfer to a zip-top bag.

    Sliced Banana on a Baking Tray in the Freezer for Banana Nice Cream Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
  2. Make the nice cream:

    Blender method: Pour the milk and vanilla into the blender container, then add the frozen banana slices. Remove the plug from the blender lid and secure the lid, then insert the tamper (if you have one). Hold the lid on and blend, starting on low speed and increasing to high. Scrape down and repeat as needed to make a smooth puree.

    Food processor method: Place the frozen sliced bananas in a food processor bowl and process, breaking down the banana into small bits. Scrape down the sides, add the vanilla and almond milk, and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down to make sure all the bits are incorporated.

    Frozen Banana Pieces in a Blender for Banana Nice Cream Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
    Frozen Bananas Blended to Make Banana Nice Cream in the Blender

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
    Blender Scraper Scraping Banana Nice Cream off the Sides of Blender

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
  3. Serve:

    As soon as there are no lumps, transfer to bowls to serve, or to a storage tub and freeze. If the puree is softer than you'd like, freeze for 30 minutes to 1 hour, and stir. 

    If you freeze the nice cream until solid, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour to soften before serving.

    Banana Nice Cream Poured Into a Gelato Pan From the Blender

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
    Banana Nice Cream in a Gelato Pan After Freezing, and in the Surroundings, a Stack of Bowls With Spoons and a Kitchen Towel

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
    Three Scoops of Banana Nice Cream and an Ice Cream Scoop Sitting in an Gelato Pan Filled With More Nice Cream, and in the Surroundings, a Bowl With a Spoon and a Kitchen Towel

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Nice Cream Variations:
  • Chocolate nice cream: Add cocoa with the vanilla and milk and process.
  • Peanut butter: Add peanut butter and honey with the bananas and proceed.
  • Caramel Pecan: Make basic nice cream and transfer to bowls or a storage tub, drizzle with caramel and sprinkle with pecans, then swirl gently. Serve or freeze.
  • Strawberry: Add the strawberries and honey with the bananas and proceed.
  • Chocolate chip: When the cream is smooth, pour in the melted chocolate and process. The chocolate will harden into "chips." Serve or freeze.

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Banana Nice Cream Variations in Three Small Bowls Next to Two Spoons and a Kitchen Towel

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
172 Calories
1g Fat
43g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 172
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 6mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 43g 16%
Dietary Fiber 5g 17%
Total Sugars 23g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 16mg 82%
Calcium 19mg 1%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 683mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.