Banana nice cream is made with milk for extra creaminess. This recipe includes seven incredible flavors: classic banana, chocolate, mango, raspberry, mint chocolate chip, peanut butter, and matcha. Mix in your food processor or blender for a delicious treat!
Banana Nice Cream
Guys, I have an exciting post to share with you today. It’s all about banana nice cream! If you’ve never tried it before, I’ve done all the testing of the best ways to make it, flavors to try, and what NOT to do. Consider this your ultimate guide to making banana nice cream at home.
Each of these banana nice cream recipes were tested by myself, my 4-year-old daughter, and my husband. So I wanted to make sure I had a variety that would appeal to different tastes. And the results were quite mind-blowing! It almost felt like each flavor got better and better. And truthfully, I’m not sure I could pick an absolute favorite because they’re all so delicious and suit different types of cravings.
So if you’re looking for a dairy-free alternative to regular ice cream. One that has NO SUGAR, and NO ADDITIVES, then this is it! Instead, it’s made with simple healthy ingredients and you’ll feel really good serving it to your family because you know exactly what’s inside and it’s just sooo good.
So let me share with you an honest review of banana nice cream, and seven different flavors you can easily make at home!
What Is Banana Nice Cream?
Before we go any further, some of you might be asking, “What the heck is banana nice cream?” Good question!
It’s an alternative to regular ice cream that’s made with bananas. When you freeze the bananas and blend them until they’re smooth, it creates a creamy, smooth consistency that is similar to soft-serve ice cream. It’s great for anyone who is lactose intolerant, or who wants a healthier alternative to the store-bought ice creams that are full of refined sugar and preservatives.
What’s so great about banana nice cream is that it’s made with ripe bananas – which provide enough sweetness in them naturally. So no need to add any more sugar to these recipes.
How To Freeze Your Bananas:
In order to make the perfect banana nice cream consistency, you will need to freeze a bunch of bananas. For each recipe, I used about 2 cups of frozen banana slices (which equals about 2 full bananas).
This is important: there is actually a trick to freezing bananas properly. Let me tell you what it is… If you freeze your bananas whole, or just dump them all into a freezer bag – they will stick together and form a big hard rock that is very hard to separate.
Instead, do this easy trick: Slice your bananas into small pieces and place onto a baking sheet in a single layer. If you still need to add more, then place a piece of parchment paper on top and add more slices in a single layer. Let these freeze for about 3 hours. Then remove them from the baking sheet and add them to a freezer bag. If you skip this step, the banana slices will stick together when freezing and form a large block that will be really hard to blend. So this method is definitely worth it.
Banana Nice Cream Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The main ingredient in nice cream is… bananas. Bananas are rich in fiber, potassium, vitamin A and natural sugars. To make your banana nice cream extra healthy, be sure to use good quality ingredients – if using chocolate chips, only use 70% dark or darker, add in fresh berries as toppings for antioxidants, and avoid sweetening the nice cream with any sugar.
I’ve found that adding coconut milk helped to create more creaminess to the nice cream. So I recommend not skipping this step. You can use regular milk for these recipes or a non-dairy version like almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk or soy milk. Also, the longer you blend in the food processor, the more creamy it will get.
As long as your banana nice cream is stored in an airtight freezer container, it can be stored for a while. Personally, I prefer to freeze banana slices and then make smaller batches of nice cream to keep the flavors tasting fresh.
Favorite flavors will vary from person to person. Personally, I found that the classic banana nice cream without any extra ingredients tasted too much like bananas for me.
I’m a big fan of the raspberry nice cream – it’s lovely and refreshing! My daughter absolutely loves the chocolate nice cream. And my husband said the mint chocolate chip was his favorite.
Go with your gut in whatever flavor you want to try first, but you can always make a couple of smaller batches at once to try a few flavors. I made all of these in one day – the process is really easy so you can definitely try a few out!
How To Make Banana Nice Cream
- Prep bananas the day before. Using the freezing method above, be sure to prep and freeze your bananas at least a day in advance. This makes the process of making banana nice cream much easier.
- Add milk to get a better consistency. Personally, I found that adding coconut milk to my nice cream gave a better consistency that was more like real ice cream. You can use any type of milk you want for this step (dairy or non-dairy).
- Use a food processor. Unless you have a high-speed blender like a vitamix or blendtec, a food processor will be your best appliance to get the desired consistency here. When adding two cups of frozen banana slices, and 1/4 cup of coconut milk, it would usually take 2-3 minutes for everything to combine and turn creamy. Occasionally I had to stop the machine and scoop down the sides with a spatula to help with the process.
- Eat as a soft serve. You can eat the nice cream as soon as it’s done mixing – just scoop into a bowl and eat the same way you would soft-serve ice cream.
- OR create a harder version. If you want the classic scoops like I did in the photos below, then you’ll need to add the nice cream to a bowl or dish and freeze for another 2 hours. Then you’ll be able to use an ice cream scooper to create the scoops.
- Storage Tips. Anything you want to save for later should be stored in a freezer-safe container to prevent freezer burn. When you’re ready to eat, take the nice cream out of the freezer and let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes, this will help to soften before you scoop and serve.
That’s it! When you know these simple tips and tricks, you can easily make your own creations. To get you started, below are seven delicious banana nice cream recipes to try at home. Feel free to swap out ingredients for a different one if there’s something you like better. Have fun!
1. Classic Banana Nice Cream
- 2 cups frozen banana slices
- 1/4 cup coconut milk (or milk of your choice)
Classic banana nice cream is the base that we will be using for any of the following flavors. To make your banana nice cream, combine frozen banana slices and coconut milk (or milk of your choice) in a food processor for about 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Eat immediately for a soft-serve consistency, or spoon into a baking dish and freeze for 2 hours – then use an ice cream scooper to scoop into a bowl to serve. Add your favorite toppings such as berries, shredded coconut, nuts, and seeds, or dark chocolate chips.
2. Chocolate Nice Cream
- 2 cups frozen banana slices
- 1/4 cup coconut milk (or milk of your choice)
- 2 Tbsp cacao powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate banana nice cream was one of our personal favorites when making these recipes. My daughter and I thought it was the perfect treat. She’s been asking me to make more every day – so it was definitely a hit!
To make your chocolate banana nice cream, combine frozen banana slices, coconut milk (or milk of your choice), cocoa powder, and vanilla extract in a food processor for about 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Eat immediately for a soft-serve consistency, or spoon into a baking dish and freeze for 2 hours – then use an ice cream scooper to scoop into a bowl and serve. Add your favorite toppings such as berries, shredded coconut, nuts, and seeds, or dark chocolate chips.
3. Mango Nice Cream
- 1 cup frozen banana slices
- 1 cup frozen mango
- 1/4 cup coconut milk (or milk of your choice)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Mango banana nice cream is fruity and refreshing. To make your mango banana nice cream, combine frozen banana slices, frozen mango, coconut milk (or milk of your choice), and vanilla extract in a food processor for about 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Eat immediately for a soft-serve consistency, or spoon into a baking dish and freeze for 2 hours – then use an ice cream scooper to scoop into a bowl and serve. Add your favorite toppings such as berries, shredded coconut, nuts, and seeds, or dark chocolate chips.
4. Mint Chocolate Chip Nice Cream
- 2 cups frozen banana slices
- 1/4 cup coconut milk (or milk of your choice)
- 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Mint chocolate chip banana nice cream. This one was my husband’s favorite of all the flavors. To make your mint chocolate chip banana nice cream, combine frozen banana slices and coconut milk (or milk of your choice) in a food processor for about 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add in the peppermint extract and mix for 10 seconds. Now, add in the chocolate chips and mix for another 10 seconds to combine everything. Eat immediately for a soft-serve consistency, or spoon into a baking dish and freeze for 2 hours – then use an ice cream scooper to scoop into a bowl and serve. Add your favorite toppings such as berries, shredded coconut, nuts, and seeds, or more dark chocolate chips!
5. Nut or Seed Butter Nice Cream
- 2 cups frozen banana slices
- 1/4 cup coconut milk (or milk of your choice)
- 1/4 cup peanut butter (or sunbutter if you want nut-free)
Nut or Seed butter banana nice cream is perfect for any peanut butter lovers out there! You can also make this option nut-free using sunbutter. To make your banana nice cream, combine frozen banana slices, coconut milk (or milk of your choice), and nut/seed butter in a food processor for about 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Eat immediately for a soft-serve consistency, or spoon into a baking dish and freeze for 2 hours – then use an ice cream scooper to scoop into a dish and serve. Add your favorite toppings such as berries, shredded coconut, nuts, and seeds, or more dark chocolate chips!
6. Matcha Nice Cream
- 2 cups frozen banana slices
- 1/4 cup coconut milk (or milk of your choice)
- 2-3 tsp matcha powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Matcha banana nice cream is perfect for any of you matcha latte lovers out there! I love the green color and matcha is high in antioxidants. To make your banana nice cream, combine frozen banana slices, coconut milk (or milk of your choice), matcha powder, and vanilla extract in a food processor for about 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Eat immediately for a soft-serve consistency, or spoon into a baking dish and freeze for 2 hours – then use an ice cream scooper to scoop into a bowl and serve. Add your favorite toppings such as berries, shredded coconut, nuts, and seeds, or more dark chocolate chips!
7. Raspberry Nice Cream
- 1 cup frozen banana slices
- 1 cup frozen raspberries
- 1/4 cup coconut milk (or milk of your choice)
Raspberry banana nice cream reminds me of a berry sorbet – it’s the perfect flavor for summertime treats. To make your banana nice cream, combine frozen banana slices, frozen raspberries, coconut milk (or milk of your choice), and vanilla extract in a food processor for about 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Eat immediately for a soft-serve consistency, or spoon into a baking dish and freeze for 2 hours – then use an ice cream scooper to scoop into a bowl and serve. Add your favorite toppings such as berries, shredded coconut, nuts, and seeds, or more dark chocolate chips!
Banana Nice Cream – Six Flavors
Ingredients
Classic Banana Nice Cream:
- 2 cups frozen banana slices
- ¼ cup coconut milk - or milk of your choice
Chocolate Banana Nice Cream:
- 2 cups frozen banana slices
- ¼ cup coconut milk - or milk of your choice
- 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Mango Banana Nice Cream:
- 1 cup frozen banana slices
- 1 cup frozen mango
- ¼ cup coconut milk - or milk of your choice
- ½ tsp vanilla extract - optional
Mint Chocolate Chip Banana Nice Cream:
- 2 cups frozen banana slices
- ¼ cup coconut milk - or milk of your choice
- ¼ tsp peppermint extract - food grade
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
Nut Butter Banana Nice Cream:
- 2 cups frozen banana slices
- ¼ cup coconut milk - or milk of your choice
- ¼ cup nut butter - or seed butter
Matcha Banana Nice Cream:
- 2 cups frozen banana slices
- ¼ cup coconut milk - or milk of your choice
- 2 tsp matcha powder
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Raspberry Banana Nice Cream
- 1 cup frozen banana slices
- 1 cup frozen raspberries
- ¼ cup coconut milk - or milk of your choice
Instructions
For all Banana Nice Cream Flavors:
- To make your banana nice cream, combine all ingredients in a food processor for about 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Eat immediately for a soft-serve consistency, or spoon into a baking dish and freeze for 2 hours – then use an ice cream scooper to scoop into a bowl and serve.
- Serve your favorite toppings such as berries, shredded coconut, nuts, and seeds, or more dark chocolate chips!
Nutrition Info Note: The actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes and the size and number of what you make. The nutritional values provided above are just an estimate. Actual numbers will vary based on brands you choose and the ingredients you use.
If you’re looking for more specific details (for example, to track your macros) then I recommend adding specific brand ingredients and this recipe to a food tracker app on your phone.
More Healthy Treat Ideas:
- Tropical Green Smoothie Bowl – A healthier alternative to cereal cravings.
- Chocolate Avocado Mousse – So creamy and chocolatey, you won’t believe it’s healthy!
- Coconut Whipped Cream – Add this to fresh berries and it tastes like heaven.
- Chocolate Quinoa Bliss Balls – You’ll be surprised just how good quinoa tastes with chocolate!
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