Banana Ice Cream Recipe
Freezing ripe bananas first locks in their natural sugars and turns their starch into a base that blends into something surprisingly close to soft-serve, no cream, eggs, or ice cream maker required, just a food processor and patience through a crumbly stage before it turns smooth.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 250 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 large bananas, very ripe, peeled and sliced into coins
- 2 tbsp milk or heavy cream (optional, for softer texture)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 129
- Protein
- 2g
- Carbs
- 31g
- Fat
- 1g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
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Instructions
- 1Peel the bananas and slice into coins about 1/2 inch thick.
- 2Spread the slices in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet so they don't clump together, and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until solid.
- 3Transfer the frozen banana slices to a food processor and pulse a few times to break them up.
- 4Process continuously, scraping down the sides every 30-45 seconds. The mixture will look crumbly and sandy, then form a thick paste, then finally turn smooth and creamy, this whole process takes 5-8 minutes total.
- 5Add the vanilla extract and salt, and the milk or cream if using, then process for another 30 seconds until fully combined.
- 6Serve immediately for a soft-serve texture, or transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 2-3 hours for a firmer, scoopable texture.
Tips & variations
- Use bananas that are heavily spotted or nearly black underneath the peel; underripe bananas taste starchy and don't blend as smoothly.
- A high-powered blender works, but a food processor is easier to scrape down and less likely to seize up on the frozen fruit.
- Add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, cocoa powder, or a handful of frozen berries during the final blend for a flavored version.
- Skip the food processor entirely if you plan to eat it right away with a high-powered blender fitted with a tamper, but expect to stop and stir more often.
Storage & reheating
Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container, press plastic wrap directly against the surface to limit ice crystals, and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Because it has no stabilizers or added fat beyond the banana itself, it freezes harder than dairy ice cream; let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before scooping.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- Pre-slicing the bananas before freezing means less time hacking a whole frozen banana apart with a knife later.
- Freezing bananas at their peak ripeness and keeping a bag on hand in the freezer makes this a five-minute dessert on demand.
FAQ
Why is my banana ice cream still crumbly instead of smooth?
It usually just needs more processing time. The mixture goes through a sandy, crumbly stage before the banana's natural starches and fats break down enough to turn creamy, which can take a full 5-8 minutes of scraping and blending.
Do I need an ice cream maker for this?
No. Frozen bananas blend to a soft-serve consistency in a food processor or blender without any churning, since the banana flesh itself provides the creamy texture instead of an ice-crystal structure that needs churning to stay smooth.
Can I make this without a food processor?
A high-powered blender works, but the mixture is thick enough that a standard blender often stalls; using the tamper (or stopping to stir frequently) helps keep it moving.
How ripe should the bananas be?
Look for bananas that are heavily speckled with brown spots or nearly all brown on the peel. Riper bananas are sweeter and blend into a smoother, creamier base than firmer, more yellow ones.