this Healthy Banana Ice Cream Recipe, also known as gourmet cream, features just two simple ingredients and four different flavor options. An ice cream lover's dream come true, it's rich, creamy, and delicious!
This recipe is quick and easy to make dairy free, gluten free, Nut free, Eggless, antiquityand vegetarian!
What is banana ice cream?
Banana ice cream, or delicious cream, is a dessert made from frozen bananas! They're mixed with a little liquid (we recommend almond milk) and turned into a creamy, sweet soft puree. It's often called gourmet cream because it's a healthier or “better” version of ice cream.
However, don't be fooled by its healthy description. This delicious buttercream recipe is so delicious! Available in vanilla, strawberry, peanut butter, and chocolate flavors, my family and I are totally obsessed with this dessert!
I love that it's refined sugar-free and my kids think it's real ice cream. Plus, unlike regular homemade ice cream, it only takes minutes and is so easy to make! Enjoy it on its own, on a sundae, or scoop it into a cone. No matter how you serve your favorite flavor, it's sure to become a warm-weather staple in your home


Required ingredients and substitutions
*Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient list!
- Frozen bananas: We find that ripe bananas with yellow skin with just a few brown spots work best for this recipe. If your bananas are not ripe, the banana ice cream will not be sweet. If they are overcooked, it will give the delicious cream a strange flavor. Stick to perfectly ripe bananas for this!
- Dairy-free milk: We recommend using almond milk, but coconut milk will work too.
- Vanilla extract: Use pure vanilla extract to infuse your desserts with a rich vanilla flavor.
- Salt: Believe me! Just a pinch enhances the flavor of the rest of the ingredients.
Let your bananas ripen
If you find your bananas are a little too green, place them in a brown paper bag. Then, let them rest at room temperature for a day or two and they'll be spotty in no time!


Taste changes
The flavor variations below are the same as our Vanilla Banana Ice Cream recipe. However, we omitted the vanilla and added additional mix-in ingredients to replicate the classic ice cream flavor. Here's what you need for each option:
strawberry
- frozen banana
- strawberry: Use frozen strawberries for a rich strawberry flavor and a super creamy consistency.
- Salt
- almond milk or coconut milk
peanut butter
- frozen banana
- peanut butter: Use your favorite variety of creamy peanut butter. Or, swap it out for any nut butter you like.
- Salt
- almond milk or coconut milk
chocolate
- frozen banana
- cocoa powder: Use high quality cocoa powder for the best chocolate flavor.
- Maple sugar: I chose a natural sweetener to balance out some of the bitterness of the cocoa. If you don’t have maple syrup, honey will work too.
- Salt
for a change
We keep the flavor combinations pretty simple, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative! Feel free to try any mix you like best. Some important additions include:
- frozen fruit (Blueberries, raspberries, etc.)
- any nut butter (almond buttersesame paste, etc.)
- Broken cookie sheets (chocolate chip cookiesOreo, etc.)
- Extracts (mint, almond, etc.)
- chocolate chips
- shredded coconut and coconut milk
- instant coffee
- spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, etc.)
- Granola


How to Make a Basic Healthy Banana Ice Cream Recipe
- Mixing ingredients: Put all materials into one high speed mixer or food processor. Processed until the delicious cream is completely smooth and airy, similar to the consistency of soft serve ice cream.
- freeze: Transfer mixture to a loaf pan or freezable container and freeze for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
- Serve: Let the banana ice cream sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, or until soft and ready to scoop. Then, serve and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks for Success
- Skip cooldownmix all ingredients and enjoy delicious cream immediately!
- Freeze bananas for at least 2 hours before mixing ingredients. You can freeze whole bananas or slices. Slicing allows the bananas to freeze faster, but also promotes oxidation and turns the bananas brown. So if you use sliced bananas, be sure to put them in a bag or container.
- scrape off both sides Use a food processor or blender as needed to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
- Add more plant milk Blend as needed until a smooth, creamy consistency forms.
Food recommendations
Feel free to serve your banana ice cream recipe in a bowl. Or, enjoy in a cone or sundae brownie, there are even cookies! Then, if you really want to treat yourself, try adding the following ingredients:
- nut butter
- chopped chocolate
- No dye spills
- chocolate ganache
- Coconut shreds
- Granola


Watch the video here:
Frequently Asked Questions
Store banana ice cream in a covered container. Technically, it can be stored frozen for up to 2 months, but we recommend eating it as soon as possible. When it comes to delicious cream, the fresher the better!
On its own, this recipe has a pretty strong banana flavor. However, it has the flavor of any blended ingredients, which means the banana flavor is very mild.
Yes! Unlike traditional ice cream, this recipe is low-fat, contains no preservatives, and is sweetened with natural sugar. Plus, thanks to bananas, it’s a good source of vitamins and minerals like potassium!
More wholesome desserts to try


Pretty buttercream frosting:
- 3 big banana About 12 ounces, sliced and frozen for at least 2 hours
- 2-4 spoon almond milk or coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract Elective
- pinch Salt
Strawberry Cream:
- 2 big banana About 8 ounces, sliced and frozen for at least 2 hours
- 8 ounce frozen strawberries
- pinch Salt
- 2-4 spoon almond milk or coconut milk
Peanut Butter Cream:
- 3 big banana About 12 ounces, sliced and frozen for at least 2 hours
- ⅓ cup peanut butter
- pinch Salt
- 2-4 spoon almond milk or coconut milk
Chocolate Cream:
- 3 big banana About 12 ounces, sliced and frozen for at least 2 hours
- 1/4 cup Dutch cocoa powder
- 2 spoon Maple sugar
- pinch Salt
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Place all ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender. Process until nice buttercream is completely smooth and airy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add more liquid if needed.
3 large bananas, 2-4 tablespoons almond milk or coconut milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, a little salt
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Transfer buttercream to a loaf pan or other freezer-safe storage container and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.
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Let the delicious cream sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, or until ready to scoop. The time it takes to sit depends on how warm your home is!
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Scoop out and serve as is or with desired toppings.
- Nutritional information is for plain banana ice cream and does not include add-ons or toppings.
- Bananas should be frozen for at least two hours or longer. If you freeze bananas for more than two hours, be sure to place them in a container or bag to prevent them from turning brown.
- Store banana ice cream in a covered container. Technically, it can be stored frozen for up to 2 months, but we recommend eating it as soon as possible. When it comes to delicious cream, the fresher the better!
Serve: 1ServeCalories: 81kilocaloriescarbohydrate: No. 19Gprotein: 1Gfat: 1GSaturated fat: 0.1GPolyunsaturated fats: 0.2GMonounsaturated fats: 0.2Gsodium: 40milligramsPotassium: 294milligramsfiber: 2Gsugar: 10GVitamin A: 52IUVitamin C: 7milligramscalcium: 40milligramsiron: 0.2milligrams