The creamiest homemade banana ice cream that feels just like the perfect soft serve. Just 2 ingredients required, no ice cream maker required, no-churn, made in just 5 minutes, and super healthy with zero added sugar. The perfect dessert for your sweet tooth on a hot summer day .Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan.
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- The Easiest Homemade Banana Ice Cream Ever
- Why This Recipe Works:
- Ingredients You’ll Need + Substitutions:
- How to Make Banana Ice Cream (Step by Step)
- Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
- Recipe FAQs:
- More Banana Recipes for Banana Lovers:
- Other Gluten-Free Desserts to Love:
- 2-Ingredient Homemade Banana Ice Cream (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
The Easiest Homemade Banana Ice Cream Ever
If you love ice cream but have never made your own ice cream because it just sounds impossible, or because you don’t own an ice cream maker, or simply because you never thought to try, it’s time we correct that!
This delicious ice cream that you see before you is an ice cream lover’s bliss. And for banana lovers, the banana flavor is totally natural and amazing.
Making homemade ice cream cannot get any simpler than this, and once you tried this, you’ll always have an ice cream recipe to pull out of your back pocket anytime.
Plus, this is also a fantastic way to use up those brown bananas when you don’t know what else to do with them (apart from banana milkshakes of course)!
Why This Recipe Works:
- Simple Ingredients: The only two ingredients needed for this creamy banana ice cream are (frozen) bananas and vanilla extract.
- Super Easy To Make: The hardest part is literally waiting for the sliced bananas to freeze, but once they’re frozen, you’re just five minutes of hands-on time and you’re on your way to soft serve ice cream heaven! No ice cream maker or churning required, this is like a homemade gelato made in your own kitchen!
- No Added Sugar: The natural sweetness of this healthy ice cream comes from using ripe bananas, so you don’t have to add any sugar to it. (Ice cream doesn’t get any healthier than this!)
- Perfectly Creamy Texture: Smooth and creamy, this banana ice-cream is the perfect dessert for a swelteringly hot summer day. Sort of like a mix between banana pudding and gelato, this banana pudding ice cream is just heavenly.
- Totally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and Vegan: Unlike traditional ice cream, no heavy cream or whole milk is involved in making this banana nice cream, so this homemade ice cream recipe is 100% naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. This means that even those with Celiac disease, or gluten or lactose intolerances, or simply on a vegan diet, can enjoy it without worries.
Ingredients You’ll Need + Substitutions:
Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required for this banana ice cream recipe.
(For exact measurements and quantities, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
- Bananas: Make sure to use overripe bananas with brown spots (as seen in the picture below) because these are naturally sweet and have more sugars in them compared to unripe bananas. Since we are not using any additional sugars or sweeteners in the recipe, the riper your bananas, the naturally sweeter the ice cream will be. Technically, you’ll need previously sliced and frozen bananas, so you can freeze them beforehand to be able to use them anytime (at least 4 hours in the freezer).
- Vanilla Extract: I like adding a bit of pure vanilla extract for extra flavor, but if you’d rather not, feel free to leave it out.
How to Make Banana Ice Cream (Step by Step)
1. Slice and Freeze Bananas
Peel the bananas, cut them into thin, even slices, and then place in a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours.
2. Place Ingredients in Blender or Processor
Combine 2 cups of the frozen banana slices and all the vanilla extract in the bowl of your electric blender or food processor.
3. Blend Until Creamy
Blend the ingredients for a minute until you get a thick, creamy homogeneous mixture (you may need to use a spoon or spatula to accommodate the bananas as necessary).
Add in the remaining frozen bananas and blend some more until all the bananas have been processed.
4. Garnish and Serve
Serve this best homemade ice cream immediately topped with sliced fresh bananas and a sprinkle of walnuts.
Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
- Blender/Food Processor: You can use either a high-speed blender or a food processor, both will work fine. I used a blender and it works perfectly. If you choose to use a blender because you don’t own a food processor (like me!), just bear in mind that you may need to put in smaller portions of bananas at a time, to prevent the motor of your blender from heating up too much. Add 2 cups of frozen bananas and all the vanilla extract to the blender, blend it for a minute until the bananas are processed, then add the rest of the frozen bananas a bit at a time and blend until you get a creamy homogeneous mixture.
- Optional Toppings: I’ve sprinkled this simple banana ice cream with crunchy chopped walnuts for a contrast in texture, as well as sliced bananas. However, feel free to swap out the walnuts for your favorite toppings such as almonds, pistachios, cashews, chopped dark chocolate, chocolate chips or cacao nibs if you prefer.
- Best eaten immediately: We’ve tried eating the banana ice cream immediately straight after blending it, and also tried freezing it and then eating after defrosting. In our opinion this ice cream tastes best eaten immediately, but freezing and defrosting is a close second too!
Recipe FAQs:
If not eating immediately, transfer the banana ice cream mixture to a loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze. To eat, thaw for 15 minutes at room temperature before scooping with an ice cream scoop and serving.
More Banana Recipes for Banana Lovers:
- The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread (Dairy-Free)
- Banana Nut Muffins (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Buckwheat Banana Brad (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- 5-Ingredient Banana Flaxseed Waffles (Gluten-Free, Paleo)
- 2-Ingredient Banana Pancakes (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Other Gluten-Free Desserts to Love:
- Mixed Berry Coconut Yogurt Popsicles (Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free)
- Easy Lemon Curd (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- 5-Minute Chocolate Pudding (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!
Print2-Ingredient Homemade Banana Ice Cream (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
The creamiest homemade banana ice cream that feels just like the perfect soft serve. Just 2 ingredients required, no ice cream maker required, no-churn, made in just 5 minutes, and super healthy with zero added sugar. The perfect dessert for your sweet tooth on a hot summer day .Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan.
Ingredients
For the Banana Ice Cream:
- 4 cups sliced ripe bananas (roughly 3 large bananas or 4 medium bananas), and frozen for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For Toppings:
- 1/4 cup sliced bananas, for topping (optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Slice and Freeze Bananas: Peel the bananas, cut them into thin, even slices, and then freeze in a freezer-safe container for at least 4 hours.
- Combine and Blend: Combine 2 cups of the frozen banana slices and all the vanilla extract in the bowl of your electric blender or food processor and blend for a minute until you get a thick, creamy homogeneous mixture (you may need to use a spoon to accommodate the bananas as necessary). Add in the remaining frozen bananas and blend some more until all the bananas have been processed.
- Garnish and Serve: Serve immediately topped with sliced fresh bananas and a sprinkle of walnuts.
Notes
Bananas: It’s best to use ripe, spotty bananas for freezing because these are naturally sweet and have more sugars in them compared to unripe bananas. Technically, you’ll need sliced and frozen bananas (freeze for at least 4 hours), so I recommend freezing the sliced bananas ahead of time so you can enjoy this ice cream whenever the craving hits. Since we are not using any additional sugars or sweeteners in the recipe, the riper your bananas, the naturally sweeter the ice cream will be.
Vanilla Extract: I like adding a bit of vanilla extract for extra flavor, but if you’d rather not, feel free to leave it out.
Optional Toppings: I’ve sprinkled the homemade banana ice cream with crunchy chopped walnuts for a contrast in texture, as well as sliced bananas. However, feel free to swap out the walnuts for other nuts such as almonds, pistachios, cashews or even chocolate chips if you prefer.
Best eaten immediately: We’ve tried eating the banana ice cream immediately straight after blending it, and also tried freezing it and then eating after defrosting. In our opinion this ice cream tastes best eaten immediately, but freezing and defrosting is a close second too!
Blender/Food Processor: You can use either a high-speed blender or a food processor, both will work fine. I used a blender and it works perfectly. Just bear in mind that since blenders tend to be smaller in capacity than food processors, you may need to add smaller portions of bananas at a time and use a spoon to accommodate the bananas as necessary.
Freezing: If not eating immediately, transfer the banana ice cream to a loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze. To eat, thaw for 15 minutes before scooping and serving.
Adapted from: Minimalist Baker
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Blender
Keywords: no-churn banana ice cream, vegan ice cream, dairy-free ice cream, gluten-free ice cream
Yummy and delicious
★★★★★
Thank you Donna! Glad you enjoyed this!
Hi Felicia,
Your recipe with the bananas which makes for the creamy texture, we can also add other frozen fruits (e.g. pineapple, strawberries, mango etc) to vary the flavour of the ice cream to one’s liking.
Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Love and blessings,
Mum
★★★★★
Hi mummy, yes you can definitely add other frozen fruits for extra flavor!
Thank you for sharing. Will definitely try. Looks so delicious and I am sure it will taste delicious too.
★★★★★
Thanks Siddhi! Glad you enjoy it!
The soft serve looks incredibly delicious! I think it might go great with granola too. ahhh my tummy is rumbling, these photos make me hungry ?
★★★★★
This is super easy! Go freeze bananas today so you can eat this soft serve banana ice cream tomorrow with granola or coconut chips or chocolate chips or whatever you like to throw on it! 😉 Then let me know what you think :))
Hi Felicia,
I fully agree with you that this is, by no means the quickest and simplest recipe for a great natural and yet healthy ice-cream to enjoy anytime of the day.
I have made some by adding some frozen strawberries and that turned out super as well.
Thank you for sharing and have a blessed day ahead!
Cheers with much love,
Mum
★★★★★
Hi Mummy! yum the frozen strawberry ice cream sounds good! Right now not in season in Argentina, but when they are I’ll make strawberry sorbet!