Magical No-Churn Vegan Banana Ice Cream

This vegan banana ice cream only needs one ingredient – frozen bananas. Ready in 5 minutes, it’s the quickest route to a delicious, frozen homemade treat.

God, I wish I could take credit for discovering this brilliant, no-churn vegan banana ice cream technique. I’d have probably been rich by now. So rich I could buy my own private island with a bunch of banana trees on it – as well as electricity and a food processor, of course – so I could make all the banana ice cream I want, and eat it on warm sand with blue water lapping at my feet, all. day. long.

Come to think of it, I actually have no idea who invented the technique (The Kitchn could be credited for being the first to spread the gospel in 2009, though), so my guess is they’re probably not rich either. Dammit.

Regardless, this banana “nice cream” technique is genius and I can’t believe it took me twelve freakin’ years to catch on.

What is Vegan Banana Ice Cream

This is a dairy-free, sugar-free, one-ingredient soft serve you can make in minutes – using just frozen bananas and a food processor – and adding whatever flavorings/mix-ins you want. It has a creamy, whipped texture – similar to sorbet or Italian ice – without any of the corn syrup, sugar, or artificial flavorings.

Ingredients

• Frozen Bananas: For best results, choose ripe bananas with brown spots. To freeze, peel the bananas, tear into 1-inch chunks, and place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze until solid (a few hours or overnight).
• Plant Milk: Although you could use only bananas to make this, I like to add a splash of milk to the food processor to help get the bananas going. You can use oat, almond, soy, cashew, etc.
• Vanilla Extract: Also optional, but I like the extra layer of flavor.
• Coconut Flakes: Once again, totally optional! But banana and coconut are a match made in flavor heaven. I like to use large toasted flakes.
• Other Optional Add-ins: This technique is really a blank canvas for whatever flavors you’re craving. Besides coconut, you can add a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder for a chocolaty flavor. For a fruity one, toss in some frozen peaches, mangoes, or berries. For a peanut butter version, swirl in some peanut butter at the very end of pureeing and pulse the food processor 2-3 more times to incorporate.

How to Make Vegan Banana Ice Cream

Freeze the bananas: This dessert starts with frozen bananas, which give it its creamy, icy texture. Make sure your bananas are ripe – i.e. have at least a few brown spots on them. To freeze bananas, tear them into 1-inch chunks, place in a lidded container, and freeze for at least 2 hours (or up to 1 month).

Place frozen bananas in a food processor: A food processor (fitted with the S-blade attachment) is going to turn plain bananas into dreamy soft serve. (If you’re in the market for one, I highly recommend Cuisinart!) It’s a good idea to add a splash of non-dairy milk to the bananas to help break them down. I also like to add vanilla and a pinch of salt to round out the flavors.

If you want to use a blender… If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender, but the results won’t be quite the same; you’ll probably need to use more milk to help the mixture blend, so the ice cream will have a thinner consistency. A Vitamix blender would probably be best here.

Start pureeing: Pureeing frozen bananas is a loud, slightly dramatic process. At first, your food processor will be jumpy – it’s a good idea to stabilize it with your hands. Soon enough, the bananas will start to break down. Every now and then, you should stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor and break apart the bananas.

Puree until completely smooth: After a minute or two, the mixture will turn into soft serve! At this point, it will be at its most creamy, so I recommend eating it right away. Or you can quickly transfer it to a container and keep it in the freezer (more details on freezing below).

Freezing Banana Ice Cream

Vegan banana ice cream is best eaten right away. But, you can keep it in the freezer for a couple of hours (if making it for a dinner party, let’s say).

Note that if you freeze it for a long time (like traditional ice cream), it will crystallize – i.e. take on an icy texture. But it can still be delicious, no doubt. Once it has crystallized, it may be hard to scoop, so thaw it at room temperature for a few minutes before serving and warm your ice cream scoop in a cup of warm water before scooping.

More Vegan Desserts…

• Vegan Date Brownies
• Coconut Oil Banana Bread
• Chocolate Peanut Date Bark
• Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.