Magical No-Churn Banana Coconut Ice Cream

This magical vegan banana ice cream really only needs one ingredient – 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 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 vegan banana ice cream is genius and I can’t believe it took me twelve freakin’ years to catch on.

What is This 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 – 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.

Step-by-Step Instructions

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. 

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).

• 

• 

• 

• 

About Freezing This 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.

Adding Flavorings and Mix-Ins to Banana Ice Cream

This one-ingredient technique is really a blank canvas for whatever flavors you want. I love the tropical flavor of toasted coconut in mine (see recipe below!), but the possibilities are endless: for chocolate ice cream, add a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder. 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 just 2-3 more times to incorporate.

Other favorite vegan desserts…

• Sugar-Free Date Brownies
• Coconut Chocolate Truffles
• Avocado Gingerbread Loaf Cake
• Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

If you try this recipe, let me know how it turns out! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with #TheNewBaguette and @thenewbaguette on Instagram.

Print