Healthy 3 Ingredient Chocolate Banana Ice Cream
Chocolate Banana Ice Cream tastes EXACTLY like chocolate ice cream and is made with only 3 ingredients and they're all healthy. My favorite way to eat it is as soft serve right out of the blender but you can also freeze so it's firm enough to scoop into ice cream cones.
This Chocolate Banana Ice Cream recipe has been on serious repeat here for weeks. Like, every other day kind of repeat. I must have made it four times before I realized that I had to share the recipe with you. It's seriously the easiest healthy ice cream recipe there is and you would NEVER know it's good for you.
The first time I made it I threw the three ingredients in my Vitamix without measuring. My handsome man, who's super skeptical about healthy treats, rolled his eyes and told me I was making mashed up bananas, not ice cream.
He changed his tune when he tried it and asked me to make more when his bowl was empty.
And honestly, how could he not? Just look at that scoop! ⇓
Why you NEED this chocolate banana ice cream
- It tastes EXACTLY like soft serve chocolate ice cream.
- It's every bit as refreshing as your fav ice cream recipe only made with healthy ingredients.
- Banana and chocolate ice cream is really just that: frozen bananas, cocoa powder (the chocolate part), and some nut butter.
- I've been making chocolate almond butter banana ice cream but you could easily make it chocolate peanut butter banana ice cream.
- This is the best recipe ever for tricking your kids, spouse, friends, or yourself into eating healthy food.
How to make frozen banana chocolate ice cream in your food processor
I normally make this frozen banana ice cream recipe in my Vitamix. Since not everyone has one sitting on their kitchen counter, I decided to try making this recipe in my food processor to see if it would work. I'm glad I did! It does work, but you need to add a little liquid to help it blend. In this case, it's a 4 ingredient ice cream banana recipe.
And if you are one of the ones that don't have a Vitamix, thank you. Because of you, I got to eat an extra serving of this healthy banana ice cream and call it work.
- Put the bananas, cocoa powder, almond or peanut butter, and some milk (any kind!) in your food processor.
- Turn it on and hold on tight. It'll shake and rattle until the frozen bananas break down.
- Scrape down the edges and keep processing the ice cream for about 3-4 minutes until it turns creamy and delicious.
- Eat!
How to make frozen banana ice cream in your blender
Word of warning: do NOT try to make this recipe in a regular blender. You need a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix or Blendtec) for this recipe. Frozen bananas are tough cookies and trying to turn them into ice cream will burn out the motor of even the most expensive regular blender. If you don't have a high powered blender, use your food processor.
This really should be called Blendtec Ice Cream or a Vitamix Ice Cream Recipe. Because your high-powered blender is so powerful, you don't need to add any liquid to the turn the bananas into ice cream. This means the ice cream is (IMO) even better.
- Put the frozen bananas, cocoa powder, and almond or peanut butter in your high-powered blender. Put the plunger in the lid.
- Turn the machine on and quickly turn it to the highest setting. Blend, pushing the bananas down with the plunger, until the ice cream is smooth and creamy.
Note: Vitamix has a fan which cools the motor when it's run on the highest setting. Make sure to always use the highest speed (even if it's noisy) so that the fan is turned on.
Now that we've got all the nitty gritty about how to make chocolate banana ice cream out of the way, I need you guys to take a look at how delicious it is.
And by close look, I mean a really close look. Does it look amazing?
Watch the banana ice cream video!
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Healthy Vegan Ice Cream Recipes:
- Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream
- Lime Coconut Ice Cream
- Healthier Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Ice Cream
- Dreamy Almond Chocolate Nice Cream
- Black Pepper Pistachio Ice Cream
- Boozy Cherry Garcia Ice Cream
Chocolate Banana Ice Cream
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Prep Time: 5 mins
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Cook Time: 0 mins
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Total Time: 5 mins
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Yield: 2 cups 1x
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Category: Dessert
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Method: No Cook
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Cuisine: North American
Description
Chocolate Banana Ice Cream tastes EXACTLY like chocolate ice cream and is made with only 3 ingredients and they're all healthy. My favorite way to eat it is as soft serve right out of the blender but you can also freeze so it's firm enough to scoop into ice cream cones.
✨ If you love this Chocolate Banana Ice Cream as much as we do, make sure to give it a 5-star review in the comments below!
Ingredients
- 4 frozen bananas, peeled
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons almond butter (can sub peanut butter)
- 1/4 cup milk of choice (only use if you are making this in a food processor)
- Optional: chocolate chunks or chips, to sprinkle on the top
Instructions
Chocolate Banana Ice Cream in your Blender
- Place the frozen bananas, cocoa powder, and almond butter into your high-powered blender.
- Blend the bananas on high speed using the plunger to push the bananas down as needed. After 2-3 minutes the ice cream will run smoothly.
- Either eat right away or freeze for 2 hours so that it is hard enough to scoop into cones. Sprinkle with chocolate chunks, if you'd like.
Chocolate Banana Ice Cream in your Food Processor
- Place the frozen bananas, cocoa powder, almond butter, and your choice of milk into your food processor. Pulse until the bananas are mostly broken down.
- Scrape the sides of the food processor then continue processing on high until the ice cream is smooth and creamy.
- Either eat right away or freeze for 2 hours so that it is hard enough to scoop into cones. If using, sprinkle with chocolate chunks.
Notes
When the bananas on my counter start to get too ripe I peel them and put them in a bag in my freezer so frozen bananas are always on hand for ice cream or smoothies.
Very, very, very good! Good chocolat taste and so easy to do but I recommend to take out your bananas And let them thaw just a little bit it will be easier in the food processor.
★★★★★
Good tip, Josee!
It doesn’t taste EXACTLY like real chocolate ice cream but it’s pretty good.
★★★★
I haven’t tried your recipe yet, but I did try chocolate banana ice cream for the first tike tonight. It was really bitter. I had bananas in the freezer for way too long and only a T of cocoa powder. Not sure which was the cause.
Did the recipe you use call for almond butter? I find that it really helps to balance the flavors in this recipe. 🙂
I’m on a low fat diet for health reasons- this really fills the gap chocolate ice cream has left in my heart. Thanks a lot
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear that the recipe was a hit, Rose!
Can I store this in the freezer, if so for now long?
While I like it fresh the best, it can be stored in the freezer. I would guess probably a couple of weeks. Make sure to take it out ahead of when you want to eat it so that it has time to thaw a little. It will be a rock if it’s left in the freezer for a long time.
Is a good alternative and easy and quick to make. Very banana-y, not a lot of chocolate flavor. Would definitely make again.
Strange … I’ve always found it super chocolatey. But then I don’t use overripe bananas as it’s the one and only flavor I really can’t stand. For a more pronounced chocolate flavor, try using less ripe bananas.
Hi – I just made the banana ice cream In the Vitamix . It would not blend smoothly til I added some coconut milk. Any tips on blending?
It was delicious!!!
It can be a little tricky to get it started. I find that the heat from my Vitamix warms the bananas a little so they soften and blend well. But it does take a minute of pushing them with the plunger with the blender screaming at me. I imagine that leaving the bananas out of the freezer until they are frozen but not super solid would work, too. 🙂
I’m saved as a Vegan!!!!! This is so frigging good I can’t thank you enough!!!!!!
★★★★★
Haha I love it!! SO great to hear!
Thank you for sharing this delicious icecream recipe! I have a Nutriblender and adding the almond milk worked well! I refroze it after blending, and it was worth the wait! Icecream is nearly my favorite food and having this alternative recipe for a healthy version is amazing!
★★★★★
That makes me so happy to hear! Hooray!
I made this for my husband (vegetarian) .
It was soooo good even my daughter loves it! 😍😍
★★★★★
So happy to hear that the recipe was a hit!
Hi Kristen, made this today, husband said tonight, “that’s not great icecream, it’s awesome icecream”…..who’d thunk it??? It tastes of banana a little bit, but that’s not a bad thing, choc and banana combo is a winner! Thank you again for a great alternative 👏👏👏
★★★★★
I love it! Isn’t it the best thing when food that’s good for you tastes amazing. It’s my fav!
Thanks for this! I had some browning bananas that my dad suggested I make into banana bread, but it’s just too hot for that. I used cacao powder and peanut butter; didn’t need to add the milk and used my food processor. Creamy and delicious! My littles will devour it.
★★★★★
Isn’t it great when the little ones love healthy treats? So happy to hear the recipe was a hit!
It’s not an understatement to say this recipe blew my mind and rocked my world!! How is it that the creamiest and chocolatiest ice cream I’ve ever had isn’t even ice cream?! I was afraid that the banana flavor would be too strong (especially bc I used four that were on the riper side) but not at all—it’s actually quite faint against the chocolate peanut butter goodness. I seriously might not buy another pint of chocolate ice cream ever again and just keep bananas in the freezer. And I’m sure my doctor would appreciate that haha. Thank you for this!! Ive already shared it with almost everyone I’ve run into since making it last night haha
★★★★★
I love it! Thank you for coming back to share your love for this recipe!
Love the recipe it’s so easy and my children love it.
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for coming back to let us know!!
made this ice cream yesterday. Everyone loved it. Bananas give it such a creamy texture, my husband couldn’t believe there was no cream in it!!. Thank you.
★★★★★
Hooray! I’m so happy it was a hit!
I’ve been experimenting with dairy-free ice cream alternatives for years and this is BY FAR the simplest, most delicious, and healthiest one yet! Thank you!!!
That is so great to hear! Thank you for taking the time to come back to let us know!
Absolutely delicious! I added pecans, yum!
Pecans are a great idea!
This recipe is amazing! Tastes exactly like chocolate ice cream and was super thick and creamy, thank you for sharing 🙂
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit! Thank you for coming back to comment!
I made it no milk and peanut butter its do good how many calories is in a 1/4 cup?
166 calories. The nutritional information is just below the recipe. It will be a little different though if you omit some of the ingredients. 🙂
Hi Kristen! I tried making this recipe and it didn’t turn out quite right. I’m wondering if you could help me troubleshoot? It looks so delicious I’ve got to get this figured out! First of all, it tastes very much like bananas; I thought it would taste more like chocolate ice cream? The banana flavor overpowers everything else. Second, mine came out the consistency of pudding instead of soft serve. I’ve put it in the freezer to get it solidified, but wonder what I might have done wrong? I used my Ninja blender and blended it for several minutes. I was hoping it would thicken up, but maybe I blended it too long? Also, I froze the banana chunks for 2 hours, but maybe that wasn’t enough time? Any tips you have for me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Did you use bananas that were very ripe? The only time I’ve had this turn out banana-y is when I’ve used overripe bananas. And I suspect the bananas may need to be frozen longer next time. I always keep some in my freezer for smoothies and this recipe so they are very frozen when I use them. The other thing that could have happened is the heat from your blender could have warmed the bananas a little too much. You want to stop processing it as soon as it turns creamy. I’ve had it turn into pudding too from leaving the blender running a little too long. A quick sit in the freezer fixes it though. I hope that helps!
We liked the recipe, but in your picture, it looks like there are chocolate chunks in your “ice cream.” Is that added or did we miss an ingredient?
You’re right, I did! They are optional and can be sprinkled on top. 🙂
Delicious! Need to make more next time!
★★★★★
So happy to hear you loved it as much as I do!
I made this today and it was so awesome! I had to use restraint not to eat the whole batch! I’ll be making this all the time! Thanks!
Haha I love it! I have to restrain myself whenever I make it, too!
Did you add in some chopped chocolate? It looks like it in the picture.
I sprinkled some on top. 🙂
Seems like alot of sugar per serving 14.9 grams
1 banana has 14 grams of natural sugar in it. 🙂
this ice cream ist just woooooow
even my kids love it and rather have this than regular italian ice cream
★★★★★
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that! Love when kids opt for the healthy choice!
Fantastic! Easy and YummY! I was skeptical…. but WOW this is delish!
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!
This was delicious! Used the food processor and used 3 slightly thawed bananas + 1 fresh. Followed the rest of the instructions exactly! Everyone loved it!
★★★★★
Good call on using the slightly thawed bananas. That would be easier on your food processor!
I have some tahini (ground sesame seeds butter) in my cupboard. What do you think of using that in place of the peanut or almond butter? I know it is less sweet.
I think it will probably work just fine. The only thing is that some tahini (not all) can be a little bitter. I would taste yours first before adding it to make sure it’s not bitter. You could also add a little natural sweetener (honey or maple syrup) if you find it is a bit bitter. 🙂
I never leave reviews on recipes, in fact, this might be my first. But this is the BEST nice cream I’ve ever tried! I’ve made many, but they all taste too much like bananas, but this one is outstanding in terms of that creamy texture, the perfect balance of chocolate, and sweetness. Brilliant!
★★★★★
Thank you so much for leaving your first review here! I’m so happy you liked the recipe!!
In the vitamix, do you use the dessert setting? Or do you just put the motor up to 10?
I have a power setting on mine that I use. They are all a little different. If the fan comes on with one of the speeds, use that one as the motor will get hot without it.
Question: do I use unsweetened cocoa powder? Also my Vitamix has an ice cream function, so maybe I’ll try that setting. Trying this recipe today!!!
I do use unsweetened cocoa powder!
I have a ninja blender… Is that strong enough???
It should work just fine! You may want to opt for adding a little non-dairy milk or do what one of the commenters did and use partly thawed bananas. 🙂
I can’t wait to try this out! As a conservationist, may I suggest bananas don’t need plastic bags to freeze – they come in their own natural skin, I just throw them in the freezer and take out however many I need for smoothies, etc. Just use a sharp knife to “peel” the now-blackened skin from them and voila!
Trying to reduce/eliminate all plastic from my life, one step at a time,
You’re absolutely right! I used to do it that way but got tired of peeling messy frozen bananas. I’ll probably go back to it though as I’m trying to faze all disposable plastic out of my life.
This is such a great recipe! I used 3 frozen bananas and one non-frozen banana and had no trouble using my food processor. It came out creamy, chocolaty, and delicious!
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!
This has been by far the best recipe I have found for nice cream, it is so thick and creamy.
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!!
Amazing recipe, its delicious! How would I store this for a week or so and still have it taste good? Do you think adding some guar gum would prevent ice crystals? Thankyou.
★★★★★
I really think that this is best eaten shortly after it is made. I often make a single serving (just one banana) if it’s just for myself. 🙂
I have a high-powered blender but still had to add about 1/4 cup of milk for everything to break down properly. Not that I minded. I used coconut milk so it added some yummy creaminess to it. Really good recipe. Love that there’s no added sugar. It’s just the right amount of sweetness for me. Thank you for this.
★★★★★
So happy to hear you like the recipe!
Have you ever tried blending them before you freeze it?
I haven’t as I always want to eat it right away so I start with frozen bananas. 🙂
Tried to make this is my Vitamix and the 3 ingredients burned out the motor. Seriously flawed recipe. Even added a little almond milk when it initially wouldn’t blend and that didn’t help. Seriously dissatisfied.
I’m sorry to hear that happened to you! Luckily Vitamix motors are designed to turn off when they overheat so there’s no risk of harming it. I always use the highest setting so that fan runs to cool down the motor and have never had my Vitamix shut off when making this recipe – and I make it every couple days all summer long. If you try it again, make sure you’re using the highest speed. 🙂
What did I do wrong? It’s so bitter! Yuk!
If it was bitter it is probably because of the cocoa powder. If the bananas you used weren’t ripe that could be it, too. If your cocoa powder is bitter you may need to add some sweetener (maple syrup or coconut sugar would both work) or use bananas that are ripe. 🙂
Why not dates for sweetness?
Because ripe bananas are very sweet and (I think) adding dates would make this ice cream too sweet. 🙂
I’m wanting to try this recipe not only for a healthy dessert for me but for my grandson who turned 1.. gonna make a smash hot fudge Sunday with all the toppings at least the ice cream will be healthy for him..
That’s a great idea! My 2 year old daughter loves this ice cream. I swear she doesn’t notice the difference!
This looks good. I’m keen to try it. I’ve made a few ice creams like this in the past, but what I do is blend all the ingredients together (with the banana still being unfrozen) and then I pour it into individual pretty serving dishes and THEN I freeze them. So much easier, and it saves your blender. 🙂
That’s a really good idea! To be honest, I almost always eat it straight from the blender. I have no patience when it comes to ice cream lol!
This recipe was a real hit.🍨 I may try to add it to our offerings at the next catering job we do. Where do you get the inspiration for your recipes? I struggle with coming up with unique recipes.🌟
That’s so great to hear! I spend all day dreaming of recipes lol. It’s all I do!
This ice-cream looks soooo yummy!and delicious! Great post 🙂 x
It’s never too late for ice cream. 😉 One of my favorite flavors!! 🍨
I could eat it all year long, too!
These all looks so good!! I actually got an ice cream maker for my birthday few years ago, and I ain’t gonna use it until I move out, and this really inspired me! 🙂 can’t wait til I can start making my own ice creams, because I also love it all year around 😀
Ice cream really is the best, isn’t it? Enjoy!
This is legit my favourite ice cream I’ve ever had. Thank you. Complete family super favourite. !
That’s so great to hear! Hooray!!
I just had to tell you that we’ve been making this non stop this summer. It’s the best ice cream ever. I never freeze it but serve it straight from the blender instead.
★★★★★
That’s how I like it best too!!
This recipe is THE BEST EVER! Who knew that there was such a thing as truly healthy ice cream that actually tastes just as good as normal choclate ice cream. You have saved my summer!
★★★★★
Yaaa! I’m so happy you love it as much as we do!!
I made this for the family last night and it was a hit. We ate it right after making it and it was the perfect soft serve texture. Thank you for another healthy recipe!
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear you like it! We like it best right after it’s made, too. 🙂
I have made similar with yoghurt, powdered milk,peanut butter, cocoa powder and honey. My husband loves it and it is so easy to do and so healthy. I will try with banana next time! I put in the fridge to chill and then in the freezer.I whisked it every hour or so for a couple of minutes and then back in the freezer. It tastes like ice cream and so much healthier. Thank you for the recipe.
Such a great idea to use yogurt! I bet it gives it a nice tangy flavor!
NOTHING beats a refreshing and cold treat like ice cream! I enjoy Halo Top on a daily basis, but it can be pretty expensive, so I like making nice cream! YUM. Anyways, this definitely looks like the perfect nice cream to make because I LOVE the combination of chocolate and almond butter. I’d probably rather have it soft-serve style, or maybe in the middle of soft serve and hard ice cream somewhere!
I’m with you on the soft serve. I never think far enough ahead to eat it as hard ice cream. We make it and eat it right away!