Healthy 3 Ingredient Chocolate Banana Ice Cream
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Chocolate banana ice cream tastes EXACTLY like chocolate ice cream and is made with only 3 healthy ingredients. Our favorite way to eat it is as soft serve right out of the blender, but you can also freeze it so it's firm enough to scoop into ice cream cones! It's a healthier dessert that tastes just as creamy and indulgent as regular chocolate ice cream.
For another healthier banana-based treat, check out our banana nice cream recipe.
You know those moments when you're craving a little treat, but you also want something a bit lighter or healthier? Your healthy dessert dilemma is solved with this super easy and creamy chocolate banana ice cream recipe! It's made from just three simple, wholesome, and healthy ingredients, including frozen banana which blends up to a similar creamy consistency as ice cream. Throw in some natural almond butter and cocoa powder, and you've got yourself an indulgent scoop of goodness ā made without refined sugar!
You don't even need an ice cream maker for this banana and chocolate ice cream. There are two methods we've included for you below ā with a high-powered blender or a food processor.
Why you NEED this chocolate banana ice cream
- Sensational taste: It tastes EXACTLY like soft-serve chocolate ice cream.
- Simple ingredients: Banana and chocolate ice cream is really just that: frozen bananas, cocoa powder (the chocolate part), and some nut butter.
- Easy to make: You can whip this up in a total time of just five minutes ā and you don't need an ice cream maker!
- Versatility: It's super easy to switch things up and throw in an extra ingredient to alter the taste. Craving mint chocolate ice cream? Berries? Too easy!
- Stealthy healthy: Fussy kids? They won't even realize they're eating a healthier ice cream and getting their fruit intake!
Ingredients notes
Chocolate banana ice cream is every bit as refreshing and creamy as your favorite ice cream, but made with just three simple and healthy ingredients. No refined-sugars or hard to pronounce items here! This is all that you need:
- Ingredients: Frozen bananas, cocoa powder, and almond butter (you can also use any other nut butter you'd like).
- Optional: You can use your milk of choice if you're using a food processor ā use a milk alternative like almond milk if you want to keep it dairy-free or vegan. You can also sprinkle some chocolate chunks or chocolate chips on top!
How to make frozen banana chocolate ice cream in your food processor
If you are making chocolate and banana ice cream in your food processor, you just need to add a little liquid to help it blend. In this case, it's a 4-ingredient ice cream banana recipe! Just add a dash of your milk of choice. This is how it's done:
- Add ingredients: Put the bananas, cocoa powder, almond or peanut butter, and some milk (any kind!) in your food processor.
- Blend: Turn it on and hold on tight. It'll shake and rattle until the frozen bananas break down.
- Scrape: Scrape any mixture down the edges and keep processing the ice cream for about 3-4 minutes until it turns creamy and delicious. Enjoy!
How to make frozen banana ice cream in your blender
Friendly warning: Do NOT try to make this recipe in a regular blender. This method only works if you have a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix or Blendtec). 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.
As Blendtec and Vitamix blenders are so powerful, you don't need to add any liquid to turn the bananas into ice cream, making it a little bit creamier in texture! This is how it's done:
- Throw ingredients in: Put the frozen banana slices, cocoa powder, and almond or peanut butter in your high-powered blender. Put the plunger in the lid.
- Blend and serve: 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 that 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.
Variations to try
This chocolate banana ice cream is luscious as it is, but it's also versatile, so you can play around with the flavor combinations and make it your own with some easy additions! Here are a few ideas:
- Mint chocolate ice cream:Ā Add a few drops of peppermint extract to create a mint chocolate version.
- Berries:Ā Fresh berries can add a sweet, fruity note: use cherries, strawberries, raspberries, or any other berry you can find! You can either add it at the start so it's smooth and consistent, or whip up your ice cream and blend it through the mix at the end so you have a few berry chunks.
- Sweeten it up: If your sweet tooth is calling, add some natural sweetness with maple syrup, honey, or a medjool date. You can also use vanilla extract.
- Toppings:Ā Sprinkle some chocolate chips on top for banana chocolate chip ice cream. Adding some fruit, like banana slices or a fruit puree is delicious! Or add some shredded coconut, sprinkles, or coconut whipped cream.
- Cookies and cream: Crush up some cookies or biscuits and stir the crumbs through. Oreos are the classic choice for this!
- Rum: For an adults only version, throw in a splash of rum (or vodka). Alcohol doesn't freeze, so a bit of rum will keep the ice cream that bit softer in the freezer, too.
- Crunch: Add a bit of crunch on top with a sprinkle of chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Peanut butter cup: Switch out the almond butter for all-natural peanut butter to make a peanut butter cup inspired ice cream.
- Ice cream sandwich: Add a scoop between cookies for an ice cream sandwich ā like these whole wheat peanut butter cookies.
Freezing your bananas
You'll want to start with ripe bananas. The riper the banana, the sweeter the ice cream. For this recipe, a banana with some brown or black spots is perfect! You'll want to make sure the bananas are frozen ā a normal banana won't give the creamy āice cream' texture.
To freeze the banana, get out a baking sheet and cut your banana into slices. Arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet before you pop them in the freezer, so they don't stick together. It usually takes around two hours for your banana bits to freeze up. Depending on the power of your blender, you can either throw them straight in or give them five minutes at room temperature, so they soften up just a bit.
Recipe FAQs
In the case of a nut allergy, can I substitute the nut butter?
If the person with a nut allergy is fine to eat seeds, you can use a seed butter such as Sunbutter tahini. It will have a slightly different taste, but will still be a delicious treat!
Can I freeze leftover chocolate banana ice cream?
This banana chocolate cream is best eaten immediately ā it'll be just like soft-serve ice cream if you enjoy it right from the food processor. If you want a harder texture so you can scoop it into bowls, you can put it in the freezer (in a freezer-safe container) for around 30 minutes. If you freeze it for longer than 3-4 hours, it'll harden up a lot more, which makes it a little tough to eat, but it is still tasty.
Is banana chocolate ice cream healthy?
This version of ice cream, made with natural ingredients and without refined sugars, is a healthier twist on traditional ice cream. Bananas are full of nutrients, fiber, and natural sugar. Cocoa powder contains antioxidants, while almond butter is a good source of healthy fat and protein.
Watch how to make chocolate banana ice cream
Chocolate Banana Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 frozen bananas (peeled)
- Ā¼ cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons almond butter (can sub peanut butter)
- Ā¼ 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.4 frozen bananas, Ā¼ cup cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 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.Optional: chocolate chunks or chips
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.4 frozen bananas, Ā¼ cup cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons almond butter, Ā¼ cup milk of choice
- 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.Optional: chocolate chunks or chips
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our dessert recipes!
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. š
Iām 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. Ā 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. š
Iām saved as a Vegan!!!!! This is so frigging good I canāt 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, āthatās not great icecream, itās awesome icecreamā…..whoād thunk it??? It tastes of banana a little bit, but thatās 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 itās just too hot for that. I used cacao powder and peanut butter; didnāt need to add the milk and used my food processor. Creamy and delicious! My littles will devour it.Ā
Isn’t it great when the little ones love healthy treats? So happy to hear the recipe was a hit!
Itās not an understatement to say this recipe blew my mind and rocked my world!! How is it that the creamiest and chocolatiest ice cream Iāve ever had isnāt 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 allāitās 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. Ā And Iām sure my doctor would appreciate that haha. Thank you for this!! Ive already shared it with almost everyone Iāve 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 š
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit! Thank you for coming back to comment!