3-Ingredient Chocolate Banana Ice Cream
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Creamy chocolate banana ice cream tastes exactly like chocolate ice cream and is made by blending frozen bananas with cocoa powder and peanut butter until smooth and soft–serve–like. This quick, no-churn treat comes together in minutes and delivers rich chocolate flavor with an ultra-creamy texture.
You know those moments when you’re craving a little treat but don’t want anything heavy or complicated? That’s exactly when I make this creamy chocolate banana ice cream. Frozen bananas get blended until smooth and somehow turn into a soft-serve–style scoop that feels almost magical. A spoonful of peanut butter and some cocoa powder make it rich and chocolatey, without tasting overly peanutty at all.
What I love most is how effortless it is. There’s no ice cream maker involved—just a high-powered blender or food processor—and it comes together in about 5 minutes. The peanut butter does a great job of masking the banana flavor and letting the chocolate shine, while also making the texture extra smooth and creamy. It’s one of those recipes that feels like a small kitchen victory every time — simple, refreshing, and always a hit.
Tip: Swap the peanut butter for almond butter, as I do in my banana nice cream recipe.
How to make frozen banana chocolate ice cream in your food processor
If you are making chocolate-banana ice cream in your food processor, add a little liquid to help it blend. In this case, it’s a 4-ingredient banana ice cream recipe. Just add a dash of your preferred milk. 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 down the sides and continue 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 with a high-powered blender (such as 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.
Because Blendtec and Vitamix blenders are so powerful, you don’t need to add any liquid to turn bananas into ice cream, resulting in a slightly creamier texture. This is how it’s done:
- Add ingredients: Place 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, then quickly switch 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. Always use the highest speed (even if it’s noisy) to ensure the fan is turned on.
Watch how to make chocolate banana ice cream
Chocolate Banana Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 frozen bananas (peeled)
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter (can sub almond butter)
- ¼ 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, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons peanut 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, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, ¼ 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.
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: Add a few drops of peppermint extract to create a mint chocolate version.
- Berries: 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.
- 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.
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 not eating ice cream anymore and 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 ice cream recipe! I have a Nutriblender and adding the almond milk worked well! I refroze it after blending, and it was worth the wait! Ice cream is nearly my favorite food and having this alternative recipe for a lighter 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 good 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 and most delicious 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!