If you’re craving rich, creamy chocolate ice cream but want a healthy, dairy-free option, this Banana Chocolate Ice Cream is for you! Made with only frozen bananas, cocoa powder, and nut butter, this naturally sweet treat blends into a creamy soft-serve consistency in just minutes.
Enjoy it straight from the blender for a soft-serve texture, or freeze it for a more classic scoopable ice cream.
Why You’ll Love this Chocolate Banana Ice Cream
- Rich and fudgy chocolate flavor.
- Creamy texture like soft-serve.
- You only need 4 ingredients!
- It’s completely dairy-free and vegan.
- Made with REAL ingredients and natural sweeteners.
- No ice cream maker necessary.
- Easy to add other flavors (mint!)
- Stores well in the freezer for ice cream anytime.
I love to eat it like soft serve straight out of the blender, but you can also keep it in the freezer for a while and scoop it out like traditional ice cream.
Ingredients You Needed
Here are the simple ingredients for this chocolate banana nice cream. Jump to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Frozen bananas: Acts as the creamy base, naturally sweetening the ice cream. The riper the bananas, the sweeter the final result!
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Provides rich chocolate flavor without any added sugar.
- Nut butter: Adds richness and depth of flavor. Nut-free? Swap fro sunflower butter or tahini.
- Milk: optional if you’re using a food processor.
- Optional: Dairy free chocolate chips or chocolate chunks (I use Enjoy Life chocolate chips and chocolate bars)
How to Make Chocolate Banana Ice Cream
Step 1. Add everything to a high-speed blender: Place frozen banana, nut butter, cocoa powder a high-speed blender, like a Vitamix. If you don’t have a powerful blender, use your food processor and add the milk.
Step 2. Blend: Blend on high until it reaches a smooth consistency, 1-2 minutes. It may take more time if your food processor isn’t as strong. Add any mix-ins or extra flavors here (like sea salt)!
Step 3. Serve or store: You can eat it immediately for a soft-serve ice cream or transfer to a bread pan to freeze for a more ice cream consistency, at least 1 hour. Thaw for a few minutes and scoop into bowls.
Pro Tips for the Creamiest Banana Ice Cream
- Freeze Banana Slices – Spread them on a baking sheet before freezing to prevent clumping. Regular bananas won’t yield the same creamy texture.
- Use very ripe bananas – The more brown spots, the sweeter the ice cream!
- Let bananas sit for a few minutes before blending – This makes them easier to blend.
- Use a high-speed blender – A regular blender may struggle with frozen bananas.
Fun Flavor Variations
🌿 Mint Chocolate – Add a few drops of peppermint extract and peppermint bark.
🍓 Berry Bliss – Blend in vanilla extract and frozen strawberries or raspberries.
🥜 Peanut Butter Cup – Swap almond butter for peanut butter & add chopped peanuts.
🍪 Cookies & Cream – Stir in crushed Oreo cookies for a dairy-free cookies-and-cream treat!
🌴 Coconut Chocolate – Use coconut milk and sprinkle in shredded coconut.
Tips and FAQs
This a healthier twist on traditional ice cream because it uses natural ingredients without added sugars. Bananas have fiber and other nutrients and almond butter provides healthy fats. However, there is still a good amount of natural sugars from the banana, so keep that in mind.
Try a seed butter or an oat butter if you are serving someone who can’t eat nuts. I’ve made this with tahini and it was delicious!
More Healthy Frozen Desserts
Chocolate Banana Ice Cream
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Ingredients
- 4 frozen bananas (about 2 1/2 cups of sliced banana)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 Tablespoons nut butter any kind (I used cashew butter)
- 1/4 cup almond milk only if using food processor (see notes)
- Chocolate chips to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Set frozen bananas out for 5 minutes to thaw slightly. Place them in a high-speed blender (preferably a Vitamix) with nut butter and cocoa powder. Blend on medium sped then turn the blender up to the highest setting and continue to blend until it reaches a smooth consistency, 1-2 minutes. The Vitamix has an internal fan that switches on at the highest setting, so turn it all the way up.4 frozen bananas, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 2 Tablespoons nut butter
- If using, add the chocolate chips and stir with a rubber spatula.
- Enjoy the ice cream immediately for a soft-serve consistency or transfer to a bread pan to freeze for one hour for a more scoopable ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I love this recipe! I used peanut butter and put chocolate chips and peanuts in it and it was sooo good! I used my ninja creami to mix it and it was so creamy and delicious. I will definitely be making this one again! Thank you Molly, I love your recipes!!
#whatwemade
So glad you loved it Mackenzie!
How come the bananas need to be frozen?
To give it a thick and creamy texture like ice cream.