3 Ingredient Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

Chocolate Banana Ice Cream made with 3 simple healthy ingredients; a delectable treat the whole family will undoubtedly adore! Eat it immediately out of the blender for a silky soft serve vibe or freeze & firm for scrumptious ice cream scoops in a bowl or cone.

I will admit when it comes to desserts, ice cream is pretty high on my sweets list. And while I love indulging in ice cream, I also like to find balance with healthy alternatives to substitute in from time to time. 

This easy blender ice cream is made primarily with frozen bananas to create a smooth creamy texture. The beauty in creating ice cream with frozen bananas is that you’re able to change the flavor in a variety of ways. For today’s recipe, we’ll add a chocolate peanut butter flavor for a delicious goody!

Here’s what you’ll need ~ 3 healthy ingredients:

Frozen bananas – You must use frozen bananas, otherwise you will be left with a smoothie. I recommend chopping up your bananas into small pieces, prior to freezing, to make blending easier. Need a quick alternative? Purchase a bag of sliced frozen bananas at the store as we did!

Cocoa powder – Use a good quality cocoa powder, to really bring out the chocolate flavor. 

Peanut or Nut butter – Smooth & creamy peanut butter or nut butter, with no added sugar or salt. Any nut or seed butter will work, like almond butter or sunflower seed butter. 

Extras: 

Milk of choice (if needed) – If your mixture has trouble blending, add a splash of milk to help; start small & add additional as needed. We used almond milk to assist in the blending process.

Chocolate Chips – If desired, sprinkle with chocolate chips for added pizzazz.

Will it taste like banana?

Yes! Since, the main ingredient is frozen bananas, this recipe will have a banana taste. But, when combined with cocoa powder & peanut butter you develop a perfect combo to eliminate an overpowering banana flavor.

How do you freeze bananas?

Freezing bananas for the purpose of ice cream or smoothies is simple. Slice your bananas into bite-sized pieces & place them in a freezer safe bag. Store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. I like to write on the bag, with a permanent marker, the number of bananas stored.

Tips:

Regularly scrape down the sides of the blender, to ensure all the ingredients are properly combined. 

If you’d prefer soft serve style, enjoy this recipe immediately after blending it. 

Like your ice cream hard scoop style? Place a loaf pan in the freezer one hour prior to making. This will help the ice cream naturally freeze & be less icy.

If your ice cream has become too icy, wait until it has softened & reblend for 1-2 minutes.

Be sure to store your leftovers in a freezer safe container; they should stay good for about one week. 

Warning: Do not try to make this recipe in a regular blender. You’ll need a high-powered blender or food processor for this recipe. Frozen bananas are tough & trying to turn them into ice cream could burn out the motor of a low powered blender.

Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

Chocolate Banana Ice Cream made with 3 simple healthy ingredients! Eat it immediately out of the blender for a silky soft serve vibe or freeze & firm for scrumptious ice cream scoops in a bowl or cone.
4.84 from 6 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 166 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 peeled, frozen bananas (approx. 4 cups)
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 tbsp almond, nut, or peanut butter (no sugar/no salt added, if desired)
  • 1/4 cup milk of choice (use if your mixture needs help blending)
  • Chocolate chips, to sprinkle on the top (optional)

Instructions
 

For the soft serve version

  • In a high-speed blender or food processor, add your frozen bananas & blend for 10 seconds to lightly break apart.
  • Add your nut butter & cocoa powder; blending to your preferred consistency. Transfer to a bowl & enjoy soft serve style.

For the hard scoop version

  • Place a small loaf pan in the freezer for an hour.
  • In a high-speed blender or food processor, add your frozen bananas & blend for 10 seconds to lightly break apart.
  • Add your nut butter & cocoa powder; blending to your preferred consistency.
  • Transfer chocolate ice cream to the loaf pan & cover with foil.
  • Freeze for at least 2 hours, may need longer.
  • Once ready to eat, thaw if necessary (approx. 15-20 mins). Lightly wet an ice cream scoop & scoop ice cream into a bowl. Dig in & delight!

Notes

*Remember if your mixture has trouble blending, add a splash of milk to assist in the blending process. Repeat in small increments, if needed. 

Nutrition

Calories: 166kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 4gFat: 5gSodium: 39mgFiber: 6gSugar: 14gCalcium: 35mg
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