Save I started making this after buying too many bananas and watching them turn spotty on the counter. Instead of tossing them, I peeled, froze, and blended them on a whim. What came out of the blender wasn't just mashed banana—it was creamy, cold, and tasted like soft-serve ice cream. I stood there with the blender lid in one hand and a spoon in the other, amazed that two ingredients could do that.
The first time I made this for my niece, she asked if it was real ice cream. I told her it was banana magic. She ate two bowls and wanted to help me make the next batch. We lined up banana slices on the tray together, and she checked the freezer every twenty minutes until they were ready. When we blended them, she laughed at the sound and stuck her finger in the bowl before I could even scoop it.
Ingredients
- Ripe bananas: The riper, the better—those brown spots mean natural sweetness and a creamier blend.
- Plant-based or regular milk: Just a splash to help the blender move, so pick whatever you have on hand.
Instructions
- Prep the bananas:
- Peel them and slice into thin rounds. Lay them flat on a parchment-lined tray so they freeze evenly and dont clump together.
- Freeze until solid:
- Let them sit in the freezer for at least two hours. They should be hard, not bendable.
- Blend into soft-serve:
- Toss the frozen slices into a blender with the milk. Blend, stop, scrape, and blend again until it turns smooth and creamy like soft-serve.
- Serve or freeze again:
- Eat it right away if you like it soft, or scoop it into a container and freeze another hour for something you can scoop like traditional ice cream.
Save One summer evening, I made a batch and stirred in frozen strawberries before blending. It turned pale pink and tasted like the popsicles I used to get from the ice cream truck. I sat on the porch with a bowl, listening to the cicadas, and it felt like being a kid again without trying to be.
Flavor Variations
A teaspoon of vanilla extract makes it taste richer. A pinch of cinnamon adds warmth. Frozen berries turn it into sorbet. Cocoa powder makes it taste like chocolate ice cream. You can throw in whatever sounds good and it usually works.
Texture Tips
If you want it scoopable straight from the freezer, let it soften on the counter for five minutes before serving. If you want it soft and swirled like a dairy bar cone, eat it the second it comes out of the blender. Both ways are good, just different moods.
Toppings and Mix-Ins
I like mine plain most days, but sometimes I add a handful of granola for crunch or drizzle peanut butter on top. My friend swears by mini chocolate chips. Another tosses in a spoonful of almond butter before blending.
- Chopped nuts or shredded coconut add texture without much effort.
- A drizzle of honey or maple syrup works if you want extra sweetness.
- Crushed cookies or graham crackers make it feel like a sundae.
Save This recipe taught me that dessert doesnt have to be complicated to feel special. Sometimes the simplest thing is exactly what you want.