Celebrate with vegan, healthy Chocolate Banana Ice Cream! Instead of heavy cream and whole milk, freeze bananas and blend them until smooth with unsweetened cocoa powder and pure vanilla extract. This creamy, dreamy “ice cream” makes a simple, kid-friendly dessert for birthdays and everyday treats.
One year ago today our lives changed forever.
One year ago we finally met and held our little girl.
It’s a big day, and even though Lady Baby doesn’t understand the significance yet, I wanted to celebrate with something special.
I’m baking cupcakes for her party this weekend (strawberry, because she’s her mother’s daughter), but for today we wanted a small, healthier treat.
Enter this Chocolate Banana “Ice Cream.” It’s made with frozen bananas, cocoa, and a touch of vanilla—dairy-free and naturally sweet. While Winston was out of town last week, Lady Baby and I enjoyed a little of this frozen treat, and she loved it.
Because I try to limit added sugar for her, this banana-based ice cream is a perfect compromise. She gets something creamy and dessert-like without a lot of refined sugar. (Full disclosure: she’s savvy about cookies—she grabbed some herself when she had the chance.)
Although I have a banana allergy, my daughter adores bananas these days, so I knew this recipe would be a hit.
I can’t wait to give this to Lady Baby tonight!
Here’s how I made it:
Chocolate Banana “Ice Cream”
Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate
Pin Recipe
EQUIPMENT
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Food processor or high-speed blender
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas sliced and frozen
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
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Place the frozen banana slices in the bowl of a food processor or blender.
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Add the cocoa powder and vanilla extract.
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Process on high, scraping the sides as needed, until the mixture becomes completely smooth. This can take several minutes depending on your machine—be patient and continue until creamy.
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Transfer the blended banana mixture to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, preferably overnight.
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When ready to serve, scoop and enjoy. The texture is best after briefly softening at room temperature if it is very hard from the freezer.