This post has been sponsored by ZonePerfect® . All thoughts and opinions are my
own.
It’s summer. It’s hot. You want ice cream. Have you hopped on the banana ice cream train yet?
Holy moly.
When your bananas become extra ripe and you just don’t feel like turning on your oven to make banana bread (again), simply slice and freeze the bananas, give them a quick whiz in the food processor or blender, and freeze until ready to serve.
But if you are familiar with banana soft serve, maybe you’ve gotten a little bored with it. Well, we’re here to help spice things up! We’ve got three hacks (and some extra-special topping ideas) to take your banana ice cream to the next cold, creamy, blissful level for all your summer icy treat needs.
The Basic Recipe for Banana Ice Cream
Peel and slice 3-4 large bananas–that’s enough to make one batch or 2-3 servings. It’s important to slice the bananas for easier blending or processing. Toss them in a freezer bag and pop them in the freezer.
Bananas frozen through? Yes! Now it’s time to make the ice cream. I prefer my food processor to blender for making banana ice cream because there’s more surface area in the food processor bowl and I feel like it blends easier without melting so quickly. It also incorporates a little more air for an extra creamy texture and it’s easier to scrape out.
If your machine has a hard time blending the bananas, add a tiny bit of non-dairy milk. I like to add pure vanilla extract, but you could easily leave it out or substitute it with another extract–almond would be amazing!
Now, onto our hacks.
First up: Protein Banana Soft Serve.
If you’re a fan of ice cream that is full of delicious chunks of goodness, this one’s for you! What if I told you it could function as a super-filling snack or meal option with the simple addition of ZonePerfect® High Protein Bars Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip bar? Each bar contains a whopping 20 grams of protein with only 5 grams of sugar per 60 gram bar. Pretty sweet, right?
I pick up ZonePerfect High Protein bars in bulk on Amazon.com for the best price—just a little budget-friendly tip for you. Even better if you’ve got Prime for free 2-day shipping. (Seriously, what did we do before Amazon Prime?!)
I keep a stash of these bars in my cupboard to grab on my way out the door. All that protein keeps me feeling full and energized, especially after a workout. The best part is that they actually taste good. Like really good. I’m a fan of peanut butter and chocolate anything, and I love that I can nosh on one of these bars and reap the benefit of 19 vitamins and minerals. The bars are sweetened with stevia and monk fruit, so they’re not sugar bombs either. And no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners!
Blend up those frozen bananas and mix in those Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip bar pieces and you’re one step closer to getting your protein and eating it too. Er, something like that. Try eating this protein-rich ice cream after a workout to help keep your muscles in tip-top shape.
PB & Chocolate Protein Ice Cream
Prep
Inactive
Total
Yield 2 servings
Creamy banana soft serve studded and topped with yummy chopped peanut butter & chocolate chip protein bar for a satisfying, healthy treat.
Ingredients
- 3-4 ripe bananas, sliced
- 1 ZonePerfect High Protein Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bar, chopped, divided
Instructions
- Freeze sliced bananas in an airtight container or freezer safe bag for 8-10 hours.
- Place frozen banana slices into a food processor fitted with the S blade. Pulse to start chopping the bananas. Stop and scrape sides as needed. Keep processing until bananas are thick and creamy.
- Add half of the chopped ZonePerfect bar to the food processor and pulse 5-10 times to break it up. (It will harden a bit when it hits the cold ice cream.)
- Serve immediately or transfer the ice cream to a freezer safe container until ready to eat.
- To serve, sprinkle with remaining chopped protein bar.
Notes
- If desired, use two ZonePerfect bars instead of one to up the protein even more. Add one chopped bar to the ice cream during processing, and save the other one for the topping.
Courses Dessert, Snack
Next up: Golden Milk Banana Ice Cream.
Golden milk is taking over the world! Well, not really, but it probably could. Adding these tasty, warming spices brings extra antioxidants and other goodness to your ice cream, plus it tastes incredible.
If you’ve been averse to drinking your golden milk, have no fear, this hits the spot in a very non-threatening way. A combination of turmeric (hello, golden hue!), cinnamon, ginger, and a tiny bit of freshly ground black pepper adds just the right amount of spice.
As an optional ingredient, we add 1 to 2 tablespoons of MCT oil to help your body really reap the benefits of the curcumin present in the turmeric. Feel free to add more or less spices according to your personal preference. We recommend scooping up a bowl of this while you’re watching your favorite summer chick flick with your gal pals. Make a triple batch so there’s plenty for all your friends too!
Golden Milk Banana Ice Cream
Yield 2 servings
Everyone's favorite spiced, yellow-hued bev becomes your new favorite ice cream. Sweet bananas are combined with warm, anti-inflammatory ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric plus a hint of black pepper.
Ingredients
- 3-4 ripe bananas, sliced
- 1 tablespoon MCT oil (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon each: ground ginger, turmeric, cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Freeze sliced bananas in an airtight container or resealable bag for 8-10 hours.
- Place frozen banana slices in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S blade.
- Pulse a few times to help chop the bananas. Stop and scrape down sides as needed. Continue processing until bananas are thick, creamy, and smooth.
- Add coconut oil, if using, and spices. Pulse a few more times until blended.
- Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight freezer safe container until ready to eat.
Courses Dessert, Snack
Last, but not least: Creamy Chocolate-Dipped Banana Ice Cream Pops.
Sigh. Do you remember being a little kid and biting into a chocolate dipped ice cream cone or popsicle? Remember the way the chocolate cracked and gave way to the rich ice cream below?
These are kinda like that, but made with better-for-you ingredients. Inside is a basic banana ice cream with vanilla added for extra flavor. The shell is made with melted dark chocolate chips and unrefined extra virgin coconut oil.
When the cold bars hit the liquid chocolate, it freezes instantly to encase the creamy banana confection inside. But when you take a bite, the chocolate melts right on your tongue in a heavenly puddle. Ah, complete bliss. We recommend enjoying this with your kids (or anyone else who loves lazy summer evenings) while watching the sunset.
Pro-tip: You’ll have plenty of leftover chocolate shell to drizzle on the Golden Milk Banana Ice Cream. We’re talking flavor explosion here, folks.
Chocolate Dipped Banana Ice Cream Pops
Prep
Cook
Inactive
Total
Yield 6-8 popsicles
Channel memories of your youth with these yummy pops dipped in a luscious chocolate shell.
Ingredients
For pops:
- 3-4 ripe bananas, sliced
- 3/4 cup non-dairy milk, plus more if needed
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extractFor chocolate shell:
- 10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil
- Pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Freeze banana slices in an airtight container or bag for 8-10 hours.
- Place frozen banana slices, non-dairy milk, and vanilla into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S blade. Pulse a few times to chop the bananas. Keep processing until bananas are thick, creamy, and smooth. Stop and scrape down sides, as needed.
- Spoon the banana ice cream into popsicle molds. Add sticks and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Prepare the chocolate shell by placing chocolate chips, coconut oil, and salt in a glass measuring cup. Microwave on 50% power for 30 second intervals, until chocolate is melted. Let cool to room temperature.
- Remove pops from their mold and dip into the chocolate shell. Place on parchment or waxed paper and place back in freezer to allow ice cream to firm back up. Store pops wrapped in waxed paper in a bag or freezer proof container.
Notes
- The popsicles molds used for this recipe yielded ten 3-ounce pops. Other molds may yield fewer, larger pops.
Courses Dessert, Snack
These look great! I make popsicles out of bananas quite frequently. I find that there’s no need to freeze them beforehand. Puree them in a blender as is and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Then pour into the molds and freeze.
WOW! It looks delicious! My mouth is watering. Thanks for sharing this.