Banana nice cream is the ultimate healthy frozen dessert! Here's everything you need to know about creating thick and creamy nice cream at home, from freezing bananas to flavor variations and serving suggestions. I've also included an easy vegan wet walnuts recipe that's guaranteed to take your next batch of nice cream over the top!
If you ask me, banana nice cream is one of the world's natural wonders. The way the humble frozen banana transforms into the most amazingly creamy and luscious frozen treat never ceases to amaze me!
Frozen bananas have been improving our smoothies and giving us a healthy, creamy, delicious alternative to ice cream for years now, and you can create so many amazing variations.
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What is nice cream anyway?
Basically, nice cream is a dairy-free frozen treat made primarily from frozen bananas. It's a healthier alternative to traditional ice cream, low in fat, and delicious even without added sugar.
Some people say the name refers to it being healthier for you. But certainly, since nice cream is dairy-free and doesn't exploit and harm cows, that's the nicest thing of all.
The term "nice cream" has evolved to also refer to any fruit-based, vegan dessert with a creamy texture similar to ice cream. Sometimes you'll even see the term used to refer to vegan ice creams not made from frozen fruit.
But for me, nice cream will always be the treat made with frozen bananas. I usually refer to other types of vegan ice cream as "ice cream" and use their base ingredient as a descriptor, such as oat milk ice cream, chickpea ice cream, and tofu ice cream.
Why You'll LOVE It
- Only 1 ingredient required - bananas! 🍌
- You can also fancy it up with other frozen fruits, flavorings, and sweeteners.
- It's truly the healthiest alternative to ice cream even though it tastes so decadent.
- Banana nice cream is amazingly thick and creamy and doesn't even require added sugar!
Ingredient Notes
To make banana nice cream, you only need two ingredients: ripe bananas and a splash of your favorite non-dairy milk or creamer.
If you let the bananas soften for a few minutes first, you don't even need milk!
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I like to use bananas that feel slightly soft and have some dark spots on the skin. For nice cream, I usually skip bananas that are very overripe. I prefer to use those for baking banana bread or banana brownies.
Of course, other ingredients can be added to create a variety of different flavors and enhance the sweetness, like frozen fruits, maple syrup, spices, powders and extracts. See the Variations section below for more ideas.
How to Freeze Bananas
Depending on how soon you want to make nice cream, you can slice peeled bananas into small pieces for quick freezing, or simple break them in half. It's up to you!
First, peel the ripe bananas and either slice them into coins, about ½-inch thick, or simply cut in half. Coins will be frozen and ready to blend in 2-3 hours. Larger pieces need to freeze overnight.
Arrange the banana slices in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and place in the freezer. Place halved bananas in a freezer storage bag or other container.
If you have slices on a baking sheet that you're not going to use right away, transfer them to an airtight container and keep frozen.
How to Make Banana Nice Cream
Thaw the frozen bananas for a few minutes, or add a splash of milk to help with blending. Add them to a food processor or high-speed blender along with your other desired ingredients, and blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Initially the bananas will look crumbly, but keep blending and they will become super fluffy, smooth and creamy!
Can you freeze nice cream?
Yes. You can serve nice cream immediately for a soft-serve consistency, or for a scoop-able texture, transfer it to a freezer-safe dish and freeze for about 2 hours.
How to Store
Store nice cream in an airtight container in the freezer. Let it soften for a few minutes before serving. Nice cream will keep in the freezer for a few weeks, but make sure it's tightly covered to prevent freezer burn.
I use these Tovolo containers to store all of my different homemade vegan ice creams. But any freezer-safe container will do!
Nice Cream Flavor Variations
- Tropical: Add ⅔ cup frozen pineapple, and use coconut milk for the liquid. Garnish with coconut flakes. Also great with frozen mango!
- Strawberry: Add 1 heaping cup frozen strawberries. Tip: let soften for a few minutes and cut in half to help with blending.
- Lemon or Orange: Add the zest of one lemon/orange and use the fresh juice instead of milk. Increase the maple syrup if needed.
- Chocolate: Add 3 tablespoons cocoa or raw cacao powder, 2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup, and another pinch of salt. Fold in mini chocolate chips, if desired.
- Peanut butter (or Sunbutter): Add 2 heaping tablespoons of peanut butter and more maple syrup to taste.
Equipment Notes
I prefer my 14-cup food processor for blending frozen bananas simply because it's easier to work with than trying to scoop the nice cream out of a deep blender jar.
But a high-speed blender like a Vitamix is also excellent for making nice cream. Just make sure you have the tamper on hand to keep it moving.
How to Make Wet Walnuts
Wet walnuts are a delicious topping for nice cream and other vegan ice creams.
But there's a good chance that the gooey, sweet, and crunchy wet nut topping you find in most ice cream shops is made with corn syrup. It might even contain dairy! Putting that on your healthy nice cream just wouldn't make sense.
Luckily, making vegan wet walnuts with maple syrup is a breeze!
In a matter of minutes you'll have a sundae topping that can be used warm or chilled and will keep in the fridge for weeks. To do it:
- Roughly chop the walnuts and dry toast them in a sauce pan for a few minutes until fragrant.
- Add the maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. Let it get just hot, but don't boil, then remove from heat.
- Set aside for a few minutes so the flavor of the walnuts can infuse the syrup. Then pour into a jar or bowl and let it cool to room temp, if using now, or refrigerate for later.
Serving Suggestions
Aside from the vegan wet walnuts, banana nice cream pairs well with so many healthy desserts. Try a scoop on my oil-free brownies, peanut butter cookies, air fryer peaches, and even pumpkin and pecan pie!
Add a drizzle of vegan chocolate sauce or date caramel. It's also amazing with crunchy spiced candied pecans and don't forget the healthy vegan whipped cream!
Recipe
Nice Cream With Maple Wet Walnuts
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Nice Cream:
- 3 large very ripe bananas
- splash of non-dairy milk or creamer - to help with blending
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup, optional - adjust to taste
For the Wet Walnuts:
- ⅓ cup raw walnut halves, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup maple syrup - or a blend of maple and agave
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
Freeze the bananas:
- Peel the bananas and either slice into coins about ½-inch thick, or simply break each banana in half. *Note that small pieces will be frozen in 2-3 hours, while larger pieces will likely need to freeze overnight.
- To freeze coins, arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once frozen, blend into nice cream, or transfer the bananas to a freezer bag or airtight storage container. To freeze whole or halved bananas, place in a freezer bag or other container and freeze for at least 8 hours.
Make nice cream:
- If desired, let the frozen bananas thaw for a few minutes. This reduces the amount of milk needed for blending and is gentler on your food processor/blender. Add them to the blender/food processor along with the vanilla and a splash of milk. Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Taste and add maple syrup for sweetness, if desired.
- Enjoy your nice cream now like soft serve, or transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 2 to 3 hours. Then scoop and serve with wet walnuts or your favorite toppings.
To make wet walnuts:
- Preheat a saucepan over low heat. Add the walnuts to the pan and toast for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Shake or stir frequently so they don't burn. Add the maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. Stirring, let it just get hot, then remove from heat. The toasted walnuts will continue to infuse flavor into the syrup. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Drizzle wet walnuts over individual servings of nice cream. Wet walnuts can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month. If the mixture becomes too hard, place the container in a warm water bath for several minutes or microwave for a few seconds to soften the syrup.
Notes
- Tropical: add ⅔ cup frozen pineapple, and use coconut milk for the liquid. Garnish with coconut flakes. Also great with frozen mango!
- Strawberry: add 1 heaping cup frozen strawberries. Tip: let soften for a few minutes and cut in half to help with blending.
- Lemon or Orange: Add the zest of one lemon/orange and use the fresh juice instead of milk. Increase the maple syrup if needed.
- Chocolate: add 3 tablespoon cocoa or raw cacao powder, 2 to 3 tablespoon maple syrup, and another pinch of salt. Fold in mini chocolate chips, if desired.
- Peanut butter (or Sunbutter): add 2 heaping tablespoon peanut butter and more maple syrup to taste.
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and ingredients used.
Alena says
wow, this looks and sounds fantastic! I so need to make banana nice cream this week - it's just too hot. Thanks for sharing this easy yet delicious recipe 🙂
Your blog is awesome!
Lori says
Alena, thanks for the kind words! And yes, I’ve already gotten back into swing of making nice cream this week because it’s been so warm. 🙂 So refreshing. Thanks for visiting!
Alena says
I just experimented with adding some beans to my vegan ice creams or using dates to sweeten. Cannot have too many varieties, hehe! This 37+ degrees Celsius weather recently here in Germany has made us crave aaaall the cold food we can get!
susan says
Another home run! Thanks!
Lori says
Thanks, Susan. Glad you like it!