Home/Blog/Banana Ice Cream Base Recipe Plus 6 Variations

Banana Ice Cream Base Recipe Plus 6 Variations

By Ethan Boldt

March 26, 2026

With the temperatures getting warmer, many of us are thinking about frozen treats again. In particular, ice cream. But if we’re looking for something nondairy, without added sugar and with more nutrients, it’s perhaps time to try banana ice cream, aka nice cream.

Nice cream is essentially frozen banana that you add a couple of ingredients to when making in a food processor (or blender), so it’s super easy. Even better, there are multiple variations you can whip up, including chocolate, mango, strawberry, mint chip and more.

What is nice cream?

Nice cream is a dairy-free, healthier alternative to traditional ice cream made primarily from blended frozen fruit, most commonly bananas. You can also use other fruits like mango, peaches and nectarines as part of the “cream” base.

Banana ice cream typically starts with frozen bananas that are blended with a splash of milk (often almond milk) until smooth and creamy, creating a texture similar to soft-serve ice cream — without added dairy, refined sugar or heavy cream.

Then you add all sorts of ingredients to get the flavor of nice cream you desire. Popular add-ins include cocoa powder, nut butter, vanilla extract and frozen fruits (berries, mango, peaches, nectarines, pineapple and more).

While you can use a high-speed blender for nice cream, a food processor is the implement of choice for nice cream pros.

Why banana nice cream beats regular ice cream

• Naturally sweetened

• Dairy-free and vegan

• High in vitamins and minerals

• Made with whole foods

• Easy to make and customize

• Kids and adults alike will enjoy

Key ingredients

Here’s a breakdown of the nutritional benefits of each ingredient used in basic nice cream, along with how each functions in the recipe:

• Frozen banana: Providing natural carbohydrates, fiber, potassium and vitamin B6, this base ingredient supports energy production and helps maintain electrolyte balance. When frozen and blended, bananas create a naturally sweet, creamy texture that mimics traditional ice cream. (Note: Freeze ripe bananas for peak sweetness.)

• Almond milk: Unsweetened almond milk is low in calories and often fortified with vitamin E, calcium and vitamin D. It helps blend the ingredients smoothly and adjusts consistency, making the nice cream easier to process and scoop.

• Vanilla extract: Containing trace antioxidants and enhancing flavor without added sugar, vanilla adds warmth and depth.

• Sea salt: Provides trace minerals and supports electrolyte balance in small amounts. A pinch of salt enhances sweetness and intensifies flavors, especially in chocolate or peanut butter variations.

Here are some common ingredients used in popular nice cream variations:

• Cocoa powder (chocolate nice cream): Rich in antioxidants (flavonoids), as well as magnesium and iron, cocoa transforms the base into a chocolate nice cream, adding richness and depth.

• Frozen strawberry (strawberry nice cream): Providing vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants that support immune function and skin health, strawberries add natural sweetness, color and a refreshing fruity flavor while maintaining a creamy texture when blended.

• Creamy peanut butter (peanut butter nice cream): Provides healthy fats, protein, and nutrients like magnesium and vitamin E. It adds creaminess, richness and a nutty flavor, while also making the nice cream more filling.

• Frozen mango (mango nice cream): Rich in vitamin C, vitamin A and antioxidants, it mixes well with frozen banana and adds natural sweetness and a tropical flavor.

• Protein powder (to add protein): Whey and some plant blends work best; collagen alone may need extra thickening.

• Full-fat coconut milk (to add some richness): It contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are a source of quick energy. It also provides healthy fats that support satiety. Adds a rich, ice-cream-like texture and creaminess, making the final product more indulgent.

• Maple syrup (if you like your nice cream sweeter): Providing natural sugars for quick energy along with trace minerals like manganese and zinc, maple syrup enhances sweetness, especially in recipes where fruit alone isn’t sweet enough.

Nice cream variations

While vanilla nice cream is the most common type to make, there are as many popular variations:

• Vanilla: frozen banana, unsweetened almond milk, vanilla extract, sea salt

• Chocolate: frozen banana, unsweetened almond milk, cocoa powder, sea salt

• Strawberry: frozen banana, frozen strawberries, unsweetened almond milk, sea salt

• Peanut butter: frozen banana, creamy salted peanut butter, unsweetened almond milk, cinnamon

• Mango: frozen banana, frozen mango, unsweetened almond milk, cardamom

• Peach: frozen banana, frozen peaches, unsweetened almond milk, cinnamon

• Mint chip: frozen banana, unsweetened almond milk, mint extract, mini dark chocolate chips

You can also very easily make up high-protein nice cream with any of the above variations. Simply add one scoop of a protein powder that matches the flavor you’re creating.

For example, for vanilla, strawberry, mango, peach and mint chip nice cream, add a vanilla-flavored protein powder such as Ancient Nutrition’s:

• Whey Protein Vanilla (1 scoop)

• Multi Collagen Protein Vanilla (use 2 scoops)

• Multi Protein Animal-Based Vanilla or Vanilla Bean + Creatine (1 scoop)

• Multi Protein Plant-Based Vanilla (1 scoop)

For chocolate and peanut butter nice cream, add:

• Whey Protein Milk Chocolate or Peanut Butter Chocolate (1 scoop)

• Multi Collagen Protein Chocolate (use 2 scoops)

• Multi Protein Animal-Based Milk Chocolate or Dark Chocolate + Creatine (1 scoop)

• Multi Protein Plant-Based Chocolate (1 scoop)

How to make the best nice cream

First, make sure you cut up and freeze the two bananas (or four, if you plan on doubling the recipe), which need about two hours to be frozen enough for this recipe. Ideally these bananas are ripe, with a few brown spots on the skin.

Get out your food processor or high-speed blender. Add the frozen banana pieces and blend until the bananas begin to break down and form a crumbly texture.

(For the fruit-based flavors like strawberry, mango or peach, you will add in that frozen fruit with the frozen banana at the same time.)

Next you will be adding liquid and flavor. Add 1–2 tablespoons of unsweetened almond milk, or you can go with another plant-based milk or regular milk. Some choose to substitute coconut milk for a little extra richness.

For the vanilla nice cream version, after the milk, add vanilla extra and a pinch of sea salt. Then continue blending, occasionally stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.

For chocolate, you’re subbing out the vanilla extract for cocoa powder. For peanut butter, sub in creamy peanut butter for the vanilla and add cinnamon.

For the fruit-based flavors, you’re simply removing the vanilla and adding cardamom to mango and cinnamon to the peach.

For mint chip, again, take out the vanilla but add in mint extract and mini dark chocolate chips.

Keep blending until the mixture becomes smooth, thick and creamy — similar to soft-serve ice cream. Add a little more milk if needed to help it blend.

When it looks good to go, you can either serve immediately for a soft-serve texture or transfer to a container and freeze for 1–2 hours for a firmer consistency. When transferring to an ice cream container, make it fast to limit the ice crystals.

Enjoy as is, or add toppings like berries, chopped nuts or dark chocolate chips.

Nutrition facts

One serving of nice cream offers a naturally sweet, fruit-based dessert with a relatively simple nutritional profile. At 121 calories per 130-gram serving, it is lower in fat and free from cholesterol, making it a lighter alternative to traditional ice cream. The majority of the calories come from carbohydrates (about 28 grams), including 3 grams of fiber, which can help support digestion and promote satiety. The sugar content (15.4 grams) comes primarily from naturally occurring sugars in fruit rather than added sugars.

Nice cream is also very low in fat, containing just 0.5 grams per serving, and provides a small amount of protein. While it isn’t a high-protein snack, it can still contribute to overall daily intake when paired with other protein-rich foods. The low fat and simple ingredient profile make it an easy-to-digest option for many people.

If you want to make it higher in protein, simply add a scoop of protein powder to the recipe. That will add about 12 grams of protein per serving, as the recipe is for two.

In addition to macronutrients, nice cream provides several important micronutrients. It is a good source of vitamin B6 (34% of the Daily Value), which supports energy metabolism and brain health, along with manganese, vitamin C, magnesium, and copper.

Frequently asked questions

Is nice cream healthy?

Yes, for it doesn’t contain added sugars or dairy, and instead most of the ingredients are full of nutrients: fruits, nuts and spices.

What are the best ways to serve nice cream?

You can serve straight from the food processor or blender for a soft serve consistency or freeze for one to two hours for more of a solid ice cream consistency.

What’s the best way to store nice cream?

A Pyrex or similar glass container with a lid often works best. It also shows off the nice cream’s color.

Is there a way to prevent ice crystals from forming?

Ice crystals can get in the way of a good nice cream, so you can prevent it by adding parchment paper on top of the nice cream in the container before putting it in the freezer.

How long will banana ice cream last in the freezer?

Ideally enjoy within a week or so, but it likely will be fine for a month.

Does the banana flavor dominate nice cream?

This really depends on what other ingredients you add. Simple vanilla nice cream tastes more like bananas than chocolate, for example, where the cocoa powder flavor is more dominant.

More healthy frozen treats

• Salted caramel ice cream

• Tropical ice cream

• Vanilla bean ice cream