Homemade Banana Ice Cream with Chocolate Chips

I see those ripe bananas on your counter, and I raise you a scoop of Homemade Banana Ice Cream with Chocolate Chips. Actually make that two scoops—no way are you going to want to stop at just one serving of this creamy, dreamy, real-deal summer bliss!

If you are seeking a recipe for the illustrious, one-ingredient frozen banana “ice cream” that overtook Pinterest, the Today show, and eventually caused me to burn out my mini blender…this is not it.

If, however, you are looking for a from-scratch, old-fashioned banana ice cream recipe, made the way your grandmother would have done it—with real cream, eggs, and a touch of sugar—THIS IS THE ONE.

Raise your spoons and save the food processor faux banana ice cream for another day. The end of summer is ominously on the horizon, and we best eat as much homemade banana ice cream as we can, before it slips away!

Although I am all about making healthy ingredient swaps and relying on store-bought products where it makes sense, homemade ice cream is a notable exception. When I read the ingredient list on most grocery store ice creams, including the “healthy” frozen yogurt ones, the long, difficult-to-pronounce list of ingredients gives me pause.

A basic homemade ice cream recipe has just four simple ingredients: cream (or milk); eggs; sugar; and whatever flavoring you care to add. In comparison, the first container of store-bought ice cream I checked at the grocery store contained well over 15.

Homemade ice cream is easy to make, even for a novice cook, and its flavor is so superior to the mass-produced stuff, you’ll be gleefully ruined for life. Embrace the beautiful simplicity that is one of the world’s greatest treats, and let’s make homemade banana ice cream!

As I mentioned, homemade ice cream is remarkable for its short, simple ingredient list. Choose each ingredient carefully, as their taste will shine. For this homemade banana ice cream, I used the ripe bananas I chronically have on my counter, good quality dark chocolate, and cage-free eggs.

This homemade banana ice cream is one in a monthly series of recipes I’m creating for Phil’s Fresh Eggs. Phil’s hens are humanely treated and fed an exclusively vegetarian diet that comes from crops raised on the original family farm. Simply put, because the chickens live in a better environment, they produce better eggs. The shells are sturdier, the yolks more vibrantly colored, and the flavor more pure.

The first step to making the homemade ice cream is to cook the eggs together on the stove with the milk until it thickens. This is called making the “custard.” You’ll know it’s ready when it coats the back of a spatula, like this:

Next, blend the custard together with the ripe bananas. They make the ice cream naturally sweet, gloriously creamy, and give it fresh banana flavor too.

From here, we freeze! Resist the urge to eat the entire blender of custard with a spoon, and pour it into your ice cream maker instead. Add the dark chocolate, then churn away.

This homemade banana ice cream is velvety smooth, with a lovely, natural banana flavor, and an extra touch of indulgence from the dark chocolate. It tastes marvelous all by itself, or with a touch of whipped cream.

I’ve also heard rumors that this homemade banana ice cream is even more outrageous with a drizzle of melted peanut butter over the top. Just don’t ask me my source—and please avert your eyes from the peanut butter-covered spoon lying next to my sink!

Tools I used to make this recipe:

• Ice cream maker attachment that fits on my KitchenAid stand mixer. My sister owns and loves this regular ice cream maker.
• Recommended for anyone serious about making homemade ice cream: The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz. Taught me everything I ever wanted to know about how to make homemade ice cream, and the recipes are FABULOUS.

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Homemade Banana Ice Cream

Homemade Banana Ice Cream. TO DIE FOR. Rich, creamy, and studded with big chunks of dark chocolate. Simple, from-scratch recipe that anyone can make!

Yield: about 1 3/4 quarts

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 12 hours - 48 hours (varies by ice cream maker)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 5 Phil’s Fresh Eggs large egg yolks (save the whites for another use)
• 1 cup whole milk (yes, it must be WHOLE milk!)
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 large or 4 medium very ripe bananas (the more brown, the better)
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon dark rum or vodka*
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped (about 2/3 cup)

Directions:

1. Prep your work station: Create an ice bath by place a moderate amount of ice and water in a large bowl. Set an empty, medium bowl in the larger one on top of the ice. Pour the heavy cream into the medium bowl and set a strainer on top. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until well combined.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the milk, sugar, and salt until the small bubbles form along the edges and the sugar has dissolved. Do not let boil.
3. Gradually pour some of the milk into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking constantly as you pour (I like to use a ladle for this). Once you’ve poured in some of the milk, return the saucepan to the stove over low heat. Slowly pour the yolks into the saucepan, stirring constantly. This process is called “tempering” and will keep the eggs from scrambling.
4. Continue cooking the egg-milk mixture (also called custard) over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the saucepan with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spatula. Strain custard into the bowl with the heavy cream.
5. Place half of the custard into a blender or food processor with the bananas. Puree until smooth, then pour back into the bowl with the rest of the custard. Stir in the vanilla extract and rum. Cover, pressing a piece of plastic wrap against the surface, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator for at least four hours or, if time allows, overnight.
6. Freeze the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions, adding the chocolate during the last 5 minutes of churning. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and freeze 3 hours or overnight. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.

*The addition of hard alcohol helps to keep the ice cream softer and creamier. If you like the flavor of rum, it’s delicious in this recipe. If not, vodka is a flavorless addition that will still keep the ice cream creamy. If you prefer not to use alcohol, it can be omitted completely, though the ice cream will freezer slightly harder.

All images and text ©Erin Clarke/Well Plated.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

• Amount Per Serving:
• Calories: 247
• Total Fat: 19g
• Saturated Fat: 11g
• Cholesterol: 114mg
• Sodium: 237mg
• Carbohydrates: 22g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 17g
• Protein: 3g

I am sharing this post in partnership with Phil’s Fresh Eggs. As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands and companies that make it possible for me to continue creating quality content for you. To learn more about Phil’s, you can visit its company website and Facebook page too.