I see those ripe bananas on your counter, and I raise you a scoop of homemade Banana Ice Cream. Actually, make that two scoops—no way are you going to want to stop at just one serving of this creamy, dreamy summer bliss!
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This classic banana ice cream is the real deal!
What we have today is a real-deal, from-scratch, old-fashioned banana ice cream recipe with milk, cream, eggs, and should you desire, bonus add-in flavors like peanut butter and/or chocolate chips.
I know that one-ingredient banana “nice cream” (the one that caused me to burn out my mini blender) is social media famous, and I do still enjoy it from time to time when I need a healthy dessert fix.
But—and I think we should all be honest about this for a moment—it’s not real ice cream.
Sure, frozen bananas taste like ice cream (a little), but it’s not the same as having a bowl of truly spectacular, real-deal ice cream.
If you want luscious, creamy banana ice cream the way your grandmother would have done it—with real cream, eggs, and a touch of sugar—THIS IS THAT RECIPE.
Real-deal ice cream is one of summer’s greatest joys. It’s actually surprisingly easy and fun to make ice cream from scratch!
5 Star Review
“This is some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had. I don’t love bananas, and even I couldn’t get enough of this. It was so creamy!”
— Sarah —
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Bananas. The riper, spottier, and uglier, the better. A deeply ripe banana will give you the best natural sweetness, creaminess, and banana flavor. Going bananas for desserts? Check out Banana Bread Brownies.
- Eggs. I like to use cage-free eggs. The shells are sturdier, the yolks are more vibrantly colored, and the flavor is purer.
- Whole Milk + Heavy Cream. This is not the place to count banana ice cream calories. If you try to swap skim (or any other milk), the ice cream will be more icy than soft. Conversely, I don’t think you need entirely heavy cream, as this ice cream is already quite rich. The ratio of 1 cup milk to 2 cups heavy cream is the right one for us.
- Rum. Since homemade ice cream is made without additives, it freezes harder than mass-produced ice cream. Because alcohol doesn’t freeze, a splash of rum keeps the ice cream softer.
- Sugar. Just 2/3 cup makes this ice cream taste like a treat, without stealing the spotlight from the banana’s natural fruity sweetness.
My Favorite Banana Ice Cream Flavors
As written, this recipe makes an outstanding banana ice cream. It is simple and sublime. If you’d like to gussy it up, here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Banana Ice Cream with Chocolate Chips. Chocolate banana ice cream is my go-to! Toward the end of the ice cream maker’s cycle, slowly add 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks. I like to chop up a good-quality dark chocolate bar. We’re making ice cream from scratch. No skimping!
- Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream. Toward the end of the ice cream maker’s cycle, slowly add 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter.
- Chunky Monkey. Combine both of the above! Toward the end of the ice cream maker’s cycle, slowly add 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter and 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips.
- Ultimate Reeses Banana Ice Cream. Another way to peanut butter! Toward the end of the ice cream maker’s cycle, slowly add 1/2 cup chopped peanut butter cup candies.
- Banana Walnut Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream. Toward the end of the ice cream maker’s cycle, slowly add 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts (or pecans) and 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate.
Banana Ice Cream
Video
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Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 5 large egg yolks save the whites for another use
- 1 cup whole milk yes, it must be WHOLE milk!
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large very ripe bananas (or 4 medium) the more brown, the better
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon dark rum or vodka*
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate roughly chopped (about ⅔ cup)
Instructions
- Prep your workstation: Create an ice bath by placing 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.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the milk, sugar, and salt until small bubbles form along the edges and the sugar has dissolved. Do not let boil.
- 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.
- 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 the custard into the bowl with the heavy cream.
- Place half of the custard into a blender or food processor with the bananas. Puree until smooth, then pour it 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 4 hours or, if time allows, overnight.
- 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 the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze 3 hours or overnight. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- *The addition of hard alcohol helps 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.
- TO STORE: Freeze ice cream in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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Yay! So glad to hear, Michelle! Thank you!