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!
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 Banana Ice Cream 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 Pinterest 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 Banana 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!
To help you make the best Banana Ice Cream with success, at the bottom of the post just above the recipe, I’ve added a recipe video so you can see exactly how to make this rich, creamy Banana Ice Cream too.
Why Make Banana Ice Cream from Scratch
If at this point you are wondering, Why would I make ice cream when I can just buy it, let’s flip that store-bought ice cream container around and look at the back.
That ingredient is list LONG, and I can barely pronounce most of it.
Now, compare that list to this simple Banana Ice Cream recipe. Milk. Cream. Banana. Eggs. Vanilla. That is pretty much it. In comparison, the first container of store-bought ice cream I checked at the grocery store contained well over 15.
Even if the store-bought ingredient list doesn’t bother you, then let me present another compelling reason to make Banana Ice Cream (or any ice cream!) from scratch: It is tremendously fun and deliciously rewarding.
The joy of watching custard you conjured from eggs and milk transform into a bowl of sweet, creamy summer bliss cannot be oversold.
And if it could be oversold, the phenomenal flavor, luscious texture, and blissed-out experience of eating homemade Banana Ice Cream cannot.
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.
Banana Ice Cream: From-Scratch Ingredient Lineup
As I mentioned, homemade ice cream is remarkable for its short, straightforward ingredient list. Choose each ingredient carefully, as its taste will shine.
- Bananas. The riper, spottier, and uglier, the better. A deeply ripe banana will give you the best natural sweetness and banana flavor.
Wondering what to do with frozen bananas? You can use them to make Banana Ice Cream as well! Let the bananas thaw overnight, pat away excess moisture, then use in the recipe as directed.
- Eggs. I like to use the cage-free eggs. The shells are sturdier, the yolks are more vibrantly colored, and the flavor is more pure.
- 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 Banana Ice Cream is already quite rich. The ratio of 1 cup milk to 2 cups heavy cream is the right one for us.
- Rum. Or vodka for a more neutral flavor. Because homemade ice cream is made without additives, it freezes harder than mass-produced ice cream. Because alcohol doesn’t freeze, a splash keeps the ice cream softer.
If you prefer not to include alcohol, you can omit it and set the ice cream out 15 minutes prior to serving to give it additional time to soften.
- Sugar. Just 2/3 cup makes this ice cream taste like a treat, without stealing the spotlight from the banana’s natural fruity sweetness.
How to Make Banana Ice Cream
The video shows this in more detail (and the recipe explains in very specific detail), but here’s a quick overview!
- Make the egg, milk, cream, and sugar custard base. This is the starting point to any flavor of homemade ice cream. Once you’ve mastered custard, you are ready to take on the homemade ice cream world.
- You want to cook the custard until it easily coats the back of a spatula or wooden spoon. It will look like this:
Now, the ripe bananas arrive on scene.
- In a blender (any old blender; you don’t need a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix here), blend the bananas with half of the custard.
The bananas make the ice cream naturally sweet, gloriously creamy, and give it fresh banana flavor too.
From here, all that remains is a bit of patience.
- Chill. Before the custard is ready for the ice cream maker, you want to leave it in the refrigerator for several hours to get nice and chilly.
- Freeze in Your Ice Cream Maker. Resist the urge to eat the entire blender of custard with a spoon and pour it into your ice cream maker instead.
Optional 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. 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 Banana Ice Cream. 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.
As you can see, this velvety Banana Ice Cream recipe is ripe with dreamy dessert possibility!
Recommended Tools to Make Banana Ice Cream
- I use the 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. It’s taught me everything I ever wanted to know about how to make homemade ice cream, and the recipes are FABULOUS.
Homemade Banana Ice Cream
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!
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 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 2/3 cup)
Instructions
- Prep your work station: 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
Nutrition
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YES! Finally a banana ice cream that ISN’T “nice-cream”. Not that I have anything against the healthier mostly banana version, but sometimes a girl just wants the REAL DEAL you know? So much better than store bought, too. Those ingredient lists are TERRIFYING! Can’t wait to get this into my ice cream maker ASAP :)
This looks so delicious Erin!! I love banana anything and I have to admit, my ice cream maker has been in the freezer forever. Looks like I’ll need to break it out!
CAN THIS BE MADE GLUTEN FREE AND DAIRY FREE. WHIPPING CREAM AND WHOLE MILK THE PROBLEM.
Hi Carole! You could try experimenting with full fat coconut milk, though I’ve never tried it this way. I’m sorry I can’t give you specific directions! I developed the recipe to be made with classic dairy ingredients, so that’s how it is written.
I love it, I see have made this dish a little naughty but not too naughty (;
Is it possible to make this recipe without an ice cream maker?
Hi Donna! Honestly, I’ve never tried. However, I think you could follow any method you find online for making ice cream without a machine. Here is one I found (though again, I haven’t tried it, so I can’t personally vouch for the results): http://www.davidlebovitz.com/making-ice-crea-1/.
Hi Erin, is it possible to make this without an ice cream maker, please?
Hi Nicola! While I have not tried making it without one, another reader has reported success with using this method (though again, I haven’t tried it, so I can’t personally vouch for the results): http://www.davidlebovitz.com/making-ice-crea-1/. If you decide to experiment with it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Love how creamy this looks! Perfect for cooling off on a hot summer afternoon!
These ice cream photos are seriously droolworthy! LOVE!
This sounds so good! ?
Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy it if you give it a try!
Sounds great. Can’t wait to try!
I hope you love the recipe, Chota!
Made it. Loved it. DELICIOUS!!!
WHOOO HOOO! I am so happy to hear that Sarah. Thanks for letting me know and for leaving this wonderful rating. I can’t say enough how much I appreciate it.
Really enjoyed your recipe ?? and thanku for sharing…. I wanted to know what are the methods to prevent crystals in ice cream???
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Ice crystals can be tricky to avoid in homemade ice cream, but keeping everything (containers included) super cold and putting the ice cream immediately in the coldest part of the freezer after churning it can help too!
Thank you for your kind help☺☺!!! I am really looking forward for more of our new recipes in various …. ??
I made this ice cream and it is fabulous. Love the fresh fruit. I’m always looking for ways to eat my sweets without all the “fake” additives and preservatives. Luv it!
Millie, I am thrilled to hear this, thank you! And thanks for leaving this wonderful review too!
Made this and absolutely loved it. I’m now using the exact same recipe and adding one cup of strawberries for strawberry banana custard. Also, everyone loves this. I use my kitchenaid standmixer ice cream attachment. Also, I replace chocolate chips with almond slivers.
Thanks for sharing your review, Kannessia! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Add some walnuts and you’ve got homemade B&J’s chunky monkey . . . My favorite!
That sounds delish, Heather!
I got a new electric ice cream maker for Mother’s Day and I can’t wait to try this recipe. I LOVE banana ice cream — and I mean the real thing, not that healthy all-banana stuff. This sounds perfect. I will add some chopped, toasted walnuts, because that’s my favorite with banana ice cream, and I’ll probably leave out the chocolate, since my husband is allergic to it, but thanks so much for providing the basic recipe.
Mary, I hope you love it!
Erin, I make homemade ice cream every 4th of July but had to try this Banana Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks immediately. There are going to be some lucky Fathers enjoying this treat tomorrow!
The Cuisinart Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt Maker is just too easy! THIS IS THE PERFECT SCOOP!
Jane, I’m so glad the recipe was a hit! Thank you for sharing this review too!
This looks so good! We love banana ice cream, it’s so refreshing!
Going away for a girls weekend, am planning to make the custard, take it down chilled, set the whole thing up for fresh ice cream a night later! Haven’t used my ice cream maker in two years – it’s begging to see daylight from my freezer. Thanks for this – fresh ice cream *does* ruin you for storebought, but banana ice cream is my favorite and it’s hard to find others than B&Js!
Celeste, I hope it’s a big hit!
The best one.
YAY! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
I just love the banana flavour in icecream
Me too, Riya! Thank you for sharing this kind comment!
This is my third batch and my partner and I are officially addicted. Best combo I’ve found so far: Nutella ripple. Don’t look back!
I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit, Marissa! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!
This is the best banana ice cream out there! My kids go nuts when I make it now. And another option for using old bananas than banana bread. The rum addition gives it a luxurious flavor, not alcohol flavor–my kids didn’t even notice it.
I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit, Beth! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!
as the others have said…. it is absolutely delicious! There’s a video on YouTube I found helpful for any new cooks needing to understand tempering / once I understood what the reason was for the “bowl inside of a bowl” And that it was for slowly raising temperature, it helped me to understand and follow the recipe better. I struggle with adhd and the recipe didn’t make sense at first.
❤️ The Excellent ice cream! thank you!
Thank you for sharing this kind review, Kelly! I’m so happy that you enjoyed it!
Looks wonderful, but do I really need to strain it? Is it for custard chunks or banana chunks?
Also please explain why I need to have the cream bowl on ice. I understand tempering to avoid getting scrambled eggs. thanks in advance
Hi Kathy! You’ll want to strain the custard to remove any chunks that form, and the ice bath is important so egg bits don’t form. I hope this helps!
Where’s the video?
Hi Ken! The video will appear in the blog post itself and then move to the right sidebar as you scroll down the screen. You can also find the video on Pinterest here. I hope this helps!
I am poised to make it, I have some bananas that are just about ready.
I hope you love it, Quinn!
How long do you heat up the custard before you see results on spatula?
Hi Marci! It can vary, but I would say about 5 minutes or so. For custard, I’d suggest going off of the consistency instead of the time. I hope this helps!
I made this!
A few comments:
1. I don’t have an ice cream maker so followed the recommendation here: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/making-ice-crea-1/ — the gist of it is, keep breaking up and re-stirring the ice cream as it’s freezing. — it works!!
2. I didn’t have heavy cream on hand so made my own using butter and milk (this was the most difficult part – if you’re doing this, make sure the butter and milk both reach room temperature before mixing to avoid the pain I experienced).

3. The final ice cream tasted great!! I think the final product was slightly too sweet (would reduce the sugar amount in here if your bananas are ripened sufficiently) and had slightly too much vanilla extract. Otherwise – very pleasantly surprised!! Very yummy!
Thank you for trying the recipe and for sharing your adaptations, Anna! I’m happy you enjoyed it!
We made this yesterday exactly as written. Holy cow, it was AMAZING. Thank you so much!!
YAY!! So so happy to hear that Annie. Thank you for taking time to leave this wonderful review!
Just made the custard and it is absolutely delicious. I was wondering if I could store the custard in the fridge for a couple of days ? Since my ice cream churner broke and I’m trying to fix it.
Hi Fran! I’ve never tried storing it for more than a few hours, so I’m not sure how long it can be kept and stay fresh. You may want to check out this recipe for making ice cream without an ice cream maker for now (I haven’t tried it, so I can’t personally vouch for the results): http://www.davidlebovitz.com/making-ice-crea-1/. I’m happy you’ve enjoyed it so far!
Absolutely delicious! My family loved it!
I’m so happy that it was a hit, Ryoko! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
What if I don’t have an ice cream maker?
Hi Lisa! You may want to check out this recipe for making ice cream without an ice cream maker for now (I haven’t tried it, so I can’t personally vouch for the results): http://www.davidlebovitz.com/making-ice-crea-1/. I hope this helps!
Excellent! I don’t care for regular chocolate chips in ice cream, because they get as hard as pea gravel when frozen. So I melted some bittersweet chocolate chips and mixed in some rum simple syrup left over from another recipe (just eyeballed it). I spread out the mixture, refrigerated it until it was firm, and then cut it into small pieces. These “adjusted” chocolate chips stayed softer in the frozen ice cream, and my dental work survived the eating experience. So, thanks for the tip about alcohol keeping ice cream softer. The rum in the syrup also enhanced the rum flavor of the ice cream.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the ice cream, Marcia! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
1. Is it ok to use the entire egg instead of just the yolk? What is the effect on the final ice cream? On other recipies I found, they use the entire egg…..
2. What is the purpose of the ice bath for the bowl of heavy cream? What will happen if there is no ice bath, but just strain & mix the custard into the heavy cream? I’m based in Manila. The warm weather here melts the bowl of ice quickly in just seconds. …
My first time to do something like this in the kitchen :) Usually, it’s my wife in the kitchen. Am using K-tel Quick Chill Ice Cream maker (with built in coolant). I love Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey which is not available locally…… So am trying out your recipe.
Thanks for sharing……
Hi Don! I’ve found that using egg yolks gives the custard a richer flavor and better consistency. Also, the ice bath is important so egg bits don’t start to form. I hope this is helpful and that you enjoy the recipe if you try it!
This look so tasty. Thanks for the recipe.
I hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it, Deeksha!
I’m so excited to try this recipe! I was curious, can you use this custard recipe and make other custards/ice-creams with it?
Hi Karin! I haven’t tried this myself, but other readers have reported success with it. If you decide to play around with it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Made this recipe for the first time two nights ago. This was a gift for my daughter in law who loves ice cream, and especially pistachio or banana. Pistachio was more steps, and I am allergic to nuts and since I had to eat a bunch while I was making it, I went with the banana. I added chocolate chunks that I made by chopping up a Giardelli chocolate bar. This is such a delicious recipe and makes more than I thought it would. Had to churn/freeze three batches in my ice cream machine for the double batch.
The recipient messaged me right after she had eaten some, saying it was outstanding. Thank you for this recipe!!
(Note it did take me maybe 15 minutes of constant stirring to thicken the custard, not the 5 minutes projected.)
I’m so happy that it was a hit, Marsha! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Almond milk? Diabetic.
Hi Mark! You could try experimenting with full-fat coconut milk, though I’ve never tried it this way. I’m sorry I can’t give you specific directions! I developed the recipe to be made with classic dairy ingredients, so that’s how it is written.
I’ve made this once before and it is the best. Getting ready to do it again and the banana is delicious, I was just curious if This custard base will work with other fruit or does it have to have the bananas?
I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed the recipe, Joe! While I haven’t tried it with other fruits, another reader has reported success with it. If you decide to try it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Can I not use ice and water in bowl?
Hi Ana! I’m not sure if I understand your question (?). You need to use 2 bowls so that the custard doesn’t mix into the ice water—you just want to cool it down quickly. I hope that helps!
Possibly a silly question but I’m on the hunt for a banana ice cream recipe for my daughter who has had me in the hunt. I found this & all seemed perfect until I read about the vodka or rum…
If kids are eating, I obviously have to leave this out… yes? Is there something else I can use so it doesn’t set rock hard?
Or do I make it with & not let her have any… ??????
Hi Melissa! You can leave it out if you aren’t comfortable with any amount of alcohol; just know the ice cream will freeze much harder, so you’ll want to allow time for it to rest at room temp before serving so it’s scoopable. I hope you all love it!
This is THE PERFECT banana ice cream… Absolutely the bomb!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Shaz! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Making it tonight for the second time- added peanut butter in the mix
The first time I had most of it with choc chips, had a bit left over before placing in cuisinart so added peanut butter. Both delicious. So creamy, smooth tasty no icicles love it. Didnt last long.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Debra! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
So excited to try this! I just wanted to ask, what can i used instead of Vodka? What does this do to the recipe? Will await your reply before i get mixing!
Hi Steph! If you prefer not to include alcohol, you can omit it and set the ice cream out 15 minutes prior to serving to give it additional time to soften. I hope you enjoy it!
This is some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had. My fiancé requested banana ice cream and absolutely loved this. I don’t love bananas, and even I couldn’t get enough of this. It was so creamy!
So happy to hear it, thank you!
Just made this for the first time today — coincidentally, I’m pairing it with David Lebovitz’s Devil’s Food Chocolate Ice Cream for a party tomorrow (it’s like a frozen chocolate truffle…so good!). This banana ice cream is perfect on it’s own, though. I have no doubt my guests will love it!
So great to hear Genevieve! Thank you for this kind review!
I want to make this but I don’t have an ice cream maker. Is there any other way I can make this?
Hi Bela! I’ve only made this recipe with an ice cream maker, so I am not able to tell you any other way. If you decided to try it out, let me know how it goes!
Hey I am going to be making this recipe tomorrow. Is it alright if I use Everclear instead of vodka? It’s the 151 proof one.
Hi Miles! While I haven’t tried it, it should work! Let me know how it goes!
Instructions are too verbose and don’t contain the summary of ingredients, and the measurements for each. It’s almost like she is forcing us to read all of her words.
There is a recipe card in the post that has all of the instructions. There is also a “jump to recipe” button right at the top of the page on the right hand side to help you get there faster. Hope this helps!
Really good recipe. There were 2 things I did differently 1) I threw an extra yolk in just because I like a richer custard and 2) I used banana liqueur which I had left over from my Bananas Foster days.
Hi Chris! That sounds amazing! So glad you enjoyed the ice cream!
This is a wonderful recipe. I had trouble with the custard the first time I made it because I’d never made custard before. I slightly scrambled the eggs and had to start that part over wasting the eggs, milk and cream. Not being much of a cook I felt I needed an extra hand for that part and now I get by husband to help. He does so gladly knowing what the end result will be. I put dark rum and chocolate into it.
Hi Caye! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review and feedback!
Hi Erin
Where is the video on how to make this ice cream. I’m struggling to find it. There are a lot of ads on your page?
Hi Melissa! The video is located under the first photo 2-3 paragraphs down. I’m truly sorry for any inconvenience the ads caused you! I will certainly keep paying close attention to the number of ads and how they load, as I never want them to hinder your ability to view the recipe or the blog post. I do truly appreciate your feedback and apologize again for the inconvenience! Also there is a quick and convenient “jump to recipe” button that will help you get to the recipe faster plus a print button so you can have the recipe quickly at your fingertips. Hope this helps!
Thank you so much Erin for your reply. I was able to finally locate the video. I saw the recipe as well but I’m more of a visually learner LoL. I made this last night and I’m currently waiting until I get off work, get comfortable, skip dinner and head straight for the ice cream! The sample that I tried was out of this world. I added caramel, chocolate chips and graham cracker pieces Eeeekk!!
Dessert is the best part! ;) Glad you found it Melissa!
i dont meed your your life atlry, what i do need is amd i gredients list with quantities clearly defined. Try again
Hi Roxanne, I’m confused because I see it on my end. The full recipe with the measurements was right in the recipe card above the area where you commented. There is also a “jump to recipe” button at the top of the page as well to help get you to the recipe card faster. Can you please double check? Thanks!
This is a fantastic recipe! We have made it several times, and the last one I added some cinnamon. Perfect to serve in a waffle bowl for a little extra to the presentation!
Hi Leslie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Question: If I use vanilla extract instead of rum/vodka, will that work? The vanilla is homemade so it’s been sitting in vodka anyway.
Hi Matt, since the recipe already calls for vanilla extract, I’m not sure it would be necessary to double that amount. I haven’t tried it myself with 2 tablespoons of extract, so if you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!