5 Minute Vegan Ice Cream – 3 Amazing Flavors

This 5 Minute Vegan ‘Ice Cream’ is my favorite summer dessert made from bananas and your favorite flavor. There is no dairy or nut milk. It’s incredibly light and healthy and can be made in 5 minutes without an ice cream maker.

There are 3 different flavors which takes the basic recipe to a whole new level.  

 

In this recipe we process frozen bananas, with maple syrup which turns them into a dessert that tastes like soft serve ice cream. It only takes 5 minutes to make but you need to freeze your bananas in advance. This time of year I keep a few bags of frozen bananas in my freezer for when I need a treat.

Why I Love This 5 Minute Vegan Ice Cream

• easy to make
• tastes amazing
• very light – low calorie, low fat
• refreshing and satisfying
• versatile, can be made into your favorite flavor

How To Make

Step 1 – Freeze the bananas. For the basic ‘ice cream’ cut 2 cups of ripe bananas into 1/2 inch chunks (2-3 bananas). Put them into a plastic freezer bag and freeze overnight until they are solid. The bananas should be ripe but not mushy with a few black spots on the skin.

Step 2 – Add to the processor. Once frozen, take them out of the bag, they’ll probably be all stuck together, so separate them a bit with a knife. Put them into a food processor. Separating the bananas prevents them from getting caught in the blades of the processor.  At first I used them right out of the bag and they were hard to process, but then I realized it was way better to break them apart.

Step 3 – Add flavors according to the recipes below.

Step 4 – Process for 45-60 seconds until the bananas are fully blended into a smooth and creamy frozen dessert.  Scrape the sides of the processor as needed. It will have the consistency of soft serve. Work quickly and don’t over process or it will melt and loose the ‘ice cream’ texture.

Step 5 – Serve It’s best eaten right away but if it’s a hot summer day, you can put it in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up and get a more ice cream like texture.

While this one ingredient ice cream is great by itself, it’s even better when you add in a few more ingredients to make flavors.  The extra ingredients makes it taste even more like real ice cream.

You’ll use the same basic recipe I just described for all the flavors. 

To make each flavor add the following ingredients to the food processor once the banana ice cream is smooth and creamy.  Have all your ingredients ready before you begin to prevent it from melting.

Almond Butter Ice Cream

The inspiration for this one came from my love of Haagan Dazs peanut butter ice cream.  Since almond butter is much healthier than peanut butter, I prefer it.

In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond butter with 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup. Set aside. Add 3/4 teaspoon of almond extract to the frozen bananas when you put them into the food processor. Process 45-60 seconds until creamy.  Add the sweetened almond butter and pulse a few times.  You want the almond butter to still have a bit of texture, not get fully blended in. Serve topped with a few chopped almonds.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

In this version you won’t taste the banana flavor.  Make sure your chocolate chips are at room temperature. I use vegan, paleo chips from Enjoy Life.   Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the frozen bananas when you put them into the food processor. Process 45 seconds until almost creamy.  Add 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder, pulse a few times. Add 1/4 cup chocolate chips and pulse to combine.  Some of the chips will get chopped up and others will be whole little treats in the ice cream.  If the ‘ice cream’ gets a little soft, put into the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up before eating.

Strawberry Ice Cream 

This version is delicious and beautiful too!  Start with only 1 1/2 cups frozen bananas instead of the usual 2 cups.  Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract. The extracts enhance the flavor or the strawberries and soften the banana flavor. Process until smooth and creamy, 45 seconds.  Add 3/4 cup frozen strawberries softened for 2-3 minutes. Process until the color becomes a consistent pink and there are still a few pieces of strawberries, about 15-20 seconds.

I love making all three flavors of this vegan ice cream. I keep a few bags of frozen bananas in my freezer at all times, ready to transform into this amazing ‘ice cream’.  It’s food that makes you feel good.

Serving and Storing

Each recipe makes enough for 2 servings.  It’s nice to have a bowl full of ice cream with 3 flavors to enjoy but one flavor is great too.

Store any extra an air tight container in the freezer for 2-3 days.   Be creative and make your own combinations!  I think I’ll make chocolate almond butter next.

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.”
                                                                                  ~ John Lubbock

More Easy Summer Desserts You Will Love

• Easy Blueberry Compote – a fresh, sweet, light saucy dessert. Top with coconut or Greek yogurt or whipped cream and it’s amazing!
• Mango Chia Pudding – sweet and creamy with a tropical flavor. Easy to make with only 6 ingredients.
• Strawberry Tofu Mousse – a healthy treat, but nobody will ever know because it’s so sweet, smooth and velvety.

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