One-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream

By The New York Times

Published August 10, 1991

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
6 hours 10 minutes
Rating
4(4,835)
Comments
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This outrageously easy "ice cream" is just the sort of dessert to please everyone at the table – the vegans, the lactose-intolerant, the paleo enthusiasts, the picky children. Just toss four frozen bananas into a blender and give it a good whirl. If you like soft-serve consistency, eat it right away (and adding a few tablespoons of milk to the blender wouldn't hurt, but it's not necessary). For more traditional scoops, freeze it in an airtight container, and dole out as you would the Ben & Jerry's. Consider adding a spoonful of peanut butter, Nutella or honey; a handful of chocolate chips or almonds; or a ½ teaspoon of powdered ginger, cardamom or cinnamon.

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Ingredients

Yield:Four servings

  • 4 ripe bananas

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

26 grams carbs; 103 calories; 3 grams fiber; 1 milligram sodium; 1 gram protein; 14 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Peel the bananas, cut them in 2- to 3-inch chunks and place them in a freezer bag in the freezer for at least 6 hours. Remove and blend in a blender until smooth. Serve immediately, or freeze in an airtight container for at least 2 hours. Scoop and serve.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
4,835 user ratings
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Comments

Bread

I broke my parents blender trying to make this and now they are mad at me

Richard Scher

Along the same lines - buy a bag of frozen mango (or pineapple) and a bag of frozen raspberries. dump into food processor, add about 1/4 cup honey, about the same amount of water. process until smooth. eat right away, or freeze. best sorbet you ever had! and the color is gorgeous!

Alice

You can also take the puree'd and frozen banana, make a uniform round ball with an ice cream scoop, dip into melted chocolate and roll in chopped walnuts before serving.

Elizabeth Good

Hilariously, just heard this recipe parodied on NPRs “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me” program, as one of the most popular recipes here. I mean…it does seem worth joking about. One needs a recipe for this? I wish I could think of a snarky comment, but instead, practically-speaking I will say use a food processor, not blender. And frozen strawberries or raspberries add fun flavor and more especially, a great pink color. And frozen mangoes, yes!

Kelley

My absolute favorite. Add a dash of cinnamon for an elevated experience!

Nancy

I was taught this recipe over 15 yrs ago. The banana must be very sweet and then cut into slices BEFORE you freeze. Sweet meaning almost fully brown. This is a great way to use over ripened bananas. If you use a sweet/over ripened bananas and blend and it is still not to your liking add a little honey or creme or both. A little cinnamon is nice if you are serving as a desert with a sweet wine.

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