This mint chocolate chip banana ice cream couldn’t be easier! Frozen bananas make the most amazing creamy ice cream (or nice cream). With chocolate, mint extract and fresh mint, this homemade ice cream recipe is a real treat! Such a great alternative to regular ice cream!
Hi everyone! How’s it going? What a lovely week hubby and I had! We had a little staycation vacation and the weather was fabulous! Like, the best summer we’ve had in years. We were tourists in our own province, doing lots of sightseeing and checking out tons of restaurants.
And super exciting news is that just last week I was featured on Food Bloggers of Canada! There’s a little Q & A so check it out if you wanna know a little more about me!
Have you ever heard of nice cream or banana ice cream? Apparently, it’s all the rage now and all the cool kids are eating it. I actually don’t know if that’s true, but we’re gonna pretend that they are. But, honestly, do we even care?
I am loving this mint chocolate banana ice cream. I can get my ice cream fix without having to indulge in a bazillion calories, which totally works for me cause I really don’t want to have to work out extra in the summer!
How To Make It
The prep for this mint chocolate banana ice cream was only about 5 minutes. I experimented with this recipe for a bit and am super happy with the result.
When I initially made this, I put way too much mint extract in there. Let me tell you, too much of a good thing is definitely not a good thing. It was way too minty, I’m talking fresh minty breath for days minty. When too much mint is added it tastes bitter and nobody wants that! To make banana ice cream all you have to do is:
Place frozen bananas (cut into chunks) in a food processor and process, stopping to scrape sides of processor as necessary with a spatula. It will be crumbly at first but will blend into a creamy consistency. That’s it!
If you are making mint chocolate banana ice cream (like I did here), after the bananas are processed, add maple syrup, mint leaves, chocolate and mint extract and process again.
Enjoy now as a soft serve or freeze for a few hours for a firmer ice cream (what I recommend). Full details are in the recipe card below.
Do I Have To Use Frozen Bananas?
I get it, you want this banana ice cream now and you don’t have frozen bananas. I highly recommend using frozen bananas and do not recommend using fresh bananas. Frozen bananas is what makes this banana ice cream super creamy.
It takes a few hours to freeze bananas for ice cream. Ensure that the bananas are peeled and place on a wax paper-lined baking sheet so they don’t clump together when freezing.
After frozen, if you are not using the bananas right away, store them in a freezer bag and freeze until ready to use. I recommend using them within a couple of months.
Does It Taste Good?
Um, yes! Every time I make banana ice cream it always amazes me how creamy it is. I practically never buy regular ice cream lately. It’s a great alternative to regular ice cream when you want to mix things up.
How To Make Banana Ice Cream Soft
So, if you go the route whereas you freeze for a firmer ice cream, it will harden (like ice cream would). To soften, leave on the countertop for 5 to 10 minutes before digging it.
Tips for Making This Recipe
- Like mentioned above, use frozen bananas.
- For banana ice cream, you want bananas that are ripe, but not too ripe. The more ripe they are, the more banana flavour your banana ice cream will have (not a bad thing, but just a head’s up).
- Depending on how powerful your processor is, the time may vary to process the mixture into a creamy consistency (but should take no more than a few minutes). If you want to make things a little easier on your processor, add the tiniest bit of almond milk or milk to the frozen bananas when processing (start with a couple of tablespoons).
- Don’t over process or it will become too soft. After making, if the ice cream is too soft for your liking, no worries! Pour into a freezer-safe container and freeze for a few hours.
- I used fresh mint from our garden here. It’s thriving so well. I mean, I’ll never use it all before the season ends. Of course with all that mint lying around, I opted to use actual fresh mint in this banana ice cream with just a touch of mint extract to really bump it up. If you don’t want to use fresh mint or can’t access, feel free to use just mint extract. I would recommend starting with a ¾ teaspoon and taste accordingly. Remember, you can always add more, but you can’t take out.
More Frozen Desserts
What’s your favourite ice cream flavour? Hands down, it’s mint chocolate chip for me. Close is chocolate chip cookie dough and strawberry. But, really, can you go wrong with any flavour?
If you make this mint chocolate banana ice cream, be sure to leave a comment below!
Mint Chocolate Chip Banana Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 3 frozen bananas, cut into chunks
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¾ cup mint-flavoured dark chocolate chips or chunks, use vegan and gluten free if needed
- 12 to 15 mint leaves, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon mint extract, or to taste
Instructions
- Place bananas in large food processor and process for a minute or two. Bananas will look a bit crumbly. Stop processor and scrape sides of processor with a rubber spatula. Then continue to process for another minute or two until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Note: I use a 12-cup food processor.
- Add remainder of ingredients and process for a minute or two until ingredients are combined. If you want more mint flavour, add a little mint extract at a time. Remember, too much will make it bitter.
- Enjoy immediately as a soft serve or freeze for a firmer ice cream (preferred). If freezing, pour into a freezer-safe container and freeze for 3 to 4 hours. Enjoy!
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
© Girl Heart Food Inc. Photographs and content are copyright protected.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Jolina says
Whoa is that what it is? (Am I not part of the cool kids??) I see nice cream recipes all the time but oops I kind of just skip them because I don’t know, I like calories? HAHA! This looks so easy. And healthy! And yummy! And wow look at your herb garden 🙂 This year we attempted to grow our own in little pots and thank goodness they’re all still alive (we have a history of killing plants but that story is for another day haha). We love plucking some out and using fresh herbs. Very Ina Garten, eh? Hope you having a great week!
Girl Heart Food says
You won’t even know it’s on the lighter side. You’re going to love this one, Jolina! Have an awesome weekend 🙂
Luci's Morsels says
Love this healthy mint ice cream recipe! I’d love to give it a try!
Girl Heart Food says
It’s really delish, Luci 🙂
heather (delicious not gorgeous) says
i was firmly against nice cream. come on, blended frozen bananas?! and then i had a passionfruit banana nice cream, and now i’m very pro-nice cream (: this one sounds especially tasty and refreshing! also, that q& a was super cool. i know about nothing about newfoundland, so can’t wait to read more about its culture and food!
Girl Heart Food says
Right?! How could you not like? Thank you so much, Heather! Happy you enjoyed the Q & A! Newfoundland definitely has a cool food culture…lots of interesting (and delicious) things 🙂
Nicole @ Foodie Loves Fitness says
Great minds think alike, because I just shared a recipe for raspberry chocolate chip nice cream today, and had a recipe published for Shape last week for mocha chip nice cream! 😉 I’ve been loving it lately, and I’m always up for the mint + chocolate combo. And yes, extracts are tricky right? Such a tiny bit goes a longgg way!
Girl Heart Food says
YUUUUM! Nice cream for the win! Love that it’s pretty much guilt free 🙂 Thanks Nicole!
Amanda (Peppers & Pennies) says
Dawn, you win my favourite person of the day award. You win just for coming-up with this recipe which uses pretty much alllll of my favourite things. You rock.
Girl Heart Food says
Yay!! Thanks Amanda!
karrie @ Tasty Ever After says
This is all old news to me except for this mint chocolate nice cream! What the? You’ve been holding out on me girl. hahahaha! Chocolate chip mint is my favorite ice cream & I’m on a clean eating plan right now so this recipe is perfect. And that fresh mint! YAY GARDEN!!
Girl Heart Food says
Hahaha!! Well, this would be PERFECT for ya 😉 Thanks girl! XO
Milena | craftbeering.com says
Welcome back from vacation. Sounds like you lucked out – great weather always seems to help with seeing things differently where you are, and having all that time on your hands to check out new eateries is great! Love your ‘nice’ cream! I always enjoy fresh mint incorporated into desserts and have never been able to grow any successfully. They say mint grows like a weed. Yeah, right. Not for me(:. But I had garlic chives luck this summer:) – figured out that all they wanted was to be in the shade… Lol.
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks Milena! We truly did luck out with the weather and it definitely does make all the difference! We have so much luck with mint and it grows like crazy, but basil? No way! I always have trouble growing that one! Funny, right? Have an awesome week 🙂
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
I’m pretty sure you’re right that all the cool kids are eating nice cream, which is prob why I haven’t tried it yet :). But I need to remedy that because I looooove mint chip ice cream! Like, LOVE! However, I also love fitting into my clothes. . .So glad you had a great stay-cation. Have a fantastic week!
Girl Heart Food says
Haha! It’s my fave for sure! So good! Thanks Kelsie! Have a lovely week too 🙂
annie@ciaochowbambina says
Okay…so Lauren was at a wedding over the weekend and as part of the dessert table the couple shared these incredible monster donuts that are a specialty from this little place out of Buffalo – long story short – they had trays left at the the end of the night, and had Lauren bring one home… I think you see where this is going – I need your Nice Cream now! Truly! More than ever! I love the combination of mint and chocolate! One of my favorites! This is happening, my friend!! Have a lovely week! XOXO
Girl Heart Food says
Hahaha! I hear ya!! All about balance, right? Plus, this tastes like a treat so you can ease into the week…hehehe! Enjoy and have a wonderful week too! XOXO
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Looks like you had a great staycation! Those are always so much fun. And so is nice cream! I made it the first time about 5 years ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I’m loving the flavor of this mint chocolate version. I think I could eat this just about every day, and then some! After all, it’s healthy and has fruit, so it’s my kind of treat! Pinned! Hope you have a great week!
Girl Heart Food says
We totally did, Gayle! Love this this is so guilt free so I can eat an extra scoop and not mind 🙂 I could eat every day too! Thanks for the lovely comment and Pin and have a great week too!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
It seems like Nice Cream is all the rage right now Dawn! And this flavors sounds amazing! My son Casey is going to love it and he’s home for one more week before he goes back to school! Can’t wait to make it for him! Have a great week!
Girl Heart Food says
Totally!! Hope you guys love it! Thanks Mary Ann and have a great week too 🙂
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
I love this idea of a super healthy ice cream! Mint chocolate has always been and will always be my favorite! I love other flavors too, but mint chocolate is always one I come back to again and again. Congrats again on your feature in Food Bloggers of Canada! It was fun reading all about you! 🙂
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks Kathy! It’s quite the popular flavour, right? For good reason, I say 😉 Happy you enjoyed the feature!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
I saw some of your photos on social media and it looked like you and the hubster had a great staycation and birthday celebration!! And I read your interview!! Loved it, congrats sweets!! I happen to LOVE me some nice cream, and boys favorite ice cream is mint chocolate, so this is like a combo of both of us in ice cream form!! Lol. LOVE IT! Pinned! Cheers, girlfriend!
Girl Heart Food says
We had an awesome vacay!! Thank you so much! It was pretty exciting for me 🙂 Hope both of you love this one! Cheers sweets!
Sues says
I think it IS true that the cool kids are eating nice cream! But yours looks WAY better than the average nice cream. It looks and sounds awesome!!
Glad you had a good staycation… those are my favorites!!
Girl Heart Food says
Haha! Thanks Sues 😉
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
Loved reading your profile on FBC! And I have not heard of nice cream, but it sounds awesome, so I can’t wait to try it 🙂
Girl Heart Food says
Yay! Thanks Jennifer! You’d love it, I’m sure 😉