Name: Chocolate Nice Cream
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 4 frozen bananas ((cutting into coins or chunks before freezing will make them easier to work with)); 1/4 cup plain, unsweetened plant-based milk; 1/4 cup cacao powder ((substitute cocoa powder if preferred))

This chocolate nice cream is super easy to make in your food processor - no ice cream maker needed! Requiring just 3 all-natural ingredients and no added sugar, even non-vegans will love this guilt-free, dairy-free ice cream alternative.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Chilling Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

JUMP TO RECIPE

two scoops of nice cream in a white bowl with sprinkles and a spoon

This frozen treat is nice.

Nice cream to be exact.

I know, I know. Totally corny.

But I like to think of it as having fun while I work.

Because I always say, "if you're not having fun, you should be." 😉

overhead of chocolate nice cream in a white bowl with some sprinkles and a spoon

Jump to:

Why you'll love this easy recipe
What is nice cream?
Ingredients you'll need
How to make chocolate nice cream with no added sugar
Tips for making chocolate banana nice cream
What if I don't have a food processor?
How can I sweeten this?
Ideas for serving
More easy vegan recipes
Recipe

Why you'll love this easy recipe

Very similar creamy texture that you expect with chocolate ice cream
Minus the time needed for freezing, this simple recipe only takes five minutes
This is an easy way to take brown bananas and turn them into a delicious vegan dessert

holding a cone with two scoops of nice cream

What is nice cream?

If you've never heard of nice cream before, you might be wondering what it is exactly or just thinking I mistakenly added an "n" in front of "ice."

All kidding aside, nice cream is a vegan/dairy-free alternative to traditional ice cream that is made from frozen fruit...in this case, ripe bananas.

The bananas not only provide the base for the "ice cream," but they also act as a natural sweetener.

Essentially this nice cream recipe is healthy ice cream.

holding a scoop of nice cream in the ice cream scoop over a loaf pan with the rest of it

A refreshing, tasty treat that hits the spot and satisfies the sweet tooth with no added sugar...I'll take it!

Well actually, I'll make it...

And now so will you. 🙂

Ingredients you'll need

You only need 3 simple ingredients to make this chocolaty frozen sweet treat...

Frozen Bananas
Unsweetened Plant-Based Milk
Unsweetened Cacao or Cocoa Powder

How to make chocolate nice cream with no added sugar

Add frozen bananas and plant-based milk to your food processor.

bananas and milk added to food processor

Holding tightly onto the lid of the food processor, pulse a few times to start breaking up the banana slices.

bananas broken up into smaller chunks in the food processor

Once they are broken up into small chunks, add cacao powder (or cocoa powder if you prefer) to the food processor and pulse a few more times to incorporate it.

cacao powder added to the food processor

Then, process on high until the nice cream is smooth and no banana chunks remain.

Be sure to scrape the sides of the food processor to incorporate everything well together.

bananas, milk and cacao powder blended together in food processor

Transfer the mixture to a freezer-safe container.

Cover and freeze for 1-2 hours.

nice cream in loaf pan after freezing for 1 hour

Now, eat up!

overhead of nice cream in a white bowl topped with sprinkles on a kitchen napkin with a spoon next to the bowl

Tips for making chocolate banana nice cream

Bananas: It's best to use very ripe or overripe bananas as they are sweeter than those that are still slightly green or just ripe ones. You can freeze them overnight or 2-3 hours before you're going to make the nice cream. Personally, I like to have them on hand, so that I can make nice cream if the mood arises. So, I freeze them in batches using reusable food storage bags (4 bananas to a bag). I find cutting them into coins or chunks before freezing makes them easier to blend. To keep the banana coins from sticking to each other, lay them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet before freezing. Once they are frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe food storage bag.
Milk: I used almond milk this time but have also used coconut milk and oat milk, both being a great alternative. You can use any plant-based milk as long as it's plain and unsweetened. To keep this recipe soy-free, avoid using soy milk. To keep this recipe nut-free, use a plant-based milk that is free from nuts. To keep this recipe paleo-friendly, avoid using soy milk, oat milk, rice milk and other non-paleo milks.
Storage: Store in a sealed freezer-safe container. Once the nice cream is fully frozen, you will need to leave it out at room temperature for a few minutes to soften up before enjoying.

What if I don't have a food processor?

No food processor? No problem!

There are different ways that you can make nice cream without using a food processor or an ice cream machine. Instead, try using a high-speed blender.

How can I sweeten this?

We use bananas in this nice cream recipe because they're naturally sweet. However, if you're looking for a slightly sweeter idea, add a splash of vanilla extract or a touch of maple syrup.

Ideas for serving

Serve alone or on ice cream cones.

Totally trademarking that slogan lol. 😉

Anyway, I'll be serious now...

To keep these frozen treats from having no added sugar, serve as is in a bowl or top with some cacao nibs, walnuts, pecans, sliced almonds or unsweetened natural peanut butter or almond butter.

If you are not avoiding added sugar, you can serve it on an ice cream cone (I used these gluten-free ones) or top with sprinkles or vegan chocolate chips.

holding a cone with nice cream that is starting to melt

More easy vegan recipes

Recipe

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5 from 2 votes

Chocolate Nice Cream

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Gluten-Free, Vegan

Keyword bananas, cacao, dairy-free, gluten free, plant based, vegan

Prep Time 5 minutes

Chilling Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings

Calories 119kcal

Author Sherri Hall

Ingredients

4 frozen bananas (cutting into coins or chunks before freezing will make them easier to work with)
¼ cup plain, unsweetened plant-based milk
¼ cup cacao powder (substitute cocoa powder if preferred)

Instructions

Add frozen bananas and plant-based milk to the bowl of the food processor. Secure the lid. Holding tightly onto the lid of the food processor, pulse a few times to start breaking up the bananas.
Once the bananas are broken up into small chunks, add cacao powder to the food processor and pulse a few more times to incorporate it. Then, process on high until the nice cream is smooth and no banana chunks remain.
Transfer the mixture to a freezer safe container and freeze for 1-2 hours.

(Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)

Suggested Equipment/Tools

Food Processor

Notes

It's best to use very ripe or overripe bananas as they are sweeter than those that are still slightly green or just ripe ones.

To keep this recipe soy-free, avoid using soy milk. To keep this recipe nut-free, use a plant-based milk that is free from nuts. To keep this recipe paleo-friendly, avoid using soy milk, oat milk, rice milk and other non-paleo milks.

Store in a sealed freezer-safe container. Once the nice cream is fully frozen, you will need to leave it out at room temperature for a few minutes to soften up before enjoying. The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Nutrition was calculated using almond milk.

Nutrition

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