Dairy-Free Banana Ice Cream With Coconut Milk
This dairy-free banana ice cream is soft, creamy and pretty simple to make. It contains just 3 ingredients and it’s a no-churn recipe, meaning you can make it without an ice cream machine!
When I made this ice cream for the first time, British Summer time was in full swing. It was boiling hot outside and we were in need of a frozen treat to help cool us down.
But as I sit down to write this post a few weeks later, it seems that Summer has quickly gone, and Autumn has arrived.
We’re still a few weeks away from the “official” beginning of the season, but I’ve definitely noticed a drop in the temperature and there have been a lot of windy days in Scotland this week!
Nevertheless, there is never a wrong time to eat dairy-free banana ice cream. In a way, the creamy texture makes it feel like comfort food. Especially if you mix in some vegan fudge pieces like I did. Oh my gosh…divine.
Coconut Milk Ice Cream Without An Ice Cream Maker
My favorite part about making ice cream at home is that although it might seem tricky, it’s super easy and you don’t even need any fancy equipment. You can actually make it without an ice cream maker and it doesn’t require too much extra effort. Of course, a machine might make the process a lot quicker but you don’t need to go out and buy one just to make one batch of ice cream.
I’ve never actually used an ice cream maker (except when I was a child and had every kid’s kitchen gadget known to man) but I’ve always been really pleased with the texture of the ice cream I’ve made without one.
And because I made this banana ice cream with coconut milk, I found that it helps to give a way creamier texture. This is more like a proper ice cream than it is frozen bananas blended up.
I’m not a fussy eater by any means, but to me personally, blended banana doesn’t feel or taste like real ice cream. I like that creamy flavour you get with ice cream, and I like to be able to scoop it into balls so I can eat it with a cone. Coconut milk for the win!
How To Make Dairy-Free Banana Ice Cream
Step 1:
The first thing you’ll need is, of course, bananas! You’ll need 4 medium sized bananas. You want to make sure your bananas are ripe (i.e., not green) but not too ripe. If you use super spotty or brown bananas, the ice cream won’t taste its best once finished.
Peel and chop up the bananas then blend them into a liquid using a blender or hand blender. There’s also the option to mash them in a bowl with a fork if you don’t have a blender. You just need to make sure that there are no big chunks of banana left in the bowl (unless, of course, you like it that way).
Step 2:
Once your bananas are sufficiently mashed or blended, it’s time to add in the coconut milk. You’ll need around 300ml (or 1+1/4 cup) of tinned coconut milk. Don’t use the drinking type for this recipe.
If you don’t want a coconut flavour, you can use soy cream instead at a 1:1 ratio. It gives the same creaminess but has a more neutral flavour.
Using an electric or handheld whisk, mix the coconut milk and the mashed bananas together for a few minutes until the mixture becomes smooth with some air bubbles on the surface. The more air you can whisk into the mixture at this point, the better!
Step 3:
Add 55g (¼ cup) of caster sugar into the mixture and whisk again for another few minutes.
Although bananas are quite sweet as they are, I found that adding a small amount of sugar really helps to enhance the banana flavour after freezing.
You can use a few tablespoons of agave nectar as an alternative if you wish, but I wouldn’t recommend using maple syrup as the flavour is too overpowering for this particular recipe.
Step 4:
This step is totally optional, but I like to add in some small pieces of vegan fudge. There’s something about the two flavours that go so nicely together.
I used the vegan fudge by the Fabulous Free From Factory (purchased in Asda for those of you in the UK). If you can’t get your hands on any, I have a DIY peanut butter fudge recipe which is quick and easy! And if fudge isn’t your thing, check out the list of mix-ins options further in this post for some other ideas!
Step 5:
Once you’ve stirred in your optional extras, transfer the ice cream mixture into a freezer-safe dish with a lid and freeze for 2 hours.
Step 6:
After the 2 hours have passed, remove the ice cream from the freezer and give it a good whisk until any frozen lumps are smoothed out. This should only take a minute or two. Return the dish to the freezer for another 8-10 hours, whisking every few hours to prevent ice crystals from forming.
Step 7:
When you are ready to serve the ice cream, allow it to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to let it soften a little. Then scoop into ice cream cones or bowls and enjoy!
Ice Cream Mix-In Ideas
If you don’t fancy fudge, try one of these other mix-ins instead:
Nuts and spices
Chopped walnuts and a touch of cinnamon go particularly well with the flavour of bananas (banana bread ice cream anyone?). Some other good options include chopped almonds, macadamia nuts, peanuts, or a sprinkling of ground dried ginger.
Chocolate
If you do decide to put fudge into your banana ice cream, why not add some chocolate chunks and/or chocolate sauce, and give Ben and Jerry’s a run for their money?
Coffee
I’m personally not a huge fan of coffee but for those who do like it, I think this ice cream would be the perfect companion. The bananas give off a coffee-like colour when blended and I think adding a teaspoon of instant coffee would be a great twist!
Other fruit
Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries all taste really nice paired with banana! Or if you want to get really fancy, you can add some dried pineapple chunks and coconut flakes for a pina colada inspired ice cream!
Peanut butter
If you like peanuts but don’t want your ice cream to be “chunky”, try adding a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter to your ice cream mixture. It will give you that nutty flavour you love without interfering with the smooth, creamy texture of your ice cream.
More vegan banana recipes
I hope you like this coconut milk dairy-free banana ice cream. If you make it at home, please let me know how you get on by leaving a comment or rating below. Enjoy! xo
Dairy-free Banana Ice Cream With Coconut Milk
A creamy, homemade vegan alternative to ice cream.
Ingredients
- 4 Medium sized bananas
- 300 ml Full-fat coconut milk (300ml) or soy cream
- 55 g Caster sugar
- Few tablespoons of mix-ins (optional) I used vegan fudge
Instructions
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Place the bananas into a blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, mash them in a bowl using a fork until all of the lumps are gone.
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Add in the coconut milk and the caster sugar. Use an electric hand mixer to whisk for a few minutes until lots of air bubbles appear on the surface.
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Add in any mix ins you like such as vegan fudge, nuts, other fruits etc. and stir them in gently.
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Transfer the mixture to a freezer-proof dish with a lid and freeze for 2 hours.
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After 2 hours, remove the ice cream from the freezer and whisk again for a few minutes until any frozen lumps have smoothed out.
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Freeze for a further 8-10 hours, whisking every few hours to prevent ice crystals from forming.
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When ready to serve, allow the ice cream to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly. Then scoop into a cone or a bowl and enjoy!
