Whether you’re vegan, paleo, avoiding dairy, or just trying to find a more nutrient-dense alternative to traditional ice cream, nice cream is for you! When made right, it’s thick, creamy, and refreshing just like regular ice cream but requires just one ingredient – frozen bananas (see tips below if you don’t like bananas)!

It sounds crazy that something so simple could be so delicious but trust me that once you try it you’ll see what all of the hype is about!

What is nice cream?

Nice cream is a plant-based, dairy-free alternative to traditional ice-cream. Most popularly, it’s made using frozen bananas that are blended using a blender or food processor until a texture forms that resembles ice cream. It can also be made using frozen coconut milk, or other frozen fruits like mango, papaya, or strawberries.

It’s called ‘nice‘ cream because it is considered to be nicer ethically and for your health than traditional ice cream.

How to make nice cream:

First, you’ll start off by gathering some ripe bananas, you know, the kind with brown spots on them. Riper bananas are sweeter which gives nice cream its natural sweetness without any added sweetener. Riper bananas are also softer and therefore easier to blend.

If you’re making this in the Vitamix, I’ve found the best results with six bananas. This amount gives the Vitamix the volume it needs to kind of fold into itself and make that iconic swirl that is so satisfying to watch! I’ve also found the texture to be smoother as well. This volume will make 2-4 servings.

Next, freeze the bananas peeled, but whole. It can be difficult to remove the peel once it’s frozen. Also, I’ve tried slicing them before blending and while it is easier than slicing them frozen, the pieces stick together in the bag and form a big clump that can be difficult to blend and potentially damage your blender. Freeze the bananas at least 6 hours, but I’ve had the best results by freezing them overnight.

You can make nice cream with just bananas but it takes patience, isn’t usually quite as tasty, and can be hard on most blenders. I like to add one or more other ingredients to help lubricate the blades so that they move easier and smoother and to give another dimension of flavor besides just banana. You can use a juicy fruit (my favorite is dragon fruit), a fat like a nut butter or coconut cream, or plant milk (coconut, almond, oat etc.). All work great, it just depends on what flavors you are in the mood for.

Before you take your bananas out of the freezer add your flavoring/wet ingredient to the base of your blender.

When the bananas are properly frozen (they should be hard to the touch) thinly slice them and add them to your blender on top of your fruit/liquid/fat.

Secure your lid and start off by blending on low speed (on my Vitamix I start off on level 2). As it blends use the tamper to push the mixture towards the blades (only use the tamper with the lid on to avoid damage to the blades). As you are blending and using the tamper, gradually increase the speed (until you reach level 4 or 5). Fairly soon after you get to this level you will feel the nice cream fold into itself smoothly, that iconic swirl motion will form and you will not need to use the tamper. You did it! It should be fully blended, thick, and creamy – ready to enjoy!

The texture at this point will be similar to soft-serve ice cream. I find this to be the creamiest, tastiest way to enjoy banana ice cream. However, if you want something more similar to scoopable hard ice cream, put the mixture into a freezer container and freeze for about two hours. If you need to make it ahead and freeze it overnight it will be harder to scoop right out of the freezer, leave it out on the counter for 15-20 minutes to make it more scoopable.

Nice Cream Flavor Combination Ideas:

Peanut Butter Fudge: Frozen bananas + Peanut Butter + Chopped Dark Chocolate

Pink Cloud: Frozen bananas + Pink Dragon Fruit / Pitaya

Chocolate: Frozen bananas + coconut cream + cacao/ cocoa powder + dates

Vanilla: Frozen bananas + Coconut Cream + Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean

Strawberries n’ cream: Frozen Strawberries + Frozen Banana + Coconut Cream

PB & J: Frozen bananas + Frozen Strawberries + Peanut Butter Swirls + Strawberry Jam Swirls

Health benefits of banana nice cream:

Nutrients: If making nice cream with bananas you will get around 25% of your daily potassium needs per serving. Bananas are also a great source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, magnesium, copper, and manganese.

Digestion: Bananas are loaded with fiber (pectin and resistant starch) and serve as a prebiotic (food for beneficial gut bacteria).

Antioxidants: Bananas contain antioxidants such as catechins and dopamine.

More nutritional benefits can be added from the ingredients you mix in!

How to make nice cream in a food processor:

You can make nice cream in a food processor if you don’t have a blender, and many find it to be easier! You don’t have to worry about layering the ingredients in a certain way and the frozen bananas often blend easier because they are more spread out.

Still use frozen bananas, but you don’t need to use quite as many as you do with a Vitamix. I’ve also found that I need to add a liquid like almond milk for best results.

Steps:

1. Start off with whole, frozen overnight bananas or alternative frozen fruit. Use enough to fill at least the bottom of your food processor, but the amount will depend on the size of the food processor bowl you use. Slice them frozen and add them to your food processor.
2. If desired for ease of blending and/or added flavor, add fresh juicy fruit, a fat like nut butter or coconut cream, or a liquid like almond milk.
3. Blend until thick and creamy. If it’s stuck in a crumbly texture, stop the machine, remove the lid and scrape down the sides of the blender. Resume blending, and repeat (if needed) until the desired texture is reached.
4. Eat it right away as soft serve or pop it in the freezer for about 2 hours for a harder, scoopable texture.

How to make nice cream in a cheaper blender:

While the Vitamix is great for nice cream because of its power and size, it’s unaffordable for many. Before getting my Vitamix, I used to make nice cream in my Nutribullet with great results!

Tips if using a cheaper blender:

• You may need to use more liquid and/or fat to make up for blending inefficiencies
• Give it more time – more stopping the machine and scraping down the sides towards the blades

How to make nice cream without bananas:

Many people are allergic or simply don’t like the taste of bananas. The banana taste is milder than you might think, especially with the right flavor additions however you can make an amazing nice cream without any bananas at all! Here are some alternatives to bananas:

Coconut Cream / Coconut Milk: Take a can of shaken full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream and pour it into an ice cube tray. Freeze overnight and then blend it with a little almond milk (I try to keep it around 1/4 cup) to make a delicious soft serve. Add whatever flavors you like!

*Some brands of coconut milk/cream can have a very strong flavor. I’ve used Trader Joes and Whole Foods Brands with great results, but test out the can before making to save yourself some time.

Alternative Frozen Fruits: The best fruits to use for the bulk of your nice cream are fruits with relatively low water content. I’ve had great results with frozen mango and frozen papaya!

The Best Blenders for Nice Cream

Vitamix

My number one recommendation for making nice cream is a Vitamix. It creates the best consistency overall of any blender I’ve tried. Here is the model I use!

Pros:

1. A large container, perfect for making multiple batches for a group or to make ahead.
2. Super powerful blades and a motor that creates a smooth and creamy consistency.
3. You don’t have to add as much fat or other ingredients because the machine is so efficient on its own.
4. Superior blending creates professional results when making: nut butters, cashew-based sauces, cashew cheesecake, soups, drinks, etc. I use mine almost every day for various things! I’m always finding new uses for it – I made whipped cream the other day!
5. Blends quickly and quietly.

Cons:

1. High price point (~$269-$599)
2. A very large container that makes it difficult to make single-serving sizes.
3. Larger than most blenders which can make it more difficult to transport and takes up more space.

Nutribullet

I first started out making nice cream in my Nutribullet! I still have it and use it after 5+ years. You can find it here!

Pros:

1. More affordable cost (~$49)
2. Perfect for a smaller / individual serving size
3. You can eat it right out of the container or put a lid on it and take it to go
4. Made to be stored in the fridge to save for later, unlike other blenders that can get damaged this way

Cons:

1. Not as efficient at blending, will likely take you more time to blend fully which can result in a more melted consistency at times
2. Less easy / sometimes impossible to make it with just bananas, requiring you to use additional ingredients
3. Can’t make a bigger batch/ more than one person
4. May not come out as smooth/creamy due to blending inefficiencies

Cuisinart Food Processor:

If you’d rather get a food processor for your kitchen needs I’d recommend this one!

Pros:

1. It’s got three container sizes which are great for when you want to make different batch sizes for different dishes.
2. Super efficient S blade design that blends very efficiently and smoothly.
3. Has attachments for slicing, chopping, and grating.
4. Affordable
5. Quiet

Cons:

1. Very heavy and large.
2. Higher price point (~$279)

Storage:

Banana nice cream will stay good in an airtight freezer container for about 3 months before getting freezer burned.

Looking for more refreshing plant-based treats? Check out my mangonada recipe or my vegan ice cream cake!

I’d love to see your creations or hear about them in the comments below! Tag me in your photos on Instagram @wholesomehedonista!

*As an Amazon affiliate I make a small commission from products purchased through the provided links. I only recommend products that I have tried and love or have researched!