By Erin Jeanne McDowell
- Total Time
- 10 minutes, plus freezing
- Rating
- 4(315)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This no-churn ice cream doesn’t require any cooking or special equipment. All you have to do is mash up some bananas and whip some heavy cream. The whipped cream mimics the air that’s incorporated into traditional ice cream when it’s churning in an ice cream machine. For the strongest flavor, use really, really ripe bananas; mushy, bruised ones with black peels will work well. Large crumbles of vanilla wafers stirred into the ice cream and sprinkled on top add crunch.
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Ingredients
Yield:About 8 servings
- 1pound very ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas), peeled
- 1(14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 2½cups/600 milliliters heavy cream
- 25vanilla wafer cookies (about 85 grams), broken into coarse pieces
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
524 calories; 35 grams fat; 21 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 36 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 143 milligrams sodium
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
Step
1
In a large bowl, use a large fork or a potato masher to mash the bananas well. Add the condensed milk and mash again until the two are well combined. The mixture should be fairly smooth and only slightly lumpy.
Step
2
Using a silicone spatula, stir in the vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
Step
3
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment or a handheld mixer, whip the heavy cream to medium peaks. Add about ¼ of the whipped cream to the banana mixture and stir with the spatula to fully combine. (This lightens the mixture, making it easier to fold in the remaining whipped cream without losing too much aeration.)
Step
4
Add the remaining whipped cream in 2 to 3 additions, folding gently just to combine. Add all but 3 tablespoons of the crumbled wafer cookies to the mixture and gently fold them in until incorporated.
Step
5
Pour the mixture into a 9-by-9-inch pan and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the reserved vanilla wafers evenly on top. Cover the ice cream with plastic wrap, gently pressing the wrap into the surface of the ice cream, and transfer to the freezer.
Step
6
Freeze the mixture until firm, at least 6 hours. Before serving, let the ice cream soften at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping.
Ratings
4
out of 5
315
user ratings
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Cooking Notes
Elizabeth Armstrong
I’ll bet chocolate wafers would be delicious too
Elizabeth
Very good! I added a fourth banana and just did two cups of cream (since that's all I had on hand). I also overshot the "medium peaks" and ended up with a stiffer whipped cream, with no ill effects. It was an easy and fun project with little kids on a hot summer day.
EC
Very easy and great banana flavor. It was a bit too sweet for me so next time I’ll try using more whipped cream to tone down the sugar a bit. Great recipe!
blsmadrid
I used the recipe in my ice-cream maker, tweaking the amounts since it only makes a scant quart & can't be filled to the brim. The ice-cream turned out well, but I didn't find it particularly special. My husband and I used to have banana ice-cream in a restaurant (long-gone) that was outrageously good but this was more "ho-hum". I stirred wafers into the ice-cream before sticking it in the freezer, but didn't care for them (soggy); were I to repeat the recipe, I'd serve them apart only.
Sarah
I followed the recipe exactly (except for using only two cups of whipping cream as that was all I had). Turned out great! Very reminiscent of banana pudding, in frozen form.
kswl
A tip from Gemma Stanford’s site Bigger Bolder Baking: use fat free sweetened condensed milk as it is also significantly less sweet. The finished product is much better with this change.
Andy
What is the logic behind the condensed milk, instead of sweetened fresh milk/cream?
debby c from hohokus,nj
Yum!!! Easy. Didn’t have vanilla wafer cookies so substituted Trader Joe’s Triple Ginger Cookies—excellent!!!
Kat
Loved this! I added a chopped fresh banana to the three black ones for texture, but I think it would be even better with fresh slices over the top for that banana pudding feeling. Like some other commenters, I 1) over-whipped and the cream would not fold in smoothly, but putting it back under the mixer whisk on slow didn’t seem to harm the texture; and 2) ate it before it was completely frozen and it was divine.
Miriam Krekel
Made this recipe twice, since I don't have an ice machine but still want to make ice cream. First time was great, but too sweet and too much, so the second time I used 2 bananas and half a can of condensed milk and the same amount of cream. Liked it better that way. Also, it's better when it's not completely frozen yet. (Me and my granddaughter couldn't wait 6 hours). Also added salty cookies, which was a good addition.
Bracha
Delicious! My husband’s favorite ice cream since the first time I made it.I added more bananas and used the chocolate merengues I had in my pantry. It came out super yummy.
Meg C
I used gingersnaps. OMG
GWM160
Really easy. I made two modifications. I used a good handful of walnuts instead of the vanilla bits, and I gently swirled two heaping tablespoons of strawberry preserves into the mix before placing into the freezer.
JWarncke
I wanted to love this, but found it to be less like ice cream and more like banana flavored frozen cool whip.
Tricia Irish
I bet some crushed peanuts would be good in there too....love banana/peanut combo.
Jersey Girl
How about using graham crackers instead of vanilla wafers? I'll probably try that when I make this.
Becky
Anyone got thoughts on doing this without so much dairy? I can handle some, but not that much, the whipping cream but not the sweetened condensed milk, or vice versa.
blsmadrid
I used the recipe in my ice-cream maker, tweaking the amounts since it only makes a scant quart & can't be filled to the brim. The ice-cream turned out well, but I didn't find it particularly special. My husband and I used to have banana ice-cream in a restaurant (long-gone) that was outrageously good but this was more "ho-hum". I stirred wafers into the ice-cream before sticking it in the freezer, but didn't care for them (soggy); were I to repeat the recipe, I'd serve them apart only.
MiMe!
I’ll bet chocolate wafers would be delicious too
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