Easy and delicious banana no-churn ice cream. No ice cream maker required! With all the flavours of banana cream pie.
Step aside for a moment banana bread! There’s a new, Summer-perfect way to use up those extra bananas. And best of all, you don’t need an ice cream maker for this no-churn ice cream.
I have been making this easy ice cream regularly since I first discovered it on the New York Times site. It’s delicious and easy. And even though I have an ice cream maker, I love the ease of this no-churn option.
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas
- Sweetened condensed milk – not evaporated milk
- Vanilla
- Pinch salt
- Heavy, whipping cream – you’ll need 2 1/2 cups
- Frozen pie shell – *see Tips below for other options
Tips
- This recipe was adapted from Erin Jeanne McDowell, as published in the New York Times. The original recipe specified crumbled Vanilla Wafer Cookies, such as Nillaâ„¢. I found it a little sweet myself, so the next time I made it I decided to channel the banana cream pie more fully by using crumbled, cooked pie shell. For me, it was perfect! You can use either though, as you like.
- You want your bananas to be ripe or just slightly over-ripe, but not really over-ripe. This isn’t like banana bread where the riper the bananas the better. Try and catch your bananas before they go to far for this ice cream.
- If you don’t have a 9×9-inch pan, you can use a metal loaf pan. If you go that route, as it has a lot let top area, you may want to stir some pie crust crumbles into the ice cream itself. The loaf pan may also take a little longer to freeze through.
- Generously sprinkle the pie shell crumbles on top of the ice cream, so you can get a good amount of them with each scoop of ice cream.
- You probably won’t need all of the cooked pie shell crumbles, but you can freeze them to have at the ready the next time you make this ice cream!
Top Tip
Have ripe bananas but not ready to make ice cream? Freeze the bananas and pull them out later to thaw and mash. Likewise, if you have pie dough scraps from pie making, bake them off, crumble and freeze to have them at the ready.
Get the Recipe: No-Churn Banana Cream Pie Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 3 medium bananas, ripe (but not really over-ripe_, peeled (about 1 lb)
- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch fine sea salt
- 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, 35% B.F.
- 1 Frozen pie shell, baked and crumbled *see Notes below
Instructions
- Bake the frozen pie shell per the package instructions. Set aside to cool, then crumble into small pieces.
- In a large bowl, use a fork or a potato masher to mash the bananas well. Add the condensed milk and mash again until the two are mixed well. The mixture should be fairly smooth.Stir in the vanilla and salt. Set aside.
- 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 1/4 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. Add the remaining whipped cream in 2 to 3 additions, folding gently just until combined.
- Spoon the mixture into a 9x9-inch metal pan (or similar size sufficient to hold the mixture) and spread smooth. Sprinkle the top generously with baked pie shell crumbles.
- Cover the ice cream with plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil (helps to keep the plastic wrap on) and transfer to the freezer.
- Freeze the mixture until firm, at least 6 hours. Before serving, let the ice cream soften at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping.
Perfect banana ice cream. I concur in terms of the Nilla wafers adding too much sweetness.
For my second batch I went completely no cooking by adding chopped lady fingers (the imported ones aren’t sweet). I also added about 1/4 cup of 70% dark chocolate chunks.
Sound great, Fred! So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks :)
I’ve been playing with no-churn ice cream recipes lately, but never thought to add bananas! This must be the perfect creamy treat. Can’t wait to try it. I may use crumbled shortbread cookies for the topping, because if they’re any leftover, we can find good use for the rest – haha.
Good strategy! Thanks :)
You know, I don’t think I’ve ever had banana ice-cream! Time to change that with your delicious recipe! I know already that I’m gonna have to have at least 3 scoops ;)
Thanks so much, Dawn :)
Banana cream pie is one of my all-time favorites! My aunt would make it for every holiday.
You’re bringing back sweet memories for me! This ice cream is a real treat!
I love the pie, too and this ice cream does a great job channeling it! Thanks :)
I’m so making this for my Mom when I go to visit her Jennifer! She’s always loved banana ice cream. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks Mary Ann! She will love it :)
Definitely giving your version a go! I am with you – when you can save yourself the churning, why not?
Thanks Milena and yes, I love the ease of no-churn ice cream :)