~ This crazy-delicious, luxuriously creamy Peanut Butter-Banana Ice Cream has everything going for it! It’s no-churn and ready in just 5 minutes (tops!). Plus, it’s full of nutritious ingredients and absolutely guilt free! Yet it’s a treat your family will beg you to make – again and again! It’s an all-around win! ~

This Recipe Is:   •  Ready in 30 Minutes or Less  •  Vegetarian  •  Gluten Free  •

I’d heard the tales. But I didn’t totally believe them until I’d experienced “instant banana ice cream” for myself.

It exceeded my expectations …

My kiddos beg me to make this for a dessert treat (night after night – it never seems to get boring!). Yet … It’s jam-packed with nutrition. Healthy enough to be a keep-you-powered-up afternoon snack. Or … ahem … breakfast. Seriously! (Won’t your kids be surprised?!?)

This easily satisfies my family’s sweet tooth cravings. Yet … The only traces of added sugar anywhere are in the (also nutrient-packed!) toppings.

My family is so, so happy every time I whip this up – you’d think I’d slaved away making a precariously towering layer cake for dessert. Yet … It’s ready in 5 minutes flat. No kidding.

You’d think something this popular, this family-pleasing, this joy-inspiring, would require chic gourmet ingredients. Yet … I have everything I need to make this … on hand … all the time. Pantry staples. So easy.

Expectation-exceeding, for sure.

If you’re a Pinterest junkie (no shame there, friends!), then you’ve undoubtedly seen various “instant” banana ice cream recipes out there. And you’ve probably seen the ads for the Yonanas Banana Ice Cream Maker, which capitalized on the banana ice cream craze in a big, big way.

But I just never got around to trying instant ice cream … until last year. I think it was this recipe from Melissa over at My Whole Food Life that finally pushed me over the edge … and nudged me toward my over-ripe bananas and my blender.

I never looked back!

Dessert in my home was revolutionized!

I’ve messed around with creating one version after another … Tropical … Cinnamon-Date … Strawberry-Banana … Pumpkin Pie … (You won’t be surprised to see more 5-Minute Ice Cream Recipes from THK in the future, will you?!?)

But time after time, this is the recipe my family always comes back to. It’s our absolute, hands-down favorite (at least so far …).

Through all of my testing I realized that, while my family loves how frozen, overripe bananas create a lusciously, mysteriously creamy-dreamy ice cream base, we don’t actually love the prominent taste of frozen, overripe bananas.

Right. But those bananas are the main ingredient! And you really need to use those brown-speckled, overripe bananas because they’re sweeter – the same reason that those are the ones you’d choose for the best banana bread (like our deliciously healthy Whole Wheat Banana Bread and our Hawaiian Banana Bread).

No problem. I’ve learned to simply surround them with loads of other great flavors, so you don’t feel like you’re just eating … well, you know … frozen, overripe bananas.

That’s why this version has lots of (nutrient-rich, protein-packed) peanut butter. I’ve tested and retested, tinkered and adjusted, and found this amount of peanut butter is perfect for balancing the banana flavor. A few sprinkles of mini chocolate chips and a dusting of coconut (nothing too naughty there) … plus some fresh (NOT overripe) banana slices for garnish, and this will knock your socks off.

You won’t believe it’s so healthy!

You won’t even care!

You’ll be too busy making more …

This recipe was inspired by the concept for banana ice cream used by many other bloggers and the Yonanas ice cream maker, but most specifically by the recipe for 5 Minute Banana Ice Cream from Melissa at My Whole Food Life.