This Coconut Banana Nice Cream is one of our favorite dairy-free desserts! A creamy, tropical coconut milk ice cream that’s made in the blender! Creamy vegan ice cream that’s perfect for a cool treat any time of the year. Vegan, Paleo, and Whole30-friendly!
What is Nice Cream?
When it first hit the foodie scene, nice cream was the name for a soft serve frozen dessert with just a single base ingredient; frozen bananas. The bananas were blended until they became creamy, like soft serve ice cream.
But because the frozen dessert is gluten-free dairy-free and sugar-free, it became known as nice cream! The name is very appropriate, because a healthy frozen dessert is very nice indeed.
These days, the name represents any vegan, sugar-free frozen dessert made with frozen fruit. This banana coconut milk nice cream recipe is also healthier than a dairy-based ice cream. It’s lower in sugar and uses coconut milk, which as we know, is very good for you.
Nice Cream Ingredients
This creamy frozen dessert will make you smile. It’s similar to my recipe for extra creamy fruit sweetened no-churn ice cream, but without the cream. So it’s dairy-free and vegan. Plus, I have a recipe option to make it paleo and Whole30 compliant.
Base Ingredients
- Frozen bananas – You’ll want the bananas to be as frozen as possible, and the riper they are the sweeter your dessert will be. Be sure to peel them before freezing.
- Mango – We’re going for a tropical flavor, so mango is my frozen fruit of choice. Pineapple is a good substitute.
- Coconut milk – For the thickest and creamiest vegan ice cream, be sure to use FULL FAT coconut milk.
Add-Ins and Toppings
- Coconut flakes – For a nuttier taste, you can toast the coconut flakes
- Maple syrup – If your bananas aren’t super ripe (or even if they ARE), you may want to add a drizzle of maple syrup on top for extra sweetness.
- Coconut whipped cream. Yes, it’s optional, but seriously, it makes this soft serve extra EPIC!
If you decide to make the coconut whipped cream, you’ll want to freeze that after whipping, too. Just so it takes shape like an ice cream scoop.
How to Make Banana Coconut Nice Cream
Now, here’s my other trick. This trick is help make the banana nice cream extra creamy.
- First, you need to freeze the fruit pieces in coconut milk, and the easiest way to do that is in an ICE CUBE TRAY! You’re making creamy fruit ice cubes.
- Having all of the ingredients frozen when you blend them results in extra creamy banana nice cream.
- Chop the fruit and make the coconut milk ice cubes. Because it can take a few hours for the ice cubes to freeze, you may want to make these ahead of time.
- Add ingredients to a high speed blender. It’s going to take about 5 minutes of blending to create a creamy soft serve consistency. Be patient. If it looks like the nice cream is getting stuck on the blades of the blender, you can use a spatula to clean down the inside walls of the blender. This will help everything to combine.
- Enjoy it as soft serve right away, or freeze the nice cream for an hour. As a result, you’ll have more of an ice cream consistency.
- Scoop into bowls or a cone and ENJOY!
Flavor Options
The coconut milk ice cube varieties are endless. Instead of mango or pineapple, consider using any frozen fruit, one of these ideas, or one of your own.
- Berries
- Chocolate
- Pumpkin puree
- Ground spices
- Nut butter or sunflower butter (like I did with my peanut butter superfood bowls)
More of Our Favorite
Vegan Dessert Recipes
Banana Coconut Milk Nice Cream Recipe
- Total Time: 1-2 hours
- Yield: 3 small cups 1x
Description
This banana coconut milk nice cream recipe makes a creamy vegan and dairy-free dessert with tropical flavors! Healthy soft serve, made in a blender! Paleo + Whole30 options, too.
Ingredients
- ½ cup peeled and diced mango or pineapple
- ¾ to 1 cup coconut milk or full fat coconut cream
- 2 frozen bananas
- ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Toppings and/or Mix Ins
- Homemade coconut whipped cream topping
- optional 1–2 Tablespoons maple syrup to sweeten more.
- unsweetened coconut flakes or toasted coconut
Instructions
- Peel and cut the mango or pineapple.
- Fill the wells of an ice cube tray half full with coconut milk.
- Place diced fruit inside the milk cubes.
- Place ice tray in freezer until the cubes are frozen.
- Once frozen add the cubes and frozen banana to a high speed blender. Add any other sweeteners or extracts, if desired. Blend on high speed. Be patient, as the blending takes some time.
- Scrape down edges of blender as needed and repeat until creamy soft served is formed.
- Serve immediately. Alternatively, you can place the soft serve in a lined bread pan and freeze for no churn nice cream.
- Once ready to serve, let the container of banana nice cream thaw on counter for 10 minutes, then use an ice cream scoop to serve into bowls or cones.
- Top with coconut flakes and/or Homemade coconut whipped cream topping
Notes
- Be patient with the blending, it will get there, just let the blender go for a while and keep pushing down the sides if stuck. It’s worth it. Total blending time is 5 minutes or so.
Nutritional Info
- Nutrition shown based on using coconut milk. To lower calories and fat use unsweetened coconut drinking milk or almond milk.
- Prep Time: 1-2 hours
- Category: Dessert
- Method: blender
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 10.4 g
- Sodium: 10.5 mg
- Fat: 16.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 14.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.1 g
- Fiber: 2.1 g
- Protein: 2.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Love how easy banana soft serve is!
Keeping things easy is especially great in the summer, when you just can’t wait for a bowl of nice cream! 🙂
OMG, I can’t even with this summer. It’s gone in the blink of an eye! Now I have to get ready to pack for college! 🙁 anyways, this soft serve looks phenomenal. So creamy, colorful and refreshing! Definitely want to get my hands on a scoop–nope, make that two-three-four-five!
Thanks, Joy! Hope you have a great year at college!
Just made these and are they are delicious! Mine thinned out quite a bit more then in the picture.I thought I followed the recipe accurately but maybe I missed something? Any ideas? I’ll be making again! Thanks
Hey there! You could have had a more coconut milk to mango ice cube ratio. I would cut the mango thicker and place in ice tray then fill. Less liquid. Does that make sense? Keep me posted!!
I am really loving how creamy this is! So simple to make and it’s so delicious! Will be making it all summer long!
Yaayy! It’s a favorite for sure! Glad you enjoyed it!
I am so glad that this is healthy, because it is absolutely irresistible! We loved it!
Haha!! Yeassss!!
This is such a great summer treat! We will surely enjoy this all summer!
Thanks, Toni!
Yum! This looks so delicious and the perfect summer treat! I can’t wait to make this!
Thank you, Beth! Enjoy!
So delicious! I love nice cream and this one is a keeper!
So glad to hear that! Thanks, Lauren!
My kids love this food much. They often recommend me dit it on weekend. Thanks for sharing your nice recipe.
Ice cream is my weakness, but I am currently sugar free (no dessert) so maybe it is time to start making some better fruit versions. I am allowed a bit of fruit throughout the day.
this is totally adaptable. YOu can little fruit or more. Definitely try it and let me know thoughts! xxoo
I’m so glad you’re feeling better although I’d still love to see you wandering around in a moo moo.
The video for this is awesome. You’ve got mad skillz!
Not gonna lie, the moo moo was quite comfy.
Oh, I am in the same boat! I love everything about summer but once September hits, bring on the comfort food, pumpkin and warm foods!
OMG, I can’t even with this summer. It’s gone in the blink of an eye! Now I have to get ready to pack for college! 🙁 anyways, this soft serve looks phenomenal. So creamy, colorful and refreshing! Definitely want to get my hands on a scoop–nope, make that two-three-four-five!
This looks so creamy and decadent and delicious! The weather is getting warmer in Aus so I’m looking forward to ALLLLLLLLLLLLL the frozen treats 😉
It all looks amazing!! I love bananas & coconut & pineapple & mango!!!! YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
perfect to keep cool, right?
Love soft serve fruit “ice-cream” My Mom has a Yonanas Frozen Treat Maker but this is much better. Great recipe.
I have a question, I notice that you use figs often in your recipes, would dates work as well, I use Medjool dates as a sweetener?
love your site!!
It should! Might be a different consistency but not by much. Let me know if you try it!
Also, I use figs more than dates because figs are lower in fructose/sugar. Which I am sensitive too if I eat to much at once. Darn. Haha!
ICE CREAM will always be the best food creation on the planet – BAR NONE! Sorry everything else out there.
Salmon…… I love you so much but……. Gah. I can’t say it. Salmon Ice Cream maybe?!
No. Just No. However, if anyone can make THAT look and sound good, it would be YOU!
LOL! If we ever meet, we will make Fish ice cream… maybe with swedish fish though?
Dreamy photos 🙂
I wish I had your enthusiasm for Fall 😛
Wow! That looks amazing!
Oh my gosh isn’t banana ice cream the absolute best? Obsessed with this recipe and LOVE that you topped it with coconut whipped cream.
thanks Jess! topping is the best. Not gonna lie
Love how easy banana soft serve is! And love the video 🙂 Right now though I’m drooling over the coconut whip!
it is my favorite part! <3 so addicting
I so so love this idea of yours to freeze coconut milk and mangoes together before zapping them with a nanner – I know your summer was brutal (our was too, or at least that’s what folks say) but treats like this make me wish it was summer year long so I can eat THIS year long! Happy long weekend friend!
oh yes! i knew you could relate in HOTLANTA! haha
I bet you ROCK a moo moo! Hahahaha! True story: my grandmother wore moo moos exclusively in the last year of her life. It was allllll the rage in Conway, Arkansas.
Come to San Diego. We can eat soft serve all year round. Or just meet me in Vegas next week. Hot. As. Balls. Not that your balls don’t sweat in Texas… 😉
I do look pretty hot in a pancho style dress. Lol! And I like your plan
I’m obsessed with everything about this–the recipe (duh) the photos and ICE CREAM. I don’t care what season it is, bring on the ice cream.
haha yes! seasonal soft serve for the win!
I am definitely ready for fall and some less than triple degree heat. But on the bright side, two more months of heat means I get to catch up on eating good foods like this!
me too! can we have both? this food and mild weather? haha
I am ready for fall ish but I am not ready to never go outside aka winter. That I could really do with out. I will be chugging all the ice cream I can this weekend
You winter scares the bonkers out of me! haha