This post may include affiliate links; see our disclosure policy.

This easy nice cream recipe transforms frozen bananas and berries into creamy, healthy dairy free ice cream in minutes! Learn my method for perfect nice cream every time!

Banana Berry Vegan Ice Cream | A Couple Cooks

I still remember the first time I discovered nice cream. Standard ice cream often hurts my stomach, so I was looking for a more natural alternative that was still refreshing for a hot summer day. I had some overripe bananas sitting on my counter (the ones that are perfect for banana bread but almost too ripe to eat) and I decided to freeze them up for a nice cream experiment.

What emerged from the food processor was something magical: a creamy, fruity frozen treat that satisfied my ice cream cravings while being completely plant-based, dairy free and refined sugar free! My kids are obsessed with this—and it’s an especially key dairy free recipe since my son was recently diagnosed as lactose intolerant! It’s become one of our family favorite healthy desserts that even my kids request by name.

What is nice cream?

Nice cream is what it sounds like: a “nice” alternative to traditional ice cream. It’s essentially frozen fruit (usually bananas) blended into a creamy, soft-serve consistency that mimics the texture of ice cream. You get all the satisfaction of ice cream with whole food ingredients: fruit, a little coconut milk, and a hint of maple syrup.

Now, I’m not against eating regular ice cream every so often—we have many ice cream recipes on this website (including my favorite, mint chocolate chip ice cream). But since my son recently developed lactose intolerance, this recipe has become one of our top dairy free desserts for the summer!

I also love that nice cream doesn’t require an ice cream maker, stabilizers, or any special equipment. All you need is a food processor or high-powered blender and some frozen fruit!

Banana Berry Vegan Ice Cream | A Couple Cooks

Essential tips for perfect nice cream

After making nice cream many times, I’ve learned a few tricks that make all the difference:

  • Start with frozen fruit (very ripe bananas are best). Your bananas should be frozen solid: slice them into slices, place on a baking sheet, and freeze the bananas for at least 3 hours.
  • Let your food processor do the work. Don’t rush the process. Let the machine run until everything is completely smooth and creamy. This usually takes 2-3 minutes of processing with occasional scraping.
  • Don’t add too much liquid. The more liquid you add, the more runny it becomes. I like to use only a hint of coconut milk and maple syrup to get it to blend.
  • Serve immediately. Nice cream is best enjoyed right away when it has that perfect soft-serve texture, but you can also freeze it for a few hours if you’d like it to be more scoop-able.

Storage and make ahead tips

Nice cream is best enjoyed fresh, either right away for a soft serve texture or within a few hours. You can store it in the freezer for a few hours. The texture will become firmer, more like traditional ice cream, but it’s still delicious. Just let it soften for a few minutes before serving.

The nice cream becomes much harder over night: if you’re eating leftovers, allow to stand at room temperature for several minutes before scooping (sometimes I pop it in the microwave for a few seconds: just be careful!). The texture is much icier, so it’s best freshly made!

Flavor variations I love

Once you master the basic technique, the flavor possibilities are endless. I’ve experimented with several combinations over the years:

  • Chocolate Nice Cream: I would use 4 bananas (or make our banana nice cream) and add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder.
  • Strawberry Banana Nice Cream: Swap in strawberries for the berries; you may need to add a hint more maple syrup to taste.
  • Peanut Butter Nice Cream: Adding a tablespoon of natural peanut butter pairs well with the banana base.
  • Tropical Nice Cream: Substitute the berries for frozen mango or pineapple for a taste of the tropics.

Dietary notes

This nice cream recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, naturally sweet, and refined sugar free.

Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!
Print

How to Make Nice Cream

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

This easy nice cream recipe transforms frozen bananas and berries into creamy, healthy dairy free ice cream in minutes! Learn my method for perfect nice cream every time.

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Frozen
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ripe bananas, peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds
  • 2 cups frozen blueberries or 1 ½ cups frozen raspberries
  • 2 tablespoons coconut milk (see Notes)
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Place banana pieces on a tray in a single layer and freeze for at least 3 hours.
  2. Just before serving, place the frozen banana slices, frozen berries, coconut milk, and maple syrup into a food processor and process until starting to break up. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then blend on high until a smooth, creamy ice cream forms. 
  3. Scoop into bowls and serve immediately, or transfer to a loaf pan and freeze for up to 2 to 3 hours before serving. The nice cream becomes much harder over night: if you’re eating leftovers, allow to stand at room temperature for several minutes before scooping (sometimes I pop it in the microwave for a few seconds: just be careful!). The texture is much icier, so it’s best freshly made!

Notes

If you can tolerate dairy, you can also substitute yogurt for the coconut milk; add small quantities until the nice cream blends. 

Did you love this recipe?

Get our free newsletter with all of our best recipes!

About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi there! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of two cookbooks, busy parents, and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share simple, seasonal recipes and the joy of cooking. We now offer thousands of original recipes, cooking tips, and meal planning ideas—all written and photographed by the two of us (and tested on our kids!).

Leave a Comment

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

12 Comments

  1. Teresa Richards says:

    Is there a way to make it without the bananas? I don’t really like bananas.

    1. Bananas give a nice creamy texture to nice cream — but you can substitute other fruits, just keep in mind it will be more icy! But you can try frozen pineapple and a little extra coconut milk. Let me know what you think!

  2. Joan Money says:

    My husband doesn’t like bananas. Any suggestions as to substitution? I’m thinking about applesauce.
    Thanks!

    1. Bananas give a nice creamy texture to nice cream — but you can substitute other fruits, just keep in mind it will be more icy! But you can try frozen pineapple and a little extra coconut milk. Let me know what you think!

  3. Joan says:

    Fabulous! I used 10%fat yogurt, added about a bit less than a tabsp of almond butter, a splash of vanilla extract and a splash of maple syrup! To die for!

  4. Jazinoz says:

    Looks fab!! I want to make it on Sunday for brekky! Can it be kept in the fridge in a sealed container for a couple of days or til next morning? Tx in adv!

    1. Sonja says:

      Hi there! I would make this the morning of if at all possible — that way it keeps the smooth but icy texture. Thanks for asking!

  5. Katie @ Whole Nourishment says:

    Oh yes, it’s all about the simple pleasures. :-) I make a green berry coconut smoothie with similar ingredients so I know this would make an amazing ice cream. I can just about taste the flavors now. We’re visiting family in Austin and it’s so hot we could use this ice cream right about now.

  6. Gaby Dalkin says:

    Such a great summer recipe for cooling off while staying healthy!

  7. Feestzaal says:

    Yummy !! I like Banana Berry Vegan Ice Cream and it is also in my favourite recipe list. You did a great job by sharing this recipe. Do share more such recipes :)

  8. Anne Slankekur says:

    Wow… I will try this over the weekend! It looks delicious and I’m 100% sure that my boyfriend will love it!

  9. Tori//Gringalicious says:

    Delish!!! Such a gorgeously colored and healthy summer treat! Thank you so much for always having great inspiration to share!