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Easy & Delicious Ninja Creami Banana Ice Cream

Categories Ice Cream, Ninja Creami Ice Cream, Ninja Creami Recipes

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​Making delicious banana ice cream in the Ninja Creami is super easy!

You’re going to love this Ninja Creami banana ice cream–it’s a satisfying sweet treat you’ll want to make again and again.

overhead view of a dessert cup filled with scoops of Ninja Creami banana ice cream with pecans

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​I’ve been making homemade ice cream for many years, including both no-churn varieties and recipes made in traditional ice cream makers.

But over the last year, I’ve been having so much fun using my Ninja Creami ice cream maker.

One of the things I love about it is the ability to make small batches of so many different flavors!

Recently, I had some ripe bananas on my counter that I knew I needed to put to use.

While I ordinarily would spring for a loaf of banana bread, it’s summer right now in Tennessee, so I decided to make some Ninja Creami banana ice cream instead.

​It was the best possible choice!

​The result was a perfectly sweet, ultra creamy dessert that was super satisfying.

Ninja Creami pint container filled with banana nut ice cream

​Ninja Creami Banana Nut Ice Cream

The great thing about the Ninja Creami machine is the ability to customize the ingredients you use in your ice cream base, so you can enjoy a delicious dessert that suits your dietary needs.

You can make ice creams from pudding mix, sorbet recipes from canned fruit or Jell-O, protein ice cream from Fairlife shakes, and more.

Because the best Ninja Creami recipes are the ones that are easy to make, I chose simple ingredients for this recipe, so you can easily replicate it at home.

I even added nuts as a mix-in, so the finished product tasted like banana nut bread!

Although you can enjoy this recipe any time of year, it’s one of my favorite Ninja Creami recipes for fall.

You can even use this ice cream to make a Ninja Creami banana milkshake!

side view of a glass cup with scoops of banana ice cream made in the Ninja Creami, plus pecans as garnish

How to Make Banana Ice Cream in the Ninja Creami

​It’s easier than you think to make this tasty treat.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

  • Butter
  • Ripe bananas
  • Brown sugar
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Vanilla extract
  • Whole milk
  • Heavy cream
  • Optional: chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts
overhead view of a Ninja Creami pint of banana ice cream, plus a dessert dish serving scoops of the ice cream. A spoon is next to the cup.

How to Make it:

(Full printable recipe card is available below)

Saute bananas. First, slice up a ripe banana or two. You’ll need either one large banana or two small bananas.

banana slices on a cutting board, with the ripe banana peel next to them.

Melt butter in a small skillet. Add the bananas to the skillet. Sprinkle brown sugar and half of the ground cinnamon on top.

Cook for a few minutes, stirring and flipping the bananas occasionally, until the sugar has melted and the bananas are slightly browned.

two photos; one shows banana slices in a skillet with melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. The other shows the mixture after cooking for a few minutes, with the bananas softened and caramelized.

Blend. Combine bananas with vanilla extract, the remaining cinnamon, and whole milk in a small bowl or large liquid measuring cup.

Use an immersion blender to puree together. 

Add the heavy cream and stir or whisk to combine. Give it a taste and see if it’s sweet enough. If not, you can add another tablespoon of brown sugar or some maple syrup.

Transfer the mixture to a Ninja Creami pint container, being careful not to exceed the max fill line.

two photos; one shows bananas, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla in a large glass measuring cup; the other shows heavy cream added and the mixture poured into a ninja creami pint container.

Freeze. Close the lid on the pint container and transfer it to a level surface in your freezer. Freeze for at least 24 hours.

Process. Remove the frozen pint from the freezer and take off the lid. Place the pint into the outer bowl of the Ninja Creami and secure the outer bowl lid.

Place bowl apparatus into the Ninja Creami machine and lock into place. Press the Ice Cream button.

two photos; one shows frozen pint of banana ice cream base in the outer bowl, the other shows the outer bowl in the ninja creami machine, with a finger pointing to the ice cream button

Check consistency. After the ice cream function is complete, remove the pint and check the consistency of the ice cream.

If it appears crumbly, you can insert it back into the machine and press the Re-spin button.

If it’s still crumbly after that, add another tablespoon of milk and Re-spin again. It should have a nice, creamy texture.

two photos; one shows crumbly banana ice cream in a ninja creami pint, the other shows the mixture after re-spinning.

Optional: Mix-in nuts. If you’d like to add some nuts, create a well in the ice cream that’s about 1/2-inch wide and extends to the bottom of the pint.

Add chopped nuts to the well, making sure they go down to the bottom of the entire pint.

Insert the pint back into the machine and use the Mix-in function to incorporate the nuts into the ice cream.

two photos; one shows chopped pecans added to the banana ice cream, the other shows a finger pointing to the Mix-in button on the Ninja Creami machine

Now you have a delicious treat, made with minimal effort, that’s ready to scoop and serve!

overhead view of banana ice cream in a Ninja Creami pint, with an ice cream scoop in the pint

Notes and Adaptations:

  • Sauteing the bananas in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon really creates a nice, deep flavor–almost like bananas foster. I highly recommend it! But if you’re short on time, you can skip that step, omit the butter, and just blend everything together.
  • If you need a nut-free treat, feel free to use other favorite mix-ins, like chocolate chips or cinnamon chips. It’s all about personal preference here!
  • Need a dairy-free version? You can use a non-dairy margarine instead of butter, use coconut cream instead of heavy cream, and a non-dairy milk (such as coconut milk, almond milk, or oat milk) instead of whole milk.
  • You can substitute vanilla bean paste for vanilla extract if you’d like.
  • Since much of the sweetness comes from the bananas, you may need to give it a taste and see if it needs more sugar, particularly if your bananas aren’t as ripe. Keep in mind that the ice cream will taste slightly less sweet after freezing.
overhead view of scoops of Ninja Creami banana ice cream served in a dessert cup, garnished with pecans. A spoon is next to the cup.

Recommended Equipment:

Yield: 1 pint

Ninja Creami Banana Ice Cream

scoops of Ninja Creami banana ice cream garnished with pecans

This banana ice cream has the perfect blend of warm spices and sweetness, making it a delicious Ninja Creami treat you'll love.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Additional Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 TBSP unsalted butter
  • 1 large or 2 small ripe bananas, sliced
  • 2-3 TBSP brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 TBSP chopped nuts

Instructions

  1. Melt butter to a small saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Add sliced bananas to the butter. Sprinkle 2 TBSP brown sugar and 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon over the bananas, stirring to combine.
  3. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, then flip bananas and cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side.
  4. Remove from heat once sugar is dissolved and bananas are caramelized.
  5. In a small bowl or large measuring cup, combine bananas and the syrup they created, remaining cinnamon, vanilla extract, and whole milk.
  6. Use an immersion blender to puree well.
  7. Add heavy cream and whisk to combine. Taste mixture and add another tablespoon of brown sugar, if needed, stirring to dissolve.
  8. Transfer mixture to a Ninja Creami pint container, being careful not to exceed the max fill line.
  9. Close pint lid and transfer to a level surface in your freezer. Freeze for at least 24 hours.
  10. Remove pint from freezer and take off lid. Place pint into the outer bowl of the Ninja Creami and secure the outer bowl lid.
  11. Place bowl apparatus into the Ninja Creami machine, locking into place. Select the Ice Cream function and allow the cycle to complete.
  12. Remove pint from machine and check the texture. If ice cream appears crumbly, insert back into the machine and use the Re-spin button to process again. If it's still crumbly after that, add another tablespoon of milk and Re-spin again.
  13. If you're adding nuts, create a well in the ice cream that's about 1/2-inch wide and extends to the bottom of the pint. Add chopped nuts to the well. Return the pint to the machine and use the Mix-in function to incorporate the nuts into the ice cream.

Notes

  • Sauteeing the bananas in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon really creates a nice, deep flavor--almost like bananas foster. I highly recommend it! But if you're short on time, you can skip that step, omit the butter, and just blend everything together.
  • If you need a nut-free treat, feel free to use other favorite mix-ins, like chocolate chips or cinnamon chips. It's all about personal preference here!
  • Need a dairy-free version? You can use coconut cream instead of heavy cream and a non-dairy milk (such as coconut milk, almond milk, or oat milk) instead of whole milk.
  • You can substitute vanilla bean paste for vanilla extract if you'd like.
  • Since much of the sweetness comes from the bananas, you may need to give it a taste and see if it needs more sugar, particularly if your bananas aren't as ripe. Keep in mind that the ice cream will taste slightly less sweet after freezing.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 355Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 55mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 2gSugar: 26gProtein: 5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.

© I Dream of Ice Cream
Cuisine: American / Category: Ninja Creami Ice Cream

Printable Ninja Creami Recipes

If you’d like some delicious printable Ninja Creami recipes, check out Tried and True: 35 Favorite Ninja Creami Recipes!

It contains some fantastic recipes, all in an easy-to-use printable format that you can download to your device.

Check it out here, or click the image below to learn more!

mockup of digital download printable Ninja Creami recipes

More of the Best Ninja Creami Recipes:

Be sure to save this recipe to your Ninja Creami board on Pinterest!

overhead view of a Ninja Creami pint container of banana bread ice cream
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