Scott loves ice cream.
And Skylar loves avocados, especially locally grown avocados.
And I like using up extra bananas I have laying around.
I have a whole What to Make with Ripe Bananas post, too
But back to that “ice cream” and the recipe, you see, Scott loves the real kind of ice cream…
…But what I made isn’t the real kind.
But he still loved it.
Vanilla Avocado Banana “Ice Cream” (Vegan, Dairy-Free, Soy Free, Gluten Free)
1 ripe avocado
1 medium banana (previously frozen in chunks is optimal)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c milk (nut milk, vanilla flavored nut milk, milk, cream, vanilla Coffeemate, or water)
1/2 c sugar (add/reduce/omit as desired, or use stevia or vanilla NuNaturals stevia drops, to taste, or agave)
1 cup ice cubes (optional)
Blend everything in Vita-Mix or blender until smooth.
Vita-Mix Tips: If you are using a Vita and the mixture is extremely thick, add more milk/agave/splash of water until blending is easier and blend on High. Don’t be afraid of High. Better to do this on High for shorter duration than lower speed/longer duration.
Store in container in the freezer. Mixture will freeze solid in the freezer and if so, let thaw for 5 minutes on countertop until you can scoop it out.
Note: After a week, this ice cream had not turned brown even though avocados tend to oxidize rapidly. And, the flavor still tasted spot-on.
I like 5 minute recipes that are easy and no ice cream maker is required. Since I don’t own one.
Just blend everything together and either eat immediately or freeze extras for later. Easy.
How does it taste? Wonderful!
Would I call my “ice cream” Ben & Jerry’s? No.
I would call it better than Ben & Jerry’s. Yes!
I am very picky with desserts. I have a raging sweet tooth, I love fattening, sugary, buttery, rich, decadent, creamy, luxurious desserts and this passes muster.
The avocado really makes it oh-so-creamy and the sweetness from the banana and the sugar help it to really become “ice cream”.
If this recipe looks similar to you, it’s because it’s a spin-off of my Vanilla Avocado Banana Smoothie In A Bowl
The ice cream, however, is sweeter and much thicker than the smoothie. As ice cream should be.
Even if you don’t like avocados, it’s ok. You will still like this, I promise.
From my last post about Trips, Workshops, & Conferences it sounds like some of you are going to try to attend some in the future. Me too. I’ve got a few things on the horizon that I’m really excited about!
Questions
1. Have you ever made your own ice cream or “ice cream”?
I hesitate to use quotation marks once around “ice cream” because for me this recipe is just as good as real ice cream.
I cannot eat real ice cream; something about the dairy in ice cream or frozen yogurt just kills my stomach. I can drink cream in my coffee, but I just can’t eat ice cream.
But since the avocado in this recipe adds such a layer of creaminess, and it’s well-sweetened recipe, I didn’t miss the real ice cream. Nor did Scott who’s the pickiest person when it comes to ice cream!
And for anyone who doesn’t like avocados, I promise tt doesn’t “taste” like an avocado.
Nor does my Raw Vegan Chocolate Mousse
It’s kind of like people who say they don’t like tofu. Really?
Follow these tofu preparation & cooking steps and then tell me if you still don’t like tofu. I bet you’ll change your mind.
2. Do you like avocados?
Yes, in all forms!
I have Cheater’s Guacamole in case you’d rather keep your avos savory rather than sweet.
3. Best thing you’ve ate or done this weekend?
Being on the beach in Aruba with Skylar for me has been awesome.
Happy Memorial Day and if you’re just catching up on posts from the weekend, here are mine since Friday:
- Trips, Workshops, & Conferences
- Kites & Cats
- Angel Food Cake & Berries
- Blogging 102
- Savoring Aruba Photos
- Vanilla Iced Coffee
- Blogging 101
{ 105 comments… read them below or add one }
i love ice cream and i love avacado! this is a match made in heaven.
and i’m with you on the raging sweet tooth: it’s a family trait. but i need quality – there is nothing worse than a cheap/fake cake or icing!
never made my own ice cream, and do not own a maker. i’d rather go to baskin robbins and pay for someone else to do the work!
enjoy your holiday monday!
That looks terrific!
I liked your blogging 101 and 102 posts. I go back and forth on whether or not I want to start a blog. I really do prefer reading them and commenting. I think there’s a place for those of us who just want to support the really talented individuals who share their lives with us (like you!).
Thank you, Robin, for saying that you like reading. That’s awesome. Bloggers need readers and sure, many readers also have blogs, but it’s perfectly awesome to be a reader and support bloggers. We all have different time constraints, interests, desires, etc and reading is a-okay if that’s what works for you. Thanks for reading MY blog and anyone else’s who you support!
This looks lovely! And a big plus because there’s ice cream maker involved
I loooove avocado’s, in every way!
Averie this ice cream looks so good! I love making softserve with bananas– and I love ice cream. The green color makes me think of the green tea ice cream that I used to get at a local Asian restaurant. (or mint…maybe I’ll try it with some mint extract..hmmm..)
I’m glad you are having a good vacation! After seeing your photos I’m totally craving some beach time.
That ice cream looks so dreamily creamy. Yum!
And I agree. Tofu is such a blank slate. How can you not like it? haha!
Averie, this is such a great idea for ice cream. Love that you made it all in your Vita. You know how badly I need me one of those. Skylar is gorgeous! it is so fun watching her grow. Hope you guys have a great Memorial Day. xo
I can’t believe that you don’t have one.
It will.change.your.life.
Even more so b/c you already know how to cook and are so amazing in the kitchen.
I hope you’re having the time of your life. Wait, I know you are
xo
I cannot WAIT to try this once I’m home! I am a huge ice cream freak. Avocado, too.
So fun! I love when people sneak avocado into unexpected spots. I bet this is super creamy and delicious!!
That looks delicious! I’ll have to go out and get some avocados and try it!
I just might make this today, seeing as how I have one frozen banana and one ripe avocado. I’ve made banana ice-cream and avocado ice-cream, but I don’t think I’ve ever combined the two.
do it and dont skimp on the sugar (i know you wont) and you’ll dig it!
its looks delicious but i will try it at home
Oh.my.gosh. Averie, you totally just made my day. And possibly my WEEK! Yum!
I like to make my own “pudding” using avocado, banana and raw cacao and have that for breakfast- but this looks even better for an after-dinner treat
xo
thanks kristin and thanks for the pinterest follow. i havent done anything with it yet except find all my friends on there who already are doing things. lol
This looks SO creamy and delicious!!! Better than Ben & Jerry’s, I say!!
Indeed a fine example of your recipe innovations. I have just started envying your kids, they have got a great mom! who serves them plenty of delicious food! lol
Only 1 child, but thanks!
I love making banana “ice cream”. I gave up sugar this year and banana ice cream has been one of the secrets of my success.
I love Aruba! Except for almost getting killed in the Natural Pool on a stormy day :0
I love avocados! And honestly your avocado mousse is one of my favorite things to make ever — I could eat that by the boat load.
This ice cream looks delicious!
Best thing about this weekend — going to jason’s dad’s house last night for dinner and then watching old home movies of Jason and his brother as little kids. It was hilarious.
thanks holly
“honestly your avocado mousse is one of my favorite things to make ever — I could eat that by the boat load.”
This looks great. And I love avocados!
Best part of my weekend has been a root beer float at our local ice cream place yesterday
I LOVE this recipe! Avocado in desserts av just heavenly! I use it a lot in mousses and puddings, and this ice cream looks amazing. And the color is so pretty!
I have made ice cream many times, and usually make it from raw cashews, maple sirup, cacao or raspberries and vanilla. Really good, and surprisinly creamy:)
Best thing from my weeken was going to the movies with a friend to see Pirates of the Caribbean- loved that movie:)
I’m definitely making that ice cream ASAP. I love putting avocados in my smoothies – with banana or oranges or mangos… the creaminess it adds makes it feel like a special treat. I am just beginning to experiment with my ice cream maker – so far my fav is a vegan strawberry-pretzel.
lmk if you make it!
I just made it! SO GOOD! I added just 1/2 a packet of Stevia rather than sugar and thought it was perfect. Great post-run snack on a 90 degree day.
what a beautiful color! best thing i ate/did was sip raspberry mojitos and long island iced tea by the river at an outdoor bar with good friends
I love avocados and they look and sound divine in ice cream but i love guac too much to use them in anything else lol:):)
Have a great day on the beach! After looking at all your beach pictures I might just go take a nap on a beach towel by the ocean this afternoon.
i think this is on my list to try for sure! i only like bananas frozen and blended (i hate the texture/smell) but an avocado i can eat in ANY form love them!
I’ve made banana soft serve before, I love adding cocoa and peanut butter to it.
I’m OBSESSED with avocados! Guac is the best.
And the best thing I’ve done this weekend was go to my friend’s lake house!
Averie, do you think that adding cocoa to the banana and avocado would be good? I need some chocolate in my day today!
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2010/08/vegan-chocolate-softserve-friend-meetup.html
chocolate softserve post
yes, chocolate is fine in dairy free creations and with bananas.
just realize that the banana flavoring can be strong and you need to add more cocoa powder than you probably think you do, well, i do. that’s my only tip!
WOW! I have been on your site since last night, reading your entries and recipes. I just became vegan again after resuming a previously forgone carnivorous lifestyle. I realize I both feel and look like crap. I discovered a wheat intolerance and that too much soy also bothers my stomach. With these new discoveries being vegan became difficult, as wheat was my main source of protein and I added soy as an egg replacer a lot. I have been trying to eat more OATS and use coconut flour, but I wasn’t sure how to incorporate it into a vegan lifestyle in a way that would appeal to my particular tastes and my hatred of complicated recipes. I found your blog looking for vegan coconut flour recipes and I am so glad. I was heading to this second vegan journey after my health and well being has forced my hand. I was kind of worried what I would do, but after seeing your pictures and recipes, I have new hope! Everything you make looks so delicious and uncomplicated! I love the protein bar recipes you share, I have renewed interest in healthy food but every recipe without pictures seems like it would be gross. Your pictures of what you eat prove my fears wrong!
The pictures are so beautiful I feel like I am becoming more interested in Raw eating as well, too. (I tried once and gave it up. I don’t like raw food much.) But I think I can do raw desserts like cookie dough and mousse and cheesecake from your recipes and it would be a great improvement over everything I eat being cooked! I have read many raw books and though their dessert recipes sounded good to me, the lack of images made me unlikely to go to the trouble of trying them. You have fixed that problem. Now I have the confidence to compromise in my ice cream addiction, with healthier options like avocados and bananas, without being afraid of the taste. (Thanks for addressing those concerns from other readers.)
Thanks for your wonderful blog! I will be following you regularly. I’m also trying to start a fitness habit and I want to learn and practice yoga, so you’ve got the whole package for me. Thanks, again!
thanks for finding me and reading. best of luck with all your changes and health.
I have made ice cream before! I made the old-fashioned way of shaking. Because I was shaking by hand, and because all I had was skim milk, it ended up tasting like ice cream-flavored ice. ;p Yours looks way better! Avocados are awesome! I’m probably going to the Northwest Folklife Festival today.
Hi Averie!
Love this Ice Cream recipe… so clever too.
I adore the picture of Skylar, she is growing up!!!
I also like how you sum up your posts (incase you have that extra busy week like me) and they are really great posts.
Have a great day.
hi monica!
thanks for the compliments and glad you enjoy the summary. sometimes i dont know if that’s helpful or not…used to do more, but it got too redundant. thanks for lmk you enjoy
I can’t do ice-cream either. The sugar/dairy combination just messes me up, but cheesecake and ice cream are two of my favorite things! I’ll try this recipe though. And I also loooove avocadoes. Every week I get a bag of them at Costco and eat them all by myself in the form of guac, avocado sandwiches, on toast or on salads. Can’t get enough of them.
Yum! This recipe is RIGHT up my alley!
Just wondering, for the ice cream recipe should I use a blender or food processor? Great idea, looks so delicious
I’d recommend a Vitamix, then a food proc but if all you have is a “regular” blender, then use that. Use what you have and it will all work out
Yum, this ice cream looks amazing – awesome job! I don’t have an ice cream either, been debating on getting one.
1. Yes, the raw vegan versions in my food processor and Vita-Mix.
2. Yes, very much so!
3. A whole lot of relaxing and catching up on house work. Not too exciting, but our weather is actually a little too cold to spend at the lake or beach celebrating Memorial Day – oh well.
Mmmm, this looks fabulous and SO yummy Avery. I love the combo of avocado and bananas in a sweet way- even if other people think it’s weird
Never tried making ice cream with it in my Vita- will have to try!
Have a great Memorial day!
I love avocados as long as they are in things. I really don’t like them by themselves. But in a recipe or smoothie they add so many good qualities!
I have made banana soft-serve “ice cream” and I say it’s just as delicious as anything else I’ve tried! Especially when you mix in some raw cookie dough. Yum!
raw cookie dough makes everything better
Gimmie!
Avocado is _awesome_ in ice creams! Agree that it’s great to have recipes that don’t require an ice cream maker. Phil is so picky about anything not tasting like it’s ‘supposed to’ that I doubt he’ll enjoy the raw ice creams I’m planning to make–but maybe if I don’t call them ice cream he’ll like them ok.
I used to make ‘mint choc’ ice cream with that avo/banana mixture, mint flavor and cacao nibs. I think I did a ‘rum and raisin’ once too.
So did you make this in your magic bullet? I’m curious if it’s strong enough to do that.
love
Ela
no on the bullet, this was made in the vita awhile back, posting now.
i have a post going out in the next day or two re “anything not tasting like it’s ‘supposed to’ ”
you will enjoy
another fabulous concoction and beautiful photos of it! I love avocados and have a few I need to use up… I may have some ice cream today!
I love your avocado ice cream photos! They’re magnificent! It makes me want to make the stuff right this second. Too bad I have to wait until I have access to a full kitchen.. just one more week! I seriously cannot wait.
I’m also enjoying viewing all the photos of Skylar playing on the beach. She looks so free and happy. I hope you all are enjoying yourselves!
thanks for the photo praise and yes, having a ball!
I’ve been wanting to try avocado in ice cream. That sounds sooo good, and I love the color it gives it. YUM!
I have an ice cream maker (soft serve) and just sold my older ice cream maker at the yard sale. I didn’t like it as much as the soft serve one.
And yes, I have made TONS of ice cream in my lifetime. We used to own an ice cream stand and made homemade gelato every day in the summertime. It was amazing. Better than anything I have ever tasted in my lifetime, as far as ice cream goes. Sadly, those days are long gone.
And so is my tolerance for lots of ice cream. Sigh. lol
“We used to own an ice cream stand and made homemade gelato every day in the summertime. It was amazing. Better than anything I have ever tasted in my lifetime,”–
WOW and yes, I can imagine.
and I learn something new about you every day!
I’ve tried to make ice cream before, when I got an ice cream maker as a gift a few years ago. I’m semi-allergic to cow dairy products, and all the recipes that came with the maker called for heavy cream, so my dairy-free recipe tasted really off. I haven’t tried to make ice cream since and I don’t have the ice cream maker anymore, but recently I’ve been seeing so many good ice cream recipes I think I’m going to try again. Especially since it’s summer!
Ice cream is one of my all time favorite foods! I used to eat it for breakfast
I love that your recipe doesn’t require an ice cream machine and it has another one of my favorites…avocado! Plus the avocado has lots of good fats versus the usual heavy cream and egg yolks. Can’t wait to try it!
We have an ice cream maker, and during the summer we’ll occasionally make some. Homemade is SO much better!!
Your vanilla avocado banana ice cream looks delicious and really creamy!
Wow that ice cream looks stunning and perfect for summer!
I really need to get myself a vitamix! I do, however, have an ice cream maker and use it somtimes. The last thing I used it for was a delicous coconut banana ice cream! Ahh. Summer memories
Best things I’ve done this weekend were camping with friends Friday, and a great yin/yang yoga class yesterday!
This the perfect combination of flavors and everything I love. Definitely making this soon, it’s pure brilliance, perfect for a hot summer day!
<3
Yes that looks so delicious and cooling. I know a lot of people who loveee avocado, I have to save this. I love your recipes the pictures look soooo good.
What better creamy combination than avocados and banana! I love my vitamix, we use it every day!
So excited about this recipe, Averie!! Thanks for posting it!! I love banana soft serve, but have never thought of using avocados (one of my absolute favorite foods)..i will be making this very soon!!
My Honey is from Mexico and they eat avocado ice cream. The banana addition sounds so yummy!
I don’t have an ice cream maker so this is a great recipe and I plan on trying it this week because it is so hot outside – lol!
Thanks!
Just saw your comment on cleaneatingchelsey, and had to check out your ice-cream recipe. I am going to make this! It looks so good!
thanks for popping over and saying hi and hope you make it!
Hurray for another ice cream recipe! Will be trying it this week for sure.
I’m a huge avocado lover and always keep them in the house. My husband doesn’t like avocados, but doesn’t seem to have a problem when they make up the bulk of chocolate pudding, chocolate mousse, or chocolate icing
thanks for all your catching up comments this morning!
and yes, sometimes people dont realize they “love avocados” til you doctor them up sometimes
Made the avocado ice cream last night with some cocoa powder thrown in to disguise it. My husband devoured his serving and tried to take some of mine. I will be making a bigger batch next time
Yes and yes! I actually make avocado ice cream too, and love your creation. The avocado and banana together must make it so wonderfully creamy!
Yum! It’s really amazing how good banana can taste after freezing and blending!
I bet this recipe would taste wonderful with some cocoa or mint… or both!
That an easy ice-cream! It looks just like the real-deal, but is so much healthier, and probably much tastier too. I have made my own ice cream with a vita-mix and bammix before, but I have always eaten it right away. I like that you freeze yours, because then you can scoop it out and make it look like hard icecream should.
Wow, Averie, this ice cream sounds fantastic! I’ve made “ice cream” with frozen banana before, and love how creamy it turns out. I can only image the effect the addition of avocado would have! Yum.
I’m new to your blog, and I’ll be back!
Oh my gosh, this looks wonderful! I made some of your agave/cocoa powder/coconut oil chocolate and it was superb, so I think I’ll have to trust you on this one too…. can’t wait to try it!
thanks for lmk you made and enjoyed the coconut oil chocolate!
Love the ice cream! And I have made my own in my ice cream maker. I’ve made everything from the real deal to using coconut milk and yogurt. All yummy! I’ll have to pop an avocado in my next batch. We all love ‘cados at my house!
I just made the avocado banana ice cream with mint extract and chocolate chips… mint chip ice cream except better for you are yummier!!
Thanks for the great recipe!
thanks for the report back and glad you enjoyed!
Wow! Just found your recipe. We’re going out of town tomorrow and needed to do something with the avocadoes. This stuff rocks!
enjoy!
And seriously this chocolate mousse impresses the harshest critics, both omni and vegan alike
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2009/10/raw-vegan-chocolate-mousse.html
Just keep adding agave and cocoa powder if they’re not convinced
cant wait to make this thanks for the recipe!!!
Can you substitute almond/soy milk for regular milk? Or does it need the consistency and thickness of milk?
You can use vegan milks, no problem at all.
I just found this recipe on Pinterest and I can’t wait to make it! I am a little sad to hear you say it doesn’t taste like avocado…I love avocado! I could live on them. Love your pic from the beach in Aruba – that is absolutely my favorite place on earth (forget Disneyworld!!). I was just looking at trips online today.
Well, okay, it doesn’t taste like avocado in the savory sense that most people tend to associate avocado with, i.e. guacamole. And really, without anything added, I find avo to be very neutral tasting. It’s CREAMY but it’s fairly mild in flavor if that makes sense. So you get the creaminess and if you reduced the sugar maybe more of the virgin avo flavor would come thru…LMK what you end up doing if you make it.
I reduced the sugar and the banana (because I find banana overpowers everything). I also skipped the ice because I wanted it to be creamier. Loved the taste of it when it was mixed together but the texture is not the same as yours after frozen. What kind of milk did you use? Maybe I’ll try again without changing the banana/sugar or maybe I’ll just make it without the sugar and drink it as a smoothie!
you changed lots of things..the sugar, the banana, the ice…so not sure where to tell you to change it back…but for sure, put the banana back in if you want creamy. Milk…I believe almond? It was a long time ago I wrong that post…keep playing with things til you get it right, for you. There is no really “right” way..as long as you like it, that’s all that matters!
Yummy! I like avocados a lot. Found this in pinterest.
Thanks for saying hi. This recipe got “active” on Pinterest this past week…it’s been great that new life was breathed into it. If you live avos, earlier today I posted a baked avo and cream cheese bites with puff pastry
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2012/01/avocado-cream-cheese-and-salsa-stuffed-puff-pastries.html
I was a bit skeptical about avocados in ice cream when I looked at this, but I’m vegan and having been craving a good cup of ice cream for a week. I decided to try it, and it’s DELICIOUS! I swear, I must have eaten a fourth of it before I even got it into the freezer. I mixed some plump raisins into it and some chopped walnuts. It definitely hit the spot, thank you so much!
Glad you tried it and enjoyed it!
Just made this! My stevia was super sweet though, so I ended up adding half again as much of the other ingredients (except for banana – added a whole extra instead of half) to counteract the stevia sweetness and aftertaste. Still pretty sweet/strong. Got any tips?
Other than that, it’s turning out great! Thanks for the recipe!
(found you via pinterest, btw!)
Don’t use stevia then if it’s making it funny..use sugar, agave, maple syrup or something else you like better or play with the ratio of the stevia. Trial and error…have fun taste testing
Thanks! Will probly maple syrup it up next time
Wow…this was good. I used a frozen banana and still felt the need for more ice to make it thicker/colder. I only used 1/4 cup agave and when I scooped it out I added some cacao nibs! Delicious! Toddler approved although he is not a fan of cacao nibs! I think he melts the ice cream in his mouth sorting out the “choco chips” then eating the nibs by themselves which are kind of bitter! LOL I will be making this again and again! I’m always looking for healthy fat recipes that my toddler will like since we eat a whole foods plant based diet, no oil.
Wanted to add, my son is a dipper, he will dip anything into anything. I gave him some Late July classic crackers…he dipped them into the ice cream and said “mmmmmm” I was like let me try….OMG…it tasted so good. The combo of a salty buttery cracker and this decadent ice cream was awesome! We were fighting over his last bite! LOL
So glad you liked it!
Here, http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/recipes/desserts
Under softserve/ice cream section there are a few other ideas and also under frostings/dips/spreads, too
This one specifically comes to mind
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2011/04/chocolate-coconut-cashew-butter.html
Thanks for reading and for the feedback!
hi averie!
i have tried to make this twice and while i LOVE the flavor, it gets really icey in my freezer and even though i let it thaw 10-15 minutes before eating, it is still icey =( so we have been enjoying it as pudding, right after we make it. any ideas on how to make it creamy, like how yours looks in the photos?
thanks!!
It could be the milk you’re using; some milk is going to ice over more, i.e. cream won’t do it as much as skim or a nut milk
Your freezer could be too cold by a few degrees.
You may not be blending it long enough in your blender. You have to blend for a LONG time to get it creamy….5+ minutes perhaps. I’d try that and make your freezer warmer by a couple degrees; that happens to food to me as well if my freezer is too cold.
LMK what you try!!
Made this tonight in my ice cream maker. I used almond milk (unsweetened) and sugar in the raw. It came out fine. It was a bit sweet, though! Tastes pretty much like banana-vanilla-y to me…can’t tell anything avocado about it. Great recipe!
Glad you enjoyed it and I like my ice cream sweeet. But of course, scale back on the sweetener, to your taste. Plus everyone’s avocados and bananas are different ripeness and sweetness levels so sweeten to taste. Thanks for LMK you made it!
Looks delish! Averie, how do you stay so svelte with all those sweets?
Moderation. A bite, a taste, a piece. I don’t need 7 bowls of ice cream or a half pan of brownies. They will always be there; I indulge in what I want, then, move on. Not a biggie, actually.
Amazing! I am one of those people with a standoffish relationship with avocado. It is not the taste that bothers me (I agree, it is mild) it is the texture. I can only eat avocado if it is paired with something really crunchy. But this recipe was fantastic I only had plain kefir so that is what I used for the liquid. No avocado issues at all. I am regular raw banana ice cream maker. I am going to have to add this into rotation.
Thanks for the glowing report and comment. I always tell this to people; even those who aren’t “that into” avocados tend to really like this recipe & glad you fall into that camp!
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