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How to make homemade banana ice cream, my favorite frozen dessert recipe ever. Easy to make, it's chock full of creamy fresh banana flavor!
Homemade banana ice cream was always a special treat growing up in my family. We made ice cream for any type of get together in the summertime, and church ice cream socials in our little country church were a big event back then.
I remember my dad and my grandpa making ice cream at the same time, competing to see whose ice cream was better.
Grandpa had the old hand crank ice cream maker, and somehow I always got stuck turning that crank. “Goofball, get to work!” Grandpa would say.
While I love every flavor with our homemade ice cream recipes, including strawberry ice cream, vanilla ice cream, and cookies and cream ice cream, there is something special about my dad's banana homemade ice cream.
While my recipe may differ just a bit from Dad's, it's pretty similar if not the same. Amounts can sometimes differ; but I'd written this recipe down awhile ago after talking with my mom, and it tastes just like Dad's homemade ice cream.
My boys give it a thumbs up too; that's when I really know it's good.
WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?
If you’d rather skip all of my ice cream making tips, important cooking info for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the banana ice cream recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card.
INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED:
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Evaporated milk
- Salt
- Bananas
- Whole milk
- Ice
- Rock salt – You can find rock salt at the grocery store and online. But I recommend looking for the bigger bulk bag at your local hardware store or feed store, because it will be much more affordable.
Remember, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.
KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU'LL NEED:
Mixer – A mixer will ensure you mix everything together really well.
Ice Cream Freezer with Motor or Ice Cream Maker with Hand Crank – This is an ice cream maker recipe, so you’ll need a maker/freezer.
Food Storage Containers – We use dishes similar to these to store our ice cream in the freezer, especially when we have a big batch.
Ice Cream Scoop – Can’t have ice cream without a scooper.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE BANANA ICE CREAM
Banana flavored ice cream is a pretty simple mixture. Most of the ingredients you probably already have on hand.
HOW TO MIX UP OLD-FASHIONED BANANA ICE CREAM
- The first step is to cream the eggs and the sugar together.
- Next add in the vanilla extract.
- Then mix in your sweetened condensed milk.
- Then mix in the evaporated milk.
- Next you'll add in a good-sized dash of salt.
- Lastly, peel and smash the bananas,; then mix them into the liquid ice cream mixture.
- Pour the mixture into the metal canister of your ice cream freezer.
- Then finish topping it off with whole milk, making sure to fill it about 3/4 of the way full, leaving room for expansion as it freezes.
HOW TO FREEZE ICE CREAM IN AN ICE CREAM MAKER
Now that your ice cream maker's canister is full of liquid ice cream mixture, you're ready to start the freezing process.
- Put the lid on, and place the canister down into the bucket of your ice cream maker. Then attach the motor, clamp it on, and plug the ice cream maker in to get the motor running.
- Gradually pour crushed ice around the canister. Tip: You can add up to a gallon of water if needed, as well. We sometimes do this because our motor will seize up. Adding a bit of water will help it keep turning.
- Alternately with the ice, add 2-3 cups of rock salt, making sure to top it off with rock salt.
- Let the motor run until it stops, which signals that the ice cream is completely frozen. Once the ice cream is frozen, the motor on your ice cream maker will stop churning; and you need to unplug it immediately.
- Wipe any excess ice or rock salt off the lid and out from around the top of the canister. Then remove the lid and the churning paddle, and serve immediately.
If you're not ready to serve it up just yet, you can always leave the lid on (removing the motor), top it off with ice, and place a towel or two over it to kind of insulate it and keep it cold.
DOES IT MATTER WHICH CANNED MILK I USE?
Now here's one instance when my mom and dad have always used a brand name product, or they used to anyway; it's been awhile since we've made this all together at their place.
Mom (and Grandma) always insisted on Eagle Brand and Milnot.
In fact, when I wrote this recipe down, I was told that if you're using Milnot evaporated milk, only use 2 cans; if you're using a generic brand, use 3 cans.
Dan and I always just use 2 cans of whatever type of sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk we have on hand, usually Aldi's brand. And it works just fine.
So I recommend just using 2 cans of whatever brand you have on hand, unless you want to try Mom and Grandma's tried and true method with Eagle Brand and Milnot.
FAVORITE MIX-INS FOR BANANA ICE CREAM
There are so many things you can mix into your ice cream to make it even more fun, especially with kids.
- Fruit or Fruit Jam – We especially love mixing strawberry jam or blackberry jam into our ice cream.
- Chocolate Syrup, Butterscotch Topping, Caramel Topping, etc. – With whipped cream and a cherry on top.
- Oreo Cookies – I especially love crushing up Oreo Minis.
- Chocolate candies – Like M&M's, Snickers, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and more.
- Brownies or Cookies
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER BANANA ICE CREAM
We always have a lot of leftover ice cream when we make it homemade, so we purchased some of these freezer containers to hold all the leftovers. They're big enough to hold 2-3+ servings of ice cream.
Then we just stick them down in the freezer. If you have an upright, I'd place the containers on the shelves, rather than in the door, so the ice cream doesn't melt or have a higher risk of freezer burn.
Homemade ice cream usually keeps for up to about a month in the freezer.
GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE
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Old-Fashioned Homemade Banana Ice Cream
How to make homemade banana ice cream, my favorite frozen dessert recipe ever. Easy to make, it's chock full of creamy fresh banana flavor!
Ingredients
Ice Cream:
- 6 eggs*
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cans (24 ounces) evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 bananas
- 6 cups whole milk*
Freezing Supplies:
- 16 pounds ice, crushed
- 3 cups rock salt*
Instructions
- Cream (or mix) the eggs and the sugar together.
- Add in the vanilla extract.
- Mix in the sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk.
- Then add in a good-sized dash, or teaspoon, of salt.
- Peel and smash the bananas; then mix them into the liquid ice cream mixture.
- Pour the mixture into the metal canister of your ice cream maker.
- Then finish topping it off with whole milk, making sure to fill it about 3/4 of the way full, leaving room for expansion as it freezes.
- Put the lid on, and place the canister down into the bucket of your ice cream maker. Then attach the motor, clamp it on, and plug the ice cream maker in to get the motor running.
- Gradually, pour crushed ice around the canister. Tip: You can add up to a gallon of water if needed, as well. We sometimes do this because our motor will seize up. Adding a bit of water will help it keep turning.
- Alternately with the ice, add 2-3 cups of rock salt, making sure to top it off with rock salt.
- Let the motor run until it stops, which signals that the ice cream is completely frozen. Once the ice cream is frozen, the motor on your ice cream maker will stop churning; and you need to unplug it immediately.
- Wipe any excess ice or rock salt off the lid and out from around the top of the canister; then remove the lid and the churning paddle, and serve immediately. If you're not ready to serve it up just yet, you can always leave the lid on (removing the motor), top it off with ice, and place a towel or two over it to kind of insulate it and keep it cold.
Notes
*Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food borne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions.
*You can use Half & Half in place of the whole milk if you want an even creamier texture to your ice cream.
*You can find rock salt at the grocery store and online. But I recommend looking for the bigger bulk bag at your local hardware store or feed store, because it will be much more affordable.
DOES IT MATTER WHICH CANNED MILK I USE?
Mom and Grandma always insisted on Eagle Brand and Milnot. In fact, when I wrote this recipe down, I was told that if you're using Milnot evaporated milk, only use 2 cans; if you're using a generic brand, use 3 cans.
Dan and I always just use 2 cans of whatever type of sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk we have on hand, usually Aldi's brand. And it works just fine. So I recommend just using 2 cans of whatever brand you have on hand, unless you want to try Mom and Grandma's tried and true method with Eagle Brand and Milnot.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER BANANA ICE CREAM
We always have a lot of leftover ice cream when we make it homemade, so we purchased some of these freezer containers to hold all the leftovers. They're big enough to hold 2-3+ servings of ice cream.
Then we just stick it down in the freezer. If you have an upright, I'd place it on the shelves, rather than the door, so it doesn't melt or have a higher risk of freezer burn. Homemade ice cream usually keeps for up to about a month in the freezer.
Recommended Products
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- Maxi-Matic 4Qt. Old Fashioned Galvanized Metal Bucket Electric Ice Cream Maker
- PREMIUM 6 qt. - Immergood Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker - Hand Crank
- OXO Good Grips Solid Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop, 8-Inch
- Freshware Food Storage Containers [36 Set] 16 oz Plastic Deli Containers with Lids | BPA Free | Stackable | Leakproof | Microwave/Dishwasher/Freezer Safe
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
20Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 137Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 17154mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 1gSugar: 15gProtein: 5g
Thanks for sharing this old-fashioned banana ice cream. I would save to pinterest for later.
Not kidding…this is one of the best things that ever came out of my kitchen!!!! I’m a Texan living in Singapore and crave some of the ice cream treats like the banana milkshakes at Sonic and Chick-Fila. Searched out banana ice cream and found yours. Modified this for my ice cream attachment for my Breville stand mixer. Love this recipe!!! Anyone pinning it, needs to just get ON it and make it. My family cannot get enough!!! Thank you, Mel!!!
Jeanne, you just made my day! I’m so happy you enjoyed the ice cream. It’s my family’s absolute favorite ice cream recipe/flavor, and it’s so nice to know that someone else is enjoying it too! Thank you!
One day my hubby was craving banana ice cream and we were unable to find anything to satisfy him. I happened to find your site, and your recipe and decided to make it. Oh. My. Your ice cream got devoured by the whole family and there was a demand for more! This recipe is absolutely delicious and wanted to thank you for sharing ☺️
Thank you so much, Jamie! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it. It is a HUGE family favorite in my whole family too. My dad used to experiment with flavors, and this was one flavor that stuck… He’s made it for years, and I couldn’t resist sharing because it’s just so good!
I’m ur recipe u don’t mention what size cans (oz) u use for evaporated or condensed milk
Hi Eileen, they’re the standard size you’d get in the store, I believe the evaporated milk was 12 ounce cans and the condensed milk 14 ounce cans. I’ll get that added to my recipe; thank you for pointing that out.
My concern is using raw eggs. Can this be deleted out of the recipe without disturbing the taste or consistency?
Sheila, I’m really not sure how it would affect it… I would say it would affect both the flavor and the texture. But it’s certainly worth a try. I’m wondering if there’s something you could even substitute in their place. We are lucky that we have our own chickens and can use our chicken eggs, which we feel a lot safer doing.
if you are afraid of the raw eggs you can cook the mixture before putting in the mixer
Egg Beaters are pasteurized and safe to eat raw. I use them in ice cream recipes that call for raw eggs (or in cookie recipes when I think someone might eat the uncooked dough!).
Thank you, Laura! Good to know.
About how much whole milk do you use?
Hey Kim, we usually just fill the canister up the rest of the way to the fill line. I’d say it’s maybe 1/3 of a gallon or so? I will measure it out this next week when we make another batch and will let you know for sure.
Would like to say this is by far the best recipe I have ever found for banana homemade ice cream I tried it this weekend couldn’t wait till July 4th you know Summers here and then Texas it gets very hot so it felt very good to have a delicious Bowl of homemade banana ice cream boy Brahms would give anything to have this recipe LOL thanks for sharing I will definitely use it from now on
Sharon, you just made my day with your comment. Thank you so much! This is definitely our favorite ice cream. In fact, I’m making it again this week.
This took me back to my childhood days of family gathering around on Sundays at my great grandmother’s house. All the guys would take turns hand cranking the ice cream machine. Kids running everywhere and family enjoying each other. Creamy, full of flavor & just perfect for a hot summer day. Thank you for sharing your recipe for others to enjoy & reminisce.
Ginger, thank you! This was my hope in posting this recipe, that it would both create new memories and bring back all those wonderful memories from days gone by. I’m so glad you enjoyed!
I will be using this recipe tomorrow.
Paula, I hope you enjoy! It’s our 4th of July favorite.
Thank you so much for the recipe! It was a big hit in my house and will be making it often.
Melanie, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
Very easy to make and my family really enjoyed it. I was a little apprehensive about the raw egg but started thinking about consuming raw cookie dough and not dying from it…lol
This is such an amazing flavor. My only rework was 3/4 cup brown sugar instead of white. Thank you for giving all of us your recipe. It is amazing and will be made many more times in my household.
Erin, thank you so much! Mmmm, I will have to try the brown sugar; that sounds delicious. As for the raw eggs, here are a couple of reader-generated tips… 1. Use pasteurized eggs. OR 2. Another reader shared, “I did bring the eggs (mixed with some of the milk) to 160 degrees, just how I have always done it.” I hope this helps!
I chose this recipe for my first ice cream making experience and it is Fabulous!! I’ve been promising my boss I’d make her banana ice cream and I can’t wait for her to try this. Thank you for sharing!!!
Shelly, so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you so much.
Hi, I want to try this recipe for my church’s picnic to share, using regular store brand eggs okay? Don’t want to make my church family sick, or should I purchase organic eggs?
Thank you,
Hi Diana, we use our chicken eggs. But there have been a couple comments from other readers here recently… 1. Use pasteurized eggs. OR 2. Another reader shared, “I did bring the eggs (mixed with some of the milk) to 160 degrees, just how I have always done it.” I hope this helps!
My whole family loved it. did not vary from the recipe. It was awesome!
Thank you, Stephanie! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it.
I want to try this after I buy my first ice cream maker. Do I follow those guidelines as far as making it minus the dry ice and the ice packed around it etc… never made ice cream before. Any suggestions for a good ice cream maker that I could purchase, a good brand one…
Thank You
Andrea
Andrea, we don’t use dry ice. We use regular ice. Once you get your ice cream maker, it should come with a manual, and it will walk you thru how to use it. Ours is pretty old, but I’ve seen similar makers on Amazon, at Walmart, etc.
How many quarts does this make?
Jennifer, we have a 4-quart ice cream maker.
Most definitely trying this reciep tomorrow with our grand daughter.. She has never had what we call Home Made ice cream… I love this reciep.. It’s simple and sounds amazing… I surely will leave feed back after we make it
Thank you, Ann! I hope you enjoyed the ice cream.