What Is Nice Cream?

If you haven’t tried nice cream yet, it’s a plant-based, dairy-free, vegan, paleo, and all-around healthier alternative to ice cream that still tastes deceptively indulgent!

Nice cream is basically blended frozen bananas that can be combined with a variety of other ingredients to produce a smooth and creamy texture that is somehow similar to ice cream. I know it sounds crazy but trust that once you try it, you’ll see what all the trending nice cream hype is about!

And if you’re not a fan of bananas, it can also be made with frozen coconut milk, or other frozen fruit like mango, strawberries, or avocado to produce a similar ice-creamy consistency. Plus, it’s free of artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and other not-so-nice, belly-bloating ingredients that are typically found in store bought ice cream.

So to help you keep your cool during this record-hot summer, I’m sharing my top 5 ultimate nice cream recipe replicas of popular ice cream flavors. These healthy, vegan versions are cleverly disguised as their full fat, frozen counterparts and are made with just 6 ingredients or less.

You're welcome...

The Method Behind The Magic Of Nice Cream

Making nice cream is super simple and the flavor combinations are endless! The directions are about the same for all of the following recipes. You’ll just need a blender or a food processor and you’re good to go!

The best part is that these recipes are completely customizable and you can swap out any of the ingredients. For example, I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk but you can substitute it with any variety of plant-based milk you prefer.

✨🍌 For best results, you’ll only want to use ripe or overripe bananas — if they’re too green, the taste and the texture won’t turn out right. To freeze bananas, just peel and cut them into about 1″-2″ chunks. Store the banana pieces in a large zip-top bag or air tight container and freeze until hard. By pre-cutting the bananas into chunks, it will help them blend into a better ice cream consistency.

3 Simple Steps To Nice Cream Perfection

1. Combine all ingredients and in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

2. Pour into container, cover and freeze for up to 30 minutes to firm up a bit (but not all the way.) If left longer, it’ll harden too much and will need to thaw before scooping.

3. Top with chocolate chips, cocoa nibs, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, fruit, or whatever toppings you like and enjoy!

1. Mint Chocolate Chip Nice Cream

❏ 1/2 an avocado
❏ 2 frozen bananas
❏ 3/4 tsp pure peppermint extract
❏ 1/3 cup vanilla almond milk
❏ 3 Tbsp. Cashew butter or other nut butter of choice
❏ 1/2 cup cacao nibs or 1/2 cup chocolate chips

*Optional: Add a couple of fresh mint leaves to enhance color and flavor.

2. Espresso Chip Nice Cream

❏ 2 frozen bananas
❏ 2 tsp instant coffee powder or 4 tbsp strong brewed coffee or espresso
❏ 3 Medjool dates or 1 tbsp honey
❏ 1 tsp vanilla extract
❏ 1/2 cup cacao nibs or 1/2 cup chocolate chips

3. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Nice Cream

❏ 2 frozen bananas
❏ 2 tbsp organic peanut butter
❏ 1 tsp. Sea Salt
❏ 1 tbsp cocoa powder
❏ 1/4 cup vanilla almond milk
❏ 1/2 cup cacao nibs or 1/2 cup chocolate chips