This creamy protein ice cream is made with frozen bananas and comes together in minutes—no ice cream maker needed! It’s vegan, packed with protein, and easy to customize with chocolate or vanilla flavor.
Ingredients NeededAdditional Ingredients for Chocolate Protein Ice CreamAdditional Ingredients for Vanilla Protein Ice CreamMake This Ice Cream Your OwnHow to Make Protein Ice CreamBrittany’s Tips for the Best Protein Ice CreamHow to ServeHow to Store LeftoversFrequently Asked QuestionsMore Frozen Treats to Try
If you’re someone who loves having a protein shake or protein bar for breakfast, have you ever thought about swapping that with ice cream? Ice cream for breakfast?! You heard that right!
Before you judge me for adding protein to ice cream… promise me you’ll try this recipe! It’s so creamy and delicious, no one will ever know that it’s a healthy recipe.
And yes, it can be served for breakfast or dessert!!
I’m sharing two flavor variations which make great bases. From there, feel free to customize to your liking! When it comes to the toppings, I usually top mine with nuts, chocolate, berries – the works, but the options are endless.
Ingredients Needed
We’re using my banana ice cream as the base for both recipes. The two ingredients you need are:
- frozen bananas – I peel and slice the bananas before freezing so they’re easier to process! Follow my guide on how to freeze bananas for more tips.
- dairy-free milk – any dairy-free milk works. I typically use unsweetened almond milk but use whatever you have on hand!
Additional Ingredients for Chocolate Protein Ice Cream
- almond butter or peanut butter – look for nut butter that doesn’t have any added ingredients. I usually go for the store brand and read the label to make sure it’s just one or two ingredients, the nuts and salt. If you need a nut-free option, sunflower butter or tahini would be great substitutions.
- chocolate protein powder – chocolate protein powder gives this ice cream a ton of chocolate flavor! I personally love the chocolate Truvani protein powder. It’s plant-based, has a minimal, clean ingredient list and is delicious. You can use my code eatingbirdfood for 10% off your order.
- cocoa powder – add a little bit of extra chocolate flavor with the cocoa powder. Cacao works as well.
- chocolate chips or cacao nibs – for added crunch and flavor! I like using Lily’s chocolate chips because they are dairy-free, low in calories and sweetened with stevia so there’s zero sugar added.
Additional Ingredients for Vanilla Protein Ice Cream
- vanilla protein powder – get your protein and flavor in with this vanilla protein powder! Just like with the chocolate, I recommend Truvani protein powder. Use my code eatingbirdfood for 10% off your order.
- vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste – either works to add a delicious vanilla flavor! I prefer vanilla bean paste but I don’t always have that on hand and vanilla extract is still delicious.
- cinnamon – this adds the the perfect amount of spice to the ice cream.
Make This Ice Cream Your Own
One of the best things about this protein ice cream is how flexible it is. Once you have your chocolate or vanilla base, the options are wide open. Here are some fun ways to make it your own:
- Add-ins: Stir in a handful of chocolate chips, cacao nibs, chopped nuts, or shredded coconut right before serving. For extra crunch and texture, try granola or a crushed protein bar on top.
- Swirl it up: Drizzle in a swirl of peanut butter, date caramel, or berry jam just before freezing. It adds a gorgeous ribbon of flavor and looks extra special.
- Toppings bar: This is a fun one if you’re serving to friends or kids: scoop into bowls and set up a toppings bar with chopped nuts, chocolate chips, coconut, and fresh fruit so everyone can build their own!
How to Make Protein Ice Cream
To make either flavor, you simply add all of the ingredients into your food processor and blend! It’s that easy.
Blend the base – Add frozen banana chunks, almond milk, almond butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate protein powder to a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides if needed.
Add the extras – Pulse in chocolate chips or cacao nibs for a little crunch. Enjoy right away or freeze for a firmer scoopable texture.
Brittany’s Tips for the Best Protein Ice Cream
- Chop bananas before freezing: Cut your bananas into coins or chunks before freezing so they’re easier to blend from fully frozen. This keeps the “nice cream” texture and avoids the need to thaw at all.
- Add more milk: If your blender is struggling, just add a tablespoon more milk slowly as it blends. It’ll help the motor along without turning it into a smoothie.
- Cover tightly: Make sure your ice cream is tightly covered when storing in the freezer to prevent freezer burn!
How to Serve
There are two ways to serve this protein ice cream – as soft serve or a scoop-able ice cream. I personally like eating it right away as soft serve, but it’s also delicious frozen and served more like traditional ice cream.
Soft Serve: For soft serve consistency, you can spoon the mixture into one or two bowls and serve immediately after processing with your desired toppings.
Frozen: For a scoop-able ice cream, transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe dish (I like using a loaf pan lined with parchment paper) and freeze for at least 2 hours. Once ready to enjoy, pull the ice cream from the freezer, scoop and serve with your favorite toppings. If the ice cream gets too hard in the freezer, just let it thaw on the counter for 5-10 minutes before diving in!
How to Store Leftovers
This protein ice cream stores really well in the freezer. Just place leftovers in a freezer-safe container that’s covered completely and store for up to one month in the freezer.
Frequently Asked Questions
You better believe it! This ice cream is made with minimal, good-for-you ingredients and has no refined sugar or artificial preservatives. It has more fiber and less sugar than traditional ice cream, but is still absolutely delicious.
With 11 grams of protein per serving it can help balance your blood sugar and leave you feeling satisfied instead of hungry for more. If you’re someone like me who could easily eat a whole pint of ice cream in one sitting, this recipe is definitely for you!
You might be thinking… this is ice cream so should I have it as dessert? But it also has protein so should I be eating it around a workout? My answer: yes and yes!
This protein ice cream is healthy enough to enjoy after a workout or as an afternoon snack to curb those mid-day cravings, but delicious enough to satisfy your ice cream craving and enjoy as an after-dinner treat.
Honestly, it depends on your protein powder and how ripe your bananas are. If you’re using a sweetened protein powder and spotty, overripe bananas, you probably won’t need anything extra. But if your protein powder is on the plain side or your bananas aren’t super sweet, feel free to add a little something.
A splash of maple syrup, a pitted Medjool date, or a few drops of liquid stevia or monk fruit sweetener can make a big difference without overpowering the flavor. Start small, blend, then taste and adjust!
