I have always had a serious sweet tooth. For years, my evenings felt incomplete without a bowl of something cold, creamy, and decadent. The problem? That nightly indulgence often came with a side of regret—a sugar crash, an upset stomach from dairy, or just the feeling that I wasn’t nourishing my body. I was on a mission to solve this dilemma: how to create a genuinely satisfying dessert that I could feel truly good about eating.
This journey led me to the magic of frozen bananas, and after much delicious experimentation, this perfect Chocolate Strawberry Nice Cream was born. It’s the ultimate solution—a rich, velvety, and deeply flavorful treat that satisfies every craving. This is more than just a Dairy Free Chocolate Dessert; it’s the answer to enjoying dessert every single night, guilt-free.
Why You’ll Fall in Love with This Recipe
- Incredibly Creamy & Decadent: The texture is out of this world! It’s thick, smooth, and scoops just like traditional ice cream, but without any dairy or heavy cream.
- Naturally Sweetened: This is a
No Sugar Added Ice Creamthat gets all its sweetness from ripe fruit. It’s a dessert that truly loves you back. - Just a Handful of Ingredients: You only need a few simple, whole-food ingredients you can feel great about. It’s simplicity at its most delicious.
The Ingredients You’ll Need
This is one of my favorite recipes because the ingredient list is so short and sweet! Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand.
- Ripe Bananas: This is the most important ingredient! Use bananas with plenty of brown spots. They are sweeter and creamier, which is the secret to a perfect
Frozen Banana Dessert Recipewithout any added sugar. - Unsweetened Cacao Powder: I recommend cacao over regular cocoa powder. Cacao is less processed and packed with antioxidants, giving the nice cream a richer, deeper chocolate flavor. This is my go-to
Cacao Powder Recipefor a reason! - Fresh Strawberries: The sweet-tart flavor of fresh strawberries cuts through the richness of the chocolate beautifully.
- Unsweetened Oat Milk: Just a splash helps everything blend into a perfectly creamy consistency.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: It enhances the other flavors and adds a lovely warmth.
- Fine Sea Salt: A tiny pinch makes the chocolate and strawberry flavors pop.
- Garnish: A few fresh strawberry slices and a sprinkle of coarse pink salt for that final, fancy touch.
The Secrets to Success
Over the years, I’ve learned a few simple tricks that take this Chocolate Strawberry Nice Cream from good to absolutely amazing.
- Freeze Your Fruit Flat: The key to a smooth blend is freezing the banana slices and strawberry halves in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. This prevents them from freezing into a giant clump that your blender will struggle to break down.
- Don’t Over-Blend the Berries: To get those beautiful, vibrant swirls of strawberry, add them at the very end and pulse just a few times. If you blend them completely, you’ll lose the gorgeous color contrast and distinct flavor pockets.
- A Powerful Blender is Your Best Friend: While you can make this in a food processor, a high-powered blender is what will give you that signature, velvety-smooth soft-serve texture right out of the gate.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Ready to make magic? Here’s how to do it.
- Prep the Fruit: Arrange your sliced bananas and halved strawberries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure they’re in a single layer, then place the sheet in the freezer for at least 4 hours, or until completely solid.
- Create the Chocolate Base: In a high-powered blender, combine the frozen banana coins, cacao powder, sea salt, vanilla, and oat milk. Blend, starting on low and increasing the speed, using the tamper to push everything down until you have a thick, smooth chocolate base that looks like soft-serve.
- Swirl in the Strawberries: Add the frozen strawberries to the blender. Pulse 5-7 times—just enough to break them up and swirl them through the chocolate base.
- Firm Up (Optional): For a firmer, scoopable texture, transfer the nice cream to a chilled loaf pan, smooth the top, and freeze for another 30-60 minutes.
- Serve and Enjoy: Scoop your beautiful Chocolate Strawberry Nice Cream into bowls. Garnish with fresh strawberry slices and a tiny sprinkle of pink salt before serving immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1.Can I make this Chocolate Strawberry Nice Cream without a high-powered blender?
Yes, you can! A food processor will also work. The texture might be slightly less smooth, and you may need to stop and scrape down the sides a few more times, but it will still be absolutely delicious.
2.Is this recipe really a Healthy Strawberry Banana Ice Cream?
It absolutely is! It’s made entirely from fruit and a little cacao powder, making it rich in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. It’s a wonderful way to satisfy a dessert craving while still nourishing your body.
3.How do I store leftovers?
Store any leftover nice cream in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to two weeks. It will freeze very hard, so be sure to let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes to soften before scooping.
I truly hope you love this recipe as much as I do. It’s become a staple in my home, and it brings me so much joy to share it with you. There’s something so empowering about creating a dessert that is both incredibly delicious and wonderfully healthy.
Give it a try, and let me know what you think!
Velvety Cacao & Strawberry Whip
Equipment
- Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- High-powered blender or food processor
- Silicone spatula
- Freezer-safe container, such as a metal loaf pan
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup 30 g dark unsweetened cacao powder
- ⅓ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large ripe bananas peeled and sliced into ½-inch coins
- 2 ¾ cups 450 g hulled fresh strawberries, halved
- 3 tablespoons creamy unsweetened oat milk
- For Garnish: Sliced fresh strawberries and coarse pink Himalayan salt
Instructions
- Fruit Preparation : Arrange the sliced banana coins and halved strawberries in a single, even layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Ensure the fruit pieces are not touching. Place the sheet in the freezer until the fruit is completely solid, at least 4 hours.
- Cacao Base Infusion : In the canister of your high-powered blender, combine the frozen banana coins, cacao powder, fine sea salt, vanilla extract, and oat milk. Secure the lid and begin blending on low, gradually increasing the speed. Use the blender’s tamper to press the ingredients toward the blades until a thick, smooth, and uniform chocolate base forms, resembling soft-serve ice cream.
- Berry Incorporation : Add the frozen strawberry halves to the chocolate base. Pulse the blender 5 to 7 times, just until the strawberries are roughly chopped and swirled throughout the mixture. Avoid over-blending to maintain distinct pockets of strawberry flavor and color.
- Optional Firming : For a scoopable, ice-cream-like texture, immediately transfer the mixture from the blender into a chilled loaf pan. Use a spatula to smooth the top. Cover and return to the freezer for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour to firm up.
- Plating & Finishing : Scoop the cacao-strawberry whip into chilled bowls. Garnish with fresh strawberry slices and a delicate sprinkle of coarse pink Himalayan salt just before serving.
Notes
This whip is best enjoyed immediately. For leftovers, store in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 weeks. Allow it to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften before serving. Banana Tip:
The key to natural sweetness is using very ripe bananas—the more brown spots on the peel, the better! This eliminates the need for any added sugars. Custom Swaps:
Feel free to swap oat milk with an equal amount of full-fat coconut milk for an even richer, creamier result. For a different flavor profile, substitute raspberries for the strawberries.
Nutrition (per serving, approx.)
- Serving Size: about ⅔ cup
- Calories: 118
- Total Fat: 1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 0.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 134 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 30 g
- Dietary Fiber: 6 g
- Total Sugars: 15 g
- Includes: 0 g Added Sugars
- Net Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Vitamin D: 0.1 mcg
- Calcium: 34 mg
- Iron: 1.2 mg
- Potassium: 519 mg
- Vitamin C: 52 mg
