How to make banana milkshake without ice cream involves a few tips that you may not be familiar with, but I want to tell you about! You can make smoothies and shakes many ways, and I’m going to tell you about the best way for your own pleasure and enjoyment.
I’m going to show you how to make a delicious banana milkshake without using ice cream.
Banana Milkshake Without Ice Cream
You can make a fantastic sweet and creamy banana milkshake without ice cream. All you need is a blender, a ripe banana, and a handful of pantry staples.
I love a good milkshake, and a couple years ago I started uploading a bunch of milkshake recipes to the site (How to Make a Milkshake, The Best Vanilla Milkshake, Banana Milkshake, Oreo Milkshake, etc.).
Since then, I have gotten a TON of requests for a milkshake without ice cream, and today that day has finally come. Let’s make a banana milkshake without ice cream.
A No-Ice Cream Milkshake
I’ll be totally honest, I was a little iffy about doing a no-ice cream shake. I mean isn’t a milkshake without ice cream just a smoothie?
BUT, I got so many requests for one, and I remembered really enjoying the banana “milkshakes” my health-nut parents used to make for me and my sisters as kids, that I figured I’d give it a try.
I called my mom for the recipe, gave it a couple of tweaks, and you know what? This is a really good milkshake, no ice cream involved.
It’s thick and frosty, surprisingly creamy, and satisfyingly sweet. Best part about it? It feels totally indulgent without actually overindulging.
Ingredient Notes
- An overripe banana, preferably frozen: You’ll get the best results with a very ripe, frozen banana. The riper the banana, the more flavor your shake will have. And frozen bananas help you get that true frosty milkshake texture. I found during testing that shakes made with fresh unfrozen bananas were good, but much thinner and less milkshake-like. For extra tips and tricks on freezing bananas, check out my post How to Freeze Bananas.
- Milk: Any milk will work here including non-dairy milks. For an extra rich shake, feel free to add a splash of heavy cream or half and half to your measuring cup before filling it the rest of the way with milk.
- Ice: A bit of ice along with the frozen banana adds to the frosty texture of the shake. If you don’t have ice or have a blender that can’t handle ice, you can skip it, but your shake won’t be as thick. Also cut the sweetener in the recipe by half if you omit the ice.
- Sugar or sweetener of choice: You can skip the sweetener if you want, but I feel like something called a milkshake should be sweet enough to feel like a milkshake. Start with a heaping tablespoon and add more to taste if needed. Honey, stevia, maple syrup or your preferred sweetener can all be used here.
How to Make a Banana Milkshake Without Ice Cream
- In your blender, combine all ingredients and blend until well-mixed and frosty. If the contents of your blender stop blending at any point, stop, give it a stir, and continue. Repeat as needed.
- Pour into a glass, top with optional whipped cream if desired, and enjoy.
HOW TO MAKE A BANANA MILKSHAKE (WITHOUT ICE CREAM + VARIATIONS)
How to make a banana milkshake (without ice cream) that is smooth, creamy, and sweet. It contains just 3 simple ingredients as a base but has tons of flavor variations (listed below!). This banana milkshake recipe is gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and can be made dairy-free!
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I love a delicious creamy drink any time of the year. Whether it’s Mexican horchata (Agua de Horchata), a coconut vanilla bean creme Frappuccino, Vietnamese avocado shake, or even ayran/doogh (a salty yogurt drink) – there’s an option for every mood and occasion. Luckily, a banana milkshake can be enjoyed any time of the year, and this is the ultimate recipe for all your banana shake desires!
Learning how to make a banana milkshake (without ice cream) should honestly be on any banana-lovers to-do list. Although we’ve already had a year (or two) of banana bread obsession, make space for this super simple, delicious homemade banana milkshake! It’s wonderfully smooth, creamy, and a natural people-pleaser.
Also, unlike commercial milkshake powders (which, let’s be honest, are all sugar and chemicals!), all you need is three simple, all-natural ingredients, a blender, and about three minutes to whip up the ultimate simple healthy banana shake.
Alternatively, change it up with optional add-ins for a drink that is as healthy or decadent as you’d like! For example, I’ve included options below for fruitier banana shakes, peanut butter banana milkshake, Nutella banana milkshake, and more! And then, if you want to find more deliciously fruity drinks to enjoy, why not try this blueberry milkshake (ube frappe), mango lassi, creamy banana avocado smoothie, or strawberries and cream Frappuccino
THE INGREDIENTS
At its base, you can make a delicious banana milkshake with just three simple ingredients, which are:
- Banana: I like to use bananas that are just beginning to overripen, so they’re soft, creamy, and sweeter too!
- Sweetener: I used honey, which pairs amazingly with bananas. However, you could also use maple or agave (vegan) or even make a sugar-free banana milkshake with liquid stevia drops or another sugar-free sweetener.
- Milk: you can use the milk of your choice. I used almond milk this time around. I recommend using whole milk or at least 2%+ for the best results. Avoid skimmed milk.
- Vanilla (optional): Vanilla extract is a great addition even to the simplest of banana shakes. If you have some in your house, I recommend adding some
HOW TO MAKE A BANANA MILKSHAKE WITHOUT ICE CREAM
This Banana Milkshake is made with just four ingredients and is ready in just 5 minutes. The best part about this shake is that it’s made without ice cream, making it a healthier yet still delicious and filling drink.
I love this banana milkshake because it’s what my mother often made for us on hot summer days to have after school as a late afternoon snack. It’s creamy, thick, and yummy. You don’t even have to add ice cream to make it feel like it’s an indulgent snack.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Banana Milkshake without Ice CreamPlay Video
I now make it for my kids, and they absolutely love it. I’m on a shake kick lately, and we absolutely love these Chocolate Banana Milkshake and Mango Milkshake recipes. If you are more in the mood for a smoothie then try these Mango Lassi and Coffee Banana Smoothie recipes.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS EVEN WITHOUT ICE CREAM
- Thick & Creamy: This banana milkshake is thick and creamy even without adding ice cream. And this comes down to the ratio of milk and the bananas. Less liquid, more fruit = thick & creamy shake.
- Frozen bananas: I highly recommend that you freeze the bananas for this recipe. Since we’re not using ice cream we need something cold and creamy to make the milkshake thick. Enter frozen bananas!
- Variations: It can be made with tons of delicious variations, which I’ve listed down below.
- Healthy: This is a nutritious drink for younger kids, especially if you skip the sugar. My little one doesn’t like bananas but he does happily drink this milkshake! P.S. If you’re looking for a delicious dairy-free banana pancakes recipe then try these Banana Pancakes without Milk!
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
- Milk: I used regular full fat milk, but you can use any milk of your choice, such as almond milk, oat milk, or even coconut milk for a tropical taste.
- Bananas: Use ripe bananas, because they are more sweet and flavorful. Freeze them for 20-30 minutes for an even creamier result.
- Sweetener: I use good old sugar for this milkshake, but honey would be a great alternative too. You can even skip the sweetener altogether if you prefer.
- Vanilla: Adding a little bit of vanilla is adds a lovely overall flavor to this milkshake.
- Ice
HOW TO MAKE BANANA SHAKE WITH A BLENDER
- Place bananas, milk, sugar, and vanilla in a blender or a Nutribullet. I highly recommend using a high powered blender for this milkshake as we are using frozen bananas. However, if you don’t have one, just let the bananas thaw a little bit so that it’s easier to blend them.
- Blend until smooth and creamy. This will take only a few seconds!
- Pour into serving glasses, top with whipped cream & chocolate sprinkles if desired, and enjoy!
HOW TO MAKE IT WITHOUT A BLENDER
Don’t have a blender? You can still make this milkshake in a food processor or even a food chopper such as this one. But since we are using frozen bananas here, I would recommend using a high-powered food processor or food chopper for smooth and creamy results.
Don’t have any of the above? You can still make this banana milkshake!
Start by mashing the bananas really well. They must be mashed until smooth and no big chunks are left. Then add all the ingredients to a mason jar, put on the lid tightly, and shake well until everything is well incorporated.
Note: This method will not yield the same smooth & creamy results as a high-powered blender, but it does the trick and is good enough to satisfy those shake cravings!
FLAVOR VARIATIONS & IDEAS
- Chocolate: Love chocolate? Add 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder to the recipe, and make it into a chocolate banana milkshake!
- Strawberry: Add 1/2 cup of sliced strawberries to add a delicious flavor! You can use other berries too such as blueberries.
- Mango: Add 1/2 cup of cubed mango to the rest of the ingredients, blend, and enjoy this fruity milkshake.
- Dates: Dates are a great way to add some nutrition and natural sweetness to the milkshake. Just make sure to use pitted dates that have been roughly chopped up – about 2-3 should be good for this recipe.
- Coffee: Need some energy? Add instant coffee, cold brewed coffee, espresso powder or even freshly brewed coffee that’s been cooled down.
- Cinnamon powder: Add a little sprinkle of cinnamon powder to the milkshake to bring a lovely warmth to the overall flavor.
- Peanut Butter / Other Nut Butters: A teaspoon of nut butter of your choice will make this milkshake feel indulgent and delicious!
- Ice cream: Use vanilla, chocolate or strawberry ice cream for best results. Skip the sugar, and add 2 scoops of your choice of ice cream.
- Chocolate Syrup: Drizzle with some chocolate syrup, maple or even caramel syrup would be excellent here.
- Nuts: Top with crushed walnuts, almonds or even cashew nuts!
- Whipped cream: It’s not complusory, but I love to add whipped cream to milkshakes.
- Chocolate sprinkles: If making for kids, or even yourself, make it more fun by adding some sprinkles…my favorite are chocolate sprinkles but rainbow would be perfect for the kids!