It just might be the ultimate nice cream! You’ll never believe it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.
When I was a kid, cookie dough was hands-down my favorite ice cream flavor. Mostly because it delivered all the deliciousness of raw cookie dough without the risk of my mom slapping my hand away. And, to be fair, she had a point—eating dough with raw eggs and raw flour is a food safety no-no. As an adult, my love of cookie dough ice cream did not fade away, but I did come to the realization that regularly indulging in this sweet treat wasn’t exactly compatible with fitting into my jeans.
Enter this recipe: all the irresistible taste and texture of cookie dough ice cream, reimagined into a more wholesome version. This cookie dough banana ice cream is rich, creamy, and packed with generous chunks of chocolate chip cookie dough that’s actually good for you! I swapped the traditional dairy-based ice cream for a silky frozen banana purée (known as “nice cream”). For the cookie dough, I turned to chickpeas as the base, blending them with peanut butter and folding in mini chocolate chips for that classic crunch.
Every bite tastes like I’m getting away with something indulgent, but my sensible adult self knows better. Oh, and a quick tip: while the ice cream is incredibly easy to make, rolling the cookie dough into tiny quarter-inch balls does require some patience. Sneaking a few as you go? Highly recommended—it’s half the fun!
Is This Cookie Dough Banana Ice Cream Healthy?
Cookie dough ice cream is typically a rich, sugary treat loaded with calories and fat. This recipe, however, swaps out the traditional ice cream base for a simple frozen banana purée, offering a lighter, plant-based alternative. Bananas bring natural sweetness along with a healthy dose of potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and fiber.
The cookie dough in this recipe skips white flour, butter, and eggs, instead relying on a protein-rich chickpea and peanut butter (a source of healthy fats). There’s no added sugar, although the dough is lightly sweetened with agave and studded with dairy-free chocolate chips. All in all, this gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan ice cream is not only delicious, but also lower in fat and calories than the conventional version.
Deliciously Wholesome Toppings
Want to dress up your bowl of ice cream? There are plenty of delicious and healthy options to make it even more tempting. For a satisfying crunch, sprinkle some chopped and toasted nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pecans on top. Fresh berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, or sliced strawberries, add natural sweetness and a dash of color. For some tropical flair, unsweetened coconut flakes or toasted coconut are a great choice. Looking to add even more creamy indulgence? Drizzle some warm pistachio or almond butter over the top. Finally, a scattering of unsweetened banana chips and dark chocolate shavings beautifully mirror the flavors in this delectable ice cream.
How To Make Ahead And Store
The ice cream can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 1 month; longer than that, and it’s likely to form ice crystals, although it will still be safe to eat. It will also harden significantly, so let it sit and thaw for a few minutes on the counter before eating it.
Serving Suggestions
Drizzle Dairy-Free Vegan Caramel Sauce all over your ice cream to make it even more decadent! Or try the ice cream sandwiched between Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Cookies. And if you love this dessert, be sure to try my recipe for Cookie Dough Vegan Banana Ice Cream Bars.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup reduced-sodium chickpeas lightly heaping
- 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- 1/2 teaspoon raw vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons dairy-free mini chocolate chips
- 6 large bananas sliced into coins and frozen overnight
Instructions
- Place the chickpeas, peanut butter, peanut butter powder, agave, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a small food processor (mine is 3 cups) and process until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides often.
- Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the chocolate chips.
- Line a plate with parchment paper. Roll the cookie dough into very small balls, about ¼ tsp-sized, and place them on the plate.
- Place the plate into the freezer until the balls have hardened, about 30 minutes.
- Remove the frozen banana coins from the freezer and let them thaw for about 10 minutes. Remove the cookie dough bites from the freezer as well, so they can begin to soften.
- Place the bananas into a high-powered food processor and blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as necessary.
- Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the frozen cookie dough bites.
- DEVOUR!
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