Quick Protein Powder Ice Cream

A simple ice cream recipe that only calls for 3 ingredients. The addition of milk makes frozen bananas easier to blend while the addition of protein powder makes the ice cream thicker and protein-enriched. And the best part is, milk and protein powder can be easily replaced with cottage cheese for a preservative-free and creamier treat!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 183kcal

Equipment

Food Processor (see review about Best Blender Food Processor Combos)

Ingredients

2 large ripe bananas sliced and fresh-frozen (see notes)
2 tablespoons almond milk or soy milk
1 scoop protein powder

Instructions

Pulse the frozen banana slices and milk in a food processor or high-powered blender until smooth, occasionally stopping and scraping down the sides using a spatula.
Add the protein powder and pulse 2 or 3 more times. Once it reaches a soft-serve consistency, blend for a few more seconds to aerate the ice cream.
Transfer to a bowl or cup and serve immediately for a softer consistency. Otherwise, for a firmer texture, transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours.

Notes

It’s important to use frozen ripe bananas since it’s sweeter and softer. To freeze, peel the bananas and chop into ½-inch thick discs. Then, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for at least 2 hours but ideally overnight.
The banana slices will look crumbly when you first process them. Don’t worry and just keep blending and stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides. Eventually, they will become smooth. And, once you continue blending them, they will finally aerate just like the traditional soft-serve ice cream.
Since we’re only using 2 bananas, the smaller the blender or food processor, the better. Otherwise, the processor will have a hard time catching smaller chunks and processing them. If you only have access to a bigger size processor or blender, simply increase the number of bananas you use.
To make it more healthier and taste better, feel free to replace milk and protein powder with an equal amount of fresh cottage cheese.
Last but not the least, feel free to add some healthy toppings such as granola, fresh fruits, nuts, or seeds before serving to make it more interesting.

Nutrition