Go Back

Banana Pudding Ice Cream

Banana pudding ice cream with creamy banana-infused vanilla custard and crushed Nilla wafers baked into an ice-cream-style texture without eggs scrambling. Each scoop includes banana slices plus wafer crumbs, creating a frozen banana pudding feel from the first bite.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

banana ice cream base
  • 3 very ripe bananas Use very ripe bananas for smooth blending and natural sweetness.
  • 2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt
banana pudding mix-ins
  • 1.5 cup Nilla wafers, roughly crushed Crush until you get both fine crumbs and small pieces.
  • 0.5 cup banana slices (frozen) Fold in only near the end to keep slices distinct.

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker

Method
 

Blend and chill-ready prep
  1. Blend very ripe bananas until completely smooth, then set aside.
  2. Heat heavy cream and whole milk until steaming, not boiling.
  3. Whisk egg yolks with granulated sugar until smooth and slightly lighter in color.
Cook the custard
  1. Slowly whisk the steaming cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously.
  2. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard reaches 175F, with a thickened, custard-like consistency.
  3. Strain the custard, then stir in vanilla extract, salt, and banana puree until fully combined with no streaks.
  4. Cool completely to room temperature.
  5. Refrigerate for 4 hours to chill thoroughly.
Churn and finish
  1. Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker until it reaches a soft-serve texture.
  2. Fold in crushed Nilla wafers and frozen banana slices during the last 2 minutes of churning, so you see banana pieces and wafer crumbs distributed throughout.
  3. Freeze until scoopable, with firm scoops that hold their shape.

Notes

Pro tip: Strain the custard after cooking to keep the ice cream silky, then fully cool before refrigerating and churning. Store in the freezer in a covered container for up to 2 weeks; thaw 5–10 minutes for easiest scooping. Freezing is required for the final texture—do not skip it. For a dairy-light swap, use half-and-half instead of some heavy cream, but expect a softer, less rich texture.