Homemade milkshake with banana recipe that is made with simple ingredients. See how easy it is to make this creamy and delicious shake at home in just 5 minutes!
You know how milkshakes from fast-food restaurants are often too thick to drink from a straw at first? It's sort of like a letdown, right? Thankfully, when you make this banana milkshake from scratch, you can start sipping right away!
This is a creamy banana milkshake, but not too creamy. And it's thick, but not too thick.
Isn't it so great what you can make with overripe bananas? It's like a whole new world opens up when bananas get too ripe to be enjoyed fresh. The next time you find yourself with a bunch of super ripe bananas and you don't have time to bake banana bread, just add one to a smoothie or make a banana milk shake recipe like this. So easy!
Oh, and please don't let the chia seeds keep you from making this! If you know me, you know I like to find delicious ways to help you meet your daily fiber needs 😉 Plus, chia helps to add back some of the creaminess that is lost by not using a higher fat ice cream or milk. See, I've got you!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy recipe This banana milkshake is made with four simple ingredients and blends easily.
- Kid-approved Kids of all ages love this milkshake made with fresh banana.
- Helps to get the kids cooking in the kitchen This milkshake blends so easy that it can even be made using an immersion blender, which is often easier for kids to use than a heavy-duty blender.
Ingredient Notes
- Ice cream Use regular vanilla ice cream. For a super creamy milkshake, you can use premium ice cream or add more banana.
- Banana Use a very ripe or overripe fresh banana. Banana adds fiber, potassium, and a variety of other nutrients in addition to flavor and thickness to this recipe.
- Milk I use skim or 2% milk instead of cream to make milkshakes. The higher the amount of fat in the milk you use, the thicker the milkshake will be. If your ice cream is soft when it comes out of the freezer, use one tablespoon of milk, instead of two.
- Chia seeds I know this sounds like a strange ingredient to add to a milkshake but trust me on this one. Chia helps to thicken this milkshake. Chia seeds also add a variety of essential nutrients.
How to Make a Banana Milkshake
This recipe is so easy! Here is a brief summary of how to make a banana milk shake the way I do it. For a complete list of ingredients and more detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe.
- Place all ingredients in a small blender or, if you will be using an immersion blender, place the ingredients into an immersion blender beaker or jar. Add the ingredients so that the banana touches the blades before the ice cream.
- Blend just until smooth. Be careful not to over blend the milkshake.
- Serve and enjoy!
Dietitian Tip
There are so many kinds of ice cream out there now, that it can be hard to know which one to buy. From what I have learned and observed is that 'premium' and 'super premium' ice creams are much thicker and creamier than regular ice cream because they have a higher fat percentage and have less air whipped into it (called overrun).
While premium and super premium ice cream will make a creamier milkshake, they are also much higher in saturated fat. So, if your family is one to have ice cream and milkshakes frequently, it might make sense to stick with regular ice cream for the purposes of heart health.
Recipe Variations
- To turn this into a chocolate banana milkshake, just add a small amount of cocoa powder or chocolate syrup before blending. Or use chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla.
- Add a few strawberries or use strawberry ice cream to make this a strawberry banana milkshake.
- For even more banana flavor, you can add another half of a banana.
- Add a tablespoon of peanut butter to make a peanut butter and banana milkshake.
- Vanilla extract and cinnamon would also make delicious additions. If you add vanilla extract, you should reduce the amount of milk slightly.
Expert Tips
- The kind of ice cream and milk you use will determine how thick your milkshake will be.
- If you are using a very soft ice cream, you may not need to add any milk at all.
- If you don't have chia seeds, you can leave them out.
- Over-blending this banana milkshake will thin it out because the ice cream will melt the longer it blends.
Questions You May Have
I would only suggest using frozen slices of bananas, not frozen halves or whole pieces of banana because they take longer to blend which will cause the ice cream to melt.
Technically you can, but then it will be more like a smoothie instead of a milkshake.
I've stored this banana milkshake in the freezer and it still tasted good after two days, but not three. I poured into a Yeti with a tight lid and stuck it in the freezer. When I took it out, I just had to stir it for a minute. After two days, it was frozen solid and tasted freezer burnt.
I serve it with a straw. To make it look a little fancier, try topping it with whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon.
Related Recipes
- Baked oatmeal that uses fresh bananas
- Watermelon Banana Smoothie
- Banana Carrot Muffins
- Chocolate chip banana zucchini muffins
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie Bowl
More Easy Dessert Recipes
Did you make this banana milkshake and love it? Please let me know by giving it a 5-star rating or leave a comment below. I appreciate it!
Don't forget to follow me on Instagram and tag me so I can see when you post pictures of your refreshing milkshake!
📖 Recipe
Easy Banana Milkshake
Equipment
- 1 immersion blender or small blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup vanilla ice cream
- 1 banana very ripe or overripe
- 2 tbsp milk I use skim or 2% milk
- ¼ teaspoon chia seeds
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a small blender or, if using an immersion blender, place them in an immersion blender beaker or jar. The banana should be placed closest to the blade.
- Blend just until smooth. Be sure not to over blend.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- The kind of ice cream and milk you use will determine how thick your milkshake will be.
- If you are using a very soft ice cream, you may not need to add any milk at all.
- If you don't have chia seeds, you can leave them out.
- Add the ingredients in an order so that the banana is closest to the blades. For instance, if you are using an immersion blender, add the banana last. If you will be using an upright blender, add the banana first.
- Over-blending this banana milkshake will thin it out because the ice cream will melt the longer it blends.
- Either use an Immersion blender or a small blender to make this milkshake.
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