Banana Pudding Ice Cream
Whip up this no-churn banana pudding ice cream with velvety cream cheese, sweet condensed milk, fresh bananas, and layered vanilla wafers for a cold, creamy classic.
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Hand mixer
- Spatula
- Freezer-safe Container
Ingredients
- 3.4 oz banana pudding instant mix
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream whipped to stiff peaks
- 1 cup crushed vanilla wafers
- 2 ripe bananas sliced
Instructions
- Place the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beat it with a hand mixer until completely smooth. The mixture should look creamy and uniform, with no visible lumps or cold-looking specks.
- Pour in the dry banana pudding mix and beat until it disappears into the cream cheese. The mixture will become thicker and take on a smooth, pale yellow appearance.
- With the mixer running on a moderate speed, slowly stream in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Stop when the base looks glossy and falls from the beaters in a satiny ribbon.
- Use a spatula to fold the whipped heavy cream into the pudding mixture in broad, gentle strokes. The mixture should feel pillowy and thick, with no separate streaks of whipped cream remaining.
- Fold in the sliced bananas with a light hand. Keep the slices intact so they remain soft fruit pieces rather than mashed into the cream.
- Spoon part of the banana cream into a freezer-safe container, scatter over crushed vanilla wafers, and repeat the layers until filled. Coarse wafer pieces create distinct crunchy pockets instead of disappearing into the ice cream.
- Press plastic wrap directly against the surface, cover the container, and freeze for at least 5 to 6 hours, until firm. The center should resist a spoon and hold its shape when scooped.
- Set the container on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. The edges should soften enough for the scoop to glide through cleanly.
Notes
Cream cheese prep: Use genuinely softened, room-temperature cream cheese and beat it thoroughly before adding other ingredients to avoid tiny white specks in the base.
Fruit handling: Slice ripe, lightly speckled bananas right before folding, or toss them in a small squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning and keep them tender once frozen.
Cookie texture: Crush the vanilla wafers into coarse bite-sized chunks rather than fine dust so they retain their distinct crunch between layers.
Serving tip: Let the container rest on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes before scooping so the edges soften enough for smooth, clean scoops.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.