Pumpkin N’ice Cream Recipe
This vegan pumpkin n’ice cream is dairy-free and satisfies your pumpkin cravings for Fall!
I love pumpkin. It’s just so versatile. There aren’t many other veggies that are so full of potential. Pumpkins can be anything from breakfast to dinner or dessert! You just can’t lose with pumpkin. And it’s so good for you! In fact, I would go so far as to say that this may be one of the most nutrient-dense ice creams on the planet! How’s that for being humble?
Many of you know that a lot of my recipes for ice cream are banana-based. Bananas offer a creamy texture that we are so used to in regular ice cream but allow us to avoid unhealthy fat (for those who want lower-fat eating plans) and even dairy for those who are sensitive. But the best part is that you can significantly reduce the amount of sugar you have to add to get the level of sweetness you would expect from ice cream. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather get my sugar intake from fruit than from a bag of sugar, even if it’s a bag of clean sugar. And while this does contain some maple syrup, it’s much less than you would have to add to regular ice cream. So that, in a nutshell, is why I keep doing these banana ice cream recipes. I will say that if you want to reduce the amount of maple syrup, I recommend switching to honey instead and using maybe a 1/4 cup or so. The great thing is you can adjust to taste after blending and before freezing!
I have, however, gotten emails and Facebook postings from people who dislike or are allergic to bananas. For those people, I highly recommend substituting the bananas with frozen mango. The flavor will be slightly different, but not so much so that it won’t still taste like pumpkin ice cream. Enjoy!
Is Pumpkin Ice Cream Gluten Free?
While some pumpkin ice creams might not be, this one certainly is. It’s dairy-free and egg-free, too!
How Do You Freeze Bananas?
At least a day before you want to make your ice cream, peel and slice a bunch of bananas. Cut them into chunks -usually about ½-1 inch thick- and place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Freeze them overnight. To store the frozen bananas, simply transfer them to a freezer-safe bag and return the bag to the freezer. Then, proceed with the recipe below.
What Is Pumpkin Spice Made Of?
While everyone’s recipe is slightly different, a good pumpkin spice will typically include a blend of ground cinnamon cloves, ginger, and nutmeg.
RECIPE NOTES:
This does freeze pretty hard. When removing it from the freezer, let it sit on the counter for a bit before trying to dig into it. Also, I went a little light on the spices, so if you prefer a stronger flavor, feel free to add more. That’s what is great about this recipe. You can taste it before you freeze it to adjust it to your own taste! Also, just because this has already been asked, yes… you can taste the bananas. There is no way around that. But again, adjust the flavor before freezing to something you enjoy.
That being said if you want to minimize the banana flavor, make sure you use just barely ripe bananas. Avoid bananas with any brown spots at all. If they have just finished turning from green to yellow, they are probably perfect for limiting the amount of banana flavor in this healthy pumpkin ice cream recipe.
More Healthy Ice Cream Recipes
Pumpkin N’ice Cream Recipe Card
Vegan Pumpkin Banana Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 medium bananas, sliced and frozen overnight
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 ½ tsp. pumpkin spice, no sugar added if purchased
Instructions
- Using a food processor, blend the bananas, pumpkin, maple syrup, and pumpkin spice thoroughly.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 24 hours.
I love EVERYTHING pumpkin and/or banana! Can’t wait to try this. I can almost taste it now…..
Steve – Great! I hope you like it! 🙂
I made this and I cannot get the spoon through it.What can I do to soften it up?
Joan – I mentioned that in my post above. Let it sit out on the counter for about 15 minutes or so before trying to spoon it out. It doesn’t have the fat in it that dairy provides. So it does get hard.
Totally trying this today! Have a bunch of bananas & just bought a few cans of pumpkin yesterday. Can’t wait!! Will update on how it turns out 🙂
Becky – Awesome! I hope you enjoy it!
What do you think about using applesauce instead of bananas? I have apples coming out of my ears and looking for different things to use them for.
Tausha – I don’t think it would be quite the same. But I do have a yummy recipe for apple butter. You can also freeze apple sauce as well as use it in baking. It’s a wonderful thing to have on hand! Many of my muffin recipes call for it.
I am so excited to try this! Could you do it in a cuisinart ice cream maker instead of freezing it in a dish? I was thinking that would help with the hardness for scooping.
Cynthia – I suppose it’s possible. I’ve never tried. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out! I’d love to know.
Kind of a dumb question but I’ll ask anyway 😉
Does it taste at all like bananas? I don’t like bananas but I understand the need for them as a thickener or whatever. Just wondering if there’s that hint of that flavor or if the pumpkin is strong enough to overpower. I definitely want to try this one!!!
Thanks!
Jen – Yes, you can taste the bananas. No way around that really. But what you can also do is adjust the spices to taste. Maybe make half a batch to see if you like it. 🙂
Can you substitute something else for the banana? Or does it still work without it? I can’t eat them.
Lori – I mentioned that in my post above. The typical substitute for bananas is mango.
I just made this today with these variations. 1 tsp. Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cardamom, grated fresh nutmeg to taste. This will be a staple in my freezer! It is delicious and I did not find the bananas over whelming.
Phyllis – Fantastic!! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Thank you for the recipe!! I just made this using some bananas that I had frozen for god only knows how long. I cut the recipe in half just to try it before fully committing. Texture was great! Mine does taste pretty banana-ish? Based on other comments I assume it is because they were SUPER ripe when I froze them initially. I’m thinking I’ll go buy myself some new bananas and try again. Either way – it is excellent! Thank you!
Mikal – My pleasure! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Has anyone ever done this using non frozen bananas and then putting the mixture in an ice cream machine? My blender died and he food processor is not a fan of frozen ingredients! But I want to make this sooooo bad! 🙂
Wandamarie – I haven not tried it that way, but it’s worth a shot! I would just make a small batch the first time to see if it works.
Hi there! So excited to try this recipe. Quick question – can I use a blender instead of a food processor for this? Thanks!
Alexandra – It might take a little more work to get it blended, but sure! Whatever gets it all blended together smoothly is fine. Just be careful because blenders tend to get stuck on frozen stuff a lot easier than processors. You may have to mix in a little of the pumpkin or even a little water to get it going without burning out your motor.
yah we normally do eat clean… this just didnt go well with us or our son 🙁 and I love everything pumpkin… sorry…. I would so try more of your recipes though
Lori – No worries!!! I certainly don’t expect everyone to love every single recipe. It’s all about what your individual tastes are! 🙂
I have been eating homemade banana ice cream for awhile now. I use a blender. I slice up the overripe bananas and freeze them. When I’m ready to make some ice cream, I let the frozen bananas thaw out, but not completely. I do add just a touch of almond milk to help mix it. I will add almond butter to mine at times. Yum. I like Tammi, have been watching my sugar intake and allow myself only 45 grams or less daily. The 23 grams of sugar per serving is too much for me so I will be doing something different for less sugar. Can’t wait to try the pumpkin puree!
Carol – I hope you enjoy it!
Hi. I did read through all the comments, so sorry if I missed this somewhere. What if I used two bananas and then some mango to replace the other two bananas? Do you think that would work, and if so how much mango should I use? Otherwise, if I totally replace the banana with mango, how much should I use? Should I just eye it to what looks like the equivalent of 4 bananas? Thanks!
Kristin – In my experience, eyeballing it is best. But if you need measurements, 1 medium banana is approximately 3/4 to 1 cup. So that will give you a ballpark. Let me know how it turns out!
I’m allergic to bananas, but this sounded so good it inspired me to try to make it anyway.
I used equal parts pumpkin and full-fat coconut milk…. DELICIOUS and creamy!
Thanks!
Meg – If you are allergic to bananas, mango is a good sub. Glad you liked it, I just hope you feel okay after eating it!
This tasted good, but it really tasted like bananas much more than pumpkin. I’d change the proportions next time around.
Leigh – Yes, I addressed this in the article above. I’m sorry you didn’t care for it.
How many cups is the serving size? It call for 1/6 of recipe.
Hattie – I don’t know. I made it and simply cut it into 6 pieces. I’m guessing about a cup, but I could be off on that.
This stuff is AWESOME!
What is a serving size per cup/calories?
I wasn’t able to measure before everybody dived into it.
TK – I’m so glad you like it! 😀 To be honest, I never measured it. I had it in the dish pictured and just cut it into 6 pieces. I’ll measure it next time I make it.
Made it for Thanksgiving tody and big hit! Did make a few alteration though: doubled pumpkin, pur all ingredients in Vitamix at room temp then in refrigerator for a couple hours before pouring in ice cream maker. Great texture and taste.
Calif Mom – Fantastic! So glad you enjoyed it! 😀
This looks amazing! I just happen to have some pumpkin…this is happening very soon.
Sarah – I hope you enjoy it!