Caramelized banana ice cream is made with a rich and creamy egg based frozen custard, swirled with crunchy toffee bits and toffee butter bourbon sauce.
Looking for more banana recipes? You’ll love classic banana bread, banana cream pie, oatmeal with caramelized bourbon bananas, and banana bread pancakes.
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Why You’ll Love This Ice Cream
First, there’s the fresh banana flavor. While everyone uses up ripe bananas in banana bread and muffins, this caramelized banana ice cream is such an incredibly delicious treat that you’ll want to let some bananas ripen just to make this ice cream. Then there’s all the textures – creamy banana ice cream, crunchy toffee bits, and swirls of sweet and gooey toffee sauce.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
Caramelized Bananas
- Bananas. For the best banana flavor, use bananas that are nice and ripe, with some brown spots, but not black and mushy.
- Butter. You can use salted butter, but I usually use unsalted, and then add salt to the ice cream.
- Brown Sugar. Either light brown or dark brown sugar are fine for caramelizing the bananas.
- Bourbon. A splash of bourbon de-glazes the pan and adds incredible flavor.
Ice Cream
- Milk + Heavy Whipping Cream. A 1:2 ratio of whole milk to heavy whipping cream gives homemade ice cream a perfectly creamy, rich texture. Don’t use lower fat milk or cream, or your ice cream can end up icy.
- Dark Brown Sugar. Adds sweetness, and keeps the ice cream smooth.
- Egg Yolks. Gives the ice cream body and a rich texture and flavor.
- Coarse Kosher Salt. Balances the sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
- Caramel Sauce or Toffee Sauce. You can use either salted caramel sauce, or this easy recipe for toffee butter bourbon sauce to swirl into the ice cream.
- Toffee Bits. Crunch and texture.
Instructions
Caramelized Bananas
- In a saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until it just starts to sizzle.
- Slice the bananas 1/2 inch thick and place in the hot butter, then sprinkle with the brown sugar. Cook the bananas on one side for 1-2 minutes until golden, then turn over and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the bourbon to the pan, and cook for 1 more minute.
- Scrape everything into a blender and puree until smooth. Refrigerate the banana puree until needed.
Ice Cream
- In a saucepan, whisk together the milk, 1 cup cream, brown sugar, egg yolks and salt.
- Over medium heat, cook the custard while whisking constantly, just until it’s steaming hot. Don’t let it come to a boil.
- Remove from the heat, and pour through a mesh strainer to remove any bits of cooked egg.
- Whisk the vanilla and the banana puree into the ice cream base.
- Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, or overnight.
- When you’re ready to churn the ice cream, use an electric mixer to whip the remaining 1 cup cream until soft peaks form, then whisk the whipped cream into the chilled ice cream base.
- Churn the ice cream in your ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, until it’s a thick, soft-serve consistency.
- Transfer the churned ice cream to a lidded container. Drizzle with the caramel sauce or toffee sauce and sprinkle with toffee bits, then use a spoon to swirl everything together, leaving visible streaks of caramel.
- Freeze the ice cream for 6-8 hours, or until firm enough to scoop.
- Serve the ice cream with more of the caramel/toffee sauce and toffee bits.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use ripe or green bananas for the caramelized bananas?
Your bananas should be ripe, for the sweetest and best banana flavor. You don’t want them to be black and mushy, but ripe and soft with some brown spots is just right.
Do I need an ice cream maker for this recipe?
Yes, you need an ice cream maker to make this banana ice cream recipe.
You Might Also Like
Oatmeal with Caramelized Bourbon Bananas Banana Cream Pie Banana Bread Pancakes 
Classic Banana Bread
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Caramelized Banana Ice Cream
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Electric Mixer (Stand or Hand-Held)
- Ice Cream Maker
Ingredients
Caramelized Bananas
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 3 large ripe bananas
- 2 tbsp bourbon
Ice Cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream, divided
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup caramel sauce or toffee butter bourbon sauce
- ½ cup crushed toffee bits
Instructions
Caramelized Bananas
- In a saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until it just starts to sizzle.
- Slice the bananas 1/2 inch thick and place in the hot butter, then sprinkle with the brown sugar. Cook the bananas on one side for 1-2 minutes until golden, then turn over and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the bourbon to the pan, and cook for 1 more minute.
- Scrape everything into a blender and puree until smooth. Refrigerate the banana puree until needed.
Ice Cream
- In a saucepan, whisk together the milk, 1 cup cream, brown sugar, egg yolks and salt.
- Over medium heat, cook the custard while whisking constantly, just until it's steaming hot. Don't let it come to a boil.
- Remove from the heat, and pour through a mesh strainer to remove any bits of cooked egg.
- Whisk the vanilla and the banana puree into the ice cream base.
- Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, or overnight.
- When you're ready to churn the ice cream, use an electric mixer to whip the remaining 1 cup cream until soft peaks form, then whisk the whipped cream into the chilled ice cream base.
- Churn the ice cream in your ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer's instructions, until it's a thick, soft-serve consistency.
- Transfer the churned ice cream to a lidded container. Drizzle with the caramel sauce or toffee sauce and sprinkle with toffee bits, then use a spoon to swirl everything together, leaving visible streaks of caramel.
- Freeze the ice cream for 6-8 hours, or until firm enough to scoop.
- Serve the ice cream with more of the caramel/toffee sauce and toffee bits.
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