Banana Soft Recipe

Prepare bananas

Peel and slice 3 ripe bananas. Place them in a blender or food processor and pulse until mostly smooth but still slightly textured (about 30–45 seconds). You should have approximately 3 cups of mashed banana.

Warm milk and sugars

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine 1 cup milk, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon light brown sugar. Stir until the sugars dissolve and the mixture is warm but not boiling (about 2–3 minutes). Remove from heat.

Combine base ingredients

Add the warm milk mixture to the blender with the mashed bananas. Add 1 cup heavy cream (or coconut cream), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of fine sea salt. Blend until smooth, about 20–30 seconds. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed by adding up to 1 additional tablespoon sugar, blending briefly to combine.

Incorporate optional cheese

If using, add 2 tablespoons mascarpone or cream cheese to the blender and blend 10–15 seconds more until fully incorporated for extra creaminess.

Make cornstarch slurry

In a small bowl, whisk 1 teaspoon cornstarch into 2 tablespoons cold water until fully dissolved and smooth with no lumps.

Temper and thicken

Return the banana-milk mixture to the saucepan and warm gently over low heat. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry gradually. Keep stirring for 2–3 minutes until mixture thickens slightly — it should coat the back of a spoon. Do not boil vigorously; just maintain a gentle simmer to activate the cornstarch.

Cool before freezing or chilling

Remove from heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes). For faster cooling, transfer to a shallow bowl and place in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally so it cools evenly.

Using an ice cream maker (soft-serve)

If you have an ice cream maker, pour the cooled banana mixture into the machine and churn according to manufacturer instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency (typically 20–30 minutes). At the last 2–3 minutes, add chopped nuts or chocolate if using.

No ice cream maker (quick freeze method)

Pour the cooled mixture into a shallow, freezer-safe container and freeze for 45–60 minutes. After 45 minutes, remove and vigorously whisk or use a hand mixer for 1 minute to break up ice crystals. Return to freezer and repeat whisking every 30 minutes for 2–3 rounds, until it reaches a smooth, scoopable soft texture (about 2–3 hours total). Fold in nuts or chocolate during the final whisking round.

Softening & serving

If frozen firmer than desired, let the banana soft sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before serving to reach a soft-serve consistency. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons caramel sauce and sprinkle 2 tablespoons chocolate or 1/4 cup toasted nuts as garnish if desired.

Store leftover Banana Soft in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. To re-soften, transfer to the refrigerator for 30–60 minutes or sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes and stir once to restore creaminess.