Thick and creamy Homemade Banana Milkshake recipe that’s bursting with fresh banana flavor. Super easy to make with only 3 ingredients. Can be made with or without ice cream. Includes a lush, indulgent version, a healthy version, and 13 flavor variations – it’s absolutely irresistible!
If you love this sweet banana beverage, try my homemade strawberry milk or for a frostier drink, my easy, homemade banana milk!
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🥇 The BEST banana milkshake recipe
Rich and creamy with a sweet banana flavor, here’s why you’ll love this homemade banana shake recipe:
- Only 3 ingredients
- Super easy and quick to make
- Creamy texture
- The perfect ratio of bananas, ice cream, and milk
- Absolutely addictive flavor
- With or without ice cream versions
- Lush, indulgent version plus a healthy version
- 13 flavor variations from strawberry banana to chocolate peanut butter banana to banana Oreo
- Can make in a blender, food processor, hand mixer, or by hand
- The perfect way to use up ripe bananas
📖 Ingredients
This easy, homemade banana milkshake recipe has only 3 ingredients:
- Bananas – use ripe, speckled bananas, fresh or frozen, for the most flavor. I use fresh bananas. For an extra thick milkshake you can use frozen banana slices.
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Milk - the higher the fat percentage of your milk, the creamier your milkshake will be. I use whole milk.
🍌 Fresh or frozen bananas
You can use fresh or frozen bananas for this easy banana shake. Frozen bananas will make the shake thicker and creamier, however it may make the shake harder to get smooth in a low powered blender.
If you have trouble getting it smooth using frozen banana slices, let the ice cream soften slightly or add a little extra milk to help the blender process it.
A high-powered blender will have no problem getting everything smooth and creamy. I recently upgraded to this Kitchen Aid Blender, and I absolutely love it. I was amazed at the difference in how easily it made the shake perfectly smooth!
If you want a thicker shake and you have a lower powered blender, use the food processor instead.
👩🏻🍳 How to make a banana milkshake
- Combine the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
🔑 Tips for success
- Use more or less milk, depending on how thick or thin you like your milkshake and how high powered your blender is. A good blender will need only ¼ cup of milk (or even less). A lower powered blender will need a little more milk to help it blend smoothly.
- Use ripe, speckled bananas for the sweetest banana flavor.
- To help your shake stay cold longer, chill your glasses in the freezer beforehand.
- Serve the banana shake immediately after making it before it melts.
- Don’t add ice, it will water the shake down.
🥛 How to make a banana shake without ice cream
No ice cream on hand? For a super creamy Banana Milkshake without ice cream – use frozen banana slices and cream or half and half instead of milk. Add a little vanilla and sugar to taste. It will taste just like the milkshake made with ice cream!
🍌 Healthy banana shake recipe
A banana milkshake with ice cream is a great summertime dessert or treat, but for every day, I love this healthy banana milkshake without ice cream.
With pure banana flavor, this smoothie is thick, creamy, and contains only frozen bananas and milk. With only 147 calories, it’s like banana Nice Cream, but with more milk added to make a milkshake.
Simply blend frozen banana slices (from 2 bananas) and milk (about 1 cup) until smooth and creamy. Add a little vanilla to taste, if you like.
💡Flavor variations
There’s so many ways to change up your banana milkshake – from strawberries to peanut butter to Nutella. Here are some of my favorite variations:
- Strawberry Banana – to make a banana strawberry milkshake, use 1 banana and add 2 cups of sliced strawberries (fresh or frozen).
- Chocolate Banana – use chocolate ice cream or add 2-4 tablespoons of chocolate syrup or 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder or Nesquik (or to taste).
- Banana Peanut Butter – to make a peanut butter banana milkshake, add ¼ - ½ cup peanut butter.
- Banana Pudding – add ½ cup crushed vanilla wafer cookies. Top with whipped cream, banana slices, and crushed vanilla wafers.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana – add 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup and 2 tablespoons peanut butter, or to taste.
- Nutella Banana – add 2-4 tablespoons of Nutella.
- Banana Oreo – To make an Oreo banana milkshake, add 4 crushed Oreo cookies (or to taste).
- Blueberry Banana – use 1 banana and 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- Mango Banana – use 1 banana and 1 ½ cups peeled mango chunks.
- Banana Split - Swirl glass with chocolate sauce before pouring in the milkshake. Top with whipped cream, more fudge sauce, sprinkles, and a maraschino cherry.
- Banana Malt - You can turn your milkshake into a malt by adding 2 tablespoons malt powder.
- Salted Caramel Banana - add 2 tablespoons salted caramel before blending and drizzle more caramel sauce over the top.
- Vegan Banana – use coconut milk in place of the milk in the Healthy Banana Milkshake version (with frozen bananas and no ice cream). You can also make the regular version with dairy-free ice cream.
- Spiced Banana – add ⅛ teaspoon (or to taste) of warm spices such as ground cinnamon and ginger
❓ FAQ's
If you don’t have a blender, you can use a food processor to mix up the milkshake. This will work for both the with-ice cream or without-ice cream shakes.
If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a hand mixer.
You can even mix it by hand. Just smash the bananas with a fork first and let the ice cream soften somewhat so that it can be mixed.
You can make this milkshake thick enough to eat with a spoon or thin enough to sip through a straw depending on how much milk you add and how much milk your blender needs to process it smoothly. If you have a lower powered blender and you want a thicker shake, use the food processor instead.
Milkshakes are best served immediately after they are made.
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Recipe
Best Ever Banana Milkshake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups vanilla ice cream 290g, about 4 large scoops
- 2 ripe bananas peeled and sliced
- ¼ - ¾ cup milk
- Optional toppings: Whipped cream, Sprinkles, Maraschino cherries
Instructions
- In a blender, blend together ice cream, bananas, and milk.
- Pour into chilled glasses and garnish with whipped cream, sprinkles, and a cherry.
Notes
- How to make a banana milkshake without ice cream - No ice cream on hand? For a super creamy Banana Milkshake without ice cream – use frozen banana slices and cream or half and half instead of milk. Add a little vanilla and sugar to taste. It will taste just like the milkshake made with ice cream! Use as much cream or half and half to get the shake as thick or thin as you want it.
Nutrition
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Ron says
What am I doing wrong??? I have a powerful blender. I tried with different amounts of milk. from 1/3 cup to none. no matter how much I use it comes out watery and thin. I used 2 bananas 4 scoops and a varied amount of milk. Started with 1/3 cup and cut back until I was using no milk. My blender is powerful enough to use hard ice cream. I don't need to let it soften. I can barely scoop it. But every time it comes out thin. Easy to pour. I remember getting milkshakes at the local fountain that were so thick you couldn't suck them through a straw at first. You needed to use a spoon till it melted a bit. But I can't seem to make a thick banana shake. 🙁
Kelly says
Hi Ron! It sounds like your blender is pretty powerful and liquidizing the milkshake. You can try blending for less time, not using milk (which is pretty much just to make it easier to blend), and/or slice the bananas and freeze them first.
Sandra says
This was fantastic! How will I ever go back to banana smoothies?! I added a pinch of ground cinnamon and vanilla extract for a banana bread vibe.
Kelly says
Thanks so much, Sandra!
Rachel says
This is the best and simplest banana shake recipe I've ever made.
Kelly says
So happy you liked it! Thanks Rachel!
Liza says
I love it so much
Kelly says
So happy you liked it, Liza! Thanks so much!
Angela Flener says
I know Milkshakes, it's always been a favorite treat. I Followed this exact recipe and WOW!! ONE OF THE BEST EVER, SO SIMPLE YET SO VERY DELICIOUS. THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR RECIPES
Kelly says
So happy you liked it, Angela! Thanks so much!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Yum! Homemade milkshakes are the best. Don't think I've ever had a banana one. But I will. 🙂
Kelly says
Thanks so much, John!
Andrea says
Dear Kelly, this is truly the best ever recipe for a Banana Milkshake. Love how pretty the presentation is and how elegant it looks. And it is also good to know that there are many alternative ways/flavors to prepare the shake. Oftentimes, there are banana leftovers lingering around in the fruit bowl-next time that happens, I will think of your recipe, pull out the tall glasses and make Banana Milkshakes for the kids and myself.
Take care,
Andrea
Kelly says
I love all the variations, Andrea. And banana is the perfect base for them. Thanks so much!
David Scott Allen says
It’s really funny, Kelly, that Mark will not eat a banana, but he will eat banana cream pie! (Yes, I know it has bananas in it… I just can’t figure that man out!) I actually think he would love the banana milkshake! I’m getting vanilla ice cream tomorrow at the market, so I make pick up some bananas too. Stay tuned…
Kelly says
I hope he likes it, David. I find myseld craving it way too often. And now I'm craving banana cream pie! Thanks so much!
Susan says
So pretty!! I can't wait to try these with our grandsons! Usually, they opt for root beer floats but I'll bet they'll love these too! Thank you, Kelly!
Kelly says
My kids love these, especially with the Oreos! Thanks so much, Susan!
mjskitchen says
Can't remember the last time I had a milkshake much less make one. With the hot weather we're having, it sounds so good! Love banana milkshake, but your salted caramel and banana fosters variations really have me intrigued. Time to pick up more bananas.
Kelly says
Yes, MJ, those variations are so good! Thanks so much!
Cookie Monster says
Nothing like a cold, awesome and tasty banana milkshake on this 4th of July. Looks fantastic.
Kelly says
Thanks so much, Cookie Monster!
angiesrecipes says
Wish I were holding one right now 🙂 It looks terrific!
Kelly says
Thanks so much, Angie!