Thick and creamy Homemade Banana Milkshake recipe that’s bursting with fresh banana flavor. Super easy to make with only 3 ingredients. Can be be made with or without ice cream. Includes a lush, indulgent version, a healthy version, and 13 flavor variations – it’s absolutely irresistible!
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The BEST Banana Milkshake Recipe
Rich and creamy with a wonderful sweet banana flavor, here’s why you’ll love this homemade Banana Milkshake recipe:
- Only 3 ingredients
- Super easy and quick to make
- 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 for Banana Milkshake
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 for a Banana Shake
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 (with ice cream)
- Combine the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Tips for making a milkshake
- 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 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!
Healthy Banana Milkshake 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, it’s 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.
How to make a healthy banana milkshake without ice cream
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.
For a Vegan Banana Milkshake – use coconut or almond milk
Easy Banana Milkshake 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 Banana Milkshake recipes:
- Strawberry Banana Milkshake – to make a banana strawberry milkshake, use 1 banana and add 2 cups of sliced strawberries (fresh or frozen).
- Chocolate Banana Milkshake – for a choco banana milkshake, add 2-4 tablespoons of chocolate syrup or 2 tablespoons of cocoa or Nesquik (or to taste).
- Banana Peanut Butter Milkshake – to make a peanut butter banana milkshake, add ¼ - ½ cup peanut butter.
- Banana Pudding Milkshake – add ½ cup crushed vanilla wafer cookies. Top with whipped cream, banana slices, and crushed vanilla wafers.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Milkshake – add 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup and 2 tablespoons peanut butter, or to taste.
- Nutella Banana Milkshake – add 2-4 tablespoons of Nutella.
- Banana Oreo Milkshake – To make an Oreo banana milkshake, add 4 crushed Oreo cookies (or to taste).
- Blueberry Banana Milkshake – use 1 banana and 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- Mango Banana Milkshake – use 1 banana and 1 ½ cups peeled mango chunks.
- Banana Split Milkshake - 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 Milkshake - add 2 tablespoons salted caramel before blending and drizzle more caramel sauce over the top.
- Vegan Banana Milkshake – use coconut milk in place of the milk in the Healthy Banana Milkshake version (with frozen bananas and no ice cream).
Banana Milkshake FAQs
Do I need a blender to make a milkshake?
- 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.
How thick is this milkshake?
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.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Milkshakes are best served immediately after they are made.
Best Ever Banana Milkshake Recipe
- Total Time: 2 minutes
Description
Thick and creamy Homemade Banana Milkshake recipe that’s bursting with fresh banana flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 cups vanilla ice cream (290g, about 4 large scoops)
- 2 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
- ¼ – ¾ cups 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.
- Prep Time: 2
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: banana, milkshake, shake, dessert
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Wish I were holding one right now 🙂 It looks terrific!
Thanks so much, Angie!
Nothing like a cold, awesome and tasty banana milkshake on this 4th of July. Looks fantastic.
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Cookie Monster!
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.
Yes, MJ, those variations are so good! Thanks so much!
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!
My kids love these, especially with the Oreos! Thanks so much, Susan!
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…
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!
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
I love all the variations, Andrea. And banana is the perfect base for them. Thanks so much!
Yum! Homemade milkshakes are the best. Don't think I've ever had a banana one. But I will. 🙂
Thanks so much, John!
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
So happy you liked it, Angela! Thanks so much!