The summer months are quickly approaching us, and the weather is getting hotter and hotter. There is only one solution to beat the upcoming heat – ice cream! But, ice cream is usually filled with dairy and lots of sugar. If you’re trying to eat healthy or clean, ice cream isn’t exactly the best choice.
Luckily, there is a way to get that same frozen, creamy dessert without all that dairy and sugar. Instead of eating ice cream, make some nice cream at home instead. It’s a much healthier twist on the classic frozen dessert, but tastes just as good. Here are 20+ delicious and healthy nice cream flavors and recipes you can try to treat yourself and your family!
What is Nice Cream?
Nice cream is a “nice” version of ice cream! Instead of being dairy-based, the guilt-free ice cream is made from frozen fruit. The fruit is blended with a liquid (i.e. almond milk) until it has a custardy texture.
Most nice cream recipes are made with frozen bananas. They give an awesome creamy texture and their taste doesn’t overwhelm any other flavorings you want to add in. That being said, you can use other fruits like mangos or strawberries.
Though it’s not technically ice cream, nice cream has a similar taste and texture. Without all the added sugar and dairy though! It’s an awesome vegan and clean version of ice cream.
1. Vanilla Birthday Cake Nice Cream
We’re starting off this list with a bang! This birthday cake nice cream is fun, sweet, and delightfully creamy. With only bananas, almond milk, vanilla and sprinkles, you can make this colorful nice cream at home!
Adjust the amount of sweetener used to make it fit your tastes. Or, switch up the sprinkles to fit whatever occasion you’re celebrating. For example, if you add in some heart-shaped sprinkles, it becomes a Valentine’s day nice cream!
Confetti Birthday Cake Nice Cream Recipe
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2. Healthy 3-Ingredient Cauliflower Ice Cream
What if I told you that you could eat bananas, cauliflowers and honey in the same bowl? And what if I told you you’d love the odd combination? That’s precisely what we’re doing today, a cauliflower and honey ice cream that’s infinitely tastier than it sounds.
What started as an experiment to get rid of a few extra bags of cauliflower rice in my freezer turned out into a fantastic treat, one I just couldn’t wait to share with you. Let’s face it; we’re not eating enough veggies, especially cauliflower, which is amongst the most unpopular vegs out there, so let’s show some love to the tiny white tree and make some ice cream with it. Why not?
Healthy 3 Ingredient Cauliflower Ice Cream
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3. Strawberry Banana Nice Cream
You know what they say, the simpler, the better! And yes, I have been obsessed with this lovely strawberry banana nice cream. The strawberries give it a beautiful tart flavor that balances beautifully with the banana. Strawberries are in their peak season during the summer months, so it is the perfect time to make this nice cream. Its cute pink color makes it fun to eat as well.
Fold in some chocolate chips before freezing the strawberry nice cream to turn it into a strawberry chocolate flavor! Serve the nice cream in a waffle cone and top it all off with some freshly sliced strawberries for a nice presentation.
Strawberry Ice Cream Made in the Food Processor
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4. Double Chocolate Oreo (Cookies and Cream) Nice Cream
Healthy chocolate ice cream? With Oreos? I know. It doesn’t sound possible, but it is! This lovely chocolate cookies and cream nice cream is low in fat and calories. It is super easy to make as well, so you can relieve those chocolate cravings at any time. Nice cream doesn’t just have to be for summer.
The nice cream is delicious as is, but if you want to take it to the next level, add in some instant coffee granules. Coffee brings out the flavor of chocolate without making the nice cream taste like coffee. You can also freeze the nice cream in popsicle molds for a more fun presentation!
Chocolate Oreo (Cookies & Cream) Nice Cream Recipe Made Using Bananas
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5. Salty & Sweet Peanut Butter Nice Cream Recipe
Here’s a nice cream recipe that combines sweet, salty and nutty all together! Like all my favorite nice cream recipes, this Sweet & Salty Peanut Butter Nice Cream Recipe is simple and easy, and prepared all in the food processor. The frozen bananas and peanut butter make a fantastic pairing, and if the bananas aren’t sweet enough you can even add some honey or maple syrup to make these sweeter!
Salty & Sweet Peanut Butter Nice Cream Recipe
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6. Honey Avocado Nice Cream
Bananas make a super smooth nice cream base, but adding avocado makes it so much creamier. Its silky texture isn’t the only thing going for it. With a drizzle of honey, the avocado nice cream has the perfect balance of sweetness without being overwhelming. Enjoy it scooped onto a waffle cone or in a bowl with extra honey!
Once in a while I like to add a bit of lemon juice to the nice cream. It gives it a nice acidity that gives a nice contrast to the sweet honey flavors. Experiment with toppings and see what you like with this avocado nice cream!
Honey Avocado Nice Cream Recipe
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7. Nutella Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream
I loved the regular avocado nice cream that I just had to try a chocolate version! Just 4 ingredients are all you need to make these fudgy & sweet Nutella chocolate avocado ice cream: ripe avocados, frozen bananas, Nutella and cocoa powder. The ripe avocados give this ice cream a silky creamy mouthfeel, while the frozen bananas provide the thick scoopable texture of real ice cream. Blend it up in a food processor and once it’s frozen, it’s done! That rich and nutty flavor of Nutella is so good, you might even forget that it’s healthy!
Nutella Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream
8. Easy Blueberry Nice Cream
Here’s a recipe for a healthy, all-natural blueberry nice cream that’s not only low carb but also gluten-, dairy-, and egg-free. Tart and sweet, this blueberry nice cream is made using just 3 wholesome ingredients, all in the food processor. Making ice cream with this method is also insanely easy, and the result is delicious!
3-Ingredient Blueberry Nice Cream Recipe Using Bananas
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9. Three Ingredient Coffee Banana Nicecream
With just 3 ingredients, you can make this delicious vegan coffee banana nice cream! By using frozen bananas, the nice cream becomes thick and creamy – just like ice cream. To keep this nice cream low in calories, the recipe uses stevia. But, you can use any sweetener you would like! Make it your own thing.
There’s not much that could make this coffee banana nice cream better. Except for chocolate! Fold in a couple chocolate chips, or break up some chocolate on top of the nice cream. To keep it all vegan and clean, use my keto chocolate recipe.
Healthy 3 Ingredient Coffee Banana Nicecream
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10. Nutella Nice Cream
Most of my nice cream recipes just uses 3 ingredients, but this Nutella nice cream goes a step further and only needs 2 ingredients! It’s creamy, thick, and full of nutty flavors. By using Nutiva instead of Nutella, this nice cream is lower in sugar, dairy-free and vegan-friendly. So, everyone in the family can enjoy this yummy nice cream without worry.
Since it has only 2 ingredients, there are many ways you could switch up this recipe. Add in some oats or chocolate chips for a bit of texture. Or drizzle a little caramel on top of the Nutella nice cream for a more extravagant dessert experience.
2-Ingredient Healthy Nutella Nice Cream Recipe
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11. Black Sesame Nice Cream
By now, you know I love black sesame seeds; well, I found yet another way to enjoy them!
To make black sesame nice cream, you need frozen bananas, toasted sesame seeds finely ground into powder and your sweetener of choice — that’s monk fruit extract for me but try it with honey if calories are not an issue for you.
Bananas give the frozen dessert a creamy texture without relying on dairy, while sesame seeds are the dominant flavor. Think of a nutty, slightly smoky flavor and a gritty texture that reminds me of cookies and cream.
3-Ingredient Black Sesame Nice Cream Recipe
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12. Vegan Pumpkin Pie Spice Nice Cream
Nice cream doesn’t have to be just for the summer, and this pumpkin pie nice cream proves that. With its cinnamon-y pumpkin pie flavors, each bite feels like Autumn. Despite being a cold treat, it truly warms the soul. Better yet, it only requires 4 accessible ingredients and no churning!
I love how smooth the pumpkin pie spice nice cream is, but feel free to add in some nuts or dried fruits to switch up its texture and taste. Or, fold in some cocoa powder to make it a chocolate-y pumpkin pie nice cream!
Healthy Pumpkin Spice Nicecream
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13. Healthy 3 Ingredient Matcha Nicecream
Making icecream at home has never been easier! This guilt-free ice cream (aka “nicecream”) is made in the food processor with just 3 ingredients. The matcha powder is a real star in this icecream, providing the deep earthy flavor and vibrant green color. It’s a perfect cold treat that’s thick, sweet and smooth. And only 100 calories per serving!
Healthy 3 Ingredient Matcha Nicecream
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14. Purple Sweet Potato Ice Cream
Yes, more Asian inspired flavors! I love classic ice cream flavors like vanilla, strawberry and chocolate, but I’m always aching for new and creative flavors like this one, the purple sweet potato ice cream! It’s sweet, it’s healthy, it’s cold and fudgy–here is one ice cream recipe that you can make any time and feel great about eating.
No Churn Purple Sweet Potato Ice Cream
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15. Maple Walnut Nice Cream
This walnut nice cream recipe takes an extra step that makes its flavor out of this world. The important step is to soak the walnuts for a few hours and use the soaking water in the recipe. Using the water gives the nice cream a much more pronounced walnut flavor that you won’t get enough of.
The nutty flavors of the nice cream are only further highlighted by the maple extract. It has a lovely balance of sweet notes and nuttiness. Once you get a taste of this maple walnut nice cream, you won’t mind waiting for a bit to soak the walnuts!
Maple Walnut Nice Cream
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16. Biscoff Nice Cream
Honestly, Lotus Biscoff cookies are a guilty pleasure of mine. Their caramel flavor and crumbly texture are just so addicting! Luckily, these cookies are vegan, so it was easy to make a healthy Lotus Biscoff nice cream. It’s indulgent, flavorful and guilt-free. What could be better than that?
This rich, buttery cookie nice cream will be a huge hit with your family and friends. Top the nice cream with some crumbled cookies or chocolate for a boost of flavor and texture. This nice cream proves you don’t have to give up your favorite goodies to eat healthy.
Healthier Biscoff Nice Cream Recipe
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17. Chocolate Avocado Fudge Pops
Fudge pops are a classic summer treat, but they are not exactly vegan-friendly. By using bananas and avocado, this healthy fudge pop dupe is an awesome substitute. The bananas make it nice and sweet, while the avocado gives them that classic creamy texture. I like to use dark chocolate for these fudge pops, but feel free to switch it up to fit your tastes!
Mix in some nuts, seeds, or even oatmeal for a little nutrition and texture boost. The chocolate avocado fudge pops last in the freezer for 3 months, so you can enjoy them all summer long.
Chocolate Avocado Fudge Pops
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18. Cinnamon Toast Crunch Nice Cream
This nice cream flavor may seem a little crazy, but trust me – it’s incredible. Cinnamon Toast Crunch goes so well with nice cream! Blend together frozen bananas, almond milk, cinnamon powder and Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal for an awesome nice cream flavor. It’s a fun dessert that both the adults and kids will love.
It is sweet, cinnamon-y, and has a bit of crunch from the bits of cereal. There are so many layers to this nice cream that you’ll definitely be making this year-round.
The cereal has quite a bit of sugar in it, so this recipe skips any added sugar. But, feel free to add some if you want a sweeter end result.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Nice Cream Recipe
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19. Chocolate Covered Raspberry Nice Cream Bars
Raspberry nice cream alone is delicious, but covering it in chocolate takes it to a whole new level. The raspberry has a delightfully sweet and tart taste that balances with the bitterness of the chocolate. If you don’t have ice cream bar molds, no worries. Enjoy the raspberry nice cream as a soft serve treat, and drizzle on some chocolate sauce! Or skip the chocolate if you want. Either way, it will be incredible.
To enjoy the chocolate raspberry nice cream as a midday summer snack, add in a tablespoon of protein powder when blending. This will give a great protein boost to fill you up and give you some energy.
Raspberry Nice Cream Bars
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20. Chickpea Cookie Dough Nice Cream Recipe
If you’ve ever had a chance to try chickpea cookie dough you probably know that cooked chickpeas are a surprisingly yummy substitute for actual cookie dough. Well, it turns out that chickpea is also a great add in for ice cream recipes, too. Here’s an easy homemade 6-ingredient chickpea cookie dough nice cream recipe that’s made in the food processor (as in, no ice cream maker required!)
Chickpea Cookie Dough Nice Cream Recipe
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21. Pecan Butter Ice Cream
You may have heard of Butter Pecan ice cream, but what about Pecan Butter Ice Cream? Made using frozen bananas, pecan butter, molasses and pecans, this healthy pecan butter ice cream is made all in the food processor and full of a toasted pecan and praline flavor that’s sure to be a hit with the whole family!
Pecan Butter Ice Cream
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is nice cream?
Nice cream is a catchy umbrella term for a wide variety of creamy frozen treats, often dairy-free, fruit-based desserts that might look and taste like ice cream, but they aren’t.
Although frozen treats have been around for a while, the nice cream trend, often referring to treats based on frozen bananas (for their creamy texture), hit the mainstream at least a decade ago, with the rise of healthier eating and a strong desire to stay away from dairy for diverse reasons. Nice creams can be flavored with many ingredients, often fruit, and they tend to be dairy-free, low carb and all-natural.
Why is it called nice cream?
The USDA defines ice cream as a mixture of dairy ingredients, sweeteners and flavorings. Stabilizers and emulsifiers are common, too, but, by federal law, ice cream must contain at least 10% milk fat.
Therefore, producers can’t sell dairy-free ice cream as such. That’s where the term nice cream comes in. The Macmillan dictionary defines nice cream as a “vegan non-dairy ice cream made with bananas.” Not many other reputable dictionaries have “official” definitions for the term (yet), but we agree that the term is catchy. Nice cream might not be ice cream, but it’s nice!
What does nice cream taste like?
Nice cream tastes like anything you want since the flavoring ingredients determine its profile, whether it’s chocolate, blueberries or anything in between. Nice cream is also always sweet, although that doesn’t mean you can’t sweeten it with sugar alternatives. Finally, nice cream is creamy, and that’s because most recipes call for frozen bananas, although nut butters can help with the creaminess as well.
What is the texture of nice cream like?
Nice creams are frozen treats with a creamy and silky texture thanks to starchy bananas and other creamy ingredients, such as chocolate fudge or peanut butter. The secret behind a fluffy nice cream is pulsing or blending the ingredients to incorporate some air into the mixture.
Is nice cream low calorie?
Compared to commercial ice cream, yes. Nice cream is a low-calorie alternative. If you sweeten it with stevia, monk fruit, or your favorite zero-calorie sweetener, it will be even healthier calorie-wise. Of course, keep in mind bananas, almond milk, fruits, nuts and chocolate; they all have natural carbs, and their calories can add up.
See All my Nice Cream Recipes (HERE)
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