Banana ice is exactly what I make when I’m torn between having my ice coffee black and strong, or opting in for one of my favorite (healthier!) lattes – the banana latte. It’s a compromise, and I love it. The reason it’s a compromise is because as the ice melts, it turns your black coffee into a banana latte, so you get two drinks in one!
There’s also a great way to make this ice into a strawberry version, if you’re feeling fun and fruity in a different way. I’ll have instructions for both below!
Mistakes to avoid while making banana ice
Okay, before we dive into the recipe, there are a few common mistakes to avoid while you are making banana ice for your cold brew, and it’ll help you down the line – I promise!
The first mistake is that people don’t add enough banana – we’re doing nearly the same amount of banana to milk here! You want your banana milk to be somewhat thick, kind of like heavy cream. If there’s too much milk and not enough banana, the banana won’t blend fully and the latte won’t be sweet enough. And both would be a very sad thing for your banana ice.
The next mistake is not blending the banana milk enough – if your ice melts and you have clumps of thawed banana in there….that does not sound like a good latte. This recipe calls for you to blend the banana milk for 60-90 seconds, which might feel overkill, but it will help the banana fully blend and also allow the sugar to melt into the banana milk!
The last mistake is making your ice cubes too big – if you have your coffee but the ice cubes are too big, then they’ll take forever to melt, and the whole point of starting with one drink and ending with another will be moot! Freeze smaller cubes, so they’ll melt as you drink!
My favorite ice cube trays for this recipe
I love a silicone ice cube tray because it makes removing ice that much easier. It’s also nice to have trays that make smaller ice, this is because of the chew and melt factor. I like ice that isn’t too big (especially when referencing the mistakes I talk about above!).
I love this ice cube tray for this recipe, as well as for normal ice to make at home!
What about strawberry ice?
Strawberry ice (which you can see above!) is similar to banana ice, but has a slightly different method. The reason it has a different method is because blended strawberries don’t blend as well as banana, so the ice needs to strain them out first.
To make strawberry ice, simply add 100 grams of strawberries to a small bowl. Add the same amount of sugar the recipe calls for and macerate the strawberries, mashing them with a fork. Let the strawberries sit for 30 minutes, then pour in the milk. Mix until it looks light pink. Strain out the strawberries, then add the strawberry milk into the ice cube trays and follow the remaining recipe instructions!
And that’s it for this cold brew and banana ice recipe!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Banana Ice
Ever been conflicted between wanting an iced banana latte and wanting your black cold brew that you know and love so much? Enter scene: banana ice! A blend between the two, where as the ice melts, your coffee gets sweeter, so you can get your hit of caffeine along with your healthy banana latte energy.
Ingredients
- 1 medium banana 3.5 ounces / 100 grams
- 1/2 cup plant-based milk of choice 4 ounces / 118 grams
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar optional, but quite delicious
Instructions
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The more ripe your banana the better. Add the banana, milk, ground cinnamon and sugar to a blender and blend for 60-90 seconds. This might seem overkill, but it helps the sugar dissolve into the milk, and ensures you won’t have any banana chunks sticking around!
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You want the texture thick and smooth, similar to heavy cream. Keep blending until you get that consistency.
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Pour the banana milk into two ice cube trays. The ice will be small, but that will help it melt faster into your iced coffee!
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Freeze for six hours up to overnight.
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Serve by adding the ice to a glass and pouring over your cold brew of choice.
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For a variation on strawberry ice, see Note.
Notes
Let the strawberries sit for 30 minutes, then pour in the milk. Mix until it looks light pink.
Strain out the strawberries, then add the strawberry milk into the ice cube trays and follow the remaining recipe instructions!
