This Salty Date And Peanut Butter Nice Cream is a decadent dessert that comes together using frozen bananas, medjool dates, peanut butter, and coconut milk.
It’s a healthier version of ice cream that skips the refined sugar altogether, yet feels like a total indulgence. And when you sandwich it between your favorite cookies? You’re in for a real treat.
Similar to my Pineapple Avocado Nice Cream, this salty date and peanut butter vegan ice cream is made with simple ingredients and ready in minutes using a high-speed blender.
It delivers the best salted caramel flavor without needing an ice cream maker or fancy techniques. It’s soft, scoopable, and rich in caramel notes, thanks to the dates, and creamy, thanks to canned coconut milk.
It's a quick, delicious way to satisfy that sweet tooth while keeping things clean and nourishing. Whether you serve it in a bowl, in cones, or as ice cream sandwiches, it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Let's make this salty caramel nice cream!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Naturally Sweetened with Dates: No refined sugar or added syrups.
- Dairy-Free and Vegan: Ideal for those seeking a dairy-free frozen treat.
- Simple to Make: Just blend, freeze (if desired), and enjoy.
- Incredibly Creamy Texture: Frozen banana slices and coconut milk create that dreamy soft-serve texture.
Ingredients & Notes
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this luscious, salty date and peanut butter nice cream recipe:
- Frozen Bananas: Use overripe bananas for maximum sweetness and a creamy consistency. Break them into smaller pieces for an easier blending process.
- Medjool Dates: They’re soft, rich, and offer that signature salted caramel flavor.
- Canned Coconut Milk: This helps the nice cream base blend smoothly and adds a silky mouthfeel. Make sure to use only the creamy part; the rest can be used to thin out my Plantain Mash Recipe or to make smoothies.
- Peanut Butter: Natural peanut butter works best. If using unsalted, add a generous pinch of sea salt to enhance the caramel notes.
- Optional Pinch of Salt: Especially important if your peanut butter isn’t salted.
- Cookies or Cones of Choice (optional): Use homemade cookies or something like Einkorn Crispy Cocoa Cookies by Jovial to create delicious ice cream sandwiches or serve with your favorite cones.
How To Make It
See the full recipe with measurements in the recipe card.
Step One (Picture 1 above) - Add all the ingredients to your high-speed blender, starting with the dates and frozen fruit.
Step Two (Picture 2 above) - Start blending at the lowest speed and gradually increase to the highest speed, using the tamper if you have a Vitamix container, until you achieve a smooth, creamy consistency with no chunks remaining.
Step Three (Picture 3 above) - Enjoy immediately for a soft-serve experience, or transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for about 2 hours for a firmer consistency.
Top Tips
- Use Fully Ripe Bananas: For the creamiest texture and best results, make sure your bananas are fully ripe before freezing.
- Soften any Hardened Dates: If your dates are firm, soften them by soaking them for 5 to 10 minutes in hot water. This will help with a smoother blending process.
- Serve With a Topping: Serve with a drizzle of extra salted natural peanut butter or your favorite sugar-free date caramel sauce.
- Serve in Cones or Make Ice Cream Sandwiches: Scoop the nice cream between cookies and press gently or serve in cones for a more decadent treat!
Storage
Store leftover nice cream in a freezer-safe container covered with parchment paper, touching the top of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming.
For the best texture and flavor, enjoy it within 2 weeks. Before serving, let the container sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes to achieve the right consistency for scooping.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe uses clean ingredients like dates, frozen fruit, and plant-based milk. There’s no refined sugar or dairy—just real, whole foods.
Absolutely! This salty date and peanut butter nice cream base is incredibly versatile. Add cocoa powder, swirl in chocolate sauce, or fold in chocolate chips for variations.
More Peanut Butter Recipes To Try Next
📖 Recipe
Salty Date and Peanut Butter Nice Cream
Mariska RamondinoEquipment
Ingredients
- 5 pitted dates
- 4 tablespoons coconut milk see note
- 2 frozen, ripe bananas
- 3 tablespoons peanut butter plus extra for garnish
- A generous pinch of salt if using unsalted peanut butter
Instructions
- Place the dates and the creamy part of the coconut milk into a high-speed blender first. Then add the frozen bananas and the remaining ingredients.5 pitted dates, 4 tablespoons coconut milk, 2 frozen, ripe bananas, 3 tablespoons peanut butter
- Turn the blender on, starting with the lowest speed setting, then turn the power to the highest speed setting. For a Vitamix, use the tamper tool to rotate the ingredients. Blend until you get a beautiful creamy soft-serve consistency with no fruit chunks remaining.
- Serve immediately or for harder scoopable ice cream, transfer to a freezer-safe dish and freeze for 2 hours (see note). Scoop and serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Break frozen bananas into smaller pieces before adding them to the blender.
- The creamy part of the canned coconut milk lends a nice consistency to this healthy ice cream, adding a silky-rich texture. You can use the liquid part in a smoothie like my Pineapple and Green Banana Turmeric Smoothie.
- If you don't like any chunks of Medjool dates in your ice cream, blend until all pieces are completely pulverized. With some appliances, this might make the ice cream a bit too soft to serve immediately. If that's the case, store it in the freezer for another hour or two, then take it out and let it rest for a bit at room temperature (for 15 to 20 minutes, if too firm) before serving to make it scoopable.
- Storing in freezer: Use a freezer-safe container, or a loaf pan covered with parchment paper, making sure the parchment paper touches the surface of the ice cream to prevent freezer burn. Store for up to 2 weeks for the best texture and flavor. When you're ready to serve, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften before scooping.
- I use my Vitamix to make nice cream, but you can adapt the technique depending on your appliance. For example, if using a food processor, fit it with an "S" blade. You may need to stop and scrape the machine down once or twice to ensure everything continues to move and blend smoothly.
- Make salty date and peanut butter ice cream sandwiches: Use your favorite cookies, or try my soft Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies to make ice cream sandwiches. It's delicious!
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Nutrition (% Daily value)
Disclaimer: This nutritional data is calculated using third party tools and is only intended as a reference.
Mariska Ramondino says
Don’t let the simple, wholesome ingredients fool you—this is a decadent treat that tastes absolutely delicious.