Craving something cold, creamy, and actually good for you? This dairy-free protein powder ice cream whips up in minutes, packs 11+ grams of protein, and tastes like a peanut butter chocolate chip indulgence. It's thick, sweet, and the best way to curb a craving without a sugar crash.
"Such a yummy recipe!! Love the protein boost and still getting to have a treat. My boys love the PB addition!" -Megan
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 20 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 6-7
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 306 kcals and 11 grams of protein
- 📋 Main Ingredients: Natural peanut butter, vegan protein powder, coconut cream, and frozen bananas.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Delicious peanut butter flavor wrapped in a fueling, cool summer treat.
Craving soft-serve but need fuel? This protein ice cream recipe gives you both: creamy indulgence and a protein boost with just five simple, dairy-free ingredients. Thanks to the frozen banana base, it’s ultra-thick and hard to resist mid-blend (same goes for this high-protein frozen yogurt).
Unlike typical treats, protein desserts help you hit your goals without cutting out sweets. Learn why I always keep recipes like this on hand, and why protein snack recipes are such a staple around the house. Learn more about the benefits of a high protein diet and why you want to amp up it up.
💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy to make: No ice cream maker is needed for this protein ice cream recipe, and you only need to grab 5 ingredients.
Versatile: Changing the flavor of the dairy-free ice cream is super easy as is transitioning it from a soft serve to hard ice cream. Learn exactly how to make protein ice cream and vary it.
Allergy-friendly: The recipe is naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan but can also be made paleo-friendly.
Ingredients You’ll Need
If you have a well-stocked gluten-free pantry foods, you probably already have everything you need to make protein ice cream! One of the perks of this no-churn protein ice cream is that it comes together so easily.
Frozen bananas: make sure your bananas are frozen as this is what gives the ice cream its creamy texture (just like mangos in this dairy-free mango ice cream). Peel them before popping them in the freezer.
Vanilla protein powder: This recipe was made with vegan protein powder, which absorbs liquid and thickens a ton. Know that the kind of protein powder you choose will affect both the flavor and texture of the ice cream.
Peanut butter: Natural peanut butter works best and make sure it’s fresh so that it swirls in evenly (same goes for desserts like these chocolate chip protein cookies).
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Flavor Variations
Since this protein powder ice cream has only 5 ingredients, it's really easy to switch up the flavors.
Chocolate: Swap out vanilla protein powder for chocolate or add 1 tablespoon of cacao powder to the mix.
Strawberry: Omit the peanut butter but swirl in some fresh or chopped frozen strawberries instead.
Nut butter swaps: Peanut butter is delicious but so is almond hazelnut. Switch up the nut butter to alter the flavor.
Make it into bars: Use this base in our high‑protein ice cream bars recipe, offering a cooler, biteable version of this treat.
Expert Tips
Bananas don’t freeze fully solid. To help out your blender, slice them into chunks before blending them. It will be easier to process this way!
You will have to stop and scrape down the sides while blending or use a food processor as the mixture is THICK. Do not add any liquid, though or your ice cream will turn into a smoothie.
You only want the thick white cream from the can of coconut milk. Drain any water. Depending on the brand, this is best done by letting the can sit in the fridge overnight upside down so that it separates easily. Learn more about types of coconut milk.
How To Make Protein Powder Ice Cream
Step 1: Add the coconut cream and peanut butter to a blender.
Step 2: Add in the remaining ingredients and process.
Step 3: Scoop into a lined baking pan and add swirl in the peanut butter and chocolate chips.
Step 4: Smooth it out and either enjoy it soft serve right away or chill it for 30 minutes to set into cones.
How To Serve It
This peanut butter protein ice cream comes out at the perfect soft serve. So long as the bananas were fully frozen, you can whip it up and use an ice cream scoop to portion it into bowls as is, just like chunky monkey vegan protein ice cream.
However, if you like your ice cream just a bit firmer, freeze it for 30-45 minutes. Then, use an ice cream scoop to scoop it into gluten-free ice cream cones.
Hack: If you know you want to freeze it to scoop, pre-freeze your loaf pan to cut down on time!
Choosing Protein Powder
The kind of protein powder you choose will matter as not all vegan protein powders are made the same. Some absorb more liquid than others and so the texture and flavor can be different. Learn more about how to choose a protein powder for your goals.
This peanut butter protein ice cream was made with Genuine Health’s Fermented Vegan Vanilla Protein Powder.
If you need to make the peanut butter ice cream paleo-approved, use a beef-based protein powder.
How To Store It
It's is best eaten the day of making it. However, you can store leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to one week.
To enjoy it again, you’ll have to thaw it on the counter for 5-10 minutes before scooping, and it’s best served in a bowl. Not as creamy, but harder.
Of course, you can also reblend it to make it creamier.
Protein Powder Ice Cream FAQs
All protein powders can be used to make protein powder ice cream. However, each kind will create a different texture. Vegan protein powders absorb liquid and create a thicker ice cream than whey protein powders. Whereas beef protein powders create a stickier ice cream. It may take a bit of experimentation with your favorite protein to really nail it down.
Similar to whey in the sense that collagen powder doesn’t absorb liquid and so the ice cream may come out a bit thinner. Likewise, it adds no flavor to the ice cream recipe, so you’ll want to consider that.
f the protein shake is extremely thick, you can freeze it to make a protein ice cream. This works best with frozen mango or bananas as a base as they create a creamier texture similar to ice cream once frozen.
Yes, you can mix protein powder into ice cream. There are lots of protein powder ice cream recipes that you can make from scratch. However, you could also thaw the ice cream slightly, mix the protein powder into ithe ce cream, and then re-freeze it to firm up the texture.
Other High-Protein Desserts You'll Love
If you tried this Peanut Butter Protein Powder Ice Cream Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Dairy-Free Protein Powder Ice Cream Recipe
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 Bananas frozen
- 2 tbs Natural peanut butter plus more for topping
- ¼ cup Vegan vanilla protein powder
- 2 tbs Coconut milk full fat, canned
- 2 tbs Mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add protein, peanut butter and cream to bottom of blender.
- Slice the frozen bananas to make it easier & add them to the blender.
- Process until smooth using a tamper as needed.
- Spread the mixture into an 8x4 silicone loaf pan and smooth it out.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and additional peanut butter if using.
- Enjoy as it or freeze for 20-40 minutes if you want to scoop it into a cone.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Missy says
This smoothie is so delicious and nutritious. Super simple and easy, it's my go-to post-workout treat!
fitasamamabear says
So happy you loved it!
Meghan says
Love that this can be made without an ice cream machine! It was super easy and the combination of bananas and chocolate is BOMB.
fitasamamabear says
Right?! No extra appliances lol