When you want something cold, creamy and seriously chocolatey, ice cream is hard to beat. But what if your ice cream could also be made with a handful of nourishing ingredients and a good hit of protein?
Enter this Chocolate Avocado Protein Ice Cream.
It is rich, creamy and naturally sweetened with banana and a little honey, with avocado adding an incredibly smooth texture. Add cocoa powder for that deep chocolate flavour, yogurt for creaminess and protein powder for a satisfying boost, and you have got a frozen treat that tastes far more indulgent than the ingredient list suggests.
And the best part? There is no ice cream maker required.
This is exactly the kind of recipe that fits the Blended Bites approach to eating. Rather than taking things away, we are adding delicious, nutrient-rich ingredients to create a dessert that feels like a treat while also bringing something nourishing to the table.
Why Avocado Makes Amazing Ice Cream
If you have never added avocado to a sweet frozen recipe before, prepare to be pleasantly surprised.
Ripe avocado has a naturally creamy texture and a mild flavour, which makes it perfect for blending into desserts. Once combined with banana, cocoa and honey, the avocado becomes almost impossible to detect. It also helps create that lovely thick, velvety consistency that makes homemade protein ice cream feel much more like traditional ice cream.
For the best result, choose an avocado that is ripe but not overripe. You want the flesh to be soft and creamy without any strong or bitter flavour.
The Secret Is The Banana
Frozen banana is one of my favourite ingredients for creating quick homemade ice cream. When blended, frozen banana becomes wonderfully creamy and naturally sweet. It also means you don’t need to add lots of extra sweetener. The banana and honey work together here to provide the sweetness, while cocoa powder adds the rich chocolate flavour.
If you prefer a less sweet chocolate ice cream, you can reduce the honey or leave it out altogether, depending on the sweetness of your protein powder and banana.
Add A Protein Boost
Protein powder turns this simple chocolate ice cream into something much more satisfying. Use your favourite chocolate or vanilla protein powder. Chocolate gives you an extra-deep chocolate flavour, while vanilla creates a lovely chocolate-vanilla combination.
Protein powders vary considerably in sweetness, flavour and how much liquid they absorb, so you may need to make a small adjustment when blending. If the mixture is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of milk until your blender can easily do its job.
That is one of the advantages of making your own treats – you can adjust them to suit your taste.
A Dessert You Can Feel Good About Making
There is something wonderful about having a homemade chocolate treat waiting in the freezer. Instead of reaching for a highly processed dessert when the chocolate craving hits, you can scoop yourself a bowl of this creamy protein ice cream.
And because it is made with ingredients like banana, avocado, yogurt, cocoa and protein powder, you are adding some useful nutrition along with the pleasure of eating something delicious.
That is Addition Eating in action. We are not worrying about what we “shouldn’t” eat. We are simply adding more nourishing ingredients to something we already love.
How To Make Chocolate Avocado Protein Ice Cream
Start by freezing your banana ahead of time. Slice it before freezing so it is easier for your blender or food processor to handle.
Add the frozen banana, ripe avocado, yogurt, protein powder, cocoa powder and honey to a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until thick and completely smooth.
You may need to stop and scrape down the sides once or twice. If the mixture is too thick to blend, add a tablespoon of milk at a time until you reach that wonderfully thick, soft-serve consistency.
You can enjoy it immediately for a soft-serve style dessert, or transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 1–2 hours for a firmer scoopable texture. If frozen for longer, allow it to sit at room temperature for several minutes before scooping.
Make It Your Own
This chocolate avocado protein ice cream is delicious as it is, but toppings can make it even more fun. Try chopped nuts, cacao nibs, shredded coconut, fresh berries, sliced banana or a drizzle of nut butter. For an extra chocolate hit, add a few dark chocolate chips before serving.You can also add a tiny pinch of sea salt to the mixture. It sounds simple, but salt helps bring out the richness of the chocolate.
Whether you are making it for an afternoon snack, an after-dinner dessert or simply because you fancy something cold and chocolatey, this is a recipe worth keeping in your freezer rotation. Creamy. Chocolatey. Protein-rich. No ice cream maker required.
That’s my kind of ice cream. 🍦
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Chocolate Avocado Protein Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas, sliced and frozen
- 1 ripe avocado, pee;ed and pitted
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or thick natural yogurt
- 1-2 scoops chocolate or vanilla protein powder
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1-2 tablespoons honey, to taste
- 1-3 tablespoons milk, as needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
Optional Toppings
- Cacao nibs
- Chopped nuts
- Fresh berries
- Shredded coconut
- Dark chocolate chips
- Nut butter drizzle
- Sliced banana
Instructions
- Slice the bananas and freeze until solid, preferably overnight.Place the frozen banana, avocado, yogurt, protein powder, cocoa powder, honey,vanilla and salt into a high-speed blender or food processor.Process until thick, creamy and completely smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed.If the mixture is too thick to blend, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches a creamy soft-serve consistency.Add a little more honey or cocoa if desired.Enjoy immediately as soft-serve ice cream, or transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 1–2 hours for a firmer texture.Soften before scooping: If frozen for longer, let it sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before serving.Store in a covered freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. For the creamiest texture, allow it to soften slightly before scooping.
If you are looking for more delicious, healthy, protein-rich, no bake desserts and treats to help you reach your health, wellness and fitness goals, you will love my collection here: Blended Bites
