Banana Caramel Nice Cream Bars

You are going to love these super easy to make Banana Caramel-Swirled Nice Cream Bars. A healthy frozen treat the whole family will enjoy!

The banana ice cream filling is a favourite at our house and it is so good for you. It’s a ‘nice cream’ so called rather than ice cream, just to differentiate the two. Nice cream is a super easy, take on traditional ice cream, yet made very differently.

You don’t need one of those special ice cream churning machines, you simply use frozen bananas, a splash of milk and some flavourings – that’s it!

It tastes just like ice-cream and it is so darn good! This recipe sandwiches the nice cream between a nutty, coconutty base crust, topped with a healthy date caramel sauce.

These Banana Bars are easy to make in a food processor, and are super creamy and refreshing. They also look amazing and are perfect on the table at a party or special occasion.

They are another way to use nice cream, dressing it up somewhat. And…once you start making nice creams, you will stop buying store bought ice creams, the creaminess is nothing less than any ice cream and the plus point is, it is absolutely healthy!

Full of nutrition, here is another way of eating more nuts and fruits and this recipe will be a smash hit with whoever you share it with.

 

Course Dessert, Snack

Ingredients

Base Crust

• 1 cup almonds, walnuts or pecans or a mix
• 3/4 cup dates, soaked at least 30 minutes and drained
• 1/2 cup oats, instant or quick
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Banana Ice Cream Filling

• 4 bananas, sliced, frozen
• 1/2 cup cashew (or any other nut or seed) butter
• 1/4 cup cup milk of choice to help it blend
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel Date Swirl Sauce  

• 1 cup dates, soaked at least 30 minutes and drained
• 3/4-1 cup milk of choice to help it blend
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Base Crust

• Line an 8 x 8” baking pan or dish with parchment paper on the bottom and sides leaving some overhanging to act as a handle to get the bars out easier for cutting.

  Place almonds and coconut into a food processer and process until broken down and crumbly. Add dates and cinnamon and continue to process until mixture is sticky and well combined. Be careful not to over process as its nice to have texture and different sized “bits” in your base crust.

  Press the base mixture into the bottom of your pan or dish evenly. Refrigerate while you prepare the caramel sauce and the nice cream filling.

   

Caramel Date Swirl Sauce

• Add all ingredients into a food processor and process until mixture is smooth and there are no date chunks detectable.

  Add more almond milk, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, if needed to help the blending process or to thin the caramel. Set aside while you make the nice cream filling.

   

Banana Nice Cream

• In a food processor combine bananas, nut butter, vanilla extract and a splash of milk and process until smooth.

  Spread the banana nice cream filling evenly over the prepared crust and drizzle with the caramel date swirl sauce. Use a knife to swirl it into the banana nice cream.

  A simple swirl pattern can be achieved by running the knife in 4 parallel lines down the length of the bar. Then rotate the bars pan a quarter turn and drag the knife back and forth across the lines.

  Place in the freezer to harden for at least two hours before cutting into 16 squares with a sharp knife. To help cut clean slices (if necessary), run the knife under hot water in between each slice.

  Store in the freezer.

   

   

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If you are looking for more delicious, healthy, no bake desserts and treats to help you reach your health, wellness and fitness goals, you will love my collection here: Blended Bites