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Banana Split Milkshake is everything you love about the classic ice cream parlor sundae, blended thick, creamy, and sippable through a straw. I first whipped these up on a hot Fourth of July afternoon when the kids were begging for ice cream but the day was way too steamy for a bowl that melts in two minutes flat, and one taste turned it into our go-to summer treat right next to our cookies and cream milkshake.
If you can press the button on a blender, you can make this banana split milkshake at home in about five minutes flat.
Banana Split Milkshake Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 0 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 10 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 1 milkshake
- ⚡ Calories: 835kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet and creamy with fresh banana, rich vanilla ice cream, and classic banana split toppings
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, as simple as our Shamrock Shake and ready in minutes
Quick Answer
To make a Banana Split Milkshake, add two cups of vanilla ice cream, half a sliced banana, a splash of french vanilla coffee creamer or whole milk, and a little whipped cream to a blender. Blend until thick and smooth, then pour into a tall glass and pile on hot fudge, more whipped cream, rainbow sprinkles, a slice of banana, and a maraschino cherry on top. The whole thing comes together in about five minutes with no cooking required, so it is the perfect last-minute summer dessert.
Jump to:
- Banana Split Milkshake Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Banana Split Milkshake
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Banana Split Milkshake FAQs
- Other Recommended Frozen Dessert Recipes
- Banana Split Milkshake
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Banana does the flavoring for you. A ripe banana blended right into the base gives the shake real banana split flavor and a natural sweetness, so you taste fresh fruit in every sip instead of just plain vanilla.
- Ice cream is the body and the base. Starting with two full cups of vanilla ice cream keeps the milkshake thick enough to hold a straw upright, which is exactly what you want under a tower of toppings.
- A splash of creamer adds richness, not water. French vanilla coffee creamer loosens the blender just enough to pour while adding a rich, almost custard-like depth that thin milk alone cannot match.
- You control the pour with the liquid. Adding the creamer or milk a little at a time lets you dial in the texture, from spoonable and frosty to a smooth, drinkable pour, without ever turning it soupy.
- The toppings turn a shake into a sundae. Hot fudge, whipped cream, sprinkles, banana, and a cherry are the exact garnishes of a real banana split, so the glass reads as a full dessert and not just a drink.
- Short blend time keeps it frosty. Blending just until smooth keeps the mixture cold and thick. Over-blending warms the ice cream from the friction and leaves you with a thin, melty shake.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It comes together in about five minutes with no cooking, no churning, and no special equipment beyond a blender.
- It tastes like a whole banana split sundae in a single glass, which makes it a fun treat for birthdays, the Fourth of July, or any hot afternoon, just like our copycat frosted lemonade.
- Everyone can build their own, so the kids pile on extra sprinkles and cherries while the grown-ups keep it simple.
Key Ingredients
Here is what gives this Banana Split Milkshake its rich, fruity, soda-fountain flavor. Just a handful of simple ingredients you can grab on one quick trip to the store.
- Vanilla Ice Cream: The creamy backbone of the whole shake. Use a good full-fat vanilla so the milkshake stays thick and rich. Let it soften on the counter for five minutes so your blender does not have to work too hard.
- Ripe Banana: The star that makes it a banana split. A spotty, very ripe banana blends in sweeter and smoother, and it tastes like the best fresh banana ice cream you have ever had.
- French Vanilla Coffee Creamer (or Whole Milk): A splash loosens the blend and adds a rich, vanilla-forward depth. Plain whole milk works too if you want it less sweet, the same swap we use in our dulce de leche milkshake.
- Whipped Cream: A little blended into the base makes the shake extra light and fluffy, and a big swirl on top is non-negotiable for that sundae look.
- Banana Split Toppings: Hot fudge, rainbow sprinkles, a banana slice, and a maraschino cherry. These are what turn a plain shake into a true banana split in a glass.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This banana split milkshake is easy to make your own. Here are some of our favorite ways to switch it up.
- Chocolate banana split: Swap in chocolate ice cream or blend in a spoonful of chocolate syrup for a richer, fudgier shake.
- Strawberry banana: Add a few frozen strawberries to the blender for a strawberry banana version that leans toward our fresh berry flavors.
- Peanut butter twist: Blend in a tablespoon of peanut butter for a banana and peanut butter shake that tastes like a frozen sundae, a lot like our homemade fried ice cream in milkshake form.
- Boozy adult version: Stir in an ounce of banana liqueur, rum, or Irish cream for a grown-up dessert cocktail.
- Dairy-free: Use your favorite non-dairy vanilla ice cream, oat or almond creamer, and coconut whipped topping for a dairy-free banana split milkshake.
- Extra thick: Freeze the banana slices ahead of time and add an extra scoop of ice cream for a spoonable, extra frosty shake.
How to Make Banana Split Milkshake
- Peel and slice half of a ripe banana. For an extra thick milkshake, freeze the slices for about thirty minutes first.
- Add the vanilla ice cream, sliced banana, french vanilla coffee creamer or whole milk, and whipped cream to a blender.
- Blend just until smooth and thick, stopping as soon as there are no banana chunks left so the shake stays cold and frosty.
- Pour the milkshake into a tall, chilled glass. Drizzle a little hot fudge down the inside of the glass first if you want that soda-fountain look.
- Top with a big swirl of whipped cream, a drizzle of hot fudge, rainbow sprinkles, a slice of banana, and a maraschino cherry. Serve right away with a straw and a long spoon.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Chill your glass first. A few minutes in the freezer keeps the milkshake colder longer and stops it from melting while you add the toppings.
- Use a very ripe banana. The browner and spottier the banana, the sweeter and smoother your shake blends, with deeper banana flavor.
- Freeze the banana for a thicker shake. Frozen banana slices act like extra ice cream and give you a spoonable, frosty texture.
- Drizzle fudge inside the glass. Swirling hot fudge down the sides before pouring gives you that classic ice cream parlor stripe with every sip.
- Add liquid a little at a time. Start with less creamer or milk and add more only if you need it, so the milkshake never turns thin or runny.
- Blend fast, not long. Stop the blender the second it is smooth, because over-blending melts the ice cream and thins the shake.
- Make a big batch. Double or triple everything and pour into little shot glasses for a fun, build-your-own milkshake bar at parties.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This banana split milkshake is a dessert all on its own, but it is even better as the sweet ending to a backyard cookout or a summer holiday spread. Serve it after burgers and hot dogs on the Fourth of July, or set up a milkshake bar next to a pitcher of our copycat frosted lemonade and let everyone garnish their own.
For a full ice cream parlor night at home, pair it with a warm dessert like our deep fried banana fritters or a slice of banana bundt cake, both of which lean into that same cozy banana flavor. A scoop of no churn strawberry ice cream on the side rounds out the banana split theme.
These are so cute poured into little shot glasses for parties, so guests can grab a few mini milkshakes without committing to a full glass. If you love this kind of nostalgic frozen treat, you will want to try our banana icebox cake and classic bananas foster next, since both deliver that same soda-fountain comfort in a different form.
Banana Split Milkshake FAQs
You can, but the fresh banana blended into the base is what gives this milkshake its true banana split flavor, so it is worth keeping. If you are out of bananas, the shake is still delicious as a plain vanilla milkshake with all the banana split toppings on top, and you can slice a little extra banana over the whipped cream so it still looks the part.
A good full-fat vanilla ice cream is the classic choice and lets the banana and toppings shine. If you want to lean into the banana split theme, you can use a scoop each of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream, just like the three scoops in a real banana split, and blend them all together for a fun marbled shake.
Milkshakes are best blended and served right away while they are cold and thick. If you need to prep ahead, slice and freeze your bananas and chill your glasses in advance, then blend at the last minute. If you do have leftover milkshake, store it in a covered jar in the freezer and let it soften for a few minutes before stirring and drinking.
For an extra thick milkshake, freeze the banana slices ahead of time, add an extra scoop of ice cream, and use less liquid. Add the creamer or milk a tablespoon at a time and stop as soon as the blender can move, since the less liquid you add the thicker the shake stays. A chilled glass also helps it hold that thick texture longer.
Yes. Use your favorite non-dairy vanilla ice cream, swap the coffee creamer for oat, almond, or coconut creamer, and finish with a coconut whipped topping. The frozen banana keeps a dairy-free version creamy and thick, and the hot fudge, sprinkles, and cherry on top taste just as fun as the original.
Absolutely. The french vanilla coffee creamer just adds a rich, vanilla-forward sweetness, but plain whole milk works perfectly and keeps the shake a little less sweet. You can also use half-and-half for an extra rich pour, or any flavored creamer or non-dairy milk you have on hand to make the shake your own.
Looking for another cool treat to beat the heat? Blend up our creamy Chick-fil-A copycat caramel milkshake next.
Banana Split Milkshake
Ingredients
- 2 Cups vanilla ice cream
- 1/2 banana sliced
- 1/2 Cup french vanilla coffee creamer french vanilla (or milk)
- 1/2 Cup whipped cream or a 3 second spray
- Hot fudge maraschino cherry, whipped cream, sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
- Add the ice cream, banana, french vanilla coffee creamer (or milk) and whipped cream to a blender.
- Blend until smooth. Top with hot fudge, more whipped cream, sprinkles, cherry and piece of banana. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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Adding banana to milkshake is a great idea! I will try this weekend, My kids would love it! Thanks for sharing!
Oh my…. that looks nothing short of amazing!
I would be honored to have you hop over and share with me at Tip Me Tuesday. {http://www.tipjunkie.com/post/no-bake-recipes-add-yours/}
That shake looks delicious. I want one. I bet you dont deliver, so I guess I have to wait until I get home so I can make my own.
YUM, Dana! This look sooooo good and just in time for the Fourth of July, too!
Thank you for sharing your post this week at Brag About It Link Party on VMG206. I’m featuring you at Next Weeks Brag About It Link Party, Monday at midnight!
~ Megin of VMG206
I love using creamers in different ways. This looks like such an amazing milkshake…love the fudge drizzles all over the jar glass!!!
I love a good milkshake – Thanks so much for linking this up to the Friday Frenzy!
Oooh impressive! This is my kinda milkshake!
That looks amazing!!! This is going on the summer “foods to try” list 🙂
That looks awesome! And I love your “mug” too, hehe! Thanks for linking up to Snickerdoodle Sunday.
This is perfect for a warm Summer day! I banana split can always got the spot! My dad lovesss them so I’ll have to make this for him! Saying hi from the SITSgirls linkup!
Oh my gosh…this looks ah.Mazing!! I love them in mason jars – perfect for summer! Pinning 🙂
I confess, I am also a sucker for awesome packaging! Those Coffee-mate bottles are just perfect and a great way to salute our military heroes. I can’t wait to try this banana split! It looks DELICIOUS! #client
WOW! This looks great! I have used coffee creamer in my frosting before (soon to be published) and it does make some recipes even more awesomer 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
Mmmmmmmm yummy!! I love banana spitls 🙂
I would love for you to share this at my T.G.I.F. Linky Party @ MamasBlogCentral.com 🙂 Have a great week!!