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Frozen Banana Bites are a cold & creamy bite-sized treat that you can keep stashed in your freezer. They have a similar texture to ice cream, without using any dairy!
Why You’ll Love Them
They are remarkably ice-cream-like. Frozen bananas are famous for their ice-cream-like texture, which is why they are such a popular addition to smoothies. When you coat banana slices in chocolate, they turn into mini ice cream bites!
They are easy to make. All you need is 3 simple ingredients to assemble frozen banana bites, along with a little patience while you wait for them to firm up in the freezer.
They are vegan. These are easier to make than coconut milk ice cream or vegan ice cream bars, and will still satisfy an ice cream craving. (With less added sugar!) Be sure to look for chocolate chips that are labeled dairy-free and vegan, if you need a vegan recipe, or try the homemade chocolate shell recipe below.
They are easy to customize. Just like a chocolate covered banana pop, you can add your favorite toppings, like peanut butter, pretzels, sea salt, or crushed nuts for a little crunch.
No special equipment is needed. No ice cream maker or food processor is required to make these!
They are allergy friendly. Banana bites are naturally gluten-free, and you can make them nut-free by omitting the peanut butter. If you need a lower-sugar treat, use dark chocolate chips.
Ingredients You’ll Need
What do you need to make them?
- Bananas
- Chocolate chips
- Coconut oil
- All natural peanut butter
The last two ingredients are totally optional, but I love the extra flavor that peanut butter adds to these. Peanut butter + banana are a perfect match, so I usually make chocolate peanut butter banana bites most often.
You can also use almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter, if you prefer. Or, leave it off entirely for a nut-free dessert.
A sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top makes the flavor pop!
Prefer to skip the chocolate chips? You can make your own chocolate magic shell that hardens when frozen, by mixing together a 3 tablespoons each of maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and cacao powder. Be sure all ingredients are at room temperature before mixing them together, so the coconut oil won’t harden before you’re ready to drizzle this over the frozen bananas.
How to Make Frozen Banana Bites
1. Freeze the banana slices.
Line a baking sheet or plate with parchment paper, and make sure it will fit on a flat shelf in your freezer. Slice the banana into 1/2-inch coins, and arrange the slices on a single layer on the lined baking sheet.
If you’d like to add peanut butter to these bites, add a small amount (about a 1/2 teaspoon) on top of each banana slice. You can make these into mini peanut butter sandwiches by placing another banana slice on top of the peanut butter, or you can keep them open-faced with just the peanut butter on top of a single banana slice.
Place the pan in the freezer, and let the slices freeze for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you want to plan ahead.
Tip: If you plan on making these banana bites for company, you can place a toothpick into each banana slice before freezing. I find they are easier to serve to guests that way! But, I don’t go through that trouble when I’m just making these as a snack for my family.
2. Melt the chocolate.
When the banana slices are frozen, melt the chocolate and coconut oil together. You can do this in a microwave-safe bowl using 30-second intervals in your microwave, or you can melt it in a double boiler on the stove top. (This is my preferred method.)
To create a double boiler, fill a small saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring it to a boil on the stove. In a heat-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and coconut oil and place the bowl on top of the saucepan. It should snugly cover the top of the saucepan, so the steam will start to heat the bottom of the bowl. Stir until the chocolate is melted.
3. Dip the bananas.
Use a fork to dip the bananas into the melted chocolate, and let the excess chocolate drip off back into the bowl. Or, you can use a spoon to pour a small amount of chocolate directly on the frozen bananas while they sit on the parchment lined pan.
How much chocolate you add is up to you! You can dip just half the banana into the melted chocolate (which makes it easier to grip the frozen banana as you dip), or you can cover the whole thing.
While the chocolate is still melted, sprinkle on any additional toppings you like, such as sea salt, crushed peanuts, or pretzels.
Note: Another option is to make these like a mini peanut butter cup, in a mini muffin pan or cupcake liner. I love adding banana slices to almond butter cups before freezing them, and then the chocolate coating is a little less messy to deal with that way.
4. Enjoy!
Once you’ve added the melted chocolate to the frozen bananas, pop the pan back into the freezer long enough for the chocolate to set. They are ready to eat in as little as 10 minutes!
Frozen banana bites can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months, so they are an easy frozen dessert to keep on hand all summer long.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Line a baking pan or plate with parchment paper, and make sure it will fit on a flat shelf in your freezer. Slice the bananas into ½-inch coins, then arrange them in a single layer on the prepared pan. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of peanut butter onto each slice, or make banana sandwiches by placing another banana half on top of the peanut butter layer. The choice is yours! Place the pan of bananas in the freezer until they are frozen solid, at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Once the bananas are frozen, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together. You can do this in a microwave using 30-second intervals, or by using a double boiler on the stove. To make a double boiler, fill a small saucepan with 1-inch of water and bring it to a boil. Add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to a heat-safe bowl that fits snugly over the top of the saucepan. The steam from the boiling water will gently heat the bottom of the bowl and melt the chocolate. Stir well, until the chocolate mixture is smooth.
- Remove the banana slices from the freezer, then carefully dip each slice into the melted chocolate. This amount of chocolate should cover either half of banana bites, or you'll get a single layer covering the top of the banana. If you want to fully coat the bananas on all sides, you may prefer to double the melted chocolate. While the chocolate is still melted, you can sprinkle on any extra toppings you like, such as a sprinkle of sea salt. (You could also add chopped peanuts or pretzels for crunch.) Place the pan back in the freezer so the chocolate can set, at least 10 more minutes.
- When the chocolate is firm, these banana bites are ready to serve. They can be kept in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months, and serve them directly from the freezer for the best texture. (The bananas will become slimy if you let them sit at room temperature for too long.)
Notes
Nutrition
If you try these chocolate peanut butter banana bites, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
Yum! Super easy and quick to make (already had banana medallions in freezer). Really like them with crunchy peanut butter. Delicious! Thank you for another great treat!
Please help! I just couldn’t get this to work for me. I cut the bananas but them in the freezer for about 10 minutes while I was melting the chocolate. When I tried to cover the banana in the chocolate sauce, the bananas stuck to the chocolate sauce, falling apart. My first batch of chocolate seized, the next batch turned into a banana chocolate sauce. I ended up just pouring it over the banana pieces.
I’m sure this will be a delicious mess, but it’s definitely a mess. Should I let the bananas freeze all the way before dipping them, or not let them freeze at all?
These chocolate covered bananas were a HUGE hit!! My husband and 2 of my 3 kids are very picky eaters and they absolutely LOVED this sweet treat. I didn’t have time to make the peanut butter topping, but they turned out great without it. I myself don’t particularly care for dark chocolate, but after trying these, I’m hooked!! SO easy to make and SO outrageously delicious!! 🙂
This is an awesome snack/dessert! Great way to use up bananas which are on the verge of becoming overripe!
As to the problem of the chocolate becoming hard halfway through dipping, I think it’s because while the frozen slices are waiting to be dipped, condensation will occur and any water will cause the chocolate to ‘seize’ and become lumpy. The trick is to remove just a few slices of frozen bananas from the freezer to dip, instead of letting the entire tray sit at room temperature.
I’m a grandma that’s been making chocolate covered frozen bananas since I was raising my kids on Maui..I use Popsicle crafts sticks to poke the bananas before you first freeze them, then when they are firm enough dip in the chocolate, which you can add essence of mint for a different twist. Also, I melt the chocolate in a double boiler, this way while I’m dipping the frozen banana into the chocolate, it’s not getting hard, because the water under the pot keeps the chocolate soft until you take it off of the stove. One grandson, has diabetes and I just give him a frozen banana without anything on it for a quick cold after school treat if his blood sugar is too low. Using the popsicle sticks makes it easier to handle and I make alot at a time and then transfer to zip lock bags in the freezer to make room for more.
Hey, I was wondering if you ever make any of your delicious chocolatey treats without a dark chocolate bar, or pre-made chocolate. I was hoping for a good recipe for making these types of treats with my ingredients, cocoa powder of cacao….coconut butter, etc. Do you ever do that?
Absolutely! I use this recipe for making my own chocolate: https://detoxinista.com/2012/06/easy-raw-chocolate-bark/
I made a small batch just to try. I let my husband taste them and he went crazy. He commented that all the flavors are so well balanced. This will hit the spot and will be able to satisfy the sweet tooth we get so often. I plan to make a large batch this weekend to keep in the freezer at all times!
yum! great little snack…I dipped some in dark chocolate but then ran out and melted some chocolate chips to dip the rest….both worked great!
Megan, can you tell I had a weekend of making your recipes? Best weekend ever!