Author: Lauren @Athletelunchbox Healthy Ice Cream Made Easy: My Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Recipe with the Tefal Dolci Ice Cream Maker I’ve made the same breakfast smoothie, a chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie for over ten years. So when I got the chance to test the new Tefal Dolci Ice Cream Maker, I knew exactly what I was going to try first. I turned my classic smoothie into a healthy, high-protein dessert. With one small tweak, it turned out unbelievably creamy. And after testing, I’ve got some handy tips and tricks up my sleeve! TL;DR No churn: Just blend, freeze, and let the machine do the rest. Make ahead: Freeze the mixture for up to 3 months (I don’t recommend re-freezing). Icy? Hit “Re-mix” — it fixes 95% of texture issues. Customise: Add your favourite mix-ins and toppings — chopped nuts and caramel drizzle are perfect. Jump to Recipe Why You'll Love This Recipe Snickers vibes: This ice cream has a rich, Snickers-like flavour similar to my peanut butter chocolate banana overnight oats or Snickers baked oats. Healthier dessert: High in protein and lower in fat, it’s a guilt-free treat — like my blueberry protein muffins or gingerbread smoothie. Sweet breakfast approved: I am a team sweet breakfast person, so ice cream is a no brainer – try my brownie baked oats or almond croissant baked oatmeal for more sweet breakfast vibes. Ingredients & Substitutions Bananas & Instant Pudding Both help create that creamy texture without the need for heavy cream. Bananas act as natural emulsifiers — their sugars and pectin bind water molecules, preventing large ice crystals.Tip: The riper the banana, the creamier your ice cream. Instant pudding mix adds stabilisers that trap moisture and mimic what cream or egg yolks do in traditional ice cream. Optional, but highly effective. Protein Powder Whey protein adds lightness and a smooth gelato like texture. Casein protein makes it thicker and more scoopable. Plant-based protein (like pea or rice) can be chalkier. If using these, blend well and consider adding more nut butter or pudding mix. Milk Full cream milk gives the best texture, but soy or barista-style oat milk also work beautifully — even lactose-free versions. How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream Step 1: Blend Add banana, milk, rolled oats, chocolate powder, protein powder, instant pudding, and peanut butter to a blender. Step 2: Smooth It Out Blend until completely smooth. Any lumps of banana or oats will freeze into hard bits later. Step 3: Freeze Pour into a freezer-safe container and freeze for 12–24 hours. Step 4: Churn Add to your Tefal Dolci Ice Cream Maker. Choose Ice Cream for a thicker texture or Gelato for a softer, smooth-serve finish.If it’s not creamy enough, press “Re-mix.” This gentle second churn breaks up ice crystals and perfects the texture. Step 5: Scoop & Enjoy Best served straight from the machine — soft, creamy, and easy to scoop. Avoid re-freezing; it’ll get too solid. My Top Tips Let it rest: Thaw the frozen base for 5–10 minutes before churning for smoother results. Re-mix once more: A quick re-mix transforms a grainy batch into a creamy dream. Recommended Equipment You can make this with just a high-speed blender and a freezer-safe container. But for that truly creamy, professional finish, the Tefal Dolci Ice Cream Maker is worth it — the built-in gelato and re-mix settings take homemade ice cream to another level. Planning Ahead Meal prepping for this recipe is easy, you just need to plan ahead so the base mixture has time to freeze. Once it’s frozen solid, it’s ready to churn whenever you’re craving something sweet as it can stay in the freezer for 3 months. Once you’ve churned the ice cream, it doesn’t re-freeze well. It’ll go too solid and lose that creamy texture. My Top Tip: Freeze in single serve portions so you can churn only what you're gong to eat instead of having waste. FAQs Why is my ice cream icy or grainy? Icy ice cream usually happens when there’s too much water and not enough fat or stabiliser in the mix, or when the base isn’t fully blended. Using ripe bananas, peanut butter, and instant pudding mix helps prevent this by binding moisture and stopping large ice crystals from forming. If your chocolate peanut butter banana ice cream still turns out icy, your freezer may be too cold, or the mixture may not have been blended completely smooth—any leftover banana or oat bits can create ice shards. Let the frozen mixture sit out for 5–10 minutes before churning, then use the Re-mix function to smooth it out. Graininess, on the other hand, can result from over-blending once frozen or from not letting the mixture chill evenly before churning. Always start with a fully frozen base and allow the Tefal Dolci to complete its full cycle before pressing Re-mix. Can I use casein protein powder instead of whey? Yes — and in fact, casein is often preferred for ice cream because of how it behaves when frozen. Whey protein tends to make a lighter, slightly airier texture, while casein holds onto moisture better and gives a denser, more custard-like scoop. Plant-based proteins (like pea or rice) can make your ice cream a bit powdery because they don’t dissolve as smoothly or emulsify fats the same way dairy proteins do. If you’re using a vegan protein, add a teaspoon of nut butter or a touch more instant pudding to help improve the texture. Are the Tefal Dolci containers dishwasher safe? Yes — the Tefal Dolci ice cream containers are top-rack dishwasher safe. However, to prolong their lifespan, it’s best to rinse them in warm water shortly after use to remove any residual mixture before placing them in the dishwasher. Avoid using abrasive pads or high heat drying cycles, as they can wear down the inner coating over time. Why is my ice cream powdery? A powdery texture can happen if you’ve added too much dry protein powder or if it hasn’t fully dissolved. This can also occur if the protein is vegan based, as some plant proteins (especially pea or rice) can leave a slightly chalky residue after freezing. To fix it, blend the mixture longer before freezing, or add a spoonful of peanut butter or a dash of instant pudding to improve emulsification and mouthfeel. Both add moisture and fat, which help smooth out the powdery texture. Shop Now
