In the old days a Banana Split was a total treat. The lovely sweetness of the ice cream, the whipped cream and chocolate sauce was an overload. It was however masked by the bananas and cherries but this was a dessert everybody looked forward to. It is so easy to prepare and takes a matter of minutes from start to finish.
Depending on who is eating them, this is a lovely sharing dish. If you don’t have cherries then grapes have a lovely pop which goes well. While I use chocolate sauce on my banana split, strawberry, raspberry and even mint or lemon work well. You can now even purchase bubble gum flavour ice cream syrup.
I like to start with bananas that are ripe but still firm. They should have plenty of flavour without becoming too soft when sliced. Then comes the enjoyable part, arranging the ice cream between the banana halves and adding the toppings. There is no cooking to worry about. However, prepare your ingredients first, as the ice cream can soften quickly once it reaches the plate.
The beauty of this dessert is how easily you can make it your own. Vanilla gives you a classic base, while chocolate adds a deeper flavour and strawberry brings a bright fruity note. A scoop of mint chocolate chip can make the dessert feel completely different. Likewise, caramel sauce, nuts or fresh berries can bring texture.
For me, the toppings are where the real fun begins. A generous spoonful of whipped cream creates a soft contrast to the cold ice cream, while crushed peanuts provide a welcome crunch. The cherries add their familiar sweet finish. For children, place the toppings in small bowls and let everyone build their own version.
Although a banana split is usually thought of as a dessert, it can also work as a special afternoon treat. It is quick enough for an unexpected craving, yet impressive enough to finish a relaxed dinner. Most importantly, it does not need complicated equipment or specialist ingredients.
Presentation matters too. Use a long dish if you have one, or choose a shallow bowl that gives the bananas and ice cream plenty of room. Add the sauces in thin drizzles rather than covering everything at once. Each spoonful offers fruit, cream, ice cream and sauce. Serve it immediately, grab a spoon and enjoy the pleasure of a dessert that has remained popular for generations.
Banana Split
Ingredients
- 1 large banana ripe
- 3 scoops ice cream see Note
- 15 ml strawberry syrup
- 15 ml chocolate syrup
- 10 g peanuts crushed
- 3 large cherries with stems
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Peel the banana and slice in half lengthways.1 large banana
- Place the 3 scoops of ice cream along the centre of a dish and place one half of the banana on each side.3 scoops ice cream
- Add the whipped cream over the ice cream followed by a drizzle of the ice cream syrups/sauces.15 ml strawberry syrup, Whipped cream, 15 ml chocolate syrup
- Finally add the cherries and a sprinkle of the crushed peanuts.10 g peanuts, 3 large cherries
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
30 comments
Brilliant child hood memories
I reduced the amount of chocolate sauce slightly because I found it quite sweet. Apart from that, everything was excellent.
I added caramel and crushed biscuits for extra texture. The combination was delicious and gave the dessert a slightly different character.
This brought back some lovely memories of desserts from years ago. It was every bit as enjoyable as I remembered.
A lovely dessert for a hot summer evening. The cold ice cream and fresh banana were wonderfully refreshing.
This was quick, simple and great fun to make. The children especially enjoyed adding the whipped cream and cherries.
This was a big hit with my grandchildren. They loved building their own banana splits and choosing the toppings.
The bananas were lovely with the cold ice cream and warm chocolate sauce. I will definitely make this again.
A proper old-fashioned pudding that still tastes fantastic today. It was sweet, creamy and full of lovely textures.
I made individual banana splits for a family gathering and they went down extremely well. The cherries were a particularly popular finishing touch.
A quick and cheerful dessert that is perfect when unexpected guests arrive. Most of the ingredients were already in my cupboard.
We used salted peanuts instead of ordinary nuts and loved the contrast. The little bit of salt worked surprisingly well with the sweetness.
I added fresh strawberries and raspberries for extra fruit. They worked really well with the ice cream and sauces.
I used ripe but firm bananas as suggested and they were just right. Soft bananas would probably make the dessert rather messy.
I thought the recipe was a little sweet for my taste, so I added some fresh berries to balance it. That worked very well.
We served these after a barbecue and everyone loved them. The combination of fruit, ice cream, sauce and cream was just right.
The whipped cream made the whole thing feel extra indulgent. This is definitely not an everyday dessert, but it makes a lovely treat.
I made this with dairy-free ice cream and it worked perfectly. It was nice that everyone could enjoy the same dessert.
A very easy dessert that even someone with limited cooking experience can make. The presentation makes it feel much more special.
A fantastic treat when you want something sweet without spending ages in the kitchen. Simple ingredients and excellent results.
A wonderfully nostalgic dessert that reminded me of childhood treats. The combination of banana, vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce was delicious.
The banana split was so easy to put together and made a lovely family dessert. Everyone enjoyed choosing their own toppings.
This made a lovely dessert after a Sunday lunch. It looked impressive but took only a few minutes to assemble.
A classic dessert that proves you do not need complicated ingredients to make something enjoyable. I will be making these again.
I added chopped walnuts and a little caramel sauce, which gave it a delicious crunch. It disappeared from the table very quickly.
I enjoyed how easy this was to customise. We used chocolate, strawberry and vanilla ice cream, and everyone had a different favourite.
I used strawberry ice cream instead of vanilla and it worked beautifully. There are so many ways to change this dessert.
The presentation looked wonderful in a long dessert dish. It felt like a proper restaurant-style pudding made at home.
The recipe was simple to follow and the finished dessert looked great. I would recommend serving it immediately before the ice cream melts.
This is one of those desserts that is almost impossible not to enjoy. Easy to prepare, fun to serve and absolutely delicious.