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Chunky Monkey Ice Cream

Chunky Monkey ice cream is a creamy no-churn banana dessert with fudge chunks and toasted walnuts. This Ben and Jerry’s copycat method folds banana puree into whipped cream, then freezes in a loaf pan for scoopable texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
freezing 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chunky Monkey Ice Cream base
  • 2 cup heavy cream Chill before whipping for faster stiff peaks.
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 3 bananas Very ripe for deep banana flavor; puree until smooth.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Chunky mix-ins
  • 0.5 cup walnuts Toast and roughly chop for visible pieces.
  • 0.5 cup fudge chunks or dark chocolate chunks Use store-bought chunks or chop chocolate-coated pieces.

Equipment

  • 1 loaf pan

Method
 

Make the whipped cream
  1. Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks until the mixture holds a clear trail when you lift the whisk.
  2. Whisk the sweetened condensed milk, banana puree, vanilla extract, and salt together until smooth and thick.
  3. Gently fold the banana mixture into the whipped cream until no large streaks remain and the color turns evenly banana-yellow.
Add the mix-ins
  1. Fold in the toasted walnuts and fudge chunks, using a few gentle turns so the chunks stay intact.
Freeze
  1. Transfer the mixture to a 9x5 loaf pan, level the top, and freeze at least 6 hours or overnight until firm and scoopable.

Notes

Pro tip: For the easiest folding, keep the whipped cream fluffy (don’t overmix) and fold just until streaks disappear—this keeps the texture creamy. Refrigerate leftovers only briefly; for best quality, keep covered in the freezer up to 2 weeks (no need to thaw long before serving). Freezer yes—freeze longer for firmer slices. Dietary swap: use sweetened condensed milk alternatives that are dairy-free or use full-fat coconut cream plus an appropriate sweetened condensed-style ingredient for a dairy-free version (texture may vary).