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This classic Banana Split Recipe is made with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream, strawberry, chocolate, and pineapple toppings, and of course, a split banana! The next time you’re in the mood for something sweet, consider this colorful, retro ice cream dessert.
When was the last time you had a banana split? If ever? The closest I’ve come is a waffle with bananas and ice cream on top – it’s delicious! I definitely recommend it. But it’s not banana split, a classic that stands alone.
I’m featuring the classic version here, but you can definitely build your split to suit your tastes. Caramel sauce was not an original topping, but it’s an excellent choice if you like it. Raspberry sauce is classic and definitely worth bringing back!
You can make all the toppings yourself, and they’ll be delicious. But it’s okay to just buy everything too. Keep it easy! Build in Banana Splits as part of your next kid-friendly party, Ice Cream Sundae Bar, or cheeky retro cocktail party. Banana Splits are always the life of the party!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Ice cream: Vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry are the traditional flavors of a banana split, but feel free to use any flavor(s) you prefer.
- Bananas: Use fully ripe yet firm bananas to ensure they are sweet, but not mushy.
- Toppings: Pineapple topping, chocolate syrup, and strawberry topping the classics here, but hot fudge and caramel syrup are also popular.
- Chopped nuts: Store-bought nut topping adds a professional touch to your sundae, but any nuts work and you can certainly chop them yourself. For a turtle twist, try toasted, chopped pecans.
Step-by-step instructions
- In an oblong, shallow dish (or banana split dish), add one scoop each of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream. Add one half of the split banana on each side of the scoops, propped upright on its edge if possible (cut sides facing the ice cream).
- Top the vanilla ice cream with pineapple sauce, the chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup, and the strawberry ice cream with strawberry sauce.
- To each scoop of ice cream, add a dollop of whipped cream, a sprinkle of chopped nuts, and a maraschino cherry.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes one luscious Banana Split. It’s large enough to share, but you certainly don’t have to!
- Turtle sundae: Use hot fudge, salted caramel sauce, and toasted, chopped pecans to make a traditional turtle sundae. Keep the bananas if you want to; they’ll be great!
Recipe FAQs
A classic banana split is made with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream topped with pineapple, chocolate, and strawberry sauces or toppings respectively, and each is topped with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. This is nestled between a split banana, and everything may or may not be covered with nuts.
The original banana split was made with different kinds of ice cream topped with raspberry, strawberry, and pineapple sauces, marshmallow syrup, chopped nuts, and black cherries. It became popularized in the early 1900’s when ice cream and soda fountains were all the rage.
More ice cream toppings
Frosting, Sauce, and Pudding Recipes
Chocolate Sauce Recipe
Frosting, Sauce, and Pudding Recipes
Strawberry Topping for Cheesecake
Frosting, Sauce, and Pudding Recipes
Caramel Sauce
Nut and Seed Recipes
How to Toast Pecans
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Banana Split Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 scoop vanilla ice cream (see note 1)
- 1 scoop chocolate ice cream
- 1 scoop strawberry ice cream
- 1 banana peeled and split lengthwise (see note 2)
- 2 tablespoons pineapple topping (see note 3)
- 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup or hot fudge
- 2 tablespoons strawberry topping
- whipped cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped nuts (see note 4)
- 3 maraschino cherries
Instructions
- In an oblong, shallow dish (or banana split dish), add one scoop each of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream. Add one half of the split banana on each side of the scoops, propped upright on its edge if possible (cut sides facing the ice cream).
- Top the vanilla ice cream with pineapple sauce, the chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup, and the strawberry ice cream with strawberry sauce.
- To each scoop of ice cream, add a dollop of whipped cream, a sprinkle of chopped nuts, and a maraschino cherry.
Notes
- Ice cream: Vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry are the traditional flavors of a banana split, but feel free to use any flavor(s) you prefer.
- Bananas: Use fully ripe yet firm bananas to ensure they are sweet, but not mushy.
- Toppings: Pineapple topping, chocolate syrup, and strawberry topping the classics here, but hot fudge and caramel syrup are also popular.
- Chopped nuts: Store-bought nut topping adds a professional touch to your sundae, but any nuts work and you can certainly chop them yourself. For a turtle twist, try toasted, chopped pecans.
- Yield: This recipe makes one luscious Banana Split. It’s large enough to share, but you certainly don’t have to!
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
I recently enjoyed a delectable banana split at home today, and it was absolutely delightful
Thank you so much, Shaheen! – Meggan
There’s numerous versions of a banana 🍌 split online. Seems many people experienced a banana split “their way” which is perfectly acceptable. However, I’ve cringed 😬 At numerous recipes and thought 💭 really? That’s their idea of a perfect banana split?
Well, wasn’t I pleasantly surprised 😲 and delighted to see this recipe that in my humble opinion reflects the perfect essence of a banana split!
This creation is exactly as I remembered from my childhood!
Bravo for jolting me back into that memory of having one of the Summers precious treats!
This recipe is the real deal!
How refreshing to see a true banana 🍌 split!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! And I’m sure, I’m confident that anyone who previously thought they had indulged in a banana split will have their mind blown with this recipe!
Hi Chris, thank you so much for your comment! I’m so glad it could transport you back to wonderful childhood memories. 🙂 I hope you have a great 4th of July! – Meggan