It’s easier than you think to make creamy, nondairy coffee-flavored soft serve at home. Think of it as an extra thick smoothie that you eat with a spoon. And pour chocolate syrup all over. And maybe some almonds too… Enjoy!

Ice cream is one of life’s simplest pleasures, especially on a hot afternoon around 3:00 when your energy is flagging and your concentration is waning. Add a little coffee to your ice cream and you’ve got the one-two-three punch of decadence, sweetness and caffeine. It’s a summer afternoon trifecta.

Your ice cream break doesn’t even have to be unhealthy. Or…not that unhealthy. Swap the dairy for frozen bananas and a little oat milk, and you get that satisfying creaminess of your favorite scoop without the bloat factor.

And it’s simple enough to make every day if you want.

What you need

This recipe fills a loaf pan about 3/4 full, and can serve 4 people a bowl of their own.

• 3 large, ripe bananas

• 1/4 cup coffee or cold brew

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

• 1/2 tsp vanilla

• 1/4 cup oat milk or other nondairy milk

• Optional toppings: Chocolate syrup, toasted almonds, nondairy whipped cream…whatever you like!

How to make the nice cream

• Slice the bananas into 1/2” pieces and freeze. If you can do it in a single layer, that’s even better. But you can also give them a shake every 30 minutes or so to keep them from clumping up as they freeze.

• Add the frozen bananas to a food processor or high speed blender with all of the other ingredients. If your bananas are on the small side, don’t add all the liquid at first. Add more as needed.

• Let the ingredients sit together for about 3 minutes to thaw slightly.

• Blend until very smooth, stopping to scrape the sides as needed. This will take between 3-5 minutes to get all of the chunks blended.

• Since banana size varies, add more liquid if the mixture seems to thick to blend, even after thawing for a few minutes. You can add extra milk or coffee, depending on your preference.

• Pour the mixture into a loaf pan, cover, and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes. If you freeze longer than this or have leftovers, you’ll want to let it thaw for several minutes before scooping.

• Scoop into bowls and add your favorite toppings.