Ok you guys, this is one of those viral recipes worth making: homemade Magnum ice cream bars that are actually healthy. They taste like such a treat but are made with only a handful of ingredients (5, to be exact lol), and are a dessert option the whole family can enjoy.
Being able to make healthy homemade ice cream bars honestly makes my registered dietitian heart so happy. I do my best to avoid added sugars as much as possible, but I also love a sweet treat, so these are a great addition to the dessert rotation.
Healthy Homemade Ice Cream Bars for the Win
The base is creamy, naturally sweetened with banana, and made with Greek yogurt and peanut butter—and then you have the option to take them fully into Magnum territory with a crackly chocolate shell, crunchy nuts, and flaky sea salt. I made a few without the chocolate coating for Hayes, and he loved them just as much. Honestly, both versions are worth making.
Also, you wouldn’t believe how low-effort these are to make, with the biggest step being giving the bars enough time to fully freeze. Otherwise, you just need to blend all the base ingredients together before pouring them into these ice cream molds, which make it easy to get that classic ice cream bar shape. That’s it!
Why These Make the Best Homemade Toddler Ice Cream Bars, Too
One of my favorite things about these bars is that if you skip the chocolate coating, they’re naturally sweetened with just banana—no added sugar, syrups, or artificial sweeteners. I always keep a batch in the freezer because they make such an easy, wholesome snack for toddlers (and honestly, adults too).
I also love that they’re made with Greek yogurt, which gives them a protein boost you won’t find in most frozen treats. Protein helps support growth and development, keeps little tummies full longer, and can help provide more steady energy compared to snacks that are mostly sugar.
The bananas add natural sweetness, fiber, and potassium, while the peanut butter brings healthy fats that make these bars extra creamy and satisfying. It’s a simple combination of real-food ingredients that tastes like ice cream but offers a lot more nutritionally.
If you’re making these for older kids or adults, I highly recommend keeping the chocolate shell because, obviously!! The crackly chocolate, crunchy almonds (or nut of choice), and sprinkle of flaky sea salt are what give these that classic Magnum bar vibe. But for toddlers, Hayes in particular, I’ve been leaving the chocolate off altogether and he loves it just the same! They still taste like a creamy frozen treat, and I love having a batch ready to grab whenever we need a quick snack or frozen treat on a warm day.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Ripe bananas
- Plain unsweetened Greek yogurt (I like Maple Hill Creamery)
- Creamy peanut butter (I like Santa Cruz)
- Milk of choice (I used unsweetened coconut-cashew milk)
- Ground cinnamon
Optional Chocolate Shell:
- Chocolate chips
- Coconut oil (I like Viva Naturals Organic)
- Chopped almonds or nuts of choice
- Flaky sea salt
Need these to be dairy-free? Try your favorite plain, unsweetened dairy-free Greek-style yogurt in the base, and make sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips if you’re making the chocolate shell. The milk is already completely up to you, so just choose a dairy-free option you like.
How To Make Healthy Magnum Ice Cream Bars
Looking for the full recipe?
Scroll down to the Recipe Card below for complete instructions & measurements.
This healthy homemade ice cream bars recipe is fun and easy to make with just a few ingredients, and can be made with or without the chocolate shell for an easy frozen treat for the whole family.
- Blend the ice cream base. Add the all of your base ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy. The Greek yogurt adds a little extra protein while giving these bars that creamy, ice cream-like texture.
- Fill the molds and freeze. Pour the banana mixture evenly into your ice cream bar molds, add the sticks, and freeze until completely firm—at least 6 hours. Make sure they’re fully frozen before moving on; this helps the chocolate shell set quickly when you dip them.
- Make the chocolate shell. Gently melt the chocolate chips with the coconut oil until smooth. The coconut oil helps create that perfectly thin shell that hardens around the cold bars for the classic Magnum-style finish. It’s so good!
- Dip and decorate. Once the bars are fully frozen, remove them from the molds and dip into the melted chocolate, letting any excess drip off. While the chocolate is still wet, add chopped almonds or your favorite nuts and a pinch of flaky sea salt. For a toddler-friendly, no-added-sugar version, just skip the chocolate shell altogether (I did this for Hayes and he loved them!).
- Let them set. Place the finished bars on a parchment-lined tray and pop them back into the freezer for a few minutes to fully set. If your chocolate starts to thicken while you’re dipping, gently warm it again until smooth—working quickly with fully frozen bars makes this step much easier.
- Freeze and enjoy. Once set, transfer the bars to an airtight container and keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Then they’re ready whenever you need a quick, frozen treat!
Recipe Tip: If the chocolate begins to thicken while dipping, gently rewarm it over low heat or microwave it for 10 to 15 seconds, stirring until smooth. Working with fully frozen bars helps the chocolate shell harden almost instantly.
More Healthy Frozen Treats You’ll Love
Here are a few more frozen treats to keep in the rotation – for when you’re craving something sweet but made with simple ingredients. (At one point when I was pregnant with Hayes, I was all about the ice-cold citrus and couldn’t get enough of the Blood Orange Sorbet. It’s so refreshing!)
- Frozen Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars (High-Protein Dessert)
- Frozen Blackberry Cobbler Bars
- One-Ingredient Blood Orange Sorbet
- Viral Strawberry Bark (Easy Healthy Dessert)
- Healthy Dessert Smoothie (Almond Joy)
Click here to watch the reel I made of this recipe 🙂
Healthy Magnum Ice Cream Bars
Equipment
- high speed blender (like a Vitamix)
- Ice Cream Molds (here are the molds I used)
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- ¾ cup plain unsweetened Greek yogurt, (I like Maple Hill Creamery)
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, (I like Santa Cruz)
- ¾ cup milk of choice, (I used unsweetened coconut-cashew milk)
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
Optional Chocolate Shell:
- ¾ cup chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil, (I like Viva Naturals Organic)
- Chopped almonds or nuts of choice
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Add the bananas, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, milk, and cinnamon to a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Pour the mixture evenly into an ice cream bar mold, insert the sticks, and freeze for at least 6 hours, or until completely firm.
- To make the chocolate shell, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until mostly melted. If needed, transfer to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring between each, until completely smooth.
- Remove the bars from the molds. Dip each frozen bar into the melted chocolate, allowing the excess to drip off. If desired, immediately sprinkle with chopped almonds or your favorite chopped nuts and a pinch of flaky sea salt before the chocolate hardens.
- Place the bars on a parchment-lined tray and return them to the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to fully set.
- Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Enjoy!
