These frozen Banana Yogurt Bites are the perfect sweet treat when you have some ripe bananas and don't feel like baking! As a dietitian with a sweet tooth, I keep these on hand in the freezer for a healthy snack or post-dinner treat. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. 😊
As a dietitian, I love finding creative ways to make sweet treats and it's a request I get often! There's a food truck I used to go to all the time in Austin that has all different variations of chocolate-covered bananas. They're so good and perfect for a hot day, but I can't always make it across town to get one! So I wanted to create something similar with my favorite flavors at home.
These frozen banana yogurt bites are perfect for an every day sweet treat or snack. It only takes around 5 minutes to make a whole batch and you only need 6 ingredients. Nutritionally, these little bites are naturally sweetened with banana and pure maple syrup, nut butter adds heart-healthy fats, and Greek yogurt adds some protein and probiotics.
If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy some of my other easy recipes like Frozen Greek Yogurt Bites or Banana Chickpea Cookie Dough.
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This recipe is made using simple ingredients. Below are some notes and substitution ideas. Check the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the measurements.
- Banana - I love adding bananas to a sweet treat because it's an easy way to add extra sweetness without added sugar. It also replaces raw eggs which are usually added to cookie dough to make this raw cookie dough safe to eat! For best results, use a banana that is overripe. Brown bananas work best. The more ripe & brown a banana becomes, the sweeter it is.
- Greek Yogurt (or Skyr) - plain Greek yogurt or skyr (Icelandic yogurt) add protein and make make the bites creamy. If you want to make a dairy-free option, use your favorite dairy-free yogurt like coconut yogurt, almond yogurt, or cashew yogurt. If you want them to be sweeter, use vanilla yogurt.
- Peanut Butter - natural peanut butter makes these bites extra creamy and adds flavor, some plant protein, and healthy fats! Feel free to use almond butter or cashew butter if you prefer. For a nut-free option, use sunflower butter. You could even use cookie butter.
- Pure Maple Syrup - just a bit of maple syrup for sweetness. You can use honey or agave syrup or your favorite sweetener.
- Dark Chocolate Chips - you'll melt the chocolate to coat the frozen bites! If you want to make this recipe even easier, you can simply drizzle it on top. You can use dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips. Either will work in this delicious treat.
- Avocado Oil (or Coconut Oil) - I use avocado oil to thin out my chocolate chips while they melt to make the yogurt bites easier to coat. This is optional and some people prefer to use coconut oil. I use avocado oil because it is lower in saturated fat.
How to Make Frozen Banana Yogurt Bites
Below are the instructions for how to make these banana bites with photos that I hope are helpful. Check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
- Step 1: Mash the banana in a bowl. Add the greek yogurt, peanut butter and maple syrup to the bowl with the mashed banana and combine everything very well.
- Step 2: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop about 1½ tablespoon of the banana mixture onto the parchment-lined baking tray until all the mixture is used. To make it easier, use a cookie scoop.
- Step 3: Add the chocolate chips and avocado oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the chocolate chips by heating in a microwave at 50% in 20 second intervals, stirring well in between, until it's fully melted. Drizzle the chocolate on top of the banana bites and freeze for a couple of hours.
Hint: they'll spread naturally after you add them to the baking sheet. This is normal!
Dietitian Tip
Desserts get a bad rep sometimes for being something reserved for special occasions. Instead of restricting yourself from eating sweets altogether, watch your portions and make healthier versions like this. These banana yogurt bites contain fiber and potassium from the banana, protein from the Greek yogurt, heart-healthy fats from the nut butter, and antioxidants from the dark chocolate.
Variations for Banana Yogurt Bites
One of the best parts about frozen banana bites is that you can easily customize them with different flavor combinations to your taste. Below are a few ideas.
- Fresh Fruit - add your favorite fruit along with the banana! Fresh blueberries, chopped strawberries, mango, or diced peaches all work great in frozen treats like this. Just mix in chopped or diced fruit with the Greek yogurt mixture before freezing.
- Chocolate - add cocoa powder to the Greek yogurt mix to double up on the chocolately flavor!
- High Protein - if you want to add protein, mix a scoop of your favorite protein powder into the banana mixture before freezing.
- Banana Slices - if you don't feel like mashing the banana, slice it, mix the other ingredients in a bowl, and add it to the top of the banana slices. Drizzle melted chocolate on top. You can even make it a bark by adding the banana slices to the baking sheet, pouring the yogurt & peanut butter mixture on top and drizzle the melted chocolate over everything.
- Add your Favorite Toppings - some great ideas for toppings are chopped peanuts, a little sea salt, coconut flakes, or broken pieces of graham crackers.
Storage for Banana Yogurt Bites
- Freezer - store frozen banana yogurt bites in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Let them sit at room temperature for 3-5 minutes to let them thaw a bit before eating.
Expert Tips
- Be sure to stir the chocolate chips really good between 20 second intervals in the microwave to ensure the heat is evenly distributed and they melt evenly.
- Be careful when dipping the bites in the melted chocolate to coat them! I use a spoon to do this.
- If using sea salt on top, add it before the chocolate dries.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, these frozen banana bites are a nutrient-rich option. They contain protein from the yogurt and peanut butter, heart-healthy fats that also support brain health and hormone health from the nut butter, and probiotics for gut health from the yogurt. Relative to many other frozen treats, they have less added sugars and saturated fats. They're naturally sweetened with banana and pure maple syrup.
Yes! Just make sure the chocolate chips you use are gluten free. Most chocolate chips on the market are.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
More Ways to Use that Ripe Banana
These are my favorite dishes to make with an overripe banana besides these Banana Yogurt Bites:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Frozen Banana Yogurt Bites with Peanut Butter, Easy
Equipment
- 1 cookie scoop (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- ½ cup Greek yogurt (or Skyr)
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or coconut oil
Instructions
- Mash the banana in a bowl. Add the greek yogurt, peanut butter and maple syrup to the bowl with the mashed banana and combine everything very well.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop about 1½ tablespoon of the banana mixture onto the parchment-lined baking tray until all the mixture is used. To make it easier, use a cookie scoop.
- Add the chocolate chips and avocado oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the chocolate chips by heating in a microwave at 50% in 20 second intervals, stirring well in between, until it's fully melted. Drizzle the chocolate on top of the banana bites and freeze for a couple of hours.
- Hint: they'll spread naturally after you add them to the baking sheet. This is normal!
Notes
- Be sure to stir the chocolate chips really good between 20 second intervals in the microwave to ensure the heat is evenly distributed and they melt evenly.
- Be careful when dipping the bites in the melted chocolate to coat them! I use a spoon to do this.
- If using sea salt on top, add it before the chocolate dries.
- Freezer - store frozen banana yogurt bites in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Let them sit at room temperature for 3-5 minutes to let them thaw a bit before eating.
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