The banana split recipe
for your table
Place the dish or coupe in the freezer half an hour in advance, whip the cream until soft peaks form, chop the nuts and warm the chocolate sauce until lukewarm. Leave the banana until last, with the peel on: as soon as you cut it open, the cut surface starts to discolor, so do this only when everything else is ready.
Cut the banana in half lengthwise, from stem to tip, not into slices. Place the two halves cut-side up in the dish, with the rounded sides against the edge. This creates a groove: the scoops settle between them and stay in place instead of rolling away.
Scoop the three balls between the banana halves, in the fixed order of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. Press them lightly against the fruit so they touch each other and the row does not fall apart when you pour sauce over it.
Pour the chocolate sauce over the scoops, pipe or spoon three swirls of whipped cream between them, sprinkle the chopped nuts over the top and place the cherry in the middle. Serve it immediately, because as soon as the sauce is added, the ice cream starts to melt.
What did you think of this recipe?
One click on a star is enough. If you would like to add something, we will read it first before it appears here.
Save this recipe
Send the banana split recipe to your own email, so you have it handy when you are about to make it. You will also receive a €5 discount code for purchases from €50, for the glasses that go with it.
The story
Of all ice cream coupes, the banana split is the one that most resembles a construction: not round and stacked, but lengthwise, with a row of three scoops in a groove formed by the banana. That is why it has traditionally been served in an elongated dish rather than a coupe. This same shape also makes it larger than the other coupes, because besides the ice cream, you eat a whole banana. In ice cream parlors, it is the order that two people start together, and it is often listed as the most expensive of the selection. In Dutch, you also see the spelling bananensplit, written as one word.
The right glass
Here we have to be honest: a banana split belongs in an elongated dish, and we do not have one like that. The shape is no coincidence. In a narrow, long dish, the two banana halves lie next to each other with the scoops in the groove between them, allowing you to see the entire row from the side. What we do have are stemmed glasses and wide coupes, and the same idea works in those, only round instead of long: place the two halves with the rounded side against the wall, so they keep the scoops together in the middle. Then choose the widest and shallowest shape you can find, because in a deep bowl the banana stands upright and you can no longer see anything of it. According to the description, the 28 cl coupe below is a wide, shallow stemmed coupe with room for a generous ice cream dessert with sauce and nuts, making it the closest match. The second is a wide, shallow 22 cl bowl: even more open, but also smaller, so it fits half a banana and two scoops rather than the full serving. More shapes can be found among the ice cream coupes.
Royal Leerdam Fun 4 Food Ice Cream Coupe 28 cl Primavera (6 pieces)
La Rochère Perigord Coupe 22 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 56,90.
The right tools
For a banana split, in addition to the glass, you use a long bar spoon to get the sauce out from under the fruit and a grater for grating chocolate over the whipped cream; we do not carry the dessert fork traditionally served with it. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 50,85.
What will you serve with it?
A banana split is alcohol-free by itself. If anything goes with it, it is rum: bananas and sugar cane come from the same region, and a spoonful of dark rum over the fruit does not taste out of place. Malibu with coconut works in the same direction, and those who want something darker can choose Kahlúa. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works well in, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
The classic version has three flavors and three sauces that go with each scoop: chocolate sauce on the vanilla ice cream, strawberry sauce on the chocolate ice cream, and pineapple sauce on the strawberry ice cream. That is the original arrangement; if you keep it simple, just pour chocolate sauce over all three. A variation you see more and more often is grilled banana: cut it lengthwise, place it cut-side down in a hot pan or on the grill for a minute, and let it cool before adding the ice cream. The cut side caramelizes, making the banana sweeter and firmer. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Serve it immediately after adding the sauce, because a banana split is large and therefore falls apart more quickly than an ordinary coupe. Add two spoons if two people are sharing it, and place the dish or coupe in the freezer for half an hour beforehand. Traditionally, it also comes with a dessert fork for the banana.
Good to know
The three flavors and the three sauces
The classic banana split has three scoops side by side: vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. Traditionally, these are served with three different sauces, one for each scoop: chocolate sauce on the vanilla ice cream, strawberry sauce on the chocolate ice cream, and pineapple sauce on the strawberry ice cream. In practice, this is often reduced to just chocolate sauce over the whole dessert. If you use all three sauces, pour them separately with a spoon; otherwise, they will run together on the bottom of the dish anyway.
Why you should cut the banana at the last moment
As soon as the cut surface of a banana is exposed to the air, it starts to discolor, and after fifteen minutes this is clearly visible. So do not cut it until the ice cream, sauce, and whipped cream are ready, and leave it unpeeled until then. If you do want to cut it earlier, brush the cut surface with a few drops of lemon juice; this slows the discoloration, although it does add a slight sour note.
The cut side facing up
Place the halves cut-side up with the rounded side against the wall of the dish. Together, they form a trough that keeps the scoops in place. If you turn them over, the scoops roll off the rounded backs and end up against the edge within a minute. The same principle applies in a round coupe: rounded side against the glass, cut side facing inward, with the scoops between them.
Why the oblong shape
A banana split is naturally longer than it is wide because the banana determines its size. In a narrow, long dish, everything sits in a single row, and you can see the three scoops, the two banana halves, and the three dollops of whipped cream side by side. In a round coupe, you have to stack the same portion, causing the banana to disappear beneath the ice cream. If you do not have an oblong dish, choose the widest, shallowest dish you have.
The grilled banana version
Cut the banana lengthwise, place the halves cut-side down in a hot pan without fat or on the grill for one minute, then let them cool to room temperature. The cut side caramelizes, making the banana sweeter and helping it stay firm under the scoops. Make sure it has really cooled before adding the ice cream; otherwise, the bottoms of the scoops will melt immediately.
Spoon and fork
Traditionally, a banana split is served with two pieces of cutlery: a dessert spoon for the ice cream and sauce, and a fork for the banana, which is difficult to cut through with a spoon. We do not carry a dessert fork; we do offer a bar spoon with a handle of around thirty centimeters, which is more comfortable than a regular spoon in a deep coupe because you can use it to scoop the sauce out from under the fruit.
Frequently asked questions
What goes into a banana split?
A banana cut in half lengthwise, with three scoops of ice cream between them in the order vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, chopped nuts, and a cherry. In the original version, each scoop gets its own sauce: chocolate on vanilla, strawberry on chocolate, and pineapple on strawberry.
Why do you cut the banana lengthwise?
Because the two halves then form a groove in which the scoops stay in place. Place them cut-side up and rounded side against the wall, so they hold the row of ice cream in the middle together. If you cut the banana into slices, the scoops roll loose through the dish and the whole arrangement falls apart.
How do you prevent the banana from turning brown?
By slicing it only when everything else is ready. The cut surface starts to discolor as soon as it is exposed to air, and after fifteen minutes it is clearly visible. If you have to slice it earlier, brush the cut surface with a few drops of lemon juice; this slows it down, with a slight sour note as a side effect.
What dish or glass do you serve a banana split in?
Traditionally served in an oblong dish, because the banana determines the size and everything fits in a single row. If you don't have one, choose the widest, shallowest coupe you have and place the two banana halves with the rounded sides against the wall. In a deep, narrow glass, the banana stands upright and disappears beneath the ice cream.
Also delicious
Everything for your bar,
at one address
Glasses in hospitality quality, supplied per set. Order today, delivered quickly.
Shop the glasses →