Banana Split Recipe

The banana split is one of those classic treats that people have been enjoying for generations and are still going to love for many generations yet to come. And why not? You use a good, ripe banana as your base and then layer on ice cream, sweet syrup, whipped cream, and quite literally put a cherry on top — the goodness just keeps piling up until you've got one great dessert at hand.

But just because it's a classic dessert doesn't mean you have to stick to the OG formula, says chef and food writer Laura Sampson of Little House Big Alaska. "You can make this banana split recipe in so many ways," Sampson says. You could use frozen yogurt instead of ice cream. Or when picking ice cream, get wild with your flavors."

And you can also "go the dairy-free route," Sampson says, and try traditional ice cream alternatives like coconut-based ice cream or almond milk ice cream, of course. Here, we'll lay out the steps to make a classic banana split, but don't be afraid to go off script with this one. It's pretty hard to go wrong when you're dealing with sweet treats like these.

The classic banana split recipe calls for one banana, three scoops of ice cream (your choice, but yes vanilla is the original here), chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and a maraschino cherry. But don't stop there! Sampson says: "The toppings can be anything you like, like hot fudge, strawberries, or butterscotch. Add any sprinkles or nuts or cookie crumbles to your banana splits."

Get creative, go wild, and also allow for customization so everyone getting dessert can have it how they want it. Just make sure the bananas are ripe but not mushy.

Quick pro tip for this banana split recipe: Freeze the dishes on which you'll serve this dessert ahead of prep (a half hour will do), and chill the bananas in the fridge (ditto on timing). Then, when it's sweets time, split one banana lengthwise and then lay its two halves lengthwise beside one another on that long dish, whether you cooled it down or not.

Now, put three scoops of ice cream between the banana pieces lined up snug against one another.

You'll want to move pretty fast from this point on because a melted banana split recipe has no business on your dinner table, nor will it look good on your social media feed. So quickly now, drizzle the ice cream and banana with ribbons of chocolate sauce, top it all with a few sprays or scoops of whipped cream, and then put a cherry on top, being careful to nestle it in there gently.

Using other toppings, too? Go for it, top away! And if you're wondering about the best occasion for serving splits, Sampson has an idea: "These are fun to have for parties because you can set everything out and your guests can pick and choose their own toppings for a personalized banana split." (Not that you need an occasion, of course.)