DIY Recipe: 3 No-Bake, Cannabis-Infused Banana Desserts

During sweltering summer days, no one wants to turn on their oven. So, what do you do when you want a sweet dessert, but don’t want to melt while you’re making it?

We’ve got three easy, tasty, healthy marijuana-infused desserts that don’t require an oven. And they all feature bananas. Bananas are a powerhouse ingredient; they’re:

• Full of potassium, which helps maintain low blood pressure, and strengthens bones and muscles
• High in fiber, which is important for keeping you regular and balancing blood sugar levels
• A good source of vitamin C, which is integral for a healthy immune system and can fight off free radicals

Besides bananas, we’ve also added cannabis to the mix. We’ve gone for cannabis tinctures in these recipes because they’re easy to add, simple to dose, and work well with the other ingredients. Feel free to use any marijuana tincture you like, whether it be a cannabidiol (CBD) tincture to fight inflammation after a long day, or a high-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) oil to help you fall asleep after dinner.

The recipes below include a general cannabis dose per person, but feel free to customize the dosage according to your tolerance, desired effects or preferences your guests, if you’ll be serving these desserts to family and friends.

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1. Cannabis-Infused, Chocolate-Covered Frozen Bananas

Sometimes you just want a nice, sweet milk chocolate, and we get that. But if you go for dark chocolate—70% or higher—you’ll get additional health benefits like antioxidants and flavonols that can do everything, from helping your skin glow to lowering your blood pressure.

Serves 4

Ingredients for Cannabis-Infused, Chocolate-Covered Frozen Bananas

• 4 bananas
• 6 oz chocolate of your choice
• 20 mL cannabis tincture
• Optional toppings (nuts, granola, sprinkles, jam)

How to Make Cannabis-Infused, Chocolate-Covered Frozen Bananas

1. Peel bananas and freeze for at least 2 hours.
2. Melt chocolate in a double broiler or in the microwave, until smooth with no lumps.
3. Stir cannabis tincture into the melted chocolate.
4. Dip bananas in chocolate mixture half way and hold over bowl to catch drips.
5. Sprinkle with toppings, if using.
6. Place chocolate-covered bananas on a parchment paper lined tray or plate in fridge, until chocolate hardens. These will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

2. Sautéed Bananas With Peanut Butter-Cannabis Drizzle

This easy recipe requires a little bit of heat, but no oven. By caramelizing the bananas in some coconut oil, the sweetness of the fruit really comes through.

Did you know that the cannabinoids in marijuana are fat soluble? This means you should eat fat along with your marijuana to make cannabinoids better available for your body to use—that’s where the coconut oil and peanut butter come in.

Consider this dessert for your next dinner party. You’ll look like a pro, and your guests will never know just how simple the recipe really is.

RELATED: WHY YOU NEED TO EAT FAT WITH YOUR CANNABIS

Serves 4

Ingredients for Sautéed Bananas With Peanut Butter-Cannabis Drizzle

• 4 bananas (you can also use ripe plantains for a twist)
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 8 tbsp peanut butter (or any other kind of nut butter), at room temperature
• 20 mL cannabis tincture
• Sea salt and cinnamon to garnish

How to Make Sautéed Bananas With Peanut Butter-Cannabis Drizzle

1. Peel bananas and slice in half length-wise.
2. Heat coconut oil in a pan over medium heat.
3. Add bananas to the pan, cut-side down. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to work in batches.
4. After a few minutes, when the cut side turns golden-brown, flip the bananas to sauté the other side. Add more coconut oil if needed.
5. While the bananas are cooking, measure out peanut butter into a bowl and add the cannabis tincture; stir until smooth.
6. When the bananas reach your desired golden color, transfer to a plate and let cool a bit. You don’t want the bananas to cool down completely, but if they’re too hot the peanut butter will slide right off of them.
7. Use a small spoon or knife to drizzle the peanut butter on top of the sliced bananas.
8. Garnish with cinnamon and sea salt to your liking.

3. Banana Split With Cannabis-Infused Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream

Banana splits are an all-American favorite. But why not make one with a healthy avocado-based ice cream and a cannabis tincture, to really up the health factor? We’ll use our previous summer recipe for a cannabis-infused chocolate avocado ice cream, which we love.

Avocados:

• Are rich in oleic acid, which can reduce inflammation
• Contain potassium as well as vitamins K, C, E
• Have been shown to lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol

Making this ice cream doesn’t require any fancy equipment, just a blender and about four hours for the ice cream to set.

Serves 4

Ingredients for Banana Split With Cannabis-Infused Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream

• 3 large avocados
• 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 4 tbsp honey or sweetener of your choice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 15 mL cannabis tincture
• 4 bananas
• 12 tbsp whipped cream
• Sliced fresh strawberries for topping
• 4 tbsp chopped nuts for topping
• 8 cherries

How to Make Banana Split With Cannabis-Infused Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream

1. Follow the directions for our cannabis-infused chocolate avocado ice cream recipe.
2. Peel bananas and cut in half lengthwise.
3. Place three scoops of the chocolate avocado ice cream in a long dish or bowl.
4. Arrange banana halves on either side of the row of ice cream scoops.
5. Spoon 3 tbsp of whipped cream on top of each banana split.
6. Garnish with strawberries, nuts and two cherries per banana split; serve immediately.

Photo credit: Toni Cuenca

If you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our Cannabis 101 post. HelloMD can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it’s easy, private and 100% online.