Ninja Creami Steak ‘n Shake Banana Shake (Copycat Recipe)

Steak ‘n Shake has been hand-dipping milkshakes since 1934, and the banana is one of the originals. It’s thicker than a drive-thru shake has any business being, it tastes like actual bananas instead of banana candy, and you basically have to chew the first few sips.

This Ninja Creami Steak ‘n Shake banana shake recreates that at home, and the secret is that we’re not starting with a tub of store-bought ice cream. We’re making a real ice cream base from scratch, freezing it for 24 hours, and then running it through the milkshake cycle. That’s the same order of operations a hand-dipped diner shake follows, and it’s why this one comes out dense and spoonable instead of thin.

If you want the fast version instead, my Ninja Creami Sonic Banana Shake uses store-bought vanilla ice cream and is ready in about five minutes. Both are great. They’re just built differently.

Why You’ll Love This Copycat Banana Shake

• It’s genuinely thick. The from-scratch frozen base is what gets you that hand-dipped texture a blender can’t match.
• Real bananas, real vanilla. No syrup, no artificial banana flavor.
• Only 6 ingredients, all of them probably already in your kitchen.
• Uses up brown bananas. The spottier the banana, the better this tastes.
• Cheaper than the drive-thru, and you control the sweetness.
• Make the base ahead. Keep a couple of pints in the freezer and a shake is always ten minutes away.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The full measurements are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, along with the nutrition information.

• Whole milk: The base of the whole thing. Whole milk gives you the body a diner shake needs. Skim will freeze icy.
• Heavy cream: This is the line between “milkshake” and “smoothie.” Don’t leave it out.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the base and keeps the texture soft rather than rock-hard. Sugar lowers the freezing point, so it’s doing real work here, not just adding flavor.
• Very ripe banana: Look for lots of brown spots. A yellow-green banana tastes starchy and will leave the shake flat.
• Vanilla extract: Steak ‘n Shake builds their shakes on vanilla ice cream, so this is carrying a lot of the flavor. Use real extract if you have it.
• Pinch of salt: Sharpens the banana and vanilla. You won’t taste it, but you’ll notice if it’s missing.
• Instant vanilla pudding mix (optional): One tablespoon in the base makes a real difference in creaminess and helps prevent iciness. Optional, but try it once.

Substitutions

• Dairy-free: Full-fat canned coconut milk in place of the cream, oat milk in place of the whole milk.
• Lower sugar: An allulose or monk fruit blend works. Allulose keeps the base softer, which the Creami prefers.
• Higher protein: Whisk a scoop of vanilla protein powder into the milk. Protein bases freeze harder, so add an extra splash of milk at the milkshake step.
• No heavy cream: Half-and-half works. The shake will be a bit lighter but still good.

How to Make a Ninja Creami Banana Shake

Step One: Peel a ripe banana and mash it until mostly smooth. A few small lumps are fine. If you want it perfectly uniform, blend the banana with the milk for a few seconds first.

Step Two: Whisk the sugar into the whole milk until it fully dissolves, then add the heavy cream, vanilla, salt, mashed banana, and pudding mix if you’re using it. Whisk until smooth. Dissolving the sugar first matters. Undissolved sugar means a grainy shake.

Step Three: Pour the base into a clean Ninja Creami pint container, staying below the MAX FILL line. Seal it and freeze on a level surface for a full 24 hours. This is the step people rush and it’s the one that decides whether the recipe works. A base that isn’t fully frozen goes soupy in the machine. A base frozen at an angle spins unevenly.

Step Four: Take the pint out, remove the lid, and place it in the outer bowl. Attach the paddle to the lid, secure the lid assembly, lock it into the motor base, and select ICE CREAM.The first spin will look crumbly and powdery. That’s normal. Don’t panic.

Step Five: Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of milk to the pint, reinstall it, and select MILKSHAKE. This is the cycle that brings it together into that thick, pourable diner consistency. Too thick? Add another tablespoon of milk and hit RE-SPIN. Too thin? Put the pint back in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes and re-spin.

Step Six: Pour into a tall glass, top with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry, and serve with both a straw and a long spoon. That’s the Steak ‘n Shake way.

Tips for the Best Texture

• Freeze the full 24 hours. Not overnight-ish. This is the number one reason Creami recipes fail.
• Use a very ripe banana. Brown spots mean more sugar and more flavor.
• Freeze the pint flat. An uneven frozen surface makes the paddle work unevenly.
• Don’t overfill. The MAX FILL line is a hard limit, not a suggestion.
• Add milk a tablespoon at a time. You can always add more.
• Let a rock-hard pint sit 5 minutes if your freezer runs very cold.
• Rinse the paddle right after use. Dried-on shake is a pain.

Variations

• Banana Split Shake — After the milkshake cycle, use MIX-IN to fold in chopped strawberries, pineapple, and mini chocolate chips.
• Peanut Butter Banana — Whisk 2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter into the base before freezing.
• Chocolate Banana — Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa to the base, or try my Ninja Creami Chocolate Banana Milkshake for the shortcut version.
• Strawberry Banana — Swap half the banana for 1/2 cup chopped strawberries.
• Banana Bread Shake — Add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg, then mix in toasted walnuts at the end.
• Bananas Foster — Add 1/4 teaspoon rum extract and a tablespoon of brown sugar to the base.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Make the base ahead. Whisked base keeps in a sealed pint for up to 2 months in the freezer. Mix up three or four at once and you always have a shake ready.

Leftovers. Smooth the top, put the lid back on, and refreeze. Run MILKSHAKE or RE-SPIN when you want it again. Not quite as good as day one, but close.

Don’t refreeze a poured shake. Once whipped cream is involved, that’s its final form.

More Ninja Creami Milkshakes to Try

If you’re working your way through the machine, these are the ones I reach for most:

• Ninja Creami Vanilla Milkshake — the four-ingredient starting point
• Ninja Creami Chocolate Milkshake — thick, rich, three ingredients
• Ninja Creami Strawberry Milkshake — fresh berry flavor, no artificial anything
• Ninja Creami McDonald’s Vanilla Milkshake — a three-ingredient copycat
• Ninja Creami In-N-Out Milkshake — the Neapolitan version
• Ninja Creami Frosted Lemonade — the Chick-fil-A copycat
• Ninja Creami Funfetti Milkshake — birthday cake in a glass

Have a Ninja Slushi too? The Ninja Slushi Banana Milkshake gets big banana flavor from instant pudding, no fresh fruit required.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a Steak ‘n Shake banana shake different from other fast food shakes? Steak ‘n Shake hand-dips their shakes from real ice cream rather than pulling soft serve from a machine. That’s why they’re noticeably thicker. Starting with a genuinely frozen from-scratch base is how you copy that at home.

Can I use store-bought vanilla ice cream instead? Absolutely, and it’s much faster. That’s exactly how my Ninja Creami Sonic Banana Shake works. The from-scratch base here just gets you closer to that dense, hand-dipped texture.

Why is my shake icy instead of creamy? Usually not enough fat in the base, a base that wasn’t fully frozen, or it just needs another re-spin. The tablespoon of instant vanilla pudding mix helps a lot with this.

Do I have to use the MILKSHAKE setting? It’s designed for exactly this and gives the best result. If your model doesn’t have it, run ICE CREAM, add milk, then RE-SPIN once or twice.

Can I use frozen bananas? Thaw and mash them first so they mix evenly into the liquid. Dropping frozen chunks into the pint creates hard pockets the paddle struggles with.

How long does the base really need to freeze? A full 24 hours. It’s the single most important step in any Ninja Creami recipe.

Can I double it? Not in one pint. Make two separate pints instead.