Nothing says summer like ice cream, and there are so many ways to enjoy it. As far as I’m concerned, a classic cone hits the spot, but these ice cream hacks will help you take it up a notch.
But hey, feel free to just scoop your favorite flavor into a bowl and call it a day. Or call it dinner. Or eat it out of the carton and call it dinner. We support that! Especially now that summer is unofficially here.
Top image: The Butter Half
One dozen cool ice cream hacks for a tasty summer
1. Doughnuts and ice cream? Yes. We love doughnuts and we love ice cream, so we can’t think of a single reason not to put them together. The Butter Half has step by step instructions for a glazed donut ice cream sandwich shown at top. So fun!
2. The easy way to make ice cream sandwiches. Get a perfectly round disk of ice cream with this cool trick from Ben & Jerry’s, put it between two cookies, and amaze your friends!
Wonder How To
3. It’s all in the wrist. When you have to scoop ice cream for the whole gang and you don’t want to mess up your tennis game (or uh, picking up your child game) with a sprained wrist, follow the instructions at Wonder How To to slice your ice cream with a knife to make the job easier.
The Kitchn
4. Make super-healthy, one-ingredient ice cream. This shouldn’t work, but it does. And it’s healthy! Find out how to make a shockingly good frozen treat with nothing but a banana. The Kitchn has some great suggestions for ice cream mix-ins to add to your ingredient list.
5. Make an easy, semi-homemade ice cream cake. We love this hack for using store-bought ice cream sandwiches and turning them into a a spectacular ice cream cake. All without the hard work!
Epicurious
6. Do you live for Dole Whip, but don’t have time for a Disney trip? You’re not alone, and a quick Google search will turn up loads of raves from other fans. Epicurious has cracked the code with tips for how to make the best Dole Whip at home.
The Kitchn
7. My kids love this strawberry ice cream cake and it’s so, so easy. It’s a two-ingredients strawberry ice cream cake for real, as long as you’re willing to go the store-bought route, which I absolutely am. Garnish with mint to glam it up and eat!
Donald Li
8. Transport a whole pint of ice cream safely in a Yeti mug. Headed out for a picnic and want to take a pint? Twitter user Donald Li shared this tip for transporting ice cream safely without melting and we’re all for it! In fact, Kristen calls Yeti mugs her favorite travel mugs of all time, and they do really keep frozen things, frozen.
How do I know? My son leaves his on his bedside table for days and the ice doesn’t melt.
From Make It Easy by Stacie Billis; Photo: Naomi McColloch
9. DIY Magic Shell. The magic of Magic Shell is just as entertaining now as it was when I was a kid. We shared this DIY magic shell trick from our own Stacie Billis’ excellent cookbook, Make It Easy: 120 Mix-and-Match Recipes to Cook From Scratch with Smart Store-Bought Shortcuts When You Need Them. Who doesn’t love that crunch? And that “magic”?
Tasting Table
10. Ice cream is great! Tacos are great! If you, like me, love a Choco Taco, why not experiment with a DIY, gourmet version? I can’t wait to make this choco Taco-inspired dessert from Tasting Table made fancy with Pizzelle wafers. Mmmmm.
Real Simple | photo by Tom Schierlitz
11. S’mores are good in any form. You have to check out Real Simple’s recipe for ice cream sandwich s’mores. I mean, it involves vanilla ice cream and Marshmallow Fluff. Need we say more? The directions are really simple (ha) but just be sure to leave time for freezing — with apologies to anxious, hungry, s’mores loving kids.
Food Network
12. Ice cream isn’t just for kids. If you’re dairy-free, or want something a more adult way to enjoy your after-dinner frozen dessert treats, you must check out Giada De Laurentiis’s recipe for Sgroppino. It’s a refreshing cocktail made with lemon sorbet, vodka, and prosecco, then garnished with mint. Italians enjoy it as a palate cleanser, aperitivo, or dessert. I just enjoy it any time I can. Cin cin!
