30 Best Ice Cream Recipes, From Classic to Non-Charcoal

When the sweltering heat is starting to take its toll, nothing cools you down faster than ice cream. Whether you’re drawn to classic flavors like chocolate and vanilla, or you want to experiment with other flavors and ingredients, choose from 30 foolproof recipes. These ice cream recipes are easy, delicious, and perfect for kicking off summer.

Many of these ice cream desserts feature homemade ice cream. One of our favorite ways to make ice cream is the no-churn method. With just ingredients like heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk, you can create a custard that’s just as creamy as one churned in an ice cream maker. Not only does it save you time and effort, but it doesn’t require any expensive or specialized equipment to make at home.

While some of these ice cream recipes can be enjoyed as is, there are many more ways to enjoy them than serving a scoop in a cone. Many of these recipes can be used to create other frozen desserts, such as ice cream cakes, milkshakes, and ice cream sandwiches. Plus, these desserts come in a variety of fun flavor variations, from cookies and cream and strawberry shortcake to blueberry cheesecake and miso caramel. Keep at least one of these ice cream concoctions in your freezer at all times; kids and adults alike will love licking them up.

Though it’s not made with an ice cream machine, the mixture is incredibly creamy, made with a base of heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk, and flavored with peppermint extract and crushed Oreo cookies.

Transform this state fair staple into a refreshing summer treat by sandwiching homemade funnel cake with semi-homemade ice cream. Make the filling ahead of time by mixing store-bought vanilla custard with strawberry jam and whipped cream.

Ricotta adds a light, creamy texture to everything it touches, including Hoda Kotb’s favorite ice cream recipe. This soft cheese is blended with ice and maple syrup for a subtle sweetness.

If you’re a fan of peanut butter cup candy, you’ll love this indulgent ice cream cake, which features layers of ice cream (both vanilla and chocolate peanut butter), semisweet chocolate ganache, and crushed Reese’s candies atop a crumbly Oreo cookie crust.

It’s always a good idea to have a delicious vanilla ice cream recipe on hand, and we love this one from Jenni Britton Bauer. Enjoy it as is or use it in everything from sundaes to ice cream cakes.

Silky, creamy, and indulgent – these are just a few words to describe this easy chocolate ice cream. The best part is, you don’t need any special mixing equipment to make it, and it gets creamy and delicious once it solidifies in the freezer.

Even if you prefer brownies to blondes, you won’t be able to resist this ice cream cake, with a rich, buttery blonde crust topped with vanilla ice cream and a gooey chocolate fudge sauce.

Fruity non-whipped ice cream is the star of this ice cream sandwich. Use your favorite cookie for the sandwich base — chocolate chip is a classic, but you can use a variety like oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, ginger snap, and more.

This easy ice cream recipe is packed with the flavor of fresh summer peaches (a whopping pound and a half!) Choose the ripest peaches available, as the remaining ingredients are mild and contribute greatly to the ice cream’s custard-like texture.

The only thing tastier than ice cream is the ingredients you mix into the base.This ice cream comes in two bases: Classic Vanilla and Salted Caramel.Packed into a container with a cylindrical core made from sweet Biscoff cookie butter powder.

Soft serve ice cream is king in the ice cream world, and it’s easy to make at home by mixing frozen fruit (strawberries in this case, but try others like mango, pineapple, or kiwi) with sweetened condensed milk until it’s creamy enough to be rolled into a picture-perfect cone.

How about some Rice Krispies treats on a hot summer day? Please do. Putting some Rice Krispies cereal between vanilla ice cream will instantly upgrade your cookies and cream.

What’s a smoothie if not a breakfast-friendly ice cream? Here, frozen fruit is mixed with nut butter to add a bit of protein and healthy fat, and served with energizing toppings like granola and seeds to fuel you for the day.

This delicious vegan vanilla ice cream is made with raw soaked cashews, canned coconut milk and agave syrup. Sandwich the creamy ice cream between soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies for a plant-based dessert that will satisfy any sweet tooth.

Cheesecake meets blueberry pie meets ice cream. This no-churn frozen dessert has a base of homemade blueberry jam, cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream, and is layered with graham cracker crumbs so every bite feels like you’re biting into a creamy cheesecake.

Store-bought ice cream cookies are a shortcut to making this dessert special. Layer with smooth whipped cream, freeze, and garnish with patriotic red and blue berries.

This no-churn ice cream is not only the perfect sweet treat, but also a midday energy boost when you need it. Depending on how strong you like your coffee, mix 2-3 tablespoons of instant coffee granules into the custard before freezing.

If this recipe doesn’t conjure images of a midsummer run to the ice cream truck, we’re not sure what will. These ice cream squares are made with store-bought strawberry sorbet and two fresh and freeze-dried strawberries. For maximum effect, don’t forget to sprinkle some shortbread cookie crumbs on top.

With this stunning layered ice cream cake, you don’t have to choose a flavor: every part of the brownie sundae rainbow is represented, from brownies and vanilla ice cream to whipped cream and maraschino cherries on top.

A spoonful of rich red miso makes the classic caramel sauce even more delicious. The umami-packed flavor enhances the sweetness of the ice cream base, making this a great recipe even for people who aren’t usually big dessert eaters.

This decadent sundae is the ultimate summer treat: grilled doughnuts stuffed with vanilla ice cream, a rum-soaked pineapple ring and alcoholic caramel sauce.

This dairy-free ice cream (sometimes called “nice cream”) is sure to fool even the most sophisticated palate. Blend frozen bananas and almond butter with a pinch of warm ground cardamom until creamy.

Make a sandwich out of one of our most popular ice cream flavors: a dollop of chocolate mint ice cream between soft chocolate chip cookies will make everyone’s eyes light up.

It just isn’t summer without s’mores. But s’mores can be messy. This ice cream flavor combines all the classic campfire flavors into a refreshing, icy treat. Just mix shiny marshmallows, graham cracker chunks, and chocolate into our foolproof no-churn ice cream base.

This stunning cake is made with just five ingredients, three of which are store-bought: Use your favorite boxed cake mix, mint chocolate chip ice cream, and chocolate syrup to create this jaw-droppingly tall dessert.

Ice cream sandwiches are served for breakfast in Sicily during the summer, with food stalls serving rich, creamy gelato between toasted brioche buns for a sweet morning treat. Get a taste of Sicily at home with this recipe for pistachio ice cream, though any flavor will do.

Summer fruits are some of the most delicious pie fillings, especially when paired with rich ice cream. Use store-bought strawberry ice cream and jam to add a burst of summer berry flavor to your flaky homemade pie crust.

Crushed cookie dough is the secret ingredient in this recipe, which we’ve combined with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge sauce and a crunchy topping, but feel free to get creative with your fillings and toppings.

Three fan-favorite foods — banana split, upside-down cake and ice cream — are combined to create this unique dessert: a tender banana buttermilk cupcake topped with meringue frosting with a caramel swirl and served ala mode with homemade vanilla bean ice cream.

While you might want to eat this coconut-based chocolate ice cream straight out of the container, it’s even better sandwiched between peanut butter and graham cracker squares. For an extra decadent taste, dip the sides of the sandwich into peanut chunks or tiny chocolate chips.