Your Summer Survival Kit: Must-Try Frozen Treats
My No-Churn Cherry Chip Mascarpone Ice Cream + other frozen favorites to cool you down and cheer you up
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During summer, there are few things I enjoy more than ice cream and other frozen treats. When it’s hot outside, there’s something especially satisfying about eating something cold and creamy or icy. And then there’s the nostalgia: chasing ice cream trucks, family outings for cones, carefree afternoons at the swim club. While I don’t indulge every day (those supercharged metabolism days are long gone), in summer I make a point to enjoy something once or twice a week—whether to cool off, satisfy a sweet craving, or lift my mood.
There’s also just something infinitely more gratifying about homemade frozen desserts. Everything tastes fresher, is often free of additives, and rivals some of the best scoops from artisanal shops. Thanks to advances in at-home ice cream makers (a far cry from the days of hand-churning with rock salt!), it’s now easier than ever to DIY.
In this post, I’m sharing a few pro tips to help you master the art of making (and eating) ice cream at home—along with some of my favorite frozen treat recipes, including my No-Churn Cherry Chip Mascarpone Ice Cream.
How to make, serve, and eat ice cream like a pro
Noteworthy ice cream makers
I love my Whynter Ice Cream Maker. This highly-rated machine has a built-in compressor freezer that allows you to skip the pre-freezing of a bowl required by many popular ice cream makers. It has a handy built-in timer feature and is super easy to clean. With an upright design, it’s also relatively compact and storage-friendly. It’s priced on the higher side, but makes an awesome gift (as mine was) and can be a smart buy during Amazon Prime Days (next week!) or other online sales.
Before my Whynter, I purchased a Ninja Creami. A little less money than a full-blown ice cream maker, the Ninja Creami is ideal for making smaller portions and delicious non-dairy options. You do need to freeze the mixtures first in pint-size containers, but once frozen, it takes mere minutes to churn out perfectly textured, tasty ice cream. Today’s models feature settings for just about every frozen dessert imaginable—from ice cream, sorbet, and gelato, to milkshakes and Italian ices.
Best ice cream scoop
I read somewhere that the Zeroll ice cream scooper is the go-to option for professionals and ice cream parlors alike—which, of course, meant I had to try it. I can confidently say it’s the best ice cream scoop I’ve ever used. Its clever design (it’s got a unique heat-conductive liquid in the handle!) makes it easy to create beautifully smooth scoops with minimal effort and a clean release. Just be sure to wash it by hand; it’s not dishwasher safe.
The bowl matters too
Finally, to further enhance your at-home ice cream experience, it helps to serve it in fun, festive dishes. I picked up some charming vintage sundae cups and spoons from Big Night in NYC (a delightful shop selling dinner party and hosting essentials), but there are plenty of accessible, affordable options online. I love this vintage-inspired set with playful detailing; this classic option is super cute as well.
And, if you’re looking to amp up your ice cream parlor experience, here are some long-handled sundae spoons that pair perfectly with sundae cups.
Fantastic frozen treat recipes
Now, onto some of my favorite ice cream and frozen dessert recipes…
Some are new, others have been in my rotation since my kids were little—but all are highly recommended for anyone who loves frozen sweet treats (and really, who doesn’t?). I’ve even included a few from my summer “to-make” list that caught my eye and look really tasty.
FAVORITE ALL-AROUND ICE CREAM: Peanut Butter Ice Cream,
, The Perfect Scoop. Creamy, dreamy, and peanutty, this ice cream hits all the right flavor notes. Since I’m extra, I like to swirl in a couple spoonfuls of melted crunchy peanut butter too before freezing.If you’re looking to up your ice cream making game, do yourself a favor and check out The Perfect Scoop cookbook. It’s a classic, and one of my most trusted resources for recipes and inspiration. Besides Peanut Butter, every ice cream flavor I’ve made from the book has been a hit: Cinnamon, Roasted Banana, S’Mores, Rum Raisin, and Lemon Speculoos, to name a few favorites. There are recipes for granitas, sorbets, sauces, and other sweet toppings too.
Runner-up: Milk Chocolate Oreo Ice Cream,
, Modern Comfort Food. Next level cookies and cream ice cream.On my summer to-make list: Corn ice cream (inspired by this recent post from
as well as a delicious dessert I ate at the Japanese restaurant Konban in NYC). I also can’t stop thinking about the Cream Cheese and Date Ice Cream from Samantha Seneviratne’s Bake Smart cookbook and need to try it ASAP.FAVORITE DAIRY-FREE ICE CREAM: Vanilla Bean Coconut Ice Cream, Minimalist Baker. I’m mildly obsessed with coconut milk-based dairy-free ice creams. This one is super creamy, intensely coconutty, and delivers vanilla two ways—from vanilla bean paste and extract.
On my summer-to make list: Strawberry-Rhubarb Sorbet from The Perfect Scoop (using the last of my now-frozen spring rhubarb).
FAVORITE NO-CHURN ICE CREAM: No-Churn Cherry Chip Mascarpone Ice Cream, Kerry Faber, Dish Lister. The beauty of no-churn ice cream lies in its simplicity—no special equipment needed. It’s typically made with whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk, plus whatever mix-ins, flavorings, or extracts you like. The mixture is poured into a loaf pan and frozen until solid. The result is so rich and creamy, you can hardly tell the difference from traditional ice cream.
And what can I say…my current favorite no-churn ice cream recipe is my own. Sweet cherries are cooked down to a soft, jammy consistency and then folded into a whipped cream base with shards of bittersweet chocolate. It’s giving strong Cherry Garcia vibes—maybe even better.
Complete recipe below, including a printable version. This week, it’s a treat for my paid subscribers!
Runner-up: No-Churn Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream,
, Vietnamese Food Any Day: Simple Recipes for True, Fresh Flavors. I’m a sucker for coffee ice cream, and this one is creamy and wonderful.FAVORITE POPSICLE: Nectarine Sunrise Popsicle,
, Susanality. Few things remind me of childhood summers more than brightly colored popsicles. And homemade ones are the best because they’re made with real fruit and are bursting with flavor. These popsicles, made with nectarine and strawberry layers, taste like sunshine on a stick.On my summer to-make list: I’m dying to try every single one of
’ fabulous California-inspired popsicles—including this dairy-free Pineapple Creamsicle made with fresh pineapple and coconut milk.
FAVORITE GRANITA: Grapefruit Granita, Young and Hungry, Dave Lieberman. A granita is a dessert made by freezing a flavorful, sweetened liquid that’s scraped with a fork to create delicate ice crystals, similar to shaved ice. My longtime favorite version—made with fresh grapefruit juice—is (oddly enough) from a former Food Network chef–turned–physician. This granita is super refreshing, and its light, sweet-tart flavor makes it the perfect cooldown treat on a hot day. When I lived near Zabar’s in New York City, I’d splurge on their freshly squeezed grapefruit juice to make this, and I felt like I was eating an expensive restaurant dessert.
FAVORITE ICE CREAM SANDWICH: Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches, source unknown. These fudgy brownie ice cream sandwiches—filled with vanilla ice cream swirled with crunchy peanut butter—first appeared at a July 4th party I hosted in my NYC apartment 15 years ago, and I’ve been making them ever since. The original recipe has disappeared from the Internet, but luckily I wrote it down (and pretty much have it memorized). This version comes close, though mine skips the extra chocolate-nut shell and uses crunchy peanut butter stirred into softened vanilla ice cream instead of melted smooth peanut butter and chopped peanuts.
Runner-up: Coffee Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches,
, Modern Comfort Food.On my summer to-make list: Strawberry Shortcake Icebox Bars from The Magnolia Handbook of Icebox Desserts. Yes, an icebox dessert qualifies as a frozen treat!
FAVORITE ICE CREAM CAKE: Homemade Ice Cream Cake, Sally McKenney, Sally’s Baking Blog. This cake layers two kinds of ice cream (flavors of your choosing) with crushed Oreo cookies, hot fudge, and a whipped cream frosting that’s reminiscent of a classic Dairy Queen or Carvel cake.
Runner-up: Bananas Foster Ice Cream Cake, Brooke Parkhurst & James Briscione, Just Married and Cooking: 200 Recipes for Living, Eating, and Entertaining Together. Graham cracker crust, vanilla ice cream, flambéed bananas on top. ‘Nuff said.
On my summer to-make list: Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake, Southern Living. Funfetti Graham & Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream Cake,
, the sunday stack.Trying to find special occasions to make both!FAVORITE ICE CREAM DRINK: Ice Cream Soda. I’ve always loved ice cream sodas as a more refreshing and less filling alternative to milkshakes (which are a once-a-year kind of treat for me). In my opinion, the best flavor is the classic black and white: seltzer water mixed with a few tablespoons of chocolate syrup (Fox’s U-Bet, for the die-hards) and topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream—or chocolate chip, if I’m feeling special.
Runner-up: Toasted Marshmallow Milkshake,
, Smitten Kitchen. Sweet, nostalgic, and totally addictive.
Below is my irresistible recipe for Cherry Chocolate Chip Mascarpone No-Churn Ice Cream. It’s perfect on its own, in a cone, or—if you’re feeling extra indulgent—served atop a slice of cherry pie or warm skillet cookie. (Is it just me, or does that sound a bit Dr. Seussian?!)
A couple of quick recipe notes:
When cherries are out of season, you can use cherry preserves in place of fresh cherries. Simply warm a 1/2 cup of preserves in a medium saucepan and proceed with recipe as directed.
Feel free to substitute the same amount of softened cream cheese, sour cream, or crème fraiche for the mascarpone. Just note that it will result in a slightly tangier flavor.
How cute are these sundae cups?
I hope you love this ice cream as much as my family and I does!
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No-Churn Cherry Chip Mascarpone Ice Cream
6-8 servings
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