How to Serve Ice Cream

Last Updated: September 23, 2022 References

Ice cream is a creamy, rich frozen dessert that is made up flavored and sweetened milk fat. This delicious dessert has been a hit for centuries now and a lot of ice cream lovers have created ways to make ice cream even more enjoyable to serve and devour. If you're ready to serve your ice cream in a new creative way, this article is for you, providing a variety of ways you can serve ice cream and the common toppings, too.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Common Ways of Serving Ice Cream

1
Make an ice sundae. An ice cream sundae is a meal that is usually used with several scoops of ice cream, topped with ice cream toppings, sauces, and syrups. ^{[1]
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Research source} Diving into a big ice cream sundae is a decadent way to treat yourself, and is the perfect way to serve ice cream. The best part about the dessert – besides the fact that it's made of ice cream – is how highly customizable it is. Between ice cream flavors, sauces, and toppings, there seems to be a combination out there to please everyone.
- Consider using different types of ice cream when creating a sundae such as a mix of chocolate and pumpkin or vanilla and strawberry.
- Garnish the sundae with your favorite toppings such as whipped cream, nuts, sweet sauces, fresh or dried fruits, chocolate chips, sprinkles, etc.
2
Serve ice cream on a cone. Eating ice cream on a cone is the most common way to serve ice cream. An ice cream cone is a dry, sugary cone that's usually has a wafer type of texture. ^{[2]
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Research source} The ice cream cone is crunchy and goes well with many ice cream flavors. The ice cream cone can also be dipped in melted chocolate and then rolled into a variety of toppings. While the sugar cone is the most popular type of ice cream cone, you can also use:
- Pretzel cones: ^{[3]
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  Research source} A pretzel-shaped ice cream cone that can either be soft or hard. The pretzel cone is salty and savory and goes well with chocolate, vanilla, peanut butter, or cookie dough ice cream.
- Cookie cones: ^{[4]
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  Research source} A cone that is made out of cookie dough such as chocolate chip, M&M, gingerbread, or sugar cookie dough. The dough is rolled into the shape of a cone and then baked. Once cooled, you can serve the ice come on the cone.
- Chocolate cones: ^{[5]
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  Research source} Chocolate-flavored cones that have cocoa powder added in. These cones are just like normal ice cream cones, but instead, are dark brown and have a chocolate taste.
- Doughnut cones: ^{[6]
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  Research source} A cone that is made out of doughnut dough and then shaped into a cone. The dough is fried into oil and once cooled, it can be used to serve ice cream on.
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3
Serve ice cream on an ice cream sandwich. An ice cream sandwich is two wafers, cookies, or biscuits placed together to form a sandwich. ^{[7]
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Research source} People enjoy creating unique ice cream sandwiches by using a different base for their sandwich. When creating your sandwich, you may want to roll the sandwich in toppings such as chocolate chips, nuts, or sprinkles. Ice cream sandwiches are easy to make and there are many kinds of ways to make them. Examples include:
- Cookie ice cream sandwiches: ^{[8]
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  Research source} Two cookies (usually chocolate chip cookies) are pressed together on a scoopful of ice cream. It's usually best to use jumbo cookies for a bigger sandwich, if desired. Vanilla ice cream is highly recommended when making this sandwich, but chocolate and cookie dough can work, too
- Pound cake ice cream sandwiches: ^{[9]
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  Research source} Two slices of a pound cake gently pressed together on a scoopful of ice cream. You may like to use a variety of pound cake flavors such as berry or chocolate for a different and tasty flavor.
- Waffle or pancake ice cream sandwiches: ^{[10]
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  Research source} Two cooked waffles or pancakes gently pressed together on two scoops of ice cream. Having warm waffles is usually recommended for the ice cream to slightly melt. You may want to add toppings into the ice cream for a slight crunch and more flavor. Ice cream flavors such as chocolate, vanilla, cookie dough, peanut butter, and strawberry work best for this sandwich.
- Churro ice cream sandwiches: ^{[12]
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  Research source} Two slices of churros pressed with a scoop of ice cream. Flavors like vanilla, cookie dough, chocolate, and mint chocolate chip go well with churro ice cream sandwiches. Homemade churro that's fresh out of the oven is usually best for this sandwich.
- Ritz cracker ice cream sandwiches: ^{[13]
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  Research source} Two Ritz crackers closed with a tablespoon or two of ice cream. This type of ice cream sandwich is savory and some people enjoy using unique ice cream flavors such as bacon or garlic. You can also use normal types of ice cream flavors such as vanilla or chocolate. The sandwiches can also be rolled in sprinkles or dunked in melted chocolate.
- Brownie ice cream sandwiches: ^{[14]
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  Research source} One brownie sliced in half and closed with a scoopful of ice cream, usually vanilla or chocolate. The ice cream sandwich is sometimes rolled in with sprinkles, chocolate chips, nuts, or cereal such as Cheerios or Lucky Charms.
4
Make an ice cream float. An ice cream float (also called a coke float or root beer float ^{[15]
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Research source}) have been a classic dessert for several years. Combining a soft drink and ice cream to make the perfect float, or adding in some exciting variations such as whipped cream or a cherry on top. ^{[16]
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Research source} Enjoy a coke float the next time you want to treat yourself, or serve them up at parties and celebrations.
- Most people use vanilla ice cream when making an ice cream float, but other flavors can work too such as chocolate or cookie dough.
- The best types of soft drinks for an ice cream float are root beer, coke, or cream soda, but any soda will do. ^{[17]
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5
Make an ice cream cake. An ice cream cake is a cake that's been incorporated with ice cream. It contains layers of cake, ice cream, and icing or frosting. ^{[18]
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Research source} You may enjoy adding a variety of toppings on an ice cream cake such as fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, whipped cream, sweet sauces, sprinkles, etc. You can also be creative and use different types of cakes and ice cream flavors for a unique and tasty ice cream cake.
6
Add ice cream on cooked brownies. Adding a scoopful of ice cream on freshly baked, warm brownies makes a delicious and mouthwatering dessert. You may want to close two pieces of brownies to create an ice cream sandwich, or you can bake brownie bowls to serve the ice cream in. ^{[19]
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- Drizzling chocolate syrup over the brownies with ice cream will give them an extra chocolaty taste.
7
Top cupcakes with ice cream. Baked cupcakes that are warm and served with ice cream on the top make the perfect dessert. A different variety of cupcake and ice cream flavors can be used and plenty of toppings can be added as well. The ice cream can be stuffed into the cupcake or it could be served on top. ^{[20]
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- You can also make ice cream cupcake cones. Scoop cupcake batter into ice cream cones and bake them in the oven. Serve the ice cream on top and enjoy!
8
Serve ice cream on s'mores. Ice cream s'mores, just by their name, is a s'more made up of ice cream. The s'more is made up of two graham crackers, a roasted marshmallow, a piece of chocolate, and then a scoopful of ice cream. The s'mores can be froze until solid or they can be eaten right away. ^{[21]
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- The s'mores can also be dipped into melted chocolate and rolled in with other toppings.
9
Make fried ice cream. Fried ice cream is a popular way to serve ice cream. A scoopful of ice cream is froze until solid and then covered with flour, an egg, and crushed crackers or cereal. Once deep-fried, the ice cream has a crispy shell that is warm and sweet. ^{[22]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Creative Ways to Serve Ice Cream

1
Make an ice cream pie. Cold, creamy, and sweet; An ice cream pie doesn't need to be baked and is easy to make and prepare. There are many variations of ice cream pies out there and plenty of people enjoy adding chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, mint candies, and peanut butter chips onto their pie. ^{[23]
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- Most ice cream pies feature a graham cracker crust since it's the easiest and fastest to use. ^{[24]
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- Ice cream can also be served onto fruit pies such as apple, peach, or strawberry pie.
2
Serve ice cream on chocolate tacos. Chocolate tacos are usually made out of the same ingredients as chocolate ice cream cones. These tacos make the perfect treat to add ice cream onto, usually vanilla or chocolate. You can also dip the tacos in melted chocolate and sprinkle on some toppings for an extra sweet taste. ^{[25]
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3
Make ice cream bread. As crazy as it sounds, ice cream bread only requires two ingredients: Ice cream and flour. ^{[26]
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Research source} Once baked, this bread will leave you wanting an extra slice from it's fluffy and moist taste. Serve with extra scoop of ice cream on top for an extraordinary flavor, and feel free to add any other toppings too.
4
Serve the ice cream by shaping them into bars. Ice cream bars are bars of ice cream that are held by a stick that are froze and dipped into melted chocolate and/or other toppings. The layer of chocolate and toppings prevent the ice cream for melting, allowing it to melt slower so you won't have to worry about it melting while you eat. ^{[27]
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5
Add ice cream on your cappuccino. Make your cappuccino cool by adding a scoopful of your favorite ice cream and garnishing with whipped cream and other toppings. The ice cream will melt and the taste of your drink will be creamy and rich, expanding the flavors greatly. ^{[28]
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- The best types of ice cream for a cappuccino are vanilla, chocolate, cake batter, mint chocolate chip, and strawberry. ^{[29]
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6
Make an ice cream milkshake. An ice cream milkshake is a great way to switch up and serve your ice cream. There are many flavors to try out there and each type of ice cream can create a different type of milkshake. For example, using Oreo ice cream for your milkshake can create a delicious Oreo milkshake. Feel free to add frozen or fresh fruit in your smoothie for a sweeter boost. ^{[30]
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- Feel free to add multiple types of ice cream in your milkshake for a unique and flavorful taste.
- Once your milkshake is made, add a scoopful of ice cream on top for garnish.
7
Serve ice cream in cookie cups. Cookie cups are small-shaped cups that are made out of cookie dough. The cookie dough is rolled into the shape of a mini cup and then baked. Once cooled, ice cream can be served and devoured into the cups. ^{[31]
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- Most people use chocolate chip cookie dough when making the cookie cups, but other types such as M&M, gingerbread, and sugar cookie dough can work, too. ^{[32]
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8
Serve ice cream on hot chocolate or hot cocoa. A scoopful of ice cream served on your hot chocolate or hot cocoa is the perfect way to cuddle up in the winter. The ice cream will melt at once and will cause the hot drink to become rich and creamy. ^{[33]
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- Adding marshmallows and chocolate syrup over the ice cream can create a delicious hot chocolate ice cream float. ^{[34]
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9
Add ice cream on cooked or baked fruit. Ice cream served on top of cooked or baked apples, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, mangoes, blackberries, and raspberries make the fruit taste ten times better. Fruit flavored ice cream works well when serving, but chocolate and vanilla can work too. ^{[35]
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10
Make an ice cream blizzard. An ice cream blizzard is a soft-served ice cram drink with other add-ins such as chocolate, fruit, sprinkles, candies, nuts, etc. There are a variety of ice cream blizzards and each once is equally as delicious. Garnished with an extra scoop of ice cream of more flavorful toppings, this blizzard is a great way to serve ice cream. ^{[36]
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11
Serve the ice cream in a trifle. A trifle is an easy dessert that contains basic components, such as pudding and cake, and then layered in a trifle glass with ice cream. The ice cream makes the trifle an even bigger delight from it's cold, rich taste. Feel free to variate your trifle by adding different cakes, puddings, toppings, and ice cream flavors. ^{[37]
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- For a soft and sugary trifle, pound cake usually works best and will work well with the ice cream being served.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Serving Ice Cream with Toppings

1
Sprinkle chocolate chips over the ice cream. Chocolate chips are small pieces of chocolate or chunks of chocolate. Some chocolate chips can be mini-sized while others can be jumbo chips. Chocolate chips are a great garnish to serve onto ice cream, especially for basic ice cream flavors such as chocolate, vanilla, or fruit flavored ice creams. It can also go well with mint, bacon, or cookie dough ice cream. ^{[38]
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- Feel free to use different types of chocolate chips on your ice cream such as white, milk, or white chocolate chips. ^{[39]
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2
Serve ice cream with a variety of fresh fruit. Fresh fruit such as apples, peaches, bananas, pears, pineapple, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, grapes, and/or blackberries are great to serve with ice cream. The fruit can also be baked or cooked for a sweeter taste.
- If you prefer not to use fresh fruit, you can also use dried fruit such as raisins. It won't taste as sweet or juicy as fresh fruit does, but it will taste chewy and flavorful.
3
Garnish small or sour candies over the ice cream. Sprinkling some M&Ms, Skittles, Sour Patches, Nerds, gummy bears, gummy worms, candy corn, and/or candy drops over ice cream can make it taste sour and sweet. This can work well with lemon ice cream or even plain ice cream flavors.
4
Sprinkle cooked bacon bits over the ice creams. Salty, savory bacon bits on top of cold, sweet ice cream might just make an enjoyable topping on your ice cream. Bacon bits can go well with chocolate, vanilla, garlic, and bacon ice cream. It's chewy, meaty taste brings a great kick to your ice cream.
5
Serve the ice cream with popcorn. Sprinkle your favorite type of popcorn over the ice cream; whether it's butter, caramel, or even chocolate. Popcorn is crunchy and sweet types of popcorn can go really well with ice cream. Savory types of popcorn can bring a kick of flavor to the ice cream and may just be a new favorite topping on your ice cream.
6
Sprinkle sprinkles on the ice cream. Sprinkles are colorful sugar strands that are tiny and crunchy. Sprinkles are a common and popular to ice cream, but it's a fun and colorful one too. Sprinkles come in all shapes and sizes, so feel free to spice up your ice cream and add a variety of different colors and shapes.
- The fun and creative part about sprinkles is that they go well with nearly every ice cream flavor out there since sprinkles are just color strands of sugar. Feel free to top off sprinkles on your next bowl of ice cream, no matter what the flavor is.
7
Add nuts on the ice cream. Pecans, cashews, pistachios, peanuts, almonds, pine nuts, and walnuts all make great nuts to serve onto ice cream. Nuts are slightly salty and crunchy, making it the perfect kick into your ice cream. The nuts can be added into the ice cream as whole, or they can be chopped into tiny pieces.
- You can also add chocolate-coated nuts into the ice cream for a chocolaty twist.
8
Garnish the ice cream with cereal. Dry breakfast cereal such as Lucky Charms, Rice Krispies, Cheerios, Mini Wheats, Fruit Pebbles, and cornflakes all make good topping for ice cream. The cereal is crunchy and sweet, making a good combination with the ice cream.
9
Drizzle sauces over the ice cream. Sweet sauces such as strawberry, coconut, pineapple, chocolate, and peanut butter all make tasty toppings for your ice cream. Drizzle about a tablespoon of your favorite sauce over the ice cream for a tasty sweetness boost to your ice cream.
10
Add whipped cream on the ice cream. Whipped cream is a cream that is beaten and whisked until light and fluffy, usually combined with sugar and vanilla for a sweeter taste. Topped and served with ice cream, it can make an incredible dessert that is absolutely delicious to devour up.