19 ice cream for beating the summer heat

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When the heat sits in the kitchen before lunch, dessert needs to come from the freezer, not another hot pan. These 19 ice cream recipes cover churned bases, no-churn tubs, Ninja Creami pints, sorbet, sandwiches, and cake, so there is something cold for big groups and quiet evenings. The list leans on vanilla, strawberry, mango, chocolate, mint, caramel, pistachio, and Biscoff, with several make-ahead options that can sit ready until serving. Use it when the freezer needs more than one basic carton for cookouts, pool days, or any night the house is still too warm after dinner.

A glass bowl holds two scoops of pistachio ice cream topped with crushed pistachios, with a waffle cone placed upside down in the bowl.
Pistachio Ice Cream. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Ninja Creami High-Protein Vanilla Ice Cream

Two scoops of light brown ice cream served in a white bowl.
Ninja Creami High-Protein Vanilla Ice Cream. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

After a full 24-hour freeze, Ninja Creami High-Protein Vanilla Ice Cream turns whole milk, cream cheese, vanilla protein powder, powdered sweetener, vanilla extract, and salt into 2 servings with 23 grams of protein each. The Ninja Creami Lite Ice Cream cycle gives it a scoopable texture after the base freezes solid. Keep this one for post-workout nights, cookouts where people want a lighter scoop, or a freezer option that still eats like dessert.
Get the Recipe: Ninja Creami High-Protein Vanilla Ice Cream

Biscoff Ice Cream

Scoops of ice cream with chunks of cookie and a whole cookie piece placed on top in a glass bowl.
Biscoff Ice Cream. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Cookie butter runs through Biscoff Ice Cream, a 6-serving churned batch made with heavy cream, Biscoff spread, sugar, vanilla extract, and crumbled Biscoff cookies. The total time is 4 hours and 30 minutes, with most of that spent freezing until firm. It works well for summer heat because the flavor has enough richness to stand alone in bowls, but it also fits beside brownies, cones, or a simple cookie plate.
Get the Recipe: Biscoff Ice Cream

Ice Cream Sandwich

Ice cream sandwiches with wafer cookies and ice cream containing visible berry pieces, arranged on a wooden board with a white background.
Ice Cream Sandwich. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Stacked between rectangular wafers, Ice Cream Sandwich gives 8 servings of vanilla ice cream, frozen raspberries, crushed graham cookies, and 16 ice cream wafers. The recipe takes 4 hours and 30 minutes total, including freezer time, and does not require an oven or ice cream maker. Wrap the sandwiches individually for pool days, backyard lunches, or any afternoon when a hand-held frozen dessert is easier than scooping from a tub.
Get the Recipe: Ice Cream Sandwich

Neapolitan Ice Cream

Two scoops of Neapolitan ice cream in a glass dish, featuring chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors, served with two rolled wafer cookies.
Neapolitan Ice Cream. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Three flavors land in one loaf pan with Neapolitan Ice Cream, which splits a condensed milk and whipped cream base into vanilla, cocoa, and strawberry puree layers. The recipe makes 6 servings in 5 hours and 35 minutes, with optional red food coloring and wafer rolls for serving. It is useful when the summer heat has everyone wanting something different, since one frozen pan covers chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry without opening three cartons.
Get the Recipe: Neapolitan Ice Cream

Tiramisu Ice Cream

A close-up of a glass dish with tiramisu being scooped out, showing layers of cream, cake, and cocoa powder.
Tiramisu Ice Cream. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Coffee, mascarpone, and cookie pieces make Tiramisu Ice Cream a 12-serving frozen dessert that takes 2 hours and 15 minutes total. The recipe uses mascarpone cheese, whole milk, amaretto, espresso or strong coffee, semi-sweet chocolate, ladyfingers, and cocoa powder. Serve it after grilled dinners or late summer meals when a regular scoop is too plain, because the espresso swirl and ladyfingers give it more structure than a basic vanilla base.
Get the Recipe: Tiramisu Ice Cream

Chocolate Ice Cream

A glass bowl filled with scoops of dark chocolate ice cream topped with chocolate shavings.
Chocolate Ice Cream. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Deep cocoa flavor drives Chocolate Ice Cream, a 4-serving batch made with sifted cocoa powder, granulated sugar, salt, chilled heavy cream, vanilla extract, and dark chocolate for serving. The total time is 4 hours and 25 minutes, mostly chilling and freezing. Keep it as the freezer fallback for hot nights when brownies, cones, or sliced bananas need something cold on top without pulling out a store-bought tub.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Ice Cream

No Churn Salted Caramel Ice Cream

A glass bowl filled with scoops of vanilla ice cream topped with caramel sauce and a sprinkle of sea salt.
No Churn Salted Caramel Ice Cream. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

No machine is needed for No Churn Salted Caramel Ice Cream, which turns heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, salted caramel sauce, and sea salt into 8 servings. The recipe takes 5 hours and 5 minutes total, with the freezer doing most of the work after the base is mixed. It is a strong choice for summer parties because it can be made ahead, scooped straight from the container, and finished with more caramel or salt.
Get the Recipe: No Churn Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Dairy Free Ice Cream

A gold spoon scoops a portion of creamy, pale vanilla ice cream from a glass bowl.
Dairy Free Ice Cream. Photo credit: Two City Vegans.

Coconut milk carries Dairy Free Ice Cream, an 8-serving freezer dessert made with two cans of full-fat coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt. The total time is 4 hours and 45 minutes, giving the base time to chill, churn, and set. Put it on the menu when summer guests need a dairy-free scoop, or serve it with berries and crisp toppings so the coconut base has something fresh beside it.
Get the Recipe: Dairy Free Ice Cream

Mango Ice Cream

A bowl of creamy mango ice cream is garnished with fresh mango cubes and mint leaves.
Mango Ice Cream. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Fresh fruit keeps Mango Ice Cream bright for hot days, using ripe diced mango, sugar, lemon juice, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. The recipe makes 6 servings in 4 hours and 40 minutes, with the ice cream maker churning the mango cream before it freezes firm. Serve it in cones, bowls, or with extra mango on top when the freezer needs a cold dessert that leans fruity instead of chocolate-heavy.
Get the Recipe: Mango Ice Cream

Ice Cream Cake

Close-up of strawberry shortcake slices topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Layers of cake, cream, and strawberries are visible.
Ice Cream Cake. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Layered for a crowd, Ice Cream Cake makes 16 servings with heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, graham crackers, vanilla ice cream, strawberry jam, sliced strawberries, and whipped cream. The recipe takes 4 hours and 20 minutes total, which makes it a make-ahead dessert rather than a last-minute scoop. Bring it out for birthdays, cookouts, or summer dinners when one sliced frozen cake is easier than building individual sundaes.
Get the Recipe: Ice Cream Cake

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

A bowl of strawberry swirl ice cream topped with a rectangular shortbread biscuit, with a spoon on the side.
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream. Photo credit: Your Perfect Recipes.

Shortcake pieces give Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream more bite than a plain strawberry scoop, with diced strawberries, sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and rough-chopped shortcake cookies. The recipe makes 10 servings in 4 hours and 40 minutes, so it covers a larger table without doubling. Use it for hot-weather dessert plates when strawberry shortcake sounds right but biscuit baking sounds like too much work.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

Ninja Creami Watermelon Sorbet

Delicious homemade watermelon sorbet served in a glass bowl with watermelon slices.
Ninja Creami Watermelon Sorbet. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Watermelon does most of the work in Ninja Creami Watermelon Sorbet, a 4-serving recipe made with chopped seedless watermelon, lime juice, and honey. The base freezes for 24 hours before processing, bringing the total time to 1 day and 10 minutes. It is the coldest, lightest option in the list, useful for pool afternoons, cookouts after heavy food, or any day when cream-based ice cream is too much.
Get the Recipe: Ninja Creami Watermelon Sorbet

Strawberry Ice Cream

Close-up of scoops of strawberry ice cream in a glass dish, garnished with a fresh strawberry.
Strawberry Ice Cream. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Real berries lead Strawberry Ice Cream, a 6-serving churned batch with hulled diced strawberries, honey, sugar, lemon juice, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. The total time is 4 hours and 40 minutes, with the strawberries resting before blending so their juices loosen into the base. Serve it in cones or bowls on summer weekends when the goal is a clean strawberry flavor without artificial mix-ins.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Ice Cream

Ninja Creami Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

Two scoops of chocolate ice cream with crumbled chocolate cookies on top, served in a clear glass bowl.
Ninja Creami Cookies and Cream Ice Cream. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Crushed sandwich cookies fold into Ninja Creami Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, which makes 4 servings from whole milk, heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and Oreo cookies. The frozen pint needs a 24-hour freeze before the Ninja Creami processing step, so the total time is 1 day and 10 minutes. It is a smart freezer project for kids, movie nights, or anyone who wants cookie pieces in every scoop.
Get the Recipe: Ninja Creami Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

Rocky Road Ice Cream

A glass bowl filled with scoops of chocolate ice cream, wafer rolls, waffle biscuits, chopped nuts, and marshmallows.
Rocky Road Ice Cream. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Nuts and marshmallows make Rocky Road Ice Cream a textured 8-serving batch with milk, cocoa powder, sugar, heavy whipping cream, vanilla, nuts, and mini marshmallows. The total time runs about 3 hours and 45 minutes, giving the chocolate base enough freezer time to scoop cleanly. Use it when plain chocolate will not cover the summer dessert table and every spoonful needs crunch, chew, and cold cream together.
Get the Recipe: Rocky Road Ice Cream

Ninja Creami Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Close-up of ice cream topped with strawberry pieces, strawberry sauce, and crumbled cookie or biscuit.
Ninja Creami Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Cream cheese brings the cheesecake angle to Ninja Creami Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream, a 4-serving pint made with whole milk, heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, softened cream cheese, fresh strawberries, vanilla extract, and graham crackers. The recipe takes 1 day and 15 minutes because the base has to freeze solid before processing. Keep it for a small-batch summer dessert when cheesecake sounds good but turning on the oven does not.
Get the Recipe: Ninja Creami Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

A glass dessert cup filled with mint chocolate chip ice cream, topped with chocolate pieces and served with rolled wafer cookies.
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Cool peppermint cuts through the heat in Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, a 4-serving churned recipe with granulated sugar, heavy cream, peppermint extract, optional green food coloring, and finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate. The total time is 3 hours and 25 minutes, including freezer time. Serve it in cones after grilled food or scoop it between cookies when the table needs something colder and cleaner than another chocolate-heavy dessert.
Get the Recipe: Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Ninja Creami S’mores Ice Cream

Two scoops of ice cream topped with a toasted marshmallow, chocolate chips, and crumbled cookie bits.
Ninja Creami S’mores Ice Cream. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Graham crackers and marshmallow cream give Ninja Creami S’mores Ice Cream the campfire flavor without standing near a fire pit in July. The 4-serving pint uses whole milk, heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, graham crackers, marshmallow cream, and chocolate chips. With a 24-hour freeze before processing, it works best as a planned freezer treat for cookouts, movie nights, or kids who want s’mores without the heat.
Get the Recipe: Ninja Creami S’mores Ice Cream

Pistachio Ice Cream

A glass bowl holds two scoops of pistachio ice cream topped with crushed pistachios, with a waffle cone placed upside down in the bowl.
Pistachio Ice Cream. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Ground nuts give Pistachio Ice Cream its base flavor, using raw unsalted pistachios, sugar, heavy cream, salt, vanilla extract, optional green food coloring, and wafers. The recipe makes 8 servings in 5 hours and 10 minutes, with enough freezer time for a firm scoop. Serve it after summer dinners when vanilla is too plain, but chocolate is too heavy, or tuck it into cones with crushed pistachios on top.
Get the Recipe: Pistachio Ice Cream

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