75 Easy Frozen Desserts That'll Cool You Off Quicker Than Your A/C

We scream, you scream, we ALL scream for ice cream. What we’re not so into: some of the hoops you have jump through to make it at home. Luckily, we’ve lots of magic shortcuts for you, like this recipe, ice cream in a mason jar. It really is as easy as it sounds: Simply put heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt into a jar, then shake it! You do have to shake it for a full 5 minutes, so this is a great recipe to do with kids—we’re big fans of swapping the jar back and forth so no one gets tired. Once the cream has thickened and can coat the back of a spoon (think closer to sour cream consistency), it’s ready. Pop your jar in the freezer for a few hours, and presto: homemade ice cream.

Get the Mason Jar Ice Cream recipe.

The perfect homemade fruit sorbet is creamy, smooth and just as easy as making homemade ice cream. We show you how to use strawberries and raspberries, but mango, peach, blueberries, blackberries would all work well too—as long as you keep the same proportions, you can totally get creative.

Get the Sorbet recipe.

Dairy Queen’s classic ice cream cake is king in the realm of frozen desserts, but our copycat recipe is coming for the crown. Starring that signature ribbon of fudge and chocolate cookie crunchies sandwiched between vanilla and chocolate ice cream, this homemade version of this iconic treat is equally easy to make and delicious to eat.

Get the Copycat Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake recipe.

In the heat of summer, nothing satisfies quite like a fruit popsicle. This classic strawberry version is big on fruit flavor and not too sweet.

Get the Fruit Popsicles recipe.

We get it; maybe you just can't choose between a chocolaty pie, cake, or ice cream? This ice cream pie is the most delicious compromise: a buttery Oreo crust is filled with a cookies 'n' cream ice cream (and plenty of hot fudge sauce).

Get the Cookies 'N' Cream Ice Cream Pie recipe.

Ice cream lovers, get ready to scoop, because this crave-able ice cream isn’t going to last! Plant-based, dairy-free, vegan… no matter what you want to call it, this ice cream is as good as—if not better—than any dairy counterpart, making it a favorite scoop of the summer. Thanks to the no-churn method, this vegan ice cream recipe is easy to make without an ice cream maker. The only equipment needed is a blender to whip up the base, then the freezer does the rest.

Get the No-Churn Strawberry Shortcake Vegan Ice Cream recipe.

Hailing from Sicily, classic granita ranks among the most refreshing desserts ever, up there with snow cones and Popsicles. Simple to make and easily modified, it’s perfect on its own as a light palate cleanser or dressed up with whipped cream and toppings. This pineapple version is big on tropical flavors, with heavy notes of vanilla and toffee thanks to a splash of rum and a scoop of dark brown sugar.

Get the Granita recipe.

This iconic frozen treat will make all your Disney dreams come true. Need even more Dole Whip fun? Try our Dole Whip mimosas.

Get the Copycat Dole Pineapple Whip recipe.

Inspired by the trio of flavors common in Italian spumoni, or molded gelato, this ice cream cake demands attention. With 6 whole pints of ice cream, it feeds a big, hungry crew and has magic shell to top it off.

Get the Spumoni Ice Cream Cake recipe.

Homemade ice cream—is there anything better? Sure, you could buy it in a pint or trek to a scoop shop, but ice cream made in your own kitchen not only tastes better, it has a bit of magic to it. The best part is you don't need any fancy equipment to make this homemade ice cream.

Get the Cookies and Cream Ice Cream recipe.

Smart kids knew the best treat from the ice cream truck was the strawberry shortcake novelty bar, with its combination of strawberry and vanilla ice cream coated in shortcake crumbs. Golden sandwich cookies (like Oreos) and freeze-dried strawberries are the secret to the irresistibly crunch topping for this spin on strawberry shortcake.

Get the Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Cake recipe.

Creamsicles are one of the most underrated ice cream treats, in our humble opinion! Tart orange juice and orange sherbet are the perfect partner for creamy, rich vanilla ice cream.

Get the Creamsicle Milkshakes recipe.

Baked Alaska sounds complicated and fussy, but it's really super easy. Three layers of ice cream and a brownie crust all surrounded by a toasty meringue make up this nostalgic ice cream cake. Feel free to swap in your favorite ice cream flavors!

Get the Baked Alaska recipe.

Gelato technically does mean ice cream, but there are differences. Those who hail from Italy particularly love gelato, savoring flavors like nocciala (hazelnut), pistachio, and fregola (strawberry) by the cup as they walk through the piazzas of Rome, Florence, or Milano. If you’ve never experienced authentic gelato, then you might just surprise yourself with how much you love it (maybe more than American ice cream… shhh!).

Get the Gelato recipe.

You don't need a machine to make a homemade batch of ice cream—just a strong arm and some imagination. Here, we folded in Oreos, caramel sauce, and a touch of instant coffee for a caffeinated kick, but this recipe is infinitely adaptable.

Get the Coffee Cookies 'N' Cream Ice Cream recipe.

When you steep fresh pandan leaves in water, you get the most fragrant tea with notes of both vanilla and almond. Combined with sugar, it’s a refreshing beverage that can also be turned into ice-cold pops. If you so choose to use the addition of pandan extract, just a drop or two will give your frozen treats a beautiful pastel green hue. After removing the pops from their molds, a drizzle of white chocolate and a sprinkle of shredded coconut flakes will lend a touch of sweetness. Keep these ice pops on hand for a hot day or whenever you’re craving a pandan-flavored dessert.

Get the Pandan Pops recipe.

Affogato is a simple Italian dessert—just espresso poured over a scoop of gelato—but sometimes the easiest things require the most attention to detail. Affogato means “drowned” in Italian, but in reality you want enough gelato to keep things more sundae than soup. A shot of espresso is about 2 tablespoons, so 2 scoops of gelato will be enough to keep it above the liquid line. The ideal bite will have some cold gelato and a pool of warm espresso on the spoon.

Get the Affogato recipe.

No offense to the Chipwich, but nothing compares to a classic ice cream sandwich—the kind with soft rectangular chocolate cookies on both ends. This recipe is gluten-free, keto-friendly, and just as delicious as the iconic store-bought treats you grew up with.

Get the Gluten-Free Ice Cream Sandwiches recipe.

This easy milkshake recipe gives you the perfect ratio of milk to ice cream and is completely customizable. You can even turn your milkshake into a malt by adding 2 tablespoons malt powder to your ice cream and milk before blending!

Get the Perfect Milkshake recipe.

Ice cream sandwiches only sound fussy—these Fruity Pebble ones are as simple as making a batch of Krispie Treats, stamping out rounds, and sandwiching with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Want to change it up? This method works with several different kinds of cereal—if they work in a Krispie Treat, they'll work here.

Get the Fruity Pebbles Ice Cream Sandwiches recipe.