24 Recipes Made with Store-Bought Ice Cream (2024)

Home Recipes Cooking Style Comfort Food

Updated: Aug. 10, 2024

1/24

Almost It’s-It Ice Cream Sandwiches

It’s-It is known for dunking its cookie ice cream sandwiches into a silky layer of chocolate, engulfing the treat. This recipe with ice cream does just that, but only to half the treat, so you can still get that classic ice cream sandwich taste on the other end. —Jacyn Siebert, San Francisco, California

2/24

Coconut-Lemon Ice Cream Cake

I developed this cool treat because I wanted to find a new use for cream of coconut. The sweet coconut combines beautifully with the tart lemon juice, and the streusel adds a nice crunch. Look for cream of coconut in the co*cktail mixer section of your grocery store. —Janet Gill, Canton, Ohio

3/24

Butter Pecan Ice Cream Torte

A simple, nutty crust and smooth caramel sauce are all the preparation required for this impressive dessert. It will keep in the freezer for one month—just be sure to wrap it tightly. —Judy Wilson, Sun City West, Arizona

4/24

Patriotic Ice Cream Cupcakes

These frosty cupcakes are practically a fireworks display on their own. The little treats feature red velvet cake, blue moon ice cream, a creamy white topping and star-spangled sprinkles. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

5/24

Pumpkin Ice Cream Roll

A spin on the classic cream cheese version, this roll swaps creamy, rich butter pecan ice cream for the filling. Paired with bits of pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, it’s the flavors of fall wrapped (or “rolled”) into one. —Gayle Lewis, Yucaipa, California

6/24

Nutty Caramel Ice Cream Cake

Decadent, easy to make and raved by many, this is the perfect make-ahead cake to bring for those special occasions. Try switching out the syrup flavor with chocolate for a candy bar taste or dulce de leche for a creamy delight. —Tina Stelzl, Waxhaw, North Carolina

7/24

Banana Split Brownie Cake

“Yum” is the word when it comes to this creative cake. With brownie on the bottom and banana split flavors on top, this makes a to-die-for dessert! Customize it by adding your favorite flavored ice cream, or go all out and use crushed chocolate candy bits instead of the pecans. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

8/24

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shakes

These chocolate peanut butter shakes will make you feel like you’re sitting in a 1950s soda fountain. Add an over-the-top garnish like skewered doughnut holes or chocolate-dipped cookies. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

9/24

S’mores Milk Shake

Take your favorite camping treat and turn it into a drink. This s’mores milkshake blends simple vanilla ice cream and milk for its base, then tops it with roasted marshmallows, chocolate syrup and crumbled graham crackers. The best part? You don’t need to start a fire to enjoy this drink year-round. —Sarah McKenna, Centennial, Colorado

10/24

Caramel Apple Float

Who doesn’t love the flavors of caramel, apples, and vanilla ice cream together? If I’m feeling fancy, I drizzle caramel syrup around the inside of my glass before adding the apple cider and ginger ale. —Cindy Reams, Philipsburg, Pennsylvania

11/24

Strawberry Cream Floats

Cool down with a creamy, fruity beverage. This ice cream float uses carbonated water for the fizzy delight and blends it with frozen strawberries to make its own strawberry soda. Pour it over vanilla ice cream, and you have yourself a refreshing treat to enjoy those sunny days with. —Crystal Jo Bruns, Iliff, Colorado

12/24

Guinness Float

That very first sip of a Guinness is what inspired this quick and easy dessert. The rich, creamy foam that gathers on the top of a freshly poured draft made me think of vanilla ice cream. At that point, I knew I had to combine the two in a Guinness float. —James Schend, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin

13/24

All-American Banana Split

When you can’t decide between topping your ice cream with pineapples, strawberries or cherries, choose all the above. This decked-out sundae satisfies those cravings for something sweet, fruity, chocolaty and even nutty all in one go! —Melissa Blystone, Latrobe, Pennsylvania

14/24

Bananas Foster Sundaes

I have wonderful memories of eating bananas Foster in New Orleans and, as a dietitian, I wanted to find a healthier version. I combined the best of two recipes and added my own tweaks to create this southern treat. And with this version, it’s the perfect dessert for two! —Lisa Varner, Charleston, South Carolina

15/24

Go ahead and buy those sweet cereals you normally stay away from. This is dessert! This version of cereal bars uses Rice Krispies as the base, dulce de leche ice cream for the “milk,” caramel syrup and a variety of sugary-sweet cereals to make this treat. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

16/24

The Elvis Ice Cream Sandwich

Hearken back to the days of the King of Rock and Roll with this creamy concoction inspired by Elvis’s favorite sandwich, this recipe combines peanut butter, bananas and bacon. —Steven Schend, Grand Rapids, Michigan

17/24

Grasshopper Baked Alaska

Can you believe it? This stunning dessert is completely make-ahead, including the meringue. All you need to do is bake it for a few minutes in the oven before serving. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

18/24

Mocha Baked Alaskas

Baked Alasksas may seem challenging, but this recipe makes the process seem less intimidating and results in an elegant dessert. This dessert has pound cake coated in coffee and covered in a rich ganache. Make these baked Alaskas ahead of time—you can torch the completed desserts and freeze them up to 24 hours before serving. —Kerry Dingwall, Ponte Vedra, Florida

19/24

Ice Cream Bread

You don’t have to be a serious baker to make homemade bread. This recipe is super simple, and you can add any mix-ins (like chocolate chips, raisins or other dried fruits) you’d like. Be sure to use full-fat ice cream for best results. —Katherine Kuehlman, Denver, Colorado

20/24

Fried Ice Cream Dessert Bars

Get the delicious crunch of a fried dessert without all the hassle! This fried ice cream gives the same fabulous flavor in an easy and convenient bar form. —Andrea Price, Grafton, Wisconsin

21/24

Freezer Pumpkin Pie

This freezer pumpkin pie is a cool twist on tradition. Gingersnaps and pecans form the delicious baked crust for the pumpkin and ice cream filling. You can use store-bought ice cream for the filling or take things up a notch and make homemade ice cream. —Vera Reid, Laramie, Wyoming

22/24

Fudge Sundae Pie

Take the guilt out of guilty pleasure with this frozen dessert. Complete with peanut butter, fudge topping and nuts, it tastes ice cream parlor–good and it’s only 300 calories per slice! —Margaret Hanson-Maddox, Montpelier, Indiana

23/24

Watermelon Bombe Dessert

When cut, this sherbet dessert looks like watermelon slices—complete with seeds. It is refreshing and fun to eat. —Renae Moncur, Burley, Idaho

24/24

Jamie Thrower for Taste of Home

Affogato

This simple, swirly combination of cold vanilla ice cream and hot espresso is impossible to resist. —Risa Lichtman, Portland, Oregon

Go to Recipe

Ice Cream FAQ

What can I do with melted ice cream?

Use melted ice cream in your egg mixture when making French toast for sweet and fluffy slices or use it to make boxed cake mix extra moist. Be inspired by an affogato and use melted ice cream as a creamer in your morning coffee—this works best with flavored ice cream that doesn’t have mix-ins.

What can I eat with ice cream?

For starters, check out the recipes with ice cream above! You can also pair a cold, creamy scoop of vanilla with pies, cobblers, cakes or even french fries. Also, don’t forget to try these vanilla ice cream desserts that can turn the classic ice cream flavor into fun.

Originally Published: July 12, 2018