21 Fun Frozen Desserts I'm Making All Summer Long

Retro icebox cakes, no-churn ice cream, and more.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published July 01, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
A slice of ice cream cake layered with cookies on a plate with a spoon

Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

Personally, my favorite desserts are almost always frozen or topped with something that is—namely ice cream. Whether it's the height of summer or the dead of winter, after dinner, I'm turning to my freezer and pulling out a nibble of ice cream cake, a tub of sorbet, or an ice cream sandwich to cap off my night. But that bite of something bracingly cold and just sweet enough? Frozen desserts really do hit the spot in summertime.

With that in mind, I've collected 21 of the very best, very fun frozen desserts to celebrate the season. They run the gamut from no-churn (and regular) ice creams to homemade Choco Tacos to layered-up icebox cakes. Even better, they're easy to make ahead and keep on hand for a spontaneous ice cream social with friends and family, or just yourself. The hardest part will be waiting for your frozen treats to thoroughly chill. So the sooner you find the recipes that speak to you, the sooner you can whip them up, pop them into the freezer, and get to enjoying the—frozen—fruits of your labor!

  • Frozen Fruit Salad

    Retro Frozen Fruit Salad

    Simply Recipes / Sarah Crowder

    "This recipe serves 18 to 24 people, depending on what vessel you use for freezing and how big the servings are. It's a great choice for get-togethers at a backyard barbecue or keeping it in the freezer whenever the inevitable cold treat craving strikes."—Stephanie A. Ganz, Recipe Developer

  • 4-Ingredient Biscoff Icebox Cake

    A slice of ice cream cake layered with cookies on a plate with a spoon

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "Before you start in on this recipe, make sure you clear a space in the freezer where the loaf pan can easily fit and sit level."—Molly Adams, Recipe Developer

  • S'mores Ice Cream

    A bowl of s'mores ice cream, ready to serve and eat

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickle

    "If you eat this ice cream right away, it will have the consistency of soft serve ice cream. If you want a harder, scoopable ice cream, freeze it for at least 4 hours."—Summer Miller, Recipe Developer

  • Copycat Choco Tacos

    Copycat choco tacos on a tray.

    Simply Recipes / Micah Siva

    "Sure, it’s called a taco, but you can shape the waffle shell into a traditional cone or even a bowl."—Micah Siva, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 21 below

  • Orange Creamsicle Icebox Cake

    Two plates with layered dessert slices

    Brian Samuels Photography

    "This dessert is better made the night before serving."—Justin Burke, Recipe Developer

  • Viral Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

    Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

    Simply Recipes / Myo Quinn

    "The best part of making homemade cottage cheese ice cream is the endless possibilities for flavors. Try it with frozen cherries and chopped dark chocolate, espresso powder, vanilla extract, and sea salt, unsweetened cocoa powder and brownie pieces, or frozen fruit, like mango, strawberries, passion fruit, raspberries, or bananas."—Myo Quinn, Former Associate Editorial Director

  • 3-Ingredient Frozen Yogurt

    Frozen yogurt in a clear tub

    Simply Recipes / Micah Siva

    "I love using Greek yogurt for its thick and creamy texture, but any yogurt will work! My pick is a full-fat plain yogurt for added creaminess and tang. Full-fat yogurt is also less likely to become an unscoopable brick when frozen."—Micah Siva, Recipe Developer

  • 2-Ingredient Ice Cream Sandwiches

    Tray of 2-Ingredient Ice Cream Sandwiches at a Table With Decorative Single Use Napkins

    Simply Recipes/ Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

    "The beauty of using Oreos as the “bread” in this sandwich is that the cookie itself is not extremely sweet. Together with your favorite ice cream flavor, there’s balance and textural contrast that few other cookies can provide"—Laura Manzano, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 9 of 21 below

  • Peach Daiquiri Popsicles

    Peach Daiquiri Popsicles on a Plate with Lime Circles

    Simply Recipes / Elana Lepkowski

    "If you don't have popsicle molds, you can use small paper cups as molds and reusable spoons as sticks."—Elana Lepkowski, Recipe Developer

  • Cinnamon Ice Cream

    A bowl of cinnamon ice cream with two cinnamon sticks in the bowl.

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    "This ice cream is a wonderful alternative to vanilla when served with pie, cake, or stewed or fresh fruit."—Garrett McCord, Recipe Developer

  • Frozen Chocolate-Covered Bananas

    Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas on a Tray

    Simply Recipes / Cambrea Gordon

    "For this recipe, only use fresh, ripe bananas, not bananas that have been previously frozen. Previously frozen bananas are too cold for the chocolate to adhere and, once thawed, they will be too mushy to coat in chocolate."—Rachel Knecht, Recipe Developer

  • Melon Sorbet

    Melon Sorbet

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Inexpensive and easy to create, these sorbets are delightful on their own or served with fresh blackberries, and they're a perfect palate cleansing course for a summer dinner party."—Garrett McCord, Recipe Developer

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  • Classic Ice Cream Sandwiches

    Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert - ice cream sandwiches in a row
    Simply Recipes Team

    "If the basic chocolate and vanilla combo isn’t spectacular enough for your freak flag side, or you’re looking for a way to include the kids, break out some sprinkles, sanding sugar, mini chocolate chips, and nuts. Press the sides of the ice cream into any of the above, wrap, and freeze."—Summer Miller, Recipe Developer

  • Barbra Streisand's No-Churn Coffee Ice Cream

    A bowl of ice cream topped with chocolate shavings

    Simply Recipes / Alexandra Emanuelli

    "To make whipping the cream easier, pop your mixing bowl into the freezer for at least 30 minutes beforehand. The colder the bowl, the faster the cream will whip."—Alexandra Emanuelli, Recipe Developer

  • Ice Cream Cake

    Ice Cream Cake That Was Cut Into on Plate with a Glass in the Background

    Simply Recipes / Cambrea Gordon

    "Although the name suggests cake, this ice cream cake doesn’t actually have any cake in it! It is composed of layers of ice cream with some fun goodies in between, made in a cake pan and frosted like a normal cake would be."—Cambrea Gordon, Recipe Developer

  • Limoncello Yogurt Pops

    Someone Holding a Bowl of Limoncello Yogurt Pops on Ice Surrounded by Leaves and Lemons over Grass

    Matt Armendariz

    "You only need four ingredients for these ice pops: limoncello, honey, whole-fat Greek yogurt, and thinly-sliced lemons."—Gaby Dalkin, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 17 of 21 below

  • Easy Ice Cream Pie

    Ice cream pie with a slice removed, showing layers of frozen filling and a creamy topping, garnished with chocolate sprinkles

    Simply Recipes / Molly Allen

    "To dress up the top, add chopped walnuts, peanut butter cups, crushed cookies, chunks of brownies, and a drizzle of your favorite store-bought or homemade caramel sauce."—Molly Allen, Recipe Developer

  • Banana Nice Cream

    Three Scoops of Banana Nice Cream in a Bowl With a Spoon, and on the Counter, a Kitchen Towel

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "Basic vanilla nice cream is fantastic, but once you’ve savored that, try making chocolate, peanut butter, strawberry, or whatever your heart desires."—Robin Asbell, Recipe Developer

  • Mango Sorbet

    A bowl with three scoops of mango sorbet

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "If you don't want to use alcohol, you can add a couple tablespoons of corn syrup. It won't be as effective as alcohol to prevent iciness, but it will help."—Elise Bauer, Founder

  • No-Churn Peach Cobbler Ice Cream

    Peach cobbler ice cream is being scooped and chopped peaches are visible.

    Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera

    "Yes, you can use frozen peaches! Just taste them prior to pureeing them; you want to get a gauge on how sweet they are because we are using the uncooked fruit puree to boost the peach flavor."—Marta Rivera, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 21 of 21 below

  • 3-Ingredient Snickers Ice Cream Casserole

    A dessert in a glass baking dish, topped with peanuts, caramel, chocolate drizzle, and candy pieces

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

    "I generally allow the ice cream to sit out for about 15 minutes to soften before spreading it into the bottom of the baking dish. But don’t let it melt all the way! The ice cream should still be frozen, but will be easier to work with if it’s slightly thawed."—Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

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