Easy DIY Ice Cream Recipes to Try This Summer

New & Unique Ice Cream Flavors

Ice cream is certainly a summertime favorite with my family, but we all have such different tastes! This year, I’ve been on the hunt for some unique concoctions we’ll all love. I’ve been creating some delicious custom flavors, and I’m now excited to share them with you!

(Don’t worry, you don’t need to be an ice-cream-creating aficionado!)

Start with Store-Bought

No ice cream maker needed here! These mix-in style creations are super simple and will add a real twist to your dessert menu. What you’ll need to do for these recipes is:

1. Start with your “base” store-bought ice cream. (These recipes work best with one quart vanilla.) Place in your mixer and blend just until it’s soft (but not so much that it ends up becoming a liquid).
2. Mix in your add-ins.
3. Transfer into a container and freeze until solid.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Fourth of July Ice Cream

Ready to see some red, white, and blueberry just in time for America’s birthday? Combine vanilla ice cream and:

• 1 cup chopped strawberries
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• Topping: strawberry sundae syrup

Double Date Ice Cream

Place ¾ cup pitted dates and 1 tbsp water in the microwave for 30 seconds. Allow to cool before chopping into small pieces. Stir chopped dates and 3 tbsp honey into your vanilla base. Top with chopped walnuts.

Zesty Lemon-Thyme Ice Cream

Sour, savory, and sweet? This ice cream is sure to please everyone – and pleasantly surprise even the pickiest eater! Combine your favorite vanilla with the following ingredients:

• 1/2 cup lemon curd
• 2 ½ tsp chopped thyme

Best Baguette Ice Cream

Get the best of both worlds with this ice cream treat that features the scrumptious taste of baked goods. Cut twelve quarter-inch-thick slices off a baguette and butter both sides. Bake at 350°F until they look crispy. After they’re cooled, crush them in a food processor until you’re left with tiny crumbs. Stir into ice cream.

This incredible recipe, along with the ones above were originally created by Tara Teaspoon.

For the Ice Cream Machine

If you have your own ice cream maker, then chances are you know a good ice cream when you taste one! Here’s a couple recipes that will challenge your ice-cream making skills and delight your tastebuds:

What’s Shakin’, Bacon?

You read that right: bacon ice cream. This one’s great for people who like to keep things on the savory side.

Bacon Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Place 6 strips bacon on baking sheet.
3. Sprinkle 2 tbsp brown sugar on bacon.
4. Bake 8 minutes. Flip. Bake 8 more minutes or until crispy.
5. Cool and crumble into tiny pieces.

Ice Cream Instructions:

1. Melt ¼ cup salted butter in a saucepan.
2. Stir in 1 cup milk and ¾ cup brown sugar until well combined. Allow to cool.
3. Stir in 2 cups heavy whipping cream and ¼ tsp vanilla extract.
4. Chill in refrigerator for two hours.
5. Churn in ice cream maker 25-30 minutes.
6. Add bacon bits during the last 5 minutes.

Green Tea Ice Cream

Not too sweet and super refreshing. This one’s great for people who want to keep dessert feeling light.

1. Heat 1¼ cup milk until it begins to bubble. Stir often.
2. Remove from heat.
3. Steep three green tea bags in the milk for five minutes. Remove tea bags.
4. Dissolve ½ cup granulated sugar in the milk.
5. Chill in the refrigerator for one hour.
6. Stir in 2 cups heavy whipping cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 4 tsp lemon juice.
7. Churn in ice cream maker 25-30 minutes.

The original recipes for these delicious flavors can be found on serving-ice-cream.com.

My Favorite Ice Cream Bowls

I’m all about presentation when it comes to food, and these unique ice cream flavors deserve to be put on display.

Do It for the ‘Gram

When I’m going to surround my ice cream with little bits of fruit and a big swirl of syrup, I use the Dadasi Dessert Plates. These plates have plenty of dip to them, so there’s no chance the ice cream will leak, but they’re flat enough to feature all sorts of extra toppings. They’re truly the picture-perfect way to display an after-dinner treat.

Classy and Colorful

If I’m feeling fancy, I opt for my Blown Crystal Purple Bowls. They’re absolutely gorgeous, and they make a colorful accent to my favorite ice cream flavors!

Manage the Melt

If I know it’s an extra warm night, I’ll ditch the bowls entirely and serve up ice cream in my Thermo Glass Cups. They keep the ice cream from melting too quickly since they’re designed to stop body heat from reaching the cups’ contents!