What's better than your favorite after-dinner treat? That treat topped with a scoop of ice cream. Check out some of our best a la mode desserts.
43 a la Mode Desserts Made Better by a Scoop of Ice Cream
Updated on Sep. 21, 2024
Rhubarb Crisp
I found this strawberry rhubarb crisp recipe on a box of Quaker Oats about 20 years ago. It’s quick and easier to make than pie. It’s versatile, too, because you can add strawberries in spring or apples in fall. I usually pop it into the oven shortly before we sit down to eat so it’s still warm for dessert! —C.E. Adams, Charlestown, New Hampshire
Dish it out with the best ice cream scoop.
1/43
2/43
Dutch Oven Chocolate Dump Cake
Total Time
40 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Looking for a super quick dessert that will make people think you spent all day in the kitchen? This easy dessert will wow your guests. Feel free to use your favorite pie filling in place of cherry. — Rashanda Cobbins, Aurora, Colorado
3/43
Berry Bliss Cobbler
Total Time
30 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A little bit sweet, a little bit tart and topped off with golden sugar-kissed biscuits, this cobbler is summer perfection. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
4/43
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
14 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
The combination of mocha and peanut butter will satisfy every sweet tooth at your table. The garnish is a little extra work, but what are special occasions for? —Tammy Bollman, Minatare, Nebraska
5/43
Molasses-Graham Cracker Puddings
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
When I was in college, I frequently had dinner with a relative after a night class. The restaurant we went to had a graham cracker pudding and I always ordered it. Recently, I adapted several recipes to re-create that pudding from years ago. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
6/43
Slow-Cooker Peach Cobbler
Total Time
2 hours
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Unlike conventional cobblers, the "topping" of this Crock-Pot peach cobbler is on the bottom. Placing the batter underneath the peaches helps it cook through evenly in the slow cooker. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
If you like this recipe, then you’ll love these ice cream cookbooks.
7/43
Skillet Brownies
Total Time
40 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Here's a fun and festive way to serve brownies. Family and friends will love topping their pieces with whipped cream and strawberries. —Johnnie McLeod, Bastrop, Louisiana
8/43
Slow-Cooked Gingered Pears
Total Time
4 hours 35 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My slow cooker allows me to serve a heartwarming dessert without much effort. Topped with caramel sauce, these tender pears feature a surprise filling of nuts and brown sugar.—Catherine Mueller, St. Paul, Minnesota
9/43
Slow-Cooker Dump Cake
Total Time
2 hours 10 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
No matter the season, this dump cake recipe is wonderful! It works well with gluten-free and sugar-free cake mixes too. —Karin Gatewood, Josephine, Texas
10/43
Chocolate Cobbler
Total Time
50 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
It's impossible to resist the flavorful chocolate cobbler sauce that appears when this delightful cake bakes. —Margaret McNeil, Germantown, Tennessee
11/43
Apple Cranberry Crisp
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Apple cranberry crisp is a wonderful dessert for fall, when both cranberries and apples are in season. The fruits are quite compatible in flavor and color, and they help make any table look festive and inviting. —Martha Sue Stroud, Clarksville, Texas
12/43
Slow-Cooker Apple Cobbler
Total Time
6 hours 15 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This is a fabulous recipe to serve on Christmas or any other cold morning. The apples can be peeled if preferred. —Marietta Slater, Justin, Texas
13/43
Skillet Blueberry Slump
Total Time
45 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My mother-in-law made a slump of wild blueberries with dumplings and served it warm with a pitcher of farm cream. We’ve been enjoying slump desserts for 60 years. —Eleanore Ebeling, Brewster, Minnesota
14/43
Hot Fudge Cake
Total Time
55 min
Servings
9 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Here's a wonderful way to top off a great meal—a rich chocolaty cake that's not overly sweet. Mom served it with a scoop of ice cream or cream poured over. I'd always have room for a serving of Hot Fudge Cake.
—Vera Reid, Laramie, Wyoming
15/43
Apple Pie
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I remember coming home sullen one day because we'd lost a softball game. Grandma, in her wisdom, suggested that maybe a slice of hot apple pie would make me feel better. She was right. —Maggie Greene, Granite Falls, Washington
16/43
Berry Cobbler
Total Time
45 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I combined several recipes to come up with this one. It's very versatile. Sometimes I use other fruits depending on what is available or on hand. —Edna Woodard, Fredericksburg, Texas
17/43
Apple Streusel
Total Time
6 hours 20 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Many people don't think of using a slow cooker to make dessert, but I like having this hot, scrumptious apple treat waiting to be served when we finish up our dinner. I start it in the morning and don't think about it all day. —Jacki Every, Rotterdam, New York
18/43
Slow-Cooked Blueberry Grunt
Total Time
2 hours 50 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
If you love blueberries, then you can't go wrong with this easy dessert. For a special treat, serve it warm with vanilla ice cream. —Cleo Gonske, Redding, California
19/43
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread Pudding
Total Time
3 hours 15 min
Servings
8 servings (1-1/3 cups sauce)
From the Recipe Creator:
Savor your favorite fall flavors with this scrumptious bread pudding, served warm with a sweet vanilla sauce. Yum! —Judith Bucciarelli, Newburgh, New York
Having a sweet tooth right in the morning? Here’s a treat-worthy ice cream bread recipe for you.
20/43
Peach Pie
Total Time
1 hour 25 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I acquired this delicious peach pie filling recipe some 40 years ago, when my husband and I first moved to southern Iowa and had peach trees growing in our backyard. It's been a family favorite since then and always brings back memories of both summer and those happy early years. — June Mueller, Sioux City, Iowa
21/43
Blueberry-Rhubarb Crumble
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A dollop of whipped topping adds a nice finishing touch to this satisfying crumble. Sometimes I drizzle a little flavored coffee creamer on top instead of the whipped topping. —Nancy Sousley, Lafayette, Indiana
If you like this, learn how to make coffee creamer ice cream.
22/43
Apple Butterscotch Crisp
Total Time
2 hours 40 min
Servings
3 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I give this classic dessert a rich twist with butterscotch pudding. The warm apple filling bubbles to perfection in a mini slow cooker. —Jolanthe Erb, Harrisonburg, Virginia
23/43
Chocolate-Stuffed Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie
Total Time
55 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A surprise chocolate filling makes this peanut butter chocolate skillet cookie extra delicious! Serve warm from the oven with a scoop of your favorite ice cream. —Andrea Price, Grafton, Wisconsin
24/43
Jumbleberry Crumble
Total Time
55 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A friend brought this delicious, down-home dessert to church and was kind enough to give out the recipe. Everyone enjoyed it so much and just showered her with compliments! It’s especially wonderful served warm or with a dollop of creamy whipped topping. —Mary Ann Dell, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
25/43
Grilled Peaches & Pound Cake
Total Time
20 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Brush up on grilling dessert with fresh peaches and pound cake. Store-bought cake makes it quick to prepare, and the caramelized flavor will make it disappear fast! —Joy Pendley, Ortonville, Michigan
26/43
Burgundy Pears
Total Time
3 hours 10 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
These warm spiced pears elevate slow cooking to a new level of elegance, yet they're incredibly easy to make. Your friends won't believe this fancy-looking dessert came from a slow cooker. —Elizabeth Hanes, Peralta, New Mexico
27/43
Cranberry Stuffed Apples
Total Time
3 hours 10 min
Servings
5 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Cinnamon, nutmeg and walnuts add a homey autumn flavor to these stuffed apples, while the slow cooker does most of the work. —Graciela Sandvigen, Rochester, New York
28/43
Apple-Pumpkin Upside-Down Cake
Total Time
45 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
We love the combination of classic fall fruits in this cake. I bake the apples on the bottom to keep them plump and moist, then flip the cake so they're on top. This is best served warm with vanilla ice cream, but we enjoy digging in any time of day. —Christina Yahraes, San Francisco, California
29/43
Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake
Total Time
45 min
Servings
15 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My mother-in-law loves chocolate-covered cherries, and I used to make this chocolate cherry dump cake every year for her birthday. Now we've moved away, but I make this for my kids on her birthday and they still feel near her. —Angela Lively, Conroe, Texas
31/43
Honey-Rum Grilled Bananas
Total Time
15 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
These grilled bananas are the perfect dessert following a cookout. My family was skeptical at first, but everyone tried the recipe and they all agreed it was delicious. I use coconut rum from the Bahamas. —Lori Wendt, Mahomet, Illinois
32/43
Giant Buckeye Cookie
Total Time
35 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I’m from Ohio, and we love our buckeye candy! Buckeyes are a delicious combination of peanut butter and chocolate, which is exactly what this cookie is. All you need is a box of cake mix, a few common pantry ingredients, and voila—you have a tasty dessert ready for family and friends in under an hour. You can customize it, too, by substituting other mix-ins for the chocolate chips. We serve it warm with ice cream or whipped cream. —Arianna Harding, Cincinnati, Ohio
33/43
Butterscotch-Pecan Bread Pudding
Total Time
3 hours 15 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Bread pudding fans just might hoard this yummy butterscotch version. Toppings like whipped cream and a butterscotch drizzle make this dessert absolutely irresistible. —Lisa Varner, El Paso, Texas
34/43
Maple-Orange Pear Crisp
Total Time
45 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
In fall, my family loves to kick back after dinner and dig into big bowls of this spiced crisp. It isn't too sweet, but it still satisfies a sweet tooth. —Noreen McCormick Danek, Cromwell, Connecticut
35/43
Skillet Banana Fritters
Total Time
15 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This delicious banana treat is sure to be a hit in your home. They are so yummy served with ice cream on the side. For an extra special treat, add chocolate syrup!—Sharon Yonts, Scottsboro, Alabama
36/43
Crock-Pot Lava Cake
Total Time
3 hours 15 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Everyone who tries this dessert falls in love with it. Using a slow cooker liner makes cleanup a breeze. —Latona Dwyer, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
37/43
Grilled Angel Food Cake with Strawberries
Total Time
15 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
One night I goofed, accidentally using the balsamic butter I save for grilling chicken on my pound cake. What a delicious mistake that my entire family loved! For a patriotic look, add a drizzle of blueberry syrup. —Tammy Hathaway, Freeman Twp, Maine
38/43
Easy Apple Cobbler
Total Time
50 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This is a common dish from where I was born and raised in Pennsylvania. It's a classic Dutch-style apple cobbler recipe—easy, quick and delicious. Who wouldn't love this golden brown delight? —Andrea Robson, York, Pennsylvania
39/43
Cake & Berry Campfire Cobbler
Total Time
40 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This warm Dutch oven cobbler is one of our favorite ways to end a busy day of fishing, hiking, swimming or rafting. It's yummy with ice cream—and so easy to make! —June Dress, Boise, Idaho
40/43
Caramel-Apple Skillet Buckle
Total Time
1 hour 35 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My grandma used to bake a version of this for me when I was a little girl. She would make it using fresh apples from her tree in the backyard. I’ve adapted her recipe because I love the combination of apples, pecans and caramel. —Emily Hobbs, Springfield, Missouri
41/43
Grilled Honey-Balsamic Glazed Fruit
Total Time
25 min
Servings
6 servings (1/2 cup glaze)
From the Recipe Creator:
One summer my mother-in-law made us grilled peaches basted with a sweet and tangy sauce. These are so good I'm always tempted to eat the whole batch. —Kristin Van Dyken, West Richland, Washington
42/43
Maple Blueberry Crisp
Total Time
50 min
Servings
9 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
With a tender crumb topping, this yummy blueberry crisp makes a wonderful treat after brunch or an evening meal. I sometimes top servings with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.—Mona Wright, Villa Rica, Georgia
43/43
Peach Cobbler for Two
Total Time
35 min
Servings
2 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Everyone notices a special taste in this cobbler. It’s orange peel, which enhances the color and gives this traditional dessert a delicious distinction. Cobblers usually serve a large group, so it’s convenient to have a recipe that makes just enough for two.
— Betty Clark, Mount Vernon, Missouri
— Betty Clark, Mount Vernon, Missouri
