35 Ice Cream Social Recipes

O say can you see this amazing dessert at your next gathering? I make it ahead of time and keep it in the freezer, wrapped in foil, for a week or so before serving.—Scarlett Elrod, Newnan, Georgia

My mother's family owned peach orchards in Missouri. I live in Tennessee, a top consumer of buttermilk. This summery ice cream combines my past and present. —Kim Higginbotham, Knoxville, Tennessee

A simple nut crust and smooth caramel sauce are all the preparation required for this impressive dessert. Be sure to start making it at least 12 hours before serving. It will keep in the freezer for one month—just be sure to wrap tightly so there are no air leaks! —Judy Wilson, Sun City West, Arizona

Fried ice cream is such a delicious treat, but it can be a hassle to make the individual servings. This recipe gives you the same fabulous flavor in an easy and convenient bar form. —Andrea Price, Grafton, Wisconsin

This creamy, luscious ice cream will remind you of the signature treat served at church ice cream socials. What dessert could be better? —Esther Johnson, Merrill, Wisconsin—Esther Johnson, Merrill, Wisconsin

I love making ice cream bombes—they look so elegant yet are incredibly simple to make. —Melissa Millwood, Lyman, South Carolina

Warm weather days require ice cream! However, dealing with dairy intolerances can be tricky. This dairy-free recipe is a favorite at our house, especially with kids! —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas

Looking to save some time when preparing for a party? Throw together this creamy crowd-pleaser and freeze it a day or two before the event. The combination of raspberry and chocolate in this dessert is delightful, but it's also good made with lime sherbet, vanilla sandwich cookies and walnuts. —Donna Carper, South Jordan, Utah

Making homemade ice cream is fun for the whole family, and the fresh raspberry flavor of this treat makes it a perfect summer activity. Kids can shake the bags until the liquid changes to ice cream and then enjoy the reward! —Erin Hoffman, Canby, Minnesota

I've made this scrumptious topping since the early 1980s. It always turns out smooth and yummy. The dark chocolate flavor, with a hint of rum extract, is not overly sweet but will still satisfy a chocoholic's cravings. —Carol Hanihan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

These sweet frozen treats are simple to prepare and guaranteed to bring out the kid in anyone. The creamy pops feature a special chocolate and peanut topping.—Karen Grant, Tulare, California

This lovely and delightful dessert has the classic flavor of a banana split. It's a cool, creamy treat with no last-minute fuss since you just pull it from the freezer. It always solicits praise from our big family. -Marye Franzen, Gothenburg, Nebraska

If you’re tight on time, you can use store-bought cookies, but I highly recommend making these oatmeal chocolate cookies from scratch. The dessert sandwiches are pure fun. Sometimes I decorate the sides of the sandwiches with colorful jimmies, too. —Diane Halferty, Corpus Christi, Texas

We recently started growing our own rhubarb, and we live in a part of Oregon where strawberries are plentiful. I created this to drizzle over ice cream and filled a crisp with the rest. —Kim Banick, Salem, Oregon

I wanted to make my youngest son an ice cream cake one year for his summer birthday, as he prefers ice cream to the traditional cake. He picked the flavors and I decided to try my favorite brownie recipe as a crust. It worked! —Krista Frank, Rhododendron, Oregon

My kids love homemade ice pops, and I love knowing that the ones we make are good for them. We whip up a big batch with multiple flavors so they have many choices, but these patriotic red, white and blueberry ones are always a favorite! —Shannon Carino, Frisco, Texas

We don't want to brag, but as far as vanilla ice cream recipes go, this one is the best. And with only four ingredients, it just might be the easiest, too. No ice cream maker? No problem. Just follow the directions below to learn how to make homemade ice cream by hand. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

A wafflewich is a masterpiece of textures with chewy waffles, smooth ice cream, gooey caramel syrup and crunchy pecans. This is cold storage comfort food. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

For a different way to serve watermelon, try this make-ahead frozen dessert. It's so refreshing on a summer day...and you don't have to worry about seeds while you're enjoying it. —Kaaren Jurack, Manassas, Virginia

My family loves frozen treats. With chocolate four ways, this one is so beautiful, people think it came from an ice cream shop. —Barbara Carlucci, Orange Park, Florida

These pops won't turn your tongue blue or neon green like many store-bought pops because they're made with fresh grapes, blueberries and kiwifruit. —Colleen Ludovice, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

These bite-size bonbons may sound tricky to make, but you'll find that fashioning them is a breeze. What's more, our cooking experts advise that you keep this recipe handy when you serve them—as soon as folks sample the treats, they'll be asking how to make them!—Taste of Home Test Kitchen

My mother liked making these cool, creamy treats when I was growing up in the States because they're so quick to fix. Then I made them for my three kids.—Sandy Armijo, Naples, Italy

We planted strawberries a few years ago and these tangy-sweet frozen yogurt pops are my very favorite treats to make with them! The options are endless. Try using other yogurt flavors like lemon, raspberry or blueberry. You may also substitute your favorite herb for the rosemary—or simply omit it. —Carmell Childs, Ferron, Utah

This dessert is special enough to make hamburgers and fries a meal to remember! It's so tall and pretty and just like eating a frozen banana split. Make it ahead to save time. —Joy Collins, Birmingham, Alabama

You'll discover why the treat is so popular in San Francisco. It's snack heaven...ice cream, delicious oatmeal cookies and a touch of chocolate. Swap out the vanilla for your favorite flavor, such as chocolate, caramel or cherry. — Jacyn Siebert, San Francisco, California

This gorgeous make-ahead dessert is a light, refreshing ending to a summer meal. I first made it for my aunt's 85th birthday dinner and everyone loved it! —Nancy Whitford, Edwards, New York

I enjoy these frozen yogurt pops because they double as a healthy snack and a cool, creamy sweet treat. —Colleen Ludovice, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

Blueberries and cream are such a fun after-school snack. Make it in the morning so the pops are ready to go when the kids come in the door. —Cindy Reams, Philipsburg, Pennsylvania

I created this giant peanut butter cookie cake for my husband, adding light and low-fat products to the cookie dough. It was so fantastic that I fixed it with conventional ingredients for guests. Since it can be made ahead of time and frozen, it cuts stress for busy hostesses. And really, who doesn't love peanut butter ice cream? —Joann Belack, Bradenton, Florida

Go ahead and buy those sweet cereals you normally stay away from. This is dessert! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

My state is well known for growing good peaches. This delicious recipe has been a family favorite for more than 50 years. —Marguerite Ethridge, Americus, Georgia

Whenever I crave something cold to beat the heat, I whip this yogurt together and share with family. Everyone enjoys the sweet relief! — Caitlyn Heinz, Ovid, New York

My husband absolutely loves ice cream sandwiches and snickerdoodles, so I combined them into one fun treat. Here’s how we build this cool dessert. —Heather Pilon, Winslow, Maine