Frozen Dessert Recipes to Help You Chill Out

Almost too stunning to eat (but not quite!), this ice cream dessert is crowned with edible flowers and built on a warm-spiced gingerbread-shortbread crust. In between, scoop in a lovely homemade ice cream scented with brightly-flavored lemon verbena. Once you try just one bite, you’ll declare that no spring or summer gathering would be complete without this.

Pie oh my! All you need to blend up this quintessential summer dessert is a slice of peach pie (even yesterday's leftovers will do), frozen peaches, and vanilla ice cream. Finish the cold peach dessert with a splash of milk to marry everything together and prepare to enjoy a sip of summer vibes.

Translate the ooey-gooey goodness of the campfire favorite into a modern, gourmet-looking yet easy-to-prep torte. Dulce de leche and coffee ice cream paired with marshmallow creme update the classic s’mores recipe flavor combo. Don't skip the final broiling step for nicely toasted marshmallows atop this tempting frozen dessert recipe!

Related: 17 Delicious Ways to Dress Up Classic S'Mores This Summer

No need to decide between ice cream, cookies, or candy. This sweet-tart frozen dessert item sneaks all three into each bite! Lemon curd-swirled vanilla ice cream is stuffed between homemade sugar cookie squares, then surrounded by crushed lemon candies in this mouth-puckeringly perfect treat.

Chocolate-peanut butter cups are good. But you know what’s even better? An ice cream pie that features the same flavors, just reimagined in a tasty slice-shaped package. Its creamy whipped peanut butter filling and chocolate cookie-crumb crust make for a melt-in-your-mouth frozen dessert recipe.

Finish off the remaining half of your pint in these pint-size coffee shop-inspired drinks. A mini scoop of vanilla ice cream and a shot of espresso make a dream duo inside the chocolate-coated edible cups. If you’re serving this easy cold dessert after dinner or close to bedtime, we recommend choosing decaf over regular brewed coffee.

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These pretty ice cream dessert pops are the perfect ending to a summer meal. You get a trio of flavors: vanilla, chocolate (two layers, by way of ice cream and the cookie crust), and strawberry in every bite. And since this cold dessert comes served on a stick, you can enjoy it almost anywhere. No bowl or spoon required.

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Tiramisu is already one of our all-time favorite Italian dessert picks. But once we dreamed up the idea of upping the ante with creamy, decadent mascarpone ice cream, the espresso-infused treat becomes downright irresistible. To make prep for this frozen dessert recipe low-fuss, we call for starting with boxed cake mix.

Savor a scoop of both chocolate and vanilla! With a cookie crust, two layers of ice cream, and crunchy chocolate-covered peanuts throughout, this ice cream cake is everything you could ever want in a dessert. Melt together fudge sauce and creamy peanut butter for a wildly tasty topping.

Related: Our 38 Best Chocolate Recipes

What’s better than surprising your loved ones with a box of chocolates? Surprising them with a batch of ice cream sandwiches inspired by the flavor that always has everyone fighting for the last bite: chocolate-covered cherry. Opt for store-bought cherry ice cream so you can focus on the mocha-flavored cookies and two-ingredient Magic Shell coating for this easy cold dessert recipe.

Tacos need not be savory to be sensational. Inspired by a popular supermarket freezer find, these tacos center around a sweet ice cream “taco” filling. Wrap a waffle bowl in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15 seconds so you can shape it into a shell. Then, instead of lettuce, cheese, and sour cream, garnish your ice cream dessert tacos with candies, sprinkles, and a cherry.

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This ice cream pie tastes like a shake-and-malt mash-up, plus a strawberry ice cream cone to boot. Use this easy frozen dessert recipe to one-up your local ice cream parlor. The frozen pie features malted milk balls and fresh strawberries, plus crushed ice cream cones for the crunchy crust. A drizzle of hot fudge tops things off in the richest way possible.

With a hint of tang from lemon sorbet and plenty of richness via vanilla ice cream, the berry-laced filling for these shortbread sandwiches will please fans of sweet and tart treats. Imagine how refreshing it would be to bite into one of these frozen fruit dessert bars on a sweltering summer day! Then stop imagining and start assembling.

Go nuts over our frozen chocolate-marshmallow torte topped with pecans and showered in silky caramel. The rich coffee-fudge layer and crumbly cookie crust featured in this frozen dessert recipe will be the talk of your next get-together. Just look at that caramel drizzle …

Give leftover candy bars new life in these semi-homemade frozen dessert sandwiches. Chocolate cake mix makes the cookies oh-so-easy to bake up, while Twix-infused ice cream and marshmallow creme team up for the dreamy filling.

Inspired by caramel-dunked churros, these Mexican sundaes are ideal for a build-your-own frozen dessert bash. Bake the cinnamon-sugar tortillas in muffin tins to create edible bowls in advance. Come party time, each reveler can fill his or her own with a scoop of ice cream, dessert syrup, and berries.

Combine after-dinner coffee and dessert in one sippable, caffeinated treat. A pint of coffee ice cream transforms into a cheerful happy hour option when you blend it with milk and coffee liqueur, then serve in chocolate syrup-drizzled shot glasses. Finish the cold dessert recipe with chopped chocolate-covered coffee beans so guests have a clue about the buzzy ingredients to come.

Whether you're Team Cocoa Puffs or Team Cinnamon Toast Crunch (or both!), you can customize your quick-fix ice cream shake to feature your favorite breakfast cereal(s). A pint of vanilla ice cream, a cup of milk, and a cup of cereal are all you need to end your meal with a frozen dessert recipe inspired by one of the sweetest ways to start the day.

Give cookies the night off and sandwich a scoop of vanilla ice cream between grilled donut halves instead. A shower of chocolate sauce takes this five-minute frozen dessert recipe to the next level of decadence.

Test Kitchen Tip: Brush the cut-side of each donut half with a bit of melted butter for extra richness and to avoid sticking on the grill.

Related: 18 Irresistible Grilled Dessert Ideas

Creamy, crunchy, and cool all at once, these oat-crust bars showcase many layers of summer dessert deliciousness. Choose butter brickle, chocolate, or vanilla ice cream and top with a sugary, crumbly nut mixture. If you're really feeling like a "treat yourself" moment (and who isn't?!), drizzle this frozen dessert recipe with caramel ice cream topping before serving.

This mint ice cream showstopper is perfect for any season! Dig out those peppermint sticks from the holidays and put them to great use in this summer ice cream cake that’s beyond refreshing on a hot day.

Test Kitchen Tip: Prepare this easy cold dessert up to a week ahead of time and store in your freezer until ready to serve.

Grilled berries? Yes, it's possible, and, yes, they're amazing! Thread them on skewers like you might if you were dunking fruit in chocolate fondue. But instead of coating with chocolate, char over flames for 3 minutes to caramelize the natural sugars, then spoon over any flavor of ice cream to complete this easy cold dessert recipe. (We're partial to vanilla, cheesecake, or chocolate for this.)

Why reserve peppermint for winter holidays alone? Its uber-refreshing, naturally cool flavor is perfect for taming the heat. Layers of peppermint ice cream and homemade fudge sauce are topped with fluffy meringue then baked to golden brown for a nod to summery s’mores.