There is no more decadent respite from hot weather than a cool, silky scoop of homemade ice cream. From old favorites like chocolate and peppermint to surprising new flavors that incorporate fresh produce and savory ingredients—beets, basil, corn, and even olive oil—we have something for everything. Break out your ice cream maker and check out our favorite ice cream recipes.
It doesn't get much more classic than chocolate ice cream. Our recipe, from the amazing Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams in Columbus, Ohio, is as chocolatey as it gets. Starting with a simple base, it adds a sauce made of unsweetened cocoa, bittersweet chocolate, and brewed coffee. Other great sweet ice cream flavors include peach, pumpkin, and bourbon. One of our favorite standbys is the simple classic rum raisin, with its concentrated burst of dried fruit and boozy kick of rum.
Tart black raspberry matches with sweet corn for a fresh, summery treat. Corn isn't the only unusual ingredient we like to put in ice cream. Another Jeni's recipe uses roasted beets with mascarpone, orange zest, and poppy seeds to make a vibrantly colored ice cream that is earthy, citrusy, and sweet. Perhaps stranger is our olive oil gelato, which is smooth, grassy, and slightly sweet. Our strangest—but possibly most delicious—savory ice cream ingredient? Garlic. Roasting the garlic brings out its sweetness and dulls its sharp edge, creating something that pairs remarkably well with a creamy base.
Find all these desserts and more in our collection of ice cream and gelato recipes.
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Vanilla Ice Cream
This basic ice cream recipe from pastry chef Tracy Obolsky of North End Grill is endlessly customizable; turn it into anything from chocolate to rum-raisin to pistachio. Get the recipe for Vanilla Ice Cream »
Kaffir Lime Gelato
Fragrant Kaffir lime leaves bring a refreshingly tart and sweet balance to this gelato.
Cinnamon-Sugar Ice Cream
Buttery cinnamon-sugar crumbles swirled into a creamy base are reminiscent of cinnamon toast. Get the recipe for Cinnamon-Sugar Ice Cream »
Sour Cream Ice Cream with Strawberries and Brown Sugar
Sour Cream Ice Cream with Strawberries and Brown Sugar
Pandan-Coconut Ice Cream
Often used in Thai desserts, pandan leaf lends a warm, nutty, sweet flavor to this coconut ice cream. Get the recipe for Pandan-Coconut Ice Cream »
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Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream
Sweetened condensed milk and a touch of spice set this caffeinated treat apart from other coffee ice creams. Get the recipe for Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream »
Peach Ice Cream
Sweet, pale orange ice cream flavored with ripe, juicy peaches simply screams summer.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream
A creamy peanut butter swirl suspended in strawberry- and jam-enriched ice cream turns the classic peanut butter and jelly on its head. Get the recipe for Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream »
Lavender Honey Ice Cream
This ice cream is best when made with true miel de lavande, French lavender honey from Provence, which is produced by bees that feed primarily on lavender blossoms, imparting a creamy texture and distinctive flavor and scent. Get the recipe for Lavender Honey Ice Cream »
Bourbon-Butterscotch Ice Cream
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Beet Ice Cream with Mascarpone, Orange Zest, and Poppy Seeds
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in Columbus, OH, has some of the most amazing flavors around, but they all start with one simple base. In this recipe, the addition of roasted beets and poppy seeds lends the end product a festive hue and a bit of crunch. Get the recipe for Beet Ice Cream with Mascarpone, Orange Zest, and Poppy Seeds »
Sweet Corn and Black Raspberry Ice Cream
Playing off two popular summertime ingredients, this unique recipe combines the silky flavor of corn with the tartness of black raspberries. Get the recipe for Sweet Corn and Black Raspberry Ice Cream »
Basil Gelato
Vividly green and intensely flavored, this smooth basil gelato is a perfectly unexpected dessert. Get the recipe for Basil Gelato »
The Darkest Chocolate Ice Cream in the World
This intense ice cream flavor owes its remarkable depth and richness to the combination of cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate. Get the recipe for The Darkest Chocolate Ice Cream in the World »
Roasted Garlic Ice Cream
Roasting garlic brings out its sweetness, so the flavors meld beautifully in this simple vanilla ice cream inspired by one served at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in California.
Pistachio Ice Cream
Sweetened whole milk flavored with crushed cardamom, saffron, and pistachio is frozen in molds to create these impressive, sculptural desserts.
Blackstrap Praline Ice Cream
The recipe for this super-sweet and nutty flavor comes from the renowned Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in Columbus, OH. Get the recipe for Blackstrap Praline Ice Cream »
Olive Oil Gelato
Smooth, grassy, and slightly savory, this rich olive oil gelato makes for an elegant dessert—we love it topped with a sprinkle of sea salt. Get the recipe for Olive Oil Gelato »
White Pepper Ice Cream
This white pepper-infused dessert is based on one served at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Manhattan restaurant JoJo, where author Josh Ozersky’s father, David, often dined in the 1990s. A creamy custard base is spiked with musky white peppercorns for an addictive balance of sweetness and heat.
Fig Ice Cream
Ripe Black Mission figs, sweet brown sugar, and just a hint of cinnamon combine beautifully in this swirled ice cream, as lovely to look at as it is to eat. Get the recipe for Fig Ice Cream »
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Nutmeg Ice Cream
Serve this spiced ice cream on its own or scooped on top of warm fruit crisps, cobblers, or pies, particularly apple.
Ginger Ice Cream
The spiciness of the ginger adds some heat to this cool ice cream. Get the recipe for Ginger Ice Cream »
Peanut Butter Swirl Ice Cream
For added decadence, top this ultra-peanutty ice cream with chocolate sauce or hot fudge. Get the recipe for Peanut Butter Swirl Ice Cream
Sicilian Vanilla Ice Cream
This recipe is adapted from Mary Taylor Simeti’s book _Pomp and Sustenance: Twenty-Five Centuries of Sicilian Food. Get the recipe for Sicilian Vanilla Ice Cream
Honey Ice Cream
No sugar added, this ice cream is delightfully sweetened with honey. Get the recipe for Honey Ice Cream »
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Peppermint Pillow Ice Cream
The happy surprise of using good peppermint candies is the lovely pink shade they lend to this ice cream. Get the recipe for Peppermint Pillow Ice Cream »
Pumpkin Ice Cream
Delightful on its own or scooped onto a slice of warm pie, this cool and delicious pumpkin ice cream gets added complexity from cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Rum Raisin Ice Cream
The combination of rum and raisins has long elevated all kinds of desserts, but when applied to a vanilla custard base, the flavors truly shine: a concentrated burst of dried fruit cut by the boozy kick of rum, all cushioned by creamy dairy. Get the recipe for Rum Raisin Ice Cream
Pumpkin Pecan Gingersnap Ice Cream
Use up leftover pumpkin or squash puree in a sweet, spiced ice cream.
Lemon Curd-Vanilla Swirl Ice Cream
This elegant ice cream recipe is a frozen riff on a pavlova. Get the recipe for Lemon Curd-Vanilla Swirl Ice Cream »
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Burnt Cream Ice Cream
Some scholars say that this Catalan dessert is the ancestor of France’s creme brûlée. Get the recipe for Burnt Cream Ice Cream »
