Let’s face it: it’s impossible not to crave cold treats during these sweltering summer months. Whether you prefer a soft-serve cone, a fruity popsicle, or a pint of rocky road, chances are frozen desserts are a part of your routine. This season, we invite you to get creative with your cravings. Grab these eight recipes from James Beard Foundation featured chefs for offbeat, refreshing treats to cool you right down.
Mint-Basil Chip Ice Cream
This isn’t your average mint chip ice cream. Make the most of your garden herbs with this recipe—abundant mint and basil leaves lend fresh flavor and a light green color, while dark chocolate chunks offer crunch.
Pomegranate–Yogurt Ice Pops (pictured above)
If you want a wholesome snack that tastes like a treat, try these pomegranate–yogurt ice pops from JBF Award winner Salma Hage’s Middle Eastern Vegetarian Cookbook. The combination of creamy labneh and tart pomegranate juice provides a gorgeous ombré effect, as well as an irresistible combination of flavors.
Horchata Ice Cream (pictured below)
The only thing more refreshing than a glass of horchata, the cinnamon-flavored Mexican agua fresca, is a bowl of horchata ice cream! Made with cream, rice, almonds, and cinnamon, this dessert is the perfect conclusion to your next taco Tuesday.
Lime Flan Parfait with Blueberries and Watermelon Granita
Summer fruit takes the leading role in this unique parfait. Citrusy flan gets topped with gently stewed blueberries and a sweet, icy watermelon granita for an elegant dinner party dessert.
Starker’s Peach-Bourbon Milkshake
This decadent milkshake has only four ingredients: vanilla or peach ice cream, milk, peaches, and bourbon. Throw everything in your blender to make this cocktail-dessert hybrid—the ideal way to end a summer night.
Miso Butterscotch Sundae
Miso in dessert? Why not? Beard Award winner Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar is known for her deeply creative, unconventional desserts, such as this miso butterscotch sundae. It looks like a regular ice cream sundae—a classic summer craving—but has a satisfying depth from toasted miso and brown sugar.
Goat’s Milk and Rhubarb Semifreddo
If you’re feeding a crowd, we recommend making this airy semifreddo, or semi-frozen Italian mousse, with strawberries and rhubarb. The juxtaposition of vibrant, red fruit and cream-colored goat’s milk makes for a dessert that’s delicious and visually stunning.
Champagne Sorbet
With this sorbet, you can drink your Champagne and eat it, too! Our namesake’s ingenious Champagne sorbet is light, refreshing, and bright, with a citrusy kick from fresh orange juice and zest.
Hungry for more? View our entire recipe collection.
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Phoebe Fry is the media intern at the Beard Foundation. Find her on Instagram.
