7 easy frozen desserts + drinks to help you cool off this summer

Whether you’re looking to impress everyone at your next socially distant cookout, or you have a sweet tooth that needs to be tamed, we rounded up our favorite yummy frozen treats you’re sure to devour in just a few seconds.

We guarantee they are just as refreshing as jumping in a pool on a scorching hot summer day. Even better? A few recipes will keep the kids silent for at least 10 minutes until they ask for something else.

Here are 7 tasty frozen treats that will help you chill out all season:

1. Frozen chocolate monkey treats

Serves: 18

Total time: 20 minutes, then freeze

Ingredients:

• 3 medium bananas
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 2 tsp shortening
• Optional toppings: chopped peanuts, toasted sweetened shredded coconut and colored jimmies

Instructions:

1. Cut each banana crosswise into 6 pieces (about 1 inch). Insert a toothpick into each piece; transfer to a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze until completely firm, about 1 hour.
2. In a microwave, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip banana pieces in chocolate mixture; allow excess to drip off. Dip in toppings as desired; return to baking sheet. Freeze at least 30 minutes before serving.

Recipe from Taste of Home

2. Grapefruit frosé (for adults)

Serves: 2

Total time: Once frozen, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• Bottle of Rosé
• 1/4 cup vodka
• 1/4 cup of grapefruit juice – the fresher the better
• 1 oz simple syrup
• Ice, as desired

Instructions:

1. Freeze the Rosé in ice cube trays
2. Once frozen, add to the blender with vodka, grapefruit juice, simple syrup, and ice
3. Blend until smooth or have reached desired thickness
4. Enjoy with a group of college friends

Recipe from Bright Cellars

3. Watermelon, chili + basil ice pops

Serves: 4- 6

Total time: Once frozen, 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large bunch Thai basil, stems and leaves roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 red Thai bird chile
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 3 cups 1-inch cubes watermelon

Instructions:

1. Bring the sugar and 1/4 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely melted, about five5 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the basil and stir until completely wilted. Let cool completely at room temperature, at least 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, finely mince the chile (seeded for less heat, if desired). Add the salt to the minced chile, and run your knife through the mixture several times until the salt starts to turn light pink; set aside.
3. Put the watermelon and lime juice in a blender. Strain the basil syrup into the blender, pressing the basil in the strainer with the back of a spoon to extract as much flavor as possible; discard the basil. Puree the watermelon mixture until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender part way through if needed. Transfer the mixture to a large liquid measuring cup with a pouring spout.
4. Pour the mixture into the ice-pop molds, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top (the mixture will expand). Insert the sticks. Freeze until solid, 5 hours to overnight. Unmold and sprinkle one or both sides of the pops with the chili salt, depending on how spicy you want your pops. Serve immediately with any remaining chili salt on the side.

Recipe from Food Network

4. Mochi ice cream

Serves: 12

Total time: 4 hr 36 min

Ingredients:

• 1 pint green tea ice cream
• 3/4 cup sweet glutinous rice flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons matcha powder
• 3/4 cup water
• Potato starch, cornstarch, or additional rice flour (for dusting)

Instructions:

1. Line a mini muffin tin with plastic wrap. Using a small ice cream scoop, divide the green tea ice cream among the wells in muffin tin. Re-freeze until the ice cream is solid.
2. If you don’t have a mini muffin tin, you can also use an empty egg carton lined with plastic wrap to hold the shape of the ice cream balls.
3. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the rice flour, sugar, and matcha powder. Add the water and whisk to combine.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave for 1 minute. Stir, recover, and microwave for 1 minute more. Stir again, cover, and microwave at least 30 seconds or up to 1 1/2 minutes more until the mochi dough is thick and sticky.
5. Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with cornstarch, potato starch, or additional sweet glutinous rice flour. Roll out mochi to about 1/4 inch thickness. (Apply additional starch or flour as needed to prevent sticking.) Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate for about 15 minutes until cool and firmed.
6. Using a round cookie cutter (about 3- to 3 1/2-inches in diameter) cut the mochi into circles. Place each circle on an individual piece of plastic wrap.
7. Place one scoop of ice cream on top of each mochi circle. Quickly wrap the mochi around the ice cream and pinch to seal. Use the plastic wrap to tightly tie everything together. As each ball is wrapped, quicky transfer the balls back to the freezer until solid.
8. It helps to do this process in close proximity to the freezer, working in small batches. Otherise, the ice cream balls will begin to soften too much, making it very difficult to wrap the mochi around the balls.

Recipe from The Spruce Eats

5. Strawberry frozen yogurt

Serves: 4- 6

Total time: 1 day 5 hr 30 min

Ingredients:

• 4 cups strawberries, hulled and chopped
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon rum
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped
• 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

Instructions:

1. A full 24 hours before you make your frozen yogurt, place your ice cream maker insert into the freezer.
2. Add strawberries, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and rum to a bowl and toss. Cover with plastic wrap and let the strawberries macerate at room temperature for 1 hour.
3. Add the strawberries with their juices to a food processor. Pulse the berries, and then add the vanilla beans seeds and yogurt. Continue to blend until smooth.
4. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
5. Turn your ice cream machine on and pour in the chilled yogurt mixture. Churn until the mixture looks slushy like soft serve, about 12 to 15 minutes.
6. Place in the freezer for several hours until hard enough to scoop.

Recipe from Food Network

6. Blood orange–champagne ice cream float (for adults)

Serves: 24

Total time: Once frozen, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 tsp Champagne or sparkling wine (this can be flat, left over from a party)
• 3 1/4 tsp caster or superfine sugar
• 5 tsp Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
• 3 tsp Campari
• 2 tbsp plus 1 teaspoon) soda water
• 2 scoops of orange sorbet, preferably blood orange
• A slice of orange (use blood orange, if in season)

Instructions:

1. Put the Champagne or sparkling wine in a small pan and simmer until reduced by a third. Add the caster sugar and stir until dissolved, then leave to cool. (It’s worth making a much larger quantity of this syrup and storing it in the fridge to make other drinks.)
2. Pour the vermouth, Campari, Champagne syrup and soda water into a small shaker and shake for 10-15 seconds. Scoop the sorbet into a chilled float glass. Pour the liquid ingredients on top and garnish with the slice of orange.

Recipe from Epicurious

7. Quick icebox sandwiches

Serves: 2 dozen

Total time: Once frozen, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cups cold whole milk
• 2 cups whipped topping
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 24 whole graham crackers, halved

Instructions:

1. Mix pudding and milk according to package directions; refrigerate until set. Fold in whipped topping and chocolate chips.
2. Place 24 graham cracker halves on a baking sheet; top each with about 3 tablespoons filling. Place another graham cracker half on top. Wrap individually in plastic; freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Serve sandwiches frozen.

Recipe from Taste of Home

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