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A Sweet Summer Tradition
Summer is in full swing and starting to heat up. What better way to feel refreshed during the summer heat than enjoying National Ice Cream Day with your favorite frozen treat?
Ice cream is a classic summer treat enjoyed in many forms, from homemade scoops to frozen sandwiches. People have been cooling off with National Ice Cream Day since 1984 as a way to celebrate one of America’s favorite desserts. The food holiday is celebrated each July on the third Sunday, this year on July 19.
There are many easy ways to celebrate, including making ice cream at home, creating personalized frozen treats, enjoying ready-made favorites, and sharing dessert with family and friends. From making a batch from scratch to sharing a favorite frozen treat, these ideas can make National Ice Cream Day and the summer season a little sweeter.
Make Classic Ice Cream at Home
Making ice cream at home is a fun way for friends and family to celebrate. It also allows you to customize the flavor, sweetness, ingredients, and mix-ins. The following products can make preparing a homemade batch easier.
This compact ice cream maker creates homemade ice cream, sorbet, and frozen yogurt in about 20 minutes. The double insulated freezer bowl makes it easy to whip up cold treats without needing a bulky machine. Its straightforward design is well suited for beginners and everyday home use.
A helpful recipe guide for making homemade frozen desserts with a Cuisinart machine. It includes ideas for classic ice creams, fruity sorbets, gelatos, and creamy frozen yogurts. The beginner-friendly recipes offer inspiration for experimenting with different flavors at home.
This ice cream maker uses a built in compressor, so there’s no need to pre-freeze bowls before making treats. It creates ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and other desserts with simple cleanup. The compressor design makes it a convenient option for preparing multiple batches without waiting for a bowl to freeze again.
Turn a KitchenAid mixer into a homemade dessert maker with this frozen treat attachment. It makes up to 2 quarts of ice cream, sorbet, and gelato without needing a separate appliance. It is a practical choice for homes that already have a compatible KitchenAid stand mixer.
Create Your Own Custom Frozen Treats
Some frozen-dessert machines can make more than traditional ice cream. Depending on the product, they can be used to experiment with different flavors, textures, ingredients, and mix-ins to create personalized frozen treats.
The Ninja CREAMi lets you create ice cream, gelato, sorbet, milkshakes, and more with one-touch programs. Its compact design and included pint containers make it easy for families to customize treats. Each pint can be prepared with different flavors, ingredients, and mix-ins for personalized desserts.
This recipe book offers creative ideas for making frozen treats with the Ninja CREAMi. It includes easy recipes for creamy desserts, unique flavors, and homemade creations. The collection can help beginners explore more ways to use the machine beyond traditional ice cream.
This compact frozen dessert maker creates smooth ice cream, gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt, and smoothie bowls with five preset programs. Its smaller countertop footprint and included pint cups make it convenient without taking up much space. It is especially useful for making smaller batches and trying several personalized flavors.
This single serve ice cream maker creates personalized frozen treats right in the included freezer mugs. It’s a fun option for making small batches of ice cream, gelato, and more. The finished dessert can be enjoyed directly from the mug, helping reduce extra dishes.
A recipe collection made for Dash My Mug owners, with easy ideas for ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and frozen yogurt. It helps beginners experiment with homemade desserts. The recipes are designed around the machine’s smaller portions and single-serve format.
Turn Ice Cream Making Into a Family Activity
Making frozen desserts can become a fun and interactive part of the celebration. Children and adults can mix ingredients, choose toppings, and create their own flavors together. We also provided a quick list of other ideas to keep the whole family engaged.
This vintage style ice cream maker brings back classic homemade ice cream with an ice and rock salt churn. The large 4 quart capacity is great for family gatherings and parties. Its traditional process can also turn dessert preparation into an interactive group activity.
Create fun rolled ice cream at home with this easy to use frozen dessert pan. It’s a playful activity for families and kids to make customized treats together. Users can add fruit, cookies, candy, or other mix-ins before shaping the dessert into rolls.
Activity Ideas
• Let everyone create a custom flavor.
• Hold a family flavor competition.
• Experiment with fruit, cookies, chocolate, candy, and other favorite mix-ins.
• Award playful prizes for the most creative flavor or presentation.
Cool Down With Homemade Ice Pops
Ice Pops are another refreshing treat totake the heat off. Theserecommendations help you make your favorite flavors and offera colorful and refreshing alternative to traditional ice cream.You can also pair some of our flavor ideas into your ownat-homemenu.
This popsicle mold set includes everything needed to make homemade frozen treats. The silicone molds and extra accessories make creating popsicles easy and mess friendly. They can be filled with juice, yogurt, smoothies, or blended fruit for a variety of refreshing options.
Easy Flavor Ideas
• Strawberry yogurt
• Mango and orange
• Watermelon and lime
• Blueberry lemonade • Fruit smoothie pops
Celebrate With Ready-Made Ice Cream Favorites
Celebrating National Ice Cream Day does not require making dessert from scratch. Ready-made ice cream, frozen sandwiches, bars, cones, and other convenient treats offer an easy way to join the celebration.
Premium ice cream mix makes homemade frozen treats simple with no complicated measuring. Just add to an ice cream maker for creamy results in minutes. The premeasured mix is a convenient option for beginners or anyone who wants to shorten preparation time.
Creamy vanilla ice cream is covered in milk chocolate and almond pieces for a classic frozen dessert. A convenient gluten free treat for summer snacking. The individually portioned bars are easy to serve at home, at gatherings, or as an after-dinner dessert.
365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Ice Cream Sandwiches
Classic organic sandwiches in convenient individual portions.
Organic ice cream sandwiches offer a nostalgic frozen treat made with quality ingredients. Perfect for family desserts, parties, or warm weather cravings. Their individual portions make them easy to serve without bowls, scoops, or additional preparation.
Complete the Ice Cream Experience
Complete the celebration with serving essentials, family-friendly activities, and books filled with ice cream recipes, ideas, and history.
Colorful dessert bowls and spoons make ice cream nights more fun for kids and families. Great for parties. The matching set can be used for sundaes, frozen yogurt, fruit, candy, and other small desserts.
Zeroll, the trusted ice cream scoop since 1935, offers effortless scooping with its unique handle design that uses your hand’s warmth. Made from durable, corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy, this one-piece scoop is easy for right- and left-handed individuals. Its ingenious design, including a color-coded brown end cap, ensures perfect 4 oz portions, giving you more volume per gallon. Zeroll scoops deliver not just ice cream but the best scoop every time.
Pretend play ice cream shop set includes 28 pieces for scooping, serving, and imaginative play. A fun addition to play kitchens for preschoolers ages 3 and up. Children can practice taking orders, assembling pretend desserts, and playing cooperatively with family or friends.
200 recipes cover homemade ice creams, sorbets, gelatos, granitas, and sweet toppings. Great resource for anyone who loves making frozen desserts at home. The collection provides inspiration for both classic favorites and more creative flavor combinations.
Note Frozen-food availability, pricing, and delivery options may vary by location.
Celebrate With Free Treats and Special Deals
Several ice cream brands are marking National Ice Cream Day with free treats and limited-time offers. Availability, participation, and redemption requirements may vary by location, so check the brand’s official website or app before visiting.
Dippin’ Dots
Participating franchise locations will give away free mini cups in any flavor during a two-hour window on July 19. Giveaway hours vary by store.
Dairy Queen
DQ Rewards members can receive a free Dilly Bar with an app order of $1 or more from July 13 through July 19. The offer is available once per account at participating locations.
Chuck E. Cheese and Dippin’ Dots
Participating Chuck E. Cheese locations are offering a free Dippin’ Dots treat with a coupon. No membership or purchase is required, while supplies last.
Note: Promotions are valid only at participating locations and may be subject to app, coupon, purchase, account, timing, or supply requirements. Official offer details: Dippin’ Dots National Ice Cream Day; Dairy Queen National Ice Cream Day
More Ways to Make the Day Special
National Ice Cream Day does not require an elaborate celebration. Visit a favorite local ice cream shop, try a flavor you have never ordered before, host a blind taste test, or create a build-your-own sundae bar. Children can invent their own flavors, and frozen treats can be shared with friends, family, or neighbors. Whether making a homemade batch, creating colorful ice pops, enjoying an ice cream sandwich, or simply sharing a favorite scoop, these small moments can make the summer day feel a little sweeter.
