The Simple Trick That Transforms A Quart Of Ice Cream Into Individual Ice Cream Bars

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream! Ice cream is a frozen treat that is enjoyed year-round. In fact, it is a hit with cake for birthday parties and other seasonal celebrations; this summery treat can even save the day during cold-weather holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas when it is used to top a warm slice of pie. So of course, an ice cream hack never goes out of style. If you're looking to upgrade your ice cream game without much effort, there is a simple way to make ice cream bars at home using a quart of store-bought ice cream and some creative toppings.

There are many ways to make homemade ice cream without an expensive ice cream machine. However, those pressed for time or preparing an ice cream treat for a large group may prefer a shortcut. First, start with a quart of ice cream. Any flavor works. You can reach for a basic vanilla ice cream, which Chowhound has ranked from best to worst, a flavorful chocolate ice cream, or even a cookies and cream ice cream loaded with chocolate cookie crumbles. The only caveat is that the ice cream must come in a cardboard container rather than a plastic container. Once you have your ice cream, all you have to do is use a knife to cut the cardboard container into individual servings, and then insert a popsicle stick in each one.

There are minimal steps to make ice cream bars out of a quart of ice cream. Once you have your individual servings, you can take your ice cream bars to the next level using toppings. One option is to press each ice cream serving into a plate of rainbow or festive-colored sprinkles. You can coat one side or both — whatever you prefer. You can also press the ice cream bars into chocolate cookie crumbs or graham crackers.

Another way to upgrade the ice cream bars is to dip each bar into melted chocolate. Be sure to add a spoonful of coconut oil to turn your chocolate coating into a magic shell and ensure a nice snap. The ice cream bars can also be dipped into melted caramel or vanilla baking chips. But if you can't decide between them, why not combine the two? Dip the ice cream bars into the chocolate and then press them against the sprinkles. 

You can also take inspiration from your favorite desserts when picking your toppings. Consider making an ice cream twist on a s'more with chocolate ice cream dipped in graham cracker crumbles and drizzled with marshmallow fluff. Make sure to pop the ice cream bars into the freezer once decorated to allow the ice cream to reharden as the frozen treat melts quickly. You can easily refreeze the ice cream bars by putting them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. If you are traveling with the bars, there's one kitchen hack that'll keep ice cream cold: Transport them using bubble wrap to slow the melting.