There's just something about summertime that makes you feel like a kid again. Long days spent outside, vacations with your family, endless sweet treats—it's all so nostalgic. There's one thing in particular that you can never get enough of during the summer, no matter your age: ice cream. This season, you can re-create a classic parlor like Charlie’s Sweet Shop right in your very own home with a DIY ice cream bar!
Allowing guests to create their own ice cream sundaes is a fun and interactive way to celebrate a birthday, honor the 4th of July, or enjoy a relaxing summer weekend. Your kids will love getting to load up their cups with toppings galore—and so will you! (If you’re planning a summer gathering with adults, you should try your hand at a DIY mimosa bar to really get the party started.)
We spoke with blogger Jenn Lifford of Clean & Scentsible, whose own DIY ice cream bar plan includes tons of ingenious serving ideas and adorable printables to make it look like a real ice cream shop. And if you're wondering when exactly to set up your sundae bar, there's no better time than the present.
"Don't wait for a special occasion—you can set up an ice cream bar at any time!" Jenn says. "Customizing your own sundaes and cones is always fun."
How do you set up an ice cream bar?
Before breaking out the ice cream, sauces, and toppings, you’ll need containers to hold everything in. First, decide how you’ll want to serve the ice cream. Are you going to use cones, cups, or both? If you’re using sugar cones, you can neatly stack them on top of each other and cover them in cute wrappings. (Check out Jenn’s gorgeous printables!) If you’re opting for cups, decide if you want to go with ceramic bowls, paper cups, or even edible waffle cone bowls.
These Ice Cream Bar Supplies Are a Must
Small Serving Bowls
Glass Candy Storage Jar
Next, you have to make some decisions about the ice cream itself. How should you serve it? Jenn usually opts to scoop the ice cream directly from the original containers. "If you'd like to pre-scoop to make things easier, you can add scoops into individual Mason jars and keep the jars on ice in an ice chest," she says. The blogger also suggests pre-scooping the ice cream and placing it on covered cookie sheets in the freezer, then bringing it out right before serving.
How many toppings do I need for an ice cream bar?
The toppings are totally up to you! You can have as many choices as you want, whether you'd prefer to keep it simple or really think outside the box.
"The toppings are always the best part, so I like to have lots of items to choose from," Jenn says. "Pick a couple of sauces, a variety of crunchy toppings, a few fruit options, and, of course, whipped cream!"
Once you've decided on your toppings, you can figure out how to serve them. Use small bowls for items like sprinkles, nuts, candies, or fresh fruit, and jars for items that can get stale, like cookies or marshmallows. For your sauces and whipped cream, it's easiest to buy them from the store and serve them as they come.
Stock Up on the Best Toppings
Smucker's Hot Fudge
Rainbow and Chocolate Sprinkles
Chopped Nuts
How much ice cream do I need for an ice cream bar?
If you want to avoid having too little or too much ice cream (is there such a thing?!), plan out how much you'll need per person. Jenn suggests accounting for 1 1/2 cups of ice cream per person. (To get an idea of what that means, note that a gallon of ice cream contains about 16 cups!) Of course, you'll want to make sure there's extra for seconds. Since it's typical to have a few varieties available, you can usually rest assured that you'll have enough.
As far as flavors go, it depends on personal preference and who you're hosting. You can keep it simple with the classic vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry varieties. Or, you can offer fun flavors like cookie dough or cookies 'n' cream—especially if you're throwing a kids' party. (Bonus points if you opt for a homemade flavor, like Ree's blackberry-cheesecake swirl!)
How do I decorate an ice cream bar?
Here's where it really gets fun. Depending on what the occasion is—a birthday party, a summer cookout, or just a Sunday family dinner—you can get super creative with your décor. Jenn advises starting with a color scheme, and finding inspiration for colors in places like artwork, cute decorative napkins, or colored ice cream bowls.
"From there, I'll search the house for items that will go with the color scheme and start assembling things together. I also like to add cake stands, footed trays, or other items to create a variety of heights to display the items," she says. You can easily copy Jenn's pretty design by printing out the patterns she's provided for ice cream and topping labels, cone wrappers, and even wall art.
How do I keep the ice cream from melting?
The most obvious solution to prevent your ice cream from melting is by setting up your ice cream bar inside. While you can use dry ice or coolers, the whole operation tends to fall apart faster outside.
"If you're set on setting up your ice cream bar outside, focus on creating a pretty display with just the toppings and some cute décor pieces. Have someone inside serving the ice cream scoops when your guests are ready for their treat," Jenn suggests.
How do I keep the ice cream bar clean and tidy?
You could probably guess an ice cream bar may get a little chaotic, especially if you've set it up for kids. There's a chance you'll find melted ice cream, globs of chocolate syrup, and scattered sprinkles on the table...and everywhere else. However, there are a few easy steps you can take to keep your setup a bit neater.
Jenn likes to keep a Mason jar of warm water nearby to hold the ice cream scoop, which prevents mess and cleans it between each use.
"Keep any messy items like syrups on a small plate to catch drippings and make sure you have lots of napkins and a couple of towels on hand," she says. "There are bound to be at least a few messes, so don't worry about it too much!"
What's the best occasion for an ice cream bar?
Because there's never a wrong time for ice cream, there's also never a wrong time for an ice cream bar! While special events are the most obvious occasion, a weeknight with your family could be just as perfect.
"The laid back summer family nights eating our ice cream sundae creations together on the back patio are my favorite memories," Jenn says.
Now that you're equipped with everything you could possibly need for a DIY ice cream bar, it's time to get to planning, decorating, and eating!
