If you’re ready to go beyond chocolate and vanilla, these unusual ice cream recipes will blow your mind and tempt your taste buds all summer!
Garden-To-Table And Beyond Ice Cream Recipes
Inspired by garden-fresh ingredients, nostalgic desserts, and creative flavor pairings, each recipe is a celebration of summer in a scoop.
Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or just looking for a fun new treat, these unique ice cream flavors are the cool-down you didn’t know you needed.
Forget basic. This summer, it’s all about bold, unexpected, and artisan ice cream flavors you can make right at home.
Fennel Pollen Ice Cream with Honey and Herbal Liqueur
Fragrant, floral, and just a little bit wild, this Fennel Ice Cream Recipe combines delicate fennel flowers and their golden pollen with local honey and a splash of fennel liqueur.
It’s a garden-to-cone flavor that feels both luxurious and earthy, perfect for anyone craving something truly out of the ordinary.
Unusual Flavors From A Summer Garden
Several years ago, I planted bronze fennel in my garden. It never seemed to produce a fennel bulb, as does Florence fennel.
But, they grew tall and the aromatic flowers have become a favorite culinary addition every summer.
These majestic flowers return every year, with no effort on my part, and tower well above all other flowers, as well as me!
As I watch the butterflies and bees dart from flower to flower, I knew the essence of the pollen must be too delicious not to bring to my table as well.
From my garden to my kitchen, fennel pollen Ice cream was created.
Tea Cakes With Toast Ice Cream – A Whimsical Tea-Time Treat
Inspired by British teatime, this Toast Ice Cream over tea cakes includes notes of bergamot, a sweet hot toddy-style glaze, and actual toasted bread blended into a creamy base ice cream.
Topped with toast dust (yes, that’s a thing), it’s quirky, comforting, and a perfect creative ice cream flavor for afternoon tea indulgence.
A Most Unusual Ice Cream Flavor
Perhaps this sounds like an odd flavor for an ice cream, British hubby assures me I should make this ice cream often, with or without the cakes.
The transformation of a simple piece of bread, once toasted, intensifies the essence of bread.
Once the toast is blitzed into a powder, it brings both the flavor of toast and a lovely texture to the ice cream.
Beetroot Ice Cream – Naturally Vibrant and Earthy
This gorgeous pink scoop is made from pureed, roasted beets, blended into a creamy sweet custard base. The result?
A sweet, earthy, and surprisingly refreshing Beetroot Ice Cream that looks just as stunning as it tastes. A beautiful addition to any farm-to-table dessert menu.
Beetroots The Superfood
Beets have been a superfood for such a long time, but many of us are just making the discovery for ourselves. Better late than never!
It’s time they are finding their way into yours hearts, literally.
These fuchsia beauties offer the ability to lower blood pressure, have a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Chocolate Almond Milk Ice Cream – Dairy-free and Decadent
This non-dairy Chocolate Ice Cream is made from homemade almond milk, sweetened naturally, and swirled with rich raw cacao.
Creamy, smooth, and completely vegan, it’s a guilt-free treat for anyone avoiding dairy, but still craving indulgence.
Homemade Almond Milk For Dairy-free Ice Cream
Dairy products are not for everyone and so we buy various types of plant milk. However, if you don’t want the weird ingredients that are in store bought plant milk or ice cream, why not make your own almond milk ice cream!
I can promise you that homemade almond milk couldn’t be easier to make; you will only need two tools, and two ingredients.
Homemade Dairy-free S’mores Ice Cream Sundaes
Bring the campfire home with this S’mores Ice Cream fun summer dessert, for kids, an adult version yet both are for the kid in us!
Served with graham cracker and chocolate-coated sundae glasses, a creamy slightly boozy homemade ice cream, a drizzle of chocolate and fire-roasted marshmallows on top. It’s nostalgia with a twist, and a fun adult dessert, though just as fun alcohol free.
Sweet Corn Ice Cream – A Farm-to-Table Favorite
One bite of this creamy, sweet Corn Ice Cream recipe, and you’ll wonder why corn isn’t already a dessert staple.
Made from fresh summer corn, simmered and pureed into a silky custard, it’s a true taste of the season and a must-try for locavores.
Summer Corn Dessert
The corn ice cream recipe I have created, has just the right amount of sweetness, with very few ingredients.
It is rich in flavor, texture and appearance. Options for using a milk of your choice (coconut or almond), is really just the side-show to this ice cream.
Natural milk found in farm fresh young corn kernels is the sweet milky ingredient we want in our corn ice cream, not frozen and older corn.
Strawberry Rhubarb Ginger Ice Cream – A Classic With A Kick
Sweet, tart, and zesty all at once, this Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream features a swirl of fresh ginger to brighten the flavor.
It’s the perfect combination of summer fruit and spicy warmth. Ideal for a post-dinner palate cleanser.
Why Make Unusual Ice Cream Flavors At Home?
Creating your own ice cream lets you explore flavors that just don’t exist in the store.
From garden-inspired ingredients (many of which you will find in my Dirt To Dish Cookbook), to nostalgic nods and herbal blends, homemade ice cream recipes open a world of flavor possibilities, without preservatives or artificial extras.
Try one or try them all. Just don’t be surprised when your friends say, “You made this?!”
These Irresistible Ice Cream Recipes Might Just Become Your Favorites
Unusual ice cream flavors stick with us because they tell a story of summer gardens, nostalgic memories, bold adventures, or health-conscious choices. They’re not just desserts; they’re experiences.
Here’s why these flavors stand out:
- Surprising Depth of Flavor: Ingredients like fennel pollen, roasted beets, or bergamot tea offer layered tastes that evolve with each bite.
- Memorable Combinations: Toast in ice cream? Corn in dessert? Once you taste the balance of sweet and savory, creamy and earthy, you won’t go back to basic.
- Conversation-Starters: These recipes are perfect for gatherings. They spark curiosity and always lead to the same question: “Wait, you made this?”
- Seasonal Freshness: Many of these flavors highlight peak seasonal ingredients like strawberries, sweet corn, or rhubarb, adding freshness and nutrition to indulgence.
- Feel-Good Options: From dairy-free to naturally sweetened, they appeal to food lovers with dietary preferences without sacrificing flavor or fun.
In short, these beyond-the-ordinary ice cream recipes offer more than just a cool treat, they deliver delight, creativity, and connection. And that’s what makes a recipe a keeper.
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.