Ice Cream Socials Are So Back—9 Elevated Ideas for Hosting Your Own

Diversify Your Offerings

When it comes to ice cream socials, a seasoned host diversifies their toppings for the best guest experience. As Tyler Malek, co-founder and head chef at Salt & Straw, explains, "When hosting an ice cream social, you want to make sure that you offer something with texture and crunch. This could be a granola or candied cacao nibs."

Malek adds, "You'll need to have a classic, drizzly chocolate sauce available, and it's also fun to offer something fruity." And don't forget the (literal) maraschino cherries on top.

Mix Up Your Flavors

While some hosts encourage guests to bring their favorite flavor to share, others provide a selection of curated flavors. “When thinking up flavors for our guests, I always like to serve one flavor that’s a crowd pleaser, and another that’s more fun and seasonal,” says Leanne Tran, executive pastry chef at Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn.

Use a Quality Scoop

Quality tools can make a difference, even when it comes to ice cream. “Do not forget a quality scoop,” says Michael Palmer, owner and CEO of McConnell’s Fine Ice Cream.

"Zeroll is the standard," she shares. "Made of heavy aluminum and [available] in a variety of sizes, it makes for a perfect scoop every time."

"Adult-ify" the Toppings

Sure, everyone’s expecting sprinkles and gummy bears—but what about breaking out the brûlée-style blowtorch to toast some marshmallows or meringue on top of ice cream? “We torch our proprietary marshmallow onto the rim of our frozen hot chocolate, and it’s just as dreamy swirled on ice cream,” shares Sasha Zabar, founder of Glace in New York.

Homemade wet walnuts are another sure-fire win (just be sure to label any allergens), and you can also upgrade from the basic drugstore aisle candies by offering some specialty bites. "Unexpected textures like Swedish foam candies, chocolate-covered marshmallow bears, and ROLOs add texture and color," says Zabar.

Be Smart About Set-Up

When setting up, make sure you offer plenty of napkins and wet wipes for drips, and have an easily accessible cool place to keep the ice cream (be it your main freezer or a cooler full of ice).

You should also pre-chill any serving pieces, dishware, and metal spoons in the freezer to ensure everything is as cold as possible. “Put a slab of stone in the freezer overnight to let your guests mix their own toppings and flavors,” Zabar adds.

Get Saucy

Prep homemade fudge, caramel sauce, berry compote, and macerated berries to drizzle or dip. Zabar also suggests mixing up hard-shell ice cream toppings.

"Homemade hard shells are a crunchy, elegant upgrade from sprinkles," says Zabar. "Try matcha, pistachio, Nutella, or dark chocolate." All you need is liquid coconut oil and your preferred flavoring, mix and serve.

Don't Forget the Favors

While not necessary, favors are such a memorable special touch to the end of an event. Zabar suggests packaging mini jars of housemade sauces or custom sprinkle blends in cute tins or tubes to take, so guests can build their own sundaes at home.

Add Popsicles to the Menu

“If you don’t have an ice cream maker, popsicles are easy to make and to elevate," Tran says. “You’ll just need cream, milk, sugar or some fruit, chopped or pureed. Some summer combinations I highly recommend are fig leaf and fresh fig, coconut and strawberry, or raspberry jam.”

Whip Your Own Cream

“Fresh whipped cream is so simple and quick to make,” says professional chef Anthony Mangieri. “Use the highest quality cream you can find. The better the cream, the more flavor and depth," he says. "Add 50g powdered sugar to one quart heavy cream and whip in a frozen bowl of a stand mixer until stiff peaks form."