Christmas Ice Cream Desserts: 13 No-Churn Holiday Showstoppers Everyone Will Fight Over, No Machine Needed

Christmas ice cream desserts are having a moment, and this year the cookie tray is moving straight into the freezer. Google Trends shows searches for Christmas cookie ice cream jumping 180% in a single week, and home cooks everywhere are asking how to make that flavor themselves. Good news: you do not need an ice cream machine for any of these 13 treats. Most start with whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk, a no-churn trick that freezes smooth and scoopable. You will find sugar cookie ice cream, peppermint bark, a frozen hot chocolate cake, coconut snowballs, Italian bombes and a cozy affogato. Every one can be made days ahead, which means more time with family on the big day. Clear some freezer space and pick your favorite..

No-Churn Christmas Sugar Cookie Ice Cream, the Dessert Everyone Wants

This is the flavor everyone is searching for right now, and it tastes exactly like licking the frosting bowl while the cookies cool. Chunks of soft iced sugar cookies get folded into a sweet vanilla base along with a shower of red and green sprinkles. The cookie pieces soften just a little in the freezer, so every bite has that cake-like chew. Use homemade cookies or the leftovers from your cookie swap, and expect the whole loaf pan to disappear before New Year’s..

You will need: 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 2 cups cold heavy cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 cups chopped iced sugar cookies, 1/3 cup red and green sprinkles.

How to make it: 1. Whip the cream to stiff peaks. 2. Stir condensed milk and vanilla in a big bowl, then fold in the whipped cream in two parts. 3. Fold in the cookie pieces and most of the sprinkles. 4. Spread in a loaf pan, top with the rest of the sprinkles, cover and freeze 6 hours or overnight.

Peppermint Bark Ice Cream, a No-Churn Christmas Dessert

If peppermint bark is your weakness, this is the scoop for you. The pale pink base gets a splash of peppermint extract, then shards of chocolate bark and crushed candy canes go in by the handful. A ribbon of fudge sauce swirled through the middle keeps every scoop rich. It looks gorgeous in a plain metal pan on the dessert table, and kids love smashing the candy canes in a zip bag with a rolling pin. Serve it in bowls or between two chocolate wafer cookies for one of the prettiest Christmas ice cream desserts on the table.

You will need: 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 2 cups cold heavy cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, 1 drop red food coloring, 1 cup chopped peppermint bark, 1/2 cup crushed candy canes, 1/2 cup fudge sauce.

How to make it: 1. Whip the cream to stiff peaks. 2. Mix condensed milk, vanilla, peppermint and coloring, then fold in the cream. 3. Fold in the bark and most of the candy cane. 4. Layer into a pan with spoonfuls of fudge sauce, swirl with a knife, top with candy cane and freeze overnight.

Frozen Hot Chocolate Ice Cream Cake, a Christmas Dessert Hero

All the comfort of a mug of cocoa, turned into a towering frozen cake. A buttery chocolate cookie crust holds a layer of dark chocolate ice cream, a thick ribbon of fudge, then a creamy cocoa layer on top. Mini marshmallows and chocolate curls finish it like the foam on a cafe drink. Because it is built in a springform pan, it slices clean straight from the freezer. Make it a few days before your party and you will have one less thing to worry about.

You will need: 2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs, 5 tablespoons melted butter, 1.5 quarts chocolate ice cream, 1 cup fudge sauce, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 2 cups cold heavy cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, mini marshmallows and chocolate curls.

How to make it: 1. Press crumbs and butter into a 9-inch springform pan and freeze 15 minutes. 2. Spread softened chocolate ice cream over the crust, then the fudge, and freeze 1 hour. 3. Whip the cream, fold into condensed milk, vanilla and cocoa, and spread on top. 4. Freeze overnight, then add marshmallows and curls before slicing.

Coconut Snowball Bites

These fluffy white balls look like they rolled in from a winter yard, and they take about ten minutes of real work. Scoop vanilla into rounds, freeze them hard, then roll each one in shredded coconut until it looks like fresh snow. A drizzle of warm chocolate sauce right before serving makes the outside crackle. Top a few with a sugared cranberry and a mint leaf for a festive touch. They also keep beautifully in a covered container, so you can pull out a few whenever guests drop by. Few Christmas ice cream desserts are this simple.

You will need: 1 quart vanilla ice cream (or the no-churn base above), 3 cups sweetened shredded coconut, 1/2 cup chocolate sauce, fresh cranberries and mint to garnish.

How to make it: 1. Line a tray with parchment and scoop 8 round balls. 2. Freeze until very firm, about 1 hour. 3. Roll each ball in coconut, pressing gently so it sticks. 4. Freeze again until serving, then drizzle with warm chocolate sauce and garnish.

Sugar Cookie Cups With a Scoop Inside

Edible bowls make everything more fun, especially for the kids’ table. Press sugar cookie dough into a muffin tin, bake until golden, and you get crisp little cups with buttery edges. Fill them with a scoop of strawberry or vanilla and a pinch of sprinkles, and nobody needs a spoon. Bake the cups a day ahead and store them in a tin. At party time, set out the cups, two flavors and a few toppings, and let everyone build their own Christmas ice cream desserts.

You will need: 1 batch sugar cookie dough (or 1 roll store-bought), 1 quart vanilla or strawberry ice cream, red and green nonpareils, whipped topping.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350F and grease a muffin tin. 2. Press a tablespoon of dough into each cup and up the sides. 3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, then press the centers down with a spoon while warm. 4. Cool completely, fill with scoops and decorate.

Pistachio Semifreddo for the Holiday Table

Semifreddo means half-frozen in Italian, and it is the original no-churn dessert. Whipped cream and a light custard are folded together, then frozen in a mold until firm but still soft enough to slice. Pistachio gives it a natural pale green color that looks wonderful next to red berries at Christmas. Unmold it onto a chilled plate and the ridges from the bowl give it a fancy bakery look with no skill at all. Pistachio desserts are trending for good reason, and this one feels lighter than most Christmas ice cream desserts after a big holiday meal.

You will need: 3 egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup pistachio paste or finely ground pistachios, 1.5 cups cold heavy cream, pinch of salt, chopped pistachios to serve.

How to make it: 1. Whisk yolks and sugar over a pan of simmering water until thick and hot to the touch. 2. Beat in pistachio paste and salt, then cool. 3. Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold it in. 4. Pour into a plastic-lined bowl, freeze 8 hours, then unmold and top with nuts.

Cassata Ice Cream Bombe, Italy’s Christmas Dessert

In Italy, a cassata bombe is a classic finish for the Christmas feast. Layers of vanilla, chocolate and fruit-studded cream are packed into a bowl, frozen, and turned out into a striped dome. When you slice it, every wedge shows off the colorful layers inside. A swirl of raspberry sauce and a dusting of powdered sugar make each plate look like it came from a fancy restaurant. It is a smart choice for a crowd because it serves twelve and waits patiently in the freezer for days.

You will need: 1 pint chocolate ice cream, 1 pint pistachio or vanilla ice cream, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 2 cups cold heavy cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1/2 cup chopped candied cherries, 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, raspberry sauce.

How to make it: 1. Line a 2-quart bowl with plastic wrap. 2. Spread softened chocolate ice cream over the inside and freeze 30 minutes, then add a pistachio layer and freeze again. 3. Fold cherries and chips into the no-churn base and fill the center. 4. Freeze overnight, unmold and slice.

Snowy Baked Alaska

Baked Alaska is the dessert that makes everyone gasp, and it is easier than it looks. A dome of ice cream sits on a round of cake, then gets covered in a thick coat of fluffy meringue. A few minutes in a very hot oven browns the swirls while the meringue keeps the ice cream frozen inside. The toasty peaks look just like snowdrifts on a winter morning. Build it ahead and keep it in the freezer, then bake it while someone clears the dinner plates. It is the most dramatic of all the Christmas ice cream desserts here.

You will need: 1 baked 8-inch cake round, 1.5 quarts ice cream in any flavor, 4 egg whites, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, 3/4 cup sugar.

How to make it: 1. Pack ice cream into a plastic-lined bowl slightly smaller than the cake and freeze hard. 2. Turn it out onto the cake and freeze again. 3. Beat whites and cream of tartar, adding sugar slowly, until stiff and glossy, then cover the dome completely. 4. Bake at 500F for 3 to 4 minutes until browned and serve right away.

Frozen Zuccotto Dome From Florence

Zuccotto comes from Florence, where legend says its shape was inspired by the famous cathedral dome. Slices of sponge cake line a bowl and hold a filling of sweet cream, chocolate and nuts. After a night in the freezer, it turns out into a tall round cake that looks impressive on any buffet. A chocolate glaze dripping down the sides makes it extra festive. Of all the Christmas ice cream desserts, it is the one for anyone who likes cake and frozen treats in the very same forkful.

You will need: 1 store-bought pound cake or sponge, 1/4 cup orange juice, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 2 cups cold heavy cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, 1/2 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts, 1 cup chocolate ganache.

How to make it: 1. Line a bowl with plastic, then with thin cake slices, and brush with juice. 2. Whip the cream, fold into condensed milk and vanilla, then fold in chips and nuts. 3. Fill the bowl, cover with more cake and freeze overnight. 4. Unmold, pour ganache over the top and let it drip before slicing.

Hazelnut Praline Semifreddo Loaf

This loaf tastes like your favorite chocolate hazelnut spread, only frozen into silky slices. Crunchy hazelnut praline is folded through a soft base, so every bite has a little snap. Zigzags of chocolate and caramel sauce across the plate make it look restaurant fancy with zero effort. The loaf shape is easy to store and easy to slice for a crowd. Wrap it well and it keeps for two weeks, which makes it one of the handiest Christmas ice cream desserts to keep ready for surprise guests.

You will need: 1 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts, 1/2 cup sugar for praline, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 2 cups cold heavy cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1/3 cup chocolate hazelnut spread, chocolate and caramel sauce to serve.

How to make it: 1. Melt the sugar to amber caramel, stir in the nuts, spread on parchment and cool, then chop. 2. Whip the cream and fold it into condensed milk, vanilla and spread. 3. Fold in most of the praline. 4. Freeze in a lined loaf pan overnight, then slice and drizzle with sauces.

Tartufo Truffles With a Cherry Surprise

Tartufo means truffle, and these round frozen treats look just like giant chocolate truffles. Each ball of chocolate and vanilla hides a surprise in the middle, usually a cherry or a spoonful of fudge. The whole thing gets rolled in cocoa powder or chopped chocolate before serving. Cut one open at the table and listen to the oohs, because few Christmas ice cream desserts surprise people like this one. For more retro scoop shop ideas, browse these old-fashioned soda fountain ice cream desserts, then come back and add tartufo to your holiday menu.

You will need: 1 pint chocolate ice cream, 1 pint vanilla ice cream, 6 maraschino or amarena cherries, 1/2 cup cocoa powder or finely chopped dark chocolate.

How to make it: 1. Line a tray with parchment. 2. Scoop 6 balls of chocolate ice cream, press a cherry into each and cover the hole with a small scoop of vanilla. 3. Freeze until very firm. 4. Roll in cocoa or chopped chocolate and freeze again until serving.

Christmas Eve Sundae Bar, the Easiest Ice Cream Dessert

A sundae bar is the easiest way to feed a crowd of all ages on Christmas Eve. Set out two or three flavors, warm sauces and bowls of toppings, and let everyone build a masterpiece. Red strawberries, crushed peppermints and a cloud of whipped cream make even a simple scoop look festive. Keep the ice cream in a cooler of ice so it stays firm on the table. Kids will remember making their own tower long after the presents are opened.

You will need: 2 or 3 flavors of ice cream, hot fudge and caramel sauce, sliced strawberries, crushed peppermints, sprinkles, chopped nuts, whipped cream, cherries.

How to make it: 1. Pre-scoop ice cream onto a parchment tray and freeze so serving is fast. 2. Warm the sauces in small pots or jars. 3. Fill bowls with toppings and set out sturdy glasses or bowls. 4. Bring out the scoops at the last minute and let guests build.

Holiday Affogato With Cookie Crumble

When dinner is over and everyone is too full for cake, an affogato is the perfect little finish. A scoop of vanilla gets drowned in a shot of hot espresso, and the two melt together into something creamy and wonderful. A sprinkle of crushed gingersnaps or biscotti on top adds that holiday crunch. Food historians trace the long history of ice cream back centuries, and this Italian pairing is still one of the simplest ways to enjoy it. Grown-ups can add a splash of hazelnut syrup for an extra treat.

You will need: 4 scoops vanilla ice cream, 4 shots hot espresso or very strong coffee, 4 gingersnaps or biscotti, optional hazelnut syrup.

How to make it: 1. Chill four small cups or glasses in the freezer. 2. Place a scoop of ice cream in each. 3. Pour a hot shot of espresso over each scoop at the table. 4. Crumble a cookie over the top and serve with a spoon right away.