14 Toppings You Never Thought To Put On Ice Cream

You're doing it all wrong if you scatter some sprinkles on your ice cream and call it a day. Or even worse, if you eat plain ice cream without dipping your toes into the vast world of possible toppings you can add to the sweet treat. You see, desserts don't need to be strictly sweet. Yes, the foundation might be sugary, but after-dinner treats greatly benefit when you incorporate not-so-sweet ingredients into them, too. Le Cordon Bleu notes that it's important to harmonize the five distinct tastes in dishes — sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and umami. Therefore, when you go to build your next sundae, don't be scared to include something spicy or tart on top.

It's also wise to throw in texture variation so you're not stuck with exclusively soft components that melt into one soupy mixture. Just as with anything else, it takes trial and error to create flawless flavor combos, but that's why we're here to help you out. There's a whole roster of ice cream accompaniments that will take you by surprise and appease your palate. So set the candy aside for a moment to try out these underrated yet delightful ice cream fixings.

This topping is for anyone who loves to dip french fries into milkshakes. Potato chips on ice cream is essentially the same thing, just with the components in different forms. Yet, it's still one of those toppings you likely never thought to add to your ice cream. It works well because the chips are salty and crispy, which drastically contrasts the silky frozen treat (opposites attract, right?). Add whole chips or crush them into smaller pieces before you place them on the ice cream. You can even make homemade potato chips if you want to go out on a limb.

This garish is fantastic with various types of ice cream, especially vanilla or chocolate. You can also use strawberry sauce or hot fudge as accompaniments. Alternatively, go another route with warmer flavors. Top honey ice cream with potato chips, butterscotch sauce, and a dash of nutmeg. Aside from classic potato chips, you could even experiment with flavored ones like cheddar, lime, or honey barbecue, which instantly adds more depth to the frozen dessert.

No matter how you like your popcorn, it deserves a spot in your ice cream bar lineup. Nothing else has the texture that popcorn does; it's tender and crunchy at the same time. Not to mention, it has a nutty undertone that complements creamy ice cream. When adding popcorn to your ice cream, you can use classic, buttered popcorn or a flavored option. For instance, you can easily pair standard popcorn with caramel ice cream to create the nostalgic flavor of kettle corn. Unseasoned popcorn also tastes extraordinary with chocolate, butterscotch, cookie dough, and vanilla chocolate chip ice creams. 

Regarding the seasoned kind, consider using vanilla ice cream as a velvety base for spicy Cajun popcorn. The rich vanilla soothes your palate after it encounters the fiery spices. Another fun option is sea salt popcorn. Sprinkle it atop peanut butter ice cream and drizzle it with fudge. Once you try this approach, you'll see why it's an ice cream topping that's gained a cult following.

Olive oil is another surprising topping you should add to ice cream because it makes the dish incredibly indulgent. Although you most commonly see olive oil used in savory applications, like with meat and veggies, it is adaptable enough to use in confections. High-quality olive oil has layers of flavors and aromas; different qualities shine through depending on what you pair it with. Namely, if you pour a small amount of olive oil onto sea salt caramel ice cream, the ice cream ends up highlighting the nuttiness of the oil. Meanwhile, if your serving of ice cream is lemony, you'll notice the fruity undertones in the oil.

Yet, a particular ingredient combination seems to be the favorite among fans of this topping — vanilla bean ice cream, olive oil, and a dash of sea salt. The concoction is relatively simple, but its taste is sophisticated. In addition to olive oil improving the flavor and texture of desserts, there are also health reasons why you should use olive oil in your food. For example, according to Healthline, olive oil contains antioxidants that may help maintain cardiovascular health while keeping inflammation in the body at bay. So, oil-topped ice cream could be considered good for your health and your appetite.

You need to try canned fruit on your sweet dessert treat for a few reasons. First, many canned fruits are stored in syrup, which makes them extra sweet. Also, the fruit is already peeled and chopped, so you don't need to spend time doing so yourself. For example, companies package pears, peaches, apricots, and pineapples already sliced with a pleasantly soft texture.

It doesn't stop there; you can often find canned cherries, mandarin oranges, mangos, and mixed fruit. Fruit cocktail is convenient to use since it is a balanced mix of different fruits. Craft a fruity banana split with ice cream, bananas, and mixed fruit with vivid red cherry pieces. Once you place the fruit on top, add fluffy Chantilly cream and rich chocolate sauce to finish things off.

Another option is to make a stone fruit dessert with cinnamon ice cream. Pile canned peaches, apricots, and brown sugar glaze over the frozen dessert. If you want to include a crunchy component, use honey granola or baked cinnamon streusel. Not only is the canned fruit versatile, but you can also use leftover canned fruit juice in your ice cream. This works whether it's 100% fruit juice or a corn syrup and juice mixture. Place a few spoonfuls on your ice cream as a last-minute saccharine touch.

Incredible as it seems, lavender is a must-try topping for your hot fudge sundae. And yes, we're talking about the light purple flower buds. Before you try this garnish, you should know the importance of using culinary lavender rather than other formats. Hands down, English lavender is the best variety for you to use on your confections. While many kinds of lavender are edible, some are too oily or pungent to enjoy. Once you obtain the suitable culinary lavender, use it sparingly since it's quite strong. This is one clear instance where less is more.

Sprinkle the lavender buds directly onto your ice cream as a finishing touch; the delicate flowers instantly give the treat a charming presentation. There are also ways to dress up the florets. For instance, make crystallized lavender or mix the buds with other ingredients. If you combine the flowers with roasted almonds, you'll be met with floral, earthy notes. 

Finally, we've got the low down on which ice creams make a good match for this topping. Try vanilla bean, strawberry, blueberry, lemon, or honey.

We're here to tell you about chili crisp and why you should use this condiment for fiery ice cream. Chili crisp, as suggested by its name, contains crispy elements. Specifically, onion and pepper bits reside in the seasoned oil, which makes it a uniquely savory sauce. What you need to know about the wide world of chili crisps is that their flavors and spice levels vary. When you pick up a bottle, read the label to see what you're in for.

You should serve the condiment atop your ice cream because the two play off each other quite well. This makes sense when you think about how often people eat or drink dairy to alleviate the fire that ignites on their tongues after eating ultra-hot food. Chili crisp doesn't have to be the only garnish on your ice cream, though. It tastes excellent with classic toppings like chocolate chips, chopped peanuts, and fresh strawberry pieces. Use classic vanilla or chocolate ice cream as the base.

Are you familiar with pomegranate molasses and just how tasty it is on ice cream? This condiment is zesty and syrupy, which makes it the perfect consistency to use as the final detail for your sweet treat just before you serve it. Surprisingly, this sauce doesn't have anything to do with molasses at all. Instead, you make it by reducing pure pomegranate juice on the stovetop until it's thickened, and the final product is robust.

The deep red condiment enriches the ice cream's flavor and appearance. It tastes phenomenal with vanilla, orange, chocolate, berry, and cheesecake-flavored ice cream. You can certainly buy pomegranate molasses from the grocery store or online, but you should consider making your own, as it's a fairly simple process. All you need is pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon or lime. After heating the ingredients and reducing them to their thicker, stickier form, allow the syrup to cool completely. You can use the molasses cold or at room temperature ... or gently warm it and use it like you would hot fudge. When it comes to other garnishes that match well with it, think dates, walnuts, berries, and fresh mint.