We All Scream For Sweet And Spooky Halloween Ice Cream

Though the temperature may be dropping as we approach Halloween, the weather is always right for a decadent bowl of ice cream, and you can bring ice cream into the spooky season by incorporating your favorite Halloween-themed treats. To create this simple, no-bake ice "scream" dessert for your upcoming parties, add your Halloween treats into softened or homemade ice cream and customize the look to your heart's content.

To really bring in the spooky aesthetic, go for treats such as Halloween Oreos and Halloween sprinkles. These bring the Halloween color palette of black, orange, and purple to your ice cream. Other toppings include brownie pieces, Halloween gummy candy, candy corn, or candy skulls. Be sure to chop whatever you're adding into bite-size pieces so they can be better incorporated into the ice cream. If you're adding cookies or brownies, consider quartering these for optimal size. 

Get creative with your toppings. This is all about customization and experimentation to find your perfect mix.

If you are using pre-made ice cream, you're going to have to soften it to best incorporate your Halloween elements. This ensures that you get bites of your mix-ins throughout each scoop. If you are taking your ice cream directly out of the freezer, leave it at room temperature for 10 minutes to start and see if it's softened. If it hasn't softened, continue to check every five minutes till it reaches your desired consistency. When your ice cream is soft enough to scoop with ease and stir, it's ready for Halloween mix-ins. Fold in whatever mix-ins you select with a rubber spatula to not cause the ice cream to become overmixed.

The timing of serving this dish requires a little planning on your part. You want to serve the ice cream while it's still soft enough to scoop but not melted into ice cream soup. After you make your ice cream mix, you'll either want to serve it immediately or store it in the freezer. If you are storing it in the freezer for a longer time, be sure to budget enough time for the ice cream to soften again before serving it to your guest. If you want to make your dish look more put together, you can opt to add toppings before serving, in addition to your mix-ins.