For The Absolute Best Ice Cream Float, Just Add Hot Cocoa Mix

Ice cream floats are delicious and simple to make: Just add some ice cream on top of soda, like root beer, and voila — you get a creamy, refreshing drink that foams, fizzes, and mesmerizes. For some ideas to help you make your next ice cream float even better, check out our recommendation for the best ice cream and soda pairings for the perfect float. Or step away from classic ice cream soda floats and make a hot cocoa float instead. 

Yes, you can make ice cream floats without using soda by using hot cocoa mix instead to make the absolute best ice cream float at home. Imagine a glass of hot cocoa, but instead of topping it with whipped cream, you top it with your favorite ice cream. The ice cream floats on top and, once mixed into the hot cocoa, you get a whole new cold drink: a delicious hot chocolate float. It'll be thick and creamy and absolutely perfect. 

To make a hot cocoa ice cream float, first choose a hot cocoa mix. We recommend checking out our list of 19 hot cocoa mixes ranked from worst to best. Take a parfait glass or tall glass and coat the inside with hot chocolate or fudge sauce. Freeze the glass, then make the hot cocoa according to the instructions on the packaging. Add the hot cocoa to the cold glass, top with your favorite ice cream and more chocolate sauce, and enjoy. 

Using this hack, you can make endless combinations of hot cocoa floats. Fans of Mexican hot chocolate can give this perfect ice cream float a spicy twist. Make the hot cocoa as you would by following the instructions on the packaging but also mix in a pinch of cayenne or chili powder to add heat. You could also mix in a dab of gochujang, a spicy Korean condiment that's also full of umami. Top the spicy hot cocoa with vanilla ice cream. And if you want even more added heat, drizzle some chili crisp or chili crunch on top, which is a condiment you should use for fiery ice cream. 

But let's say you want to add a boozy twist to your hot cocoa ice cream float. This idea isn't farfetched — in fact, historically, some of the first hot chocolate recipes contained booze. We recommend adding red wine to the hot cocoa, then drizzling a little red wine over the ice cream. Red wine with chocolate is a tried and true pair as their flavors and tannins complement each other perfectly. Adding the ice cream to sweeten the deal makes for a perfect boozy hot cocoa ice cream float.