Fruit ice cream isolated on white background.
Food - Drink
The Knife Trick For Softening Ice Cream Much Faster
By MOLLY HARRIS
Carton of vanilla ice cream in scoops
One of the quickest ways to thaw ice cream is to score the surface with a warm knife. Once you learn this method, you'll never leave the carton to sit out on the counter again.
Overhead view of male hands washing a large kitchen knife in a stainless steel sink
Run your knife under hot water for a minute or so, score the top of the ice cream with incisions about an inch deep, then allow it to sit at room temperature for a few minutes.
Tub. of strawberry ice cream
Warming the knife allows it to cut more precisely and smoothly through the ice cream, and the residual heat left behind helps the dessert soften.
A scoop of cherry and yogurt ice cream
Once the ice cream has been scored, the newly-created surface area will warm more quickly at room temperature, until it's finally nice and scoopable.
Tub of ice cream with scoop taken out by a spoon
If you prefer a more gradual thawing process, transfer the tub of ice cream from the freezer to the fridge and allow it to soften for 30 minutes to an hour.