How to create a charming ice cream bar for your next party! It’s perfect for any summer gathering like a birthday party, 4th of July party, any social gathering, or a summer kick-off party. Everyone loves ice cream and this is an easy dessert idea. So bring the ice cream shop to your home for your next gathering.
An ice cream sundae bar is the only dessert you need for a summer party! Whether you’re hosting a last-minute birthday bash or fun in a sun party, adults and kids will love this! It’s an easy, no-bake fun entertaining idea for everyone!
We’re covering all the details, what you’ll need, and fun ideas for creating your ice cream bar for your next party.
If you love this entertaining idea, check out our festive snow cone bar and agua fresca bar!
Ice Cream Sundae Bar at Home
Table of Contents
An ice cream bar can be created on the kitchen island, bar cart, large dining table, or bar. Once you have the area picked out, you can start planning what you’ll need.
You’ll need everything from small bowls to ice cream scoopers to decorations to create the best ice cream bar!
What do you put on an ice cream bar?
Here is a list of supplies and ingredients you use to make your ice cream bar the best it can be!
Ice Cream Cones and Cups – Have both available so guests can choose if they prefer a cone or a cup for their ice cream sundae.
Wooden Ice Cream Cone Holder – We love this wooden cone holder, it’s perfect for waffle cones.
Toppings – An ice cream sundae bar requires a lot of toppings! From whipped cream to cherries, delicious sauces to sprinkles. See our complete list below of what toppings you should include for the ultimate ice cream sundae bar.
Ice Cream Scooper – A must for getting those perfect ice cream scoops.
Ice Chest – To keep ice cream cold. Something with a lid would be best as it will keep the ice cream cold for longer.
Different Flavors of Ice Cream – Have at least 3 to 5 ice cream flavors available for guests to choose from.
Spoons – Wooden spoons work great! We also love making chocolate dipped spoons too.
Small Bowls – These little bowls are a must to hold all of the toppings. We really enjoy these mini bowls for their vintage ice cream parlor look!
Napkins – Did we mention ice cream can get really messy? Napkins are a must when it comes to an ice cream sundae bar!
Flowers – The easiest party decor you can have are fresh, colorful flowers. They add charm and instant decor to a table and bar.
Ice Cream-Themed Desserts – Ice cream cone cookies or something like our Ice Cream Sundae Cake add more charm and sweetness to the party.
6 Festive Ice Cream Party Ideas
You can find so many charming products for an ice cream bar online. A few of our favorite places to shop are Etsy, Target, and Amazon. From unique sprinkle blends to mini waffle cones, charming cups to the sweetest handmade walnut ice cream cone holder! Scroll down for some fun ideas:
1. Waffle Cone Wall
This is a fun way to decorate for an ice cream party! We gently nailed in waffles cones for a backdrop! You can also use Command strips for this.
2. Charming Colorful Flowers
Adding flowers to an ice cream bar is the perfect way to add color and beauty! Here are 10 floral tips from a pro!
3. Ice Cream Cone Holder
A wooden ice cream cone holder is perfect for an ice cream bar! There are several handmade versions on Etsy that are stunning. They add a lot of charm and detail to the bar.
4. Chocolate Dipped Spoons
This is an easy and charming idea to make for your ice cream party! Just dip wooden spoons in melted chocolate, add a few sprinkles and let them dry on parchment paper.
5. Mini Ice Cream Cone Cookies
Making mini ice cream cone cookies with frosting is a fun idea. Serve them as an ice cream topping or in a bowl. Here’s a great recipe and a mini cookie cutter.
6. Ice Cream on Ice
Add pints of colorful ice cream and different flavors in an ice chest on ice. This way it will stay cold while scooping.
Ice Cream Flavors
When buying ice cream, get a few different flavors for guests to choose from. Here are some flavors you can serve:
Coconut
Espresso and Mint Chip
Mango Sorbet or Black Raspberry Sorbet
Chocolate or Peanut Butter Chocolate
Classic Vanilla or Birthday Cake
If you want to get super fancy, you can make homemade ice cream! This puts more work into throwing an ice cream party, but if you’re an ice cream connoisseur you’ll love these recipes!
- Lucky Charms Ice Cream
- The Best Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Ice Cream Recipe
- New Zealand Hokey Pokey Ice Cream Recipe
Ice Cream Bar Toppings
There are so many delicious toppings you add to an ice cream bar! Here are a few fun ideas. Place them in small serving bowls with mini scoops.
- Sprinkles
- Mini Sugar Cookies
- Whipped Cream
- Chocolate Sauce and Caramel Sauce
- Edible Flowers or Dried Flower Petals
- Chocolate Chips
- Cherries
- Gummies
- Marshmallow Fluff and Mini Marshmallows
- Peanut Butter Sauce
- Fresh Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries)
Favorite Sprinkles
It’s not an ice cream sundae bar without sprinkles! We love Fancy Sprinkles because they have so many great blends! We love the uniqueness of their sprinkles and they add a lot of fun and charm to an ice cream party.
Dried, edible flowers are beautiful on ice cream! They add a floral flavor too.
Tips for Creating an Ice Cream Sundae Bar
Food Covers – Anytime you’re serving food outside, have food covers available to keep unwanted bugs away.
Keep Ice Cream Cold – Have ice available to keep the ice cream cold. You might need to refill the ice bucket during the party.
Wet Washcloths – Keep a few wet washcloths nearby to quickly wipe up sticky spills and messes. It’s best to have a clean surface and bar when making sundaes.
Make it Fun – Have a lot of fun toppings and sauces to make it over the top and festive! It’s all about the presentation and creating something that is special for guests.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s all about the toppings when creating a DIY ice cream, the bar! Try to have a variety of at least 10 toppings, 3 sauces, cherries, and whipped cream. This will give guests a good amount to choose from when creating an ice cream sundae. However, it’s always nice to have even more options if you can!
It can also be tricky to know exactly how much to get. There are so many toppings you can choose from, such as nuts and sprinkles. cherries, mini marshmallows, etc. We like to have about 4 ounces of toppings per guest.
The most popular ice cream toppings are the classic ones! Peanuts, whipped cream, sprinkles, marshmallows, cherries and chocolate sauce.
1. Dip the scooper into warm water and shake off the excess water.
2. Scoop at an angle into the ice cream and around like a full circle until a ball of ice cream forms.
3. Gently release onto an ice cream cone.
One scoop of ice cream can be 1/2 to 1 cup. If you do a double scoop it’s about 2 cups!
Have at least 2 cups per guest, which is 16 ounces. For reference, one gallon of ice cream has 128 ounces. So you can serve about 8 guests with 1 gallon. If you’re worried about running out of ice cream then plan for 3 cups of ice cream per guest. Also have at least 4-6 varieties of ice cream flavors.
How do I keep the ice cream from melting?
There is no way to prevent ice cream from melting. However, here are a few helpful tips to try when serving ice cream at an ice cream bar:
- Set the entire bar up with toppings, decorations, sauces creating a beautiful bar that gets guests excited!
- Store the ice cream at the bottom of the freezer where it will harden and become very frozen.
- Do not take the ice cream out until you’re ready for the ice cream bar.
- Place the ice cream in a cooler filled with ice or a large bucket with ice.
Best Occasion to Serve an Ice Cream Bar
There are so many wonderful celebrations and gatherings that an ice cream bar is great for! Here are some ideas:
Ice Cream Bar Shopping List
Ice Cream Sundae Tray
For a smaller gathering, you can create this same concept on a large serving tray. Have a few varieties of ice cream, toppings, and sauces on a tray along with bowls, ice cream, scoopers, and whipped cream! It makes a fun presentation when you bring out an ice cream tray filled with treats!
More Fun Entertaining Ideas You’ll Love!
Fun Ways to Use a Tiered Galvanized Tray
Everything You Need for Hosting an Outdoor Movie Night
Charming Lemonade Stand for Adults
Now you’re ready to set up the most epic ice cream bar and have your guests make their own ice cream sundaes!
Let us know if you make this ice cream bar! We’d love to see your ideas! Please comment below and tag us on social @sugarandcharm!
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Ice Cream Bar
Ingredients
- 1 cup sprinkles
- 1 cup gummies
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 1 cup cherries
- 1 cup nuts
- 2 cups chocolate sauce
- 2 cups caramel sauce
- 16 ounces whipped cream
- 1 gallon ice cream , different flavors
- 10 waffle cones
- 10 sugar cones
Instructions
- Place all of the toppings in mini bowls.
- Place everything on a kicthen bar or island.
- Organize all of the supplies and ice cream bar decorations.
- Have guests create their own ice cream sundaes!
Notes
Nutrition
The Etsy journal link doesn’t work. Very interested to know where you got the cart as well. Can you share that info?
Hi Lani, not sure which link you are talking about. We checked the Etsy Journal Link and it is linking back to Etsy. The cart is from HomeGoods! We use it a lot for entertaining.