5 Frozen Treats to Beat the Summer Heat!

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Beating the summer heat isn’t easy these days.  We are either inside playing and working on projects in the precious air conditioning, or outside in the water trying to keep cool.  It seems pools and shady spots are our best friends! But, when we can’t beat the heat in the shade and just can’t be inside anymore, we fight those high temperatures with delicious frozen treats to cool us down.

My family LOVES cool snack on a hot day!

Here are five favorite frozen treats to beat the heat:

Frozen S’mores

S’mores scream summer, but sometimes it’s just too warm for a campfire or firepit.  Here’s another cooler option.

Ingredients:

  • 1 box instant chocolate pudding
  • 2 ½ cups milk (whole works best)
  • 2 ½ cups Cool Whip, defrosted and divided
  • 12 graham crackers, broken in half and divided
  • 5 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 6 ounces marshmallow crème

Instructions:

  1. Line 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some hanging over, so you can easily pull them out.
  2. In a medium bowl, whish together pudding mix, milk, and ½ cup Cool Whip until smooth and creamy.
  3. Lay half of the graham crackers evenly on the bottom of the baking dish. Spread pudding mid into even layer over the top and chill.
  4. In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and marshmallow crème until smooth. Fold in remaining Cool Whip (about 2 cups).
  5. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the chocolate layer. Place remaining graham crackers over the top.  Cover with foil and freeze for 6 hours – or firm enough to cut.
  6. Using parchment paper, take bars out of dish and place on a cutting board. Use the graham crackers as a guide to slice into squares.
  7. Enjoy frozen (that’s what we do) or let them soften for a few minutes before eating.

Root Beer Float Pie

Who doesn’t love a delicious root beer float on a hot summer day?  This pie tastes just like the treat!  Feel free to switch up the root beer.  Orange soda makes a dreamsicle pie.

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces Cool Whip
  • ¾ cup root beer
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 graham cracker crust (9 inch)
  • Maraschino cherries, optional (my kids love these)

Instructions:

  1. Set aside ½ cup Cool Whip for garnish (refrigerate). In a large bowl, whisk root beer, milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes.  Fold in half the remaining whipped topping.  Spread into graham cracker crust.
  2. Spread remaining Cool Whip topping over pie. Freeze for at least 8 hours (even better overnight).
  3. Dollop the reserved Cool Whip topping over each slice and top with a cherry if you like.

Lemon Ice Box Dessert

Perfect frozen treat for a BBQ or potluck.

Ingredients:

  • 2 boxes instant lemon pudding mix
  • 8 ounces Cool Whip
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1 package graham crackers

Lemon frosting:

  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2 T milk
  • 2 T lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, mix together the pudding mix, Cool Whip, and milk.
  2. In a 9×13 pan, place a single layer of graham crackers on the bottom of the pan. Spread half of the pudding mixture evenly over the crackers.  Place another single layer of crackers on top of the pudding and then layer the remaining half of the pudding on top of the crackers.
  3. Place one more layer of graham crackers on top of the pudding.
  4. Mix together ingredients for the lemon frosting and spread over all. Cover and place in the fridge for 4 hours. (This is even better the second day!)

Frozen Banana Pops

Enjoy the frozen treats for dessert, afternoon treat, or just a semi-healthy snack when it’s hot outside.

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup favorite yogurt (vanilla, strawberry, etc.)
  • 2 cups favorite cereal, nuts, mini chocolate chips, sprinkles etc.
  • 4 bananas, peeled and cut crosswise in half
  • 8 popsicle sticks

Instructions:

  1. Place yogurt and topping in separate shallow bowls. Insert popsicle sticks through cut side of bananas. Dip bananas in yogurt, then roll in topping to coat.  Transfer to waxed paper-lined baking sheet.
  2. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Store in a sealed container in the freezer.

(My kids love these with yogurt and their favorite granola as the topping.  We may have eaten these for breakfast.)


Frozen Peanut Butter Pie

This one is a family favorite, and we enjoy it at a pie or as mousse in individual dishes.

Ingredients:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup peanut butter
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
  • 1 chocolate crumb crust (9 inch)
  • 2 tsp chocolate syrup

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip.  Spoon into the crust.  Drizzle with chocolate syrup.  Cover and freeze for 4 hours or until set.

Remove from the freezer 15-20 minutes before serving.

(My family loves to top this pie with chopped nuts, small chocolate chips, shaved chocolate, or caramel drizzle.)

Hot days don’t have to be all bad when you whip up some frozen treats to enjoy!  Stay cool!