Give Your Ice Cream Floats A Fun Makeover With This Delicious, Fruity Swap

Ice cream parlors may not be as common as they used to be, but the classic treats found in them are still just as beloved as always. Ice cream is an incredibly versatile dessert, and sipping on a frothy ice cream float (which dates all the way back to the 19th century) is an elite way to enjoy it. On an especially hot day, or if you just have a hankering for one, ice cream floats are easy to make at home and surprisingly simple to elevate too. In fact, you can add a colorful and fruity twist to your homemade ice cream float by adding sherbet.

Although it creates a similar consistency to that achieved with traditional ice cream, many people aren't familiar with the difference between the two. Both desserts typically use a certain amount of dairy and sugar, but sherbet is slightly different in that a fruit puree is usually the main base, rather than an add-in after the fact. This gives it a delectably fruity and tangy flavor without sacrificing some of the smooth creaminess gained from the dairy ingredients — and, fun fact, the dairy inclusion also makes sherbet different from sorbet.

In addition to changing the flavor profile from a classic vanilla or chocolate ice cream float, using a fruity sherbet provides a fun pop of color to your glass. Some varieties of sherbet have several flavors mixed together, so you can even make a colorful concoction out of it.

Adding sherbet to your ice cream float can be as creative a process as you want. You can use it as a complete swap for normal ice cream, or you can add a scoop of each to balance out the creamy and fruity tastes. For example, if you're a matcha fan, you can try out our vanilla matcha ice cream float recipe but replace one of the two scoops of vanilla ice cream with a strawberry sherbet — like the refreshing strawberry matcha drink people are raving about on TikTok. For a boozier version, you can add sherbet to several different types of alcoholic ice cream floats. One fun option is a piña colada ice cream float; simply swap out the ice cream with pineapple sherbet and mix it with a sparkling soda or water and a coconut liquor like Malibu Coconut Rum.

There are even ways you can make culturally-inspired sherbet floats. If you're a fan of mango lassi, you can create an ice cream float version using mango sherbet and coconut milk, elevating this traditional dessert while keeping the integrity of its original flavors intact. If you don't have sherbet on hand or would prefer to fully customize the drink to your palette or dietary needs, you can even make homemade sherbet yourself. 

Our two-ingredient watermelon sherbet recipe is super easy. Make it non-dairy by using something like oat milk or a coconut yogurt instead. Add a hint of lime juice or some mint to your float, and you've got an undeniably refreshing and tangy summer drink.