15 Crunchy Ice Cream Toppings Ideas That'll Elevate Dessert Time

Few desserts are as beloved as ice cream. As soon as you step into an ice cream parlor, the variety of ice cream flavors, freshly prepared waffle cones, and wide assortment of toppings excite the senses. It is not uncommon to have a go-to ice cream flavor, whether that be the famous vanilla ice cream, mint chocolate chip ice cream, or regional favorites, like the Midwestern delicacy blue moon ice cream. 

However, true sundae connoisseurs understand how toppings differentiate a good ice cream dessert from a great ice cream dessert. Many toppings are added to sundaes to enhance the flavors of the ice cream base; however, another important quality that toppings add is texture. Crunchy toppings, in particular, contrast the smooth texture of ice cream, helping to add dimension that enriches the dessert, especially when paired with other textures and flavors. 

If you're looking for ways to elevate your sundae game, consider these crunchy additions. While you may have tried some of the toppings discussed below, many may surprise you!

Coconut is a great tropical topping for a sundae. Although it is not the most popular topping, many ice cream shops still carry dried coconut flakes. Coconut flakes are inexpensive and can also be found at most grocers.

There are many types of coconut you can use for your dessert. Unsweetened coconut flakes add crunchiness and the distinct coconut flavor, while sweetened coconut flakes can add a sugary touch. Toasted coconut flakes have a nuttier flavor than raw coconut flakes and can be easily recognized by their beautiful golden color.

Coconut flakes are a great topping due to their versatility. One way to incorporate coconut flakes into your ice cream is to pair it with fruity flavors, like strawberry or mango, to create a delicious tropical sundae. However, coconut pairs deliciously with non-fruity flavors, too. For lovers of coconut cream pie, you can create a sundae dupe by topping vanilla ice cream with coconut flakes, vanilla wafer cookies, and whipped cream. Or, if you add coconut flakes to chocolate ice cream with caramel sauce and chopped pecans, you can replicate the flavors of the iconic German chocolate cake. Coconut flakes can also be added to popular sundaes, like banana splits, to enhance their flavor. Whichever ice cream flavor you choose, coconut's adaptability makes it a tasty addition to most sundaes. 

Many sundaes, like banana splits, incorporate fresh fruit. But if you crave the taste of fresh fruit with a crunchy texture, freeze-dried fruit might be the way to go. Compared to traditional dried fruit, which is dehydrated, freeze-dried fruit has a crispier, airier texture. The smooth mouthfeel of the ice cream and light crunch of the freeze-dried fruit complement each other perfectly.

There are many dried fruits to choose from, so the combinations for sundaes are endless. While fruity sundaes are delicious, there's no need to limit your options. Freeze-dried cherries, for example, can be added to chocolate ice cream to create a Black Forest sundae. You can also use freeze-dried bananas, strawberries, and pineapple to elevate the flavor of your banana split. If your ice cream truck novelty of choice as a kid was the strawberry crunch bar, you can make a comparable sundae by topping vanilla ice cream with a crumbly blend of freeze-dried strawberries, golden Oreos, and butter. 

Salt is probably the last thing you think about when considering ice cream toppings. Yet, many classic dessert flavors are elevated with a salty complement. Compare caramel, for example, with its arguably more delicious counterpart salted caramel. Sometimes salt is all that's needed to elevate a good sweet treat to a great sweet treat, as is the case with ice cream. 

When added to ice cream, the sweet flavor and creamy texture of the ice cream contrast with the crunchy flakes, creating a delicious sweet and salty dessert. A word of warning: Salt can have an overwhelming flavor. This is a case where a little goes a long way, and too much might destroy an otherwise great sundae. Flaky salt can be added solo, but it is also great with other toppings.

The best way to incorporate flaky salt into ice cream is to consider your personal favorite sweet and salty combinations. Salted caramel is a popular candy, and adding flaky salt to regular caramel ice cream can replicate this confectionery classic. Nutty flavors are also elevated with flaky salt. Topping a scoop of pistachio ice cream with flaky salt can bring out an otherwise underwhelming nutty flavor. Butter pecan ice cream can also benefit from flaky salt, as it enhances the buttery flavor and complements its nuttiness. 

Toffee is a confectionery almost identical to caramel, except it's cooked at a higher temperature and incorporates butter, giving it a crunchier texture and richer taste. Toffee bits can be found in stores, or made at home with simple ingredients. The butter adds a rich, subtly salty flavor that complements the ice cream. Toffee is an incredibly versatile and easy-to-make confectionery, and it can be a great topping for an otherwise boring ice cream sundae. Since its flavor is neutral, it can be a great pairing with other toppings, allowing you some room to experiment. 

Although toffee bits can be added to virtually any ice cream flavor, they work best with non-fruity flavors. They may not ruin a fruity sundae, but the richness from the butter makes it a better complement to flavors like vanilla and chocolate. Since its flavor closely resembles caramel, it can be delicious on chocolate ice cream or in a chocolate and caramel sundae, or intensify the flavor of butter pecan ice cream. Twix lovers will love a sundae made with vanilla ice cream, toffee, chocolate chips, and crushed butter cookies.

If you believe the saying "breakfast is the most important meal of the day," why not try integrating your favorite breakfast cereal with dessert? Due to the number of cereals available, you can play with your sundae flavors to find one that works for you.

Start by topping vanilla ice cream with your favorite cereal to replicate the nostalgia and milkiness you love. Cereals can also help supplement the flavor of the ice cream. Fruity Pebbles can be added to fruity ice creams, like strawberry or peach, and chocolate ice cream can be topped with Reese's Puffs to make a tasty chocolate and peanut butter sundae. If you're open to experimenting, you can try mixing different yet complementary flavors. For example, due to its honey taste, Honey Smacks could be used as a topping for nutty ice creams, like chocolate almond, to mimic honey-roasted nuts. Likewise, topping chocolate ice cream with Fruity Pebbles may sound strange, but the combination can resemble the taste of chocolate-covered fruit.

Dubai chocolate has become a viral sensation. The chocolate is distinguished by its pistachio filling and chocolate coating, as well as its use of Middle Eastern ingredients like tahini, ground sesame seeds, and kadayif.

Kadayif is phyllo dough that has been shredded and baked until golden brown. Along with Dubai chocolate, it is also used in many other Middle Eastern desserts. You can find kadayif in most Middle Eastern grocers. Unsweetened kadayif has a plain flavor and a crispy texture, and the sweetened variety has a slightly more obvious, but not overpowering, flavor.

If you ever wanted to recreate the viral chocolate in sundae form, try adding kadayif to a chocolate or pistachio ice cream, then topping it with chocolate chips and tahini. Even if you aren't a fan of Dubai chocolate, you can use kadayif on other flavors. Phyllo dough is the base of baklava, meaning kadayif can be added on top of vanilla or pistachio ice cream along with chopped walnuts, pistachios, and sweet syrup to replicate the dessert's taste. Due to its indistinguishable taste, kadayif can be added to almost any flavor of ice cream to add a crunchy texture without a ton of flavor. 

Magic Shell chocolate sauce became popular in the late '70s and '80s as an alternative to traditional chocolate syrup. Rather than staying sticky and syrupy, Magic Shell hardens against the cold ice cream. It gives your ice cream a chocolatey flavor, but with a little extra crunch. While it may look like a culinary challenge, it can be found in many grocers or made at home with a few simple ingredients.

Magic Shell is more of a decorative topping and one that pairs best with chocolate-compatible flavors, like vanilla or mint. It also makes including other toppings easier, as any additions also become frozen by the chocolate shell. Topping strawberry ice cream with Magic Shell can replicate the flavor of chocolate-covered strawberries, while garnishing vanilla ice cream with Magic Shell, marshmallows, and graham crackers can create a s'mores sundae.

If your favorite part of Lucky Charms is the colorful dried marshmallow charms, you might be happy to learn that you no longer need to pick around the beige cereal. The popular marshmallow brand Jet-Puffed sells dried marshmallow bits in many grocery stores, or you can order them through other online vendors.

Dried marshmallows can be added to most ice cream flavors because they add a crunchy texture without an overwhelming taste. Strawberry or cookie dough are great flavors to start with. You can also try making a s'mores sundae with chocolate ice cream, dried marshmallows, and graham crackers, or a Rice Krispies treat-inspired one with puffed rice cereal and vanilla ice cream.

Potato chips are not often considered a dessert food. However, like flaky salt, they can add a complementary salty flavor and crunchy texture to your ice cream. And although you might not find them on the menu at your local ice cream parlor, adding salty chips to ice cream is not unheard of.

When thinking about what flavors to pair with chips, think about what ice creams can be supplemented with salt — like caramel, pistachio, or butter pecan. However, even basic flavors, like plain chocolate or vanilla, can be topped with potato chips. If you're feeling particularly culinary, dipping the potato chips in melted chocolate to create a hard shell can elevate your sundae from experimental to innovative.

Honeycomb toffee's ingredient list is similar to regular toffee. However, it has a bubbly texture, thanks to the addition of baking soda. Rather than being hard and crunchy like regular toffee, it's defined by its light and crisp texture. 

Honeycomb toffee can be added to any ice cream flavor that pairs well with caramel or toffee. A popular flavor of ice cream in New Zealand is called hokey pokey. It's made by mixing honeycomb toffee into vanilla ice cream. It can be used instead of caramel sauce in a Twix or German chocolate cake-inspired sundaes, since it adds a sweet flavor and unique texture. Or, it can be mixed with cookie dough ice cream to make a caramel cookie sundae.

Rolled wafers are wafer cookies filled with flavored cream. Sometimes called wafer straws, they come in a variety of flavors and are readily available at most stores. The wafers provide a light, crispy texture and there are numerous ice cream flavors worth pairing them with.

One option is to add rolled wafers to their corresponding ice cream flavors: chocolate-filled wafers with chocolate ice cream, strawberry-filled wafers with strawberry ice cream, or coffee-filled wafers with coffee ice cream. Or you can mix-and-match to create new flavor profiles. Coffee-filled wafers can be paired with chocolate ice cream for a mocha-flavored sundae, whereas a hazelnut chocolate cookie-flavored sundae can be replicated by topping cookie dough ice cream with chocolate-filled wafers.

Peppermint candies become more available around the holiday season, giving you opportunities to make seasonal sundaes. If you have extra peppermints left over when the holiday parties end, sprinkle them on top of your ice cream to improve its taste and prevent unnecessary waste. 

Peppermint candies can be used to top a variety of ice cream flavors — most notably, chocolate. After all, mint chocolate is an extremely popular flavor. If you're feeling festive, add dried marshmallows to your peppermint-candy topped sundae for hot chocolate vibes. 

Crushed candy canes can add a festive flair to any basic sundae. You can try a chocolate peppermint bark-inspired sundae by sprinkling crushed candies over chocolate Magic Shell before it sets. And if you have time to spare, you may want to try making an ice cream dessert with a brownie base, ice cream, and crushed peppermint candies. 

Popcorn is a tasty, versatile, and convenient topping for ice cream. It can be easily prepared at home and comes in many varieties. Sweet lovers may enjoy a caramel kettle popcorn topping for their ice cream, while those who enjoy sweet and salty combinations may enjoy a classic butter popcorn. If you're feeling experimental, you might enjoy the Chicago mix (cheddar and caramel).

Basic popcorns pair well with sweet frozen dessert flavors, like vanilla or chocolate. Saltier popcorn flavors can help complement nutty, caramel, or chocolate flavors. Though, because popcorn doesn't have an overpowering taste, plain or buttered popcorn can pair with almost anything. You can even add M&Ms or chocolate chips to make a popcorn-topped sundae even better. 

Brownie brittle is a crispy, hard brownie that can be broken into shards like brittle candy. Although some brands sell brownie brittle, there are many recipes for it online so you can make it yourself. It resembles the beloved, crispy edge corner pieces. Consequently, it makes a great addition to those who love a brownie sundae, but crave a crunchy texture.

Brownie brittle is incredibly versatile. It can be added on top of vanilla or chocolate ice cream to make a traditional sundae. When added to strawberry ice cream, its taste resembles chocolate-covered strawberries. Or, it can be paired with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce to make a fun sundae. It can even enhance the chocolate flavor of mint chocolate chip ice cream. This topping is safe for experimentation — whatever you think pairs well with chocolate will pair well with brownie brittle.

Instant coffee is generally regarded as a worse, but more convenient, alternative to drip brew coffee. But if you have more instant coffee in your pantry than you will need, why not try adding it to a sundae? Instant coffee has a crunchy texture, but it's not nearly as hard as whole beans. 

While instant coffee may not be as versatile a topping as others on this list, it can still be a way to enhance an otherwise boring sundae. Instant grounds obviously pair well with coffee-flavored ice cream. Pair it with chocolate for a fun mocha combo, or sprinkle some on vanilla ice cream with whipped cream to mimic your café-favorite flat white. However, be warned: Instant coffee is extremely strong. You only need to use a little to get a sense of its flavor. If you prefer a milder coffee flavor, don't use as much on your ice cream.