Homemade Summer Favorites
Food Coma shares this fabulous idea for creating these gorgeous DIY ice cream drumsticks. And, what could be better than making a delicious homemade version of the well-loved summer classic treat?
Drumstick extraordinaire Emma explains that there is a wee bit of a freezing process included for these cool cones and that you'll want to have ice cream, dark chocolate, waffle cones, and toppings such as nuts or sprinkles on hand when getting started. Overall, this is one ice cream treat that we can't wait to try out at home this summer -- regardless of freeze time!
Faux Watermelon Fun
Mama Jill of Meet the Dubiens features this clever fun idea for making "faux" watermelons by simply adding raspberry sorbet and mini chocolate chips to a lime that has been scooped out.
Quite possibly one of the neatest summer treat ideas that we've seen this year, these bite-sized sorbet watermelons are perfect for a sunny backyard snack with friends or after a day spent splashing around in the kiddie pool! Be sure to check out the rest of Jill's post for further details on getting started.
Strawberry Season Must-Haves
Looking for a fun way to jazz up your usual strawberry shortcake this summer?
Head over to Buns In My Oven for the full scoop on these strawberry shortcake cookies that have been transformed into delicious ice cream sandwiches. (Brilliant, we know!) Strawberry treats are our absolute favorite, and Mama Karly makes these look downright easy -- just the way summer cookin' should be. And if it's more strawberry sweets that you're after, be sure to check out our favorite recipe for homemade strawberry cupcakes!
S'more, Please!
Can't wait for your next family campout to make s'mores again? The Decorated Cookie shows us just how easy it is to reconstruct these classic summer goodies into s'more pops -- with all of the typical ingredients, yet no campfire needed!
See the full tutorial for what kitchen items you'll want to have handy when getting started; The Decorate Cookie also recommends using lollipop sticks instead of skewers if you're planning on making these with younger tots.
Rainbow-rific Sweets
Though Zakka Life Mama Jessica made these rainbow Jello squares for her daughter's school birthday treats, we also think they'd be pretty darn spectacular for a special summer snack.
And really, these fun Jello squares truly exemplify everything that we love about summer eats -- cool, light dishes and plenty of bright, sunny colors! See Zakka Life for full details on how to perfect your own colorful Jello squares and for the freezing requirements that are needed for this colorful dish.
DIY Summer Soda
Crumpets and Cakes offers up not one, but two recipes for making homemade ginger ale -- the short, kid-friendly spritzer way and for the adult ginger beer that takes a couple of days and includes a small amount of alcohol.
Made using fresh ginger root, both of these spicy and sweet ginger ale recipes only require a handful of ingredients and steps. Visit Crumpets and Cakes for the full tutorial and some gorgeous photography to boot!
Cookie Monsters
Gluten-free and feeling left out of all of the sweet fun? Consider making up a fresh batch of these peanut butter, chocolate chip, oatmeal, and M&M monster cookies featured on Cooking with My Kid!
After going gluten-free, Mama April thought these favorite cookies were a thing of the past, but after replacing the oats with a gluten-free brand, all cookie happiness was rediscovered. Nothing beats a quick and easy workaround!
Creamy and Cool Treats
Everyone loves a good summer slushie and Amanda's Cookin' includes a great example on how you can make your own -- for only a fraction of the cost and without making the trip to the nearest 7-11!
Simply made using Kool-Aid, crushed ice and a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, these cool and creamy slushies are a must-have for Amanda's family each summer -- and it's easy to see why! Check out Amanda's full post for more tips on getting started.
Wonderful Watermelon
Chill out at this year's family picnic with some homemade watermelon lemonade, like this batch shown on Good Life Eats!
Super easy and inexpensive to make, this summer-y watermelon thirst quencher only requires the absolute basics: fresh watermelon, lemonade concentrate, and ice. We have no doubt that this is one refreshment that your little ones will be asking for again and again -- that bright pink color is pretty hard to resist!
Super Cool Ice Cream Sammies
Plum Pudding shares two excellent recipes for making homemade mint chocolate and chocolate banana nut ice cream sandwiches -- with no baking, cooking or chopping included!
To get started on making your own cool sammies, you'll only need wafer cookies, ice cream, and fun mini toppings on hand. Overall, two great ideas for a quick summer dessert fix -- and quite possibly a new summer staple for the ice cream lovers in your home!
