10 Ice Cream Hacks That Are Borderline Genius

Do you love ice cream sandwiches? OK, listen: Grab a pint, get a hold of a giant knife, and cut that pint into circular slices. Because you’re obviously a dessert pro, you already have some delicious cookies ready to go. Do you really need us to tell you what happens next? 

Sugar cones and waffle cones: we all love them, and we all have to deal with the inevitable drip drip drip of ice cream out of the tiny hole in the bottom. Solution: Put a li’l marshmallow down there to seal it off. Goodbye, drips!

Picture it: you and a friend eyeing the last pint in the freezer. You COULD dig in and methodically and dutifully deposit an equal number of scoops in each of your bowls. OR you could take a sturdy knife and cut that pint right down the middle lengthwise. Instant gratification.

No one enjoys ice cream cones more than kids. And by “enjoys,” we mean “leaves a trail of melting ice cream all over the house and every precious thing in it.” All you have to do is punch a hole in a little paper plate, insert the cone, and put your cleaning supplies away. 

There’s nothing quite as pulse-quickening as a table full of ice-cream crazed kids wearing pointy party hats. But don’t panic. This birthday party will NOT descend into hangry chaos. Why? Because you pre-scooped the ice cream last night! Go get that muffin tin full of perfect scoops from the freezer and do a victory lap.

Another tip: ice cream is warmer around the edges and colder in the middle, so… start scooping at the edge. Simple, sure, but it makes a big difference. 

Tired of spraining your wrist trying to chisel a scoop out of an exceptionally frozen pint? Run your scooper under the hot tap for a moment, shake off excess water, and scoop with confidence and ease. 

If you want to avoid the problem of hard ice cream altogether, seal your pint in an airtight plastic bag before storing it in the freezer. Now you’ll have soft ice cream every time you want it.

Freezer burn may be your ice cream’s worst foe. Spare yourself from experiencing this culinary catastrophe: store your pint upside down somewhere deep in the freezer (never in the door). Of course, the other popular way to beat the burn is… eat the whole pint!

Normally, coming to the end of a jar of hazelnut spread or peanut butter is a sad occasion where you lament the close of what had been a beautiful and productive relationship. Well, wipe your tears. Because what happens if you drop a few scoops of ice cream into those nearly empty jars? Magic. Magic is what happens.