You Scream, I Scream: 10 Delicious Recipes (and Freebies!) for Ice Cream Day - July 19

July 10, 2020 by Angie Long

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan made a presidential proclamation that July would be National Ice Cream Month and that the third Sunday of every July would be National Ice Cream Day. The delicious holiday of National Ice Cream Day has been celebrated ever since.

This year, National Ice Cream Day is Sunday, July 19 and, per the presidential proclamation, we are supposed to observe this day with "appropriate ceremonies and activities". So let's get to it! Here are 10 delicious ice cream recipes you can make as an excuse to celebrate National Ice Cream Day (and month) this year.

Scroll to the bottom of the page to find the best National Ice Cream Day deals for 2020!

If you need to order ice cream to get your Ice Cream Day celebrations on, consider using the service GoPuff. GoPuff is a food delivery service that allows customers to place orders online or through smartphones, and receive the order within minutes. All items come directly from GoPuff facilities and always include a $1.95 delivery, there's never any price surging. And of course, you can order ice cream to celebrate National Ice Cream Day!

Best Ice Cream Recipes for National Ice Cream Day

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

Spanish for "candy made of milk," dulce de leche is a Latin American confection made by heating sweetened condensed milk very slowly until it becomes a light-brown color. It has a caramel-like vanilla flavor and is absolutely divine. This dulce de leche ice cream recipe is super easy. You only need three ingredients to make it and don't even need an ice cream maker.

Blue Moon Ice Cream

Blue moon ice cream is a childhood favorite, at least in the Midwest. If someone would ask you what it tastes like, it is a difficult flavor to describe. You might assume it has a tart, blue raspberry taste by looking at the color, but it instead tastes like a rich combination of vanilla and almond with a hint of raspberry. Either way, it's delicious and fun for kids and adults alike. Add some fun sprinkles to make it truly magical. 

Cotton Candy Ice Cream

Another great ice cream recipe for kids is this cotton candy ice cream. Made with only six ingredients, the two most important ones are the pink food coloring to give it its carnival-like appearance, and cotton candy syrup for flavor. You can find cotton candy syrup at party stores and major retailers like Target and Amazon. 

If you need kitchenware to pull your National Ice Cream Day together, use a KitchenAid coupon code to save on your purchase:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

The special friendship between chocolate and peanut butter is one that has stood the test of time. This chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream takes that special bond and introduces Oreo cookies to the mix, creating a flavor combination that represents everything good in the world. The result is a truly decadent and addicting recipe for Ice Cream Day.

Cookies & Cream Ice Cream

This cookies & cream ice cream recipe should actually be called "cookies and more cookies and cream" with the amount of Oreos it has in it. You basically make a rich vanilla ice cream and then layer it with the crushed Oreos after churning the ice cream. It's versatile too, so you can use any type of cookie you like. You'll likely never eat storebought cookies & cream ice cream again.

Fresh Mint Chip Ice Cream

If you like the taste of mint and dark chocolate, but not so much artificial mint flavoring you get from mint extract, then this fresh mint chip ice cream recipe is worth trying. The mint flavor comes from steeping mint leaves in hot cream before putting it into the ice cream maker, so you get a real mint taste without the green color. But if you really like your mint chocolate chip ice cream to have that classic green look, you can always add green food coloring. 

Easy Homemade Ice Cream With Only 2 Ingredients

If the thought of making ice cream yourself sounds interesting, but you don't have an ice cream maker and don't want to deal with the hassle of gathering a bunch of different ingredients, then this ice cream recipe is the one for you. Heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk are the only ingredients you need, but adding a splash of vanilla extract never hurts. If you want your ice cream to taste less sweet, you can use the low-fat and even fat-free versions of condensed milk. This is also a great base if you want to add other ingredients to it like, cookies, chocolate chips, nuts or fruit. 

Gluten-free and Sugar-Free Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

This blueberry cheesecake ice cream recipe takes a little more work than the average ice cream recipe, but it is worth it if you're on a sugar-free/gluten-free diet or if you just really like blueberry cheesecake. The texture is like that of a Dairy Queen blizzard - chunky and hearty. And a ribbon of jammy blueberries going through it makes it extra flavorful. This recipe also provides instructions for making it without an ice cream maker.

Almond Milk Ice Cream

If you're vegan or lactose intolerant, it can be hard to find a great-tasting ice cream alternative. Making your own with almond milk lets you customize it to your liking and, this almond milk ice cream recipe is a great go-to when you have a craving for ice cream on a hot summer day. Plus, it only takes 10 minutes to make. Making your own almond milk instead of using storebought makes this recipe even healthier. 

Cold-Brew Coffee & Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Another dairy alternative, this cold-brew coffee & coconut milk ice cream not only uses simple ingredients but is also sugar-free, vegan and gluten-free. It starts with soaking coffee grounds in lite canned coconut milk either overnight or up to two days. The really interesting part is the addition of medjool dates. This is a really impressive dessert recipe if you're entertaining. 

Best Deals for National Ice Cream Day 2020

Alden's Ice Cream

You can find delicious Alden's Ice Cream at a variety of popular stores near you including Albertsons, Kroger, Safeway and more. For Ice Cream Day 2020 (and good throughout the entire month of July), you can find an Alden's coupon for $1 off at their site to use at a retail location where Alden's is sold.

Baskin-Robbins

Place an order for Baskin-Robbins on DoorDash and use the code "BASKINSCOOP" to get a free scoop! Your order must be at least $15. There are also some other DoorDash coupons you can use, like these:

Carvel

You might know about Carvel for their delicious ice cream cakes, but every Wednesday this year, you'll know of them for their sundaes! Order one ice cream sundae at Carvel and you'll receive a second sundae completely free.

Coconut Bliss

Coconut Bliss makes plant-based ice cream that is safe to eat for those who don't eat dairy, for whatever reason that may be. Use the code "BLISSDAY15" on online orders of four or more items to save 15% off. This ice cream deal is valid for orders made online between July 17-19.

Friendly's

Visit a Friendly's location during the weekend of July 18 to celebrate Friendly's 85th birthday. They're celebrating with friends by selling cones for just 85 cents! Customers must belong to the BFF club. Joining the BFF club is completely free.

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

If you live within 5 miles of a Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams shop, you should consider placing an order online for National Ice Cream Day 2020. Deliveries of pints in the quantity of four or more ship for free!

Marble Slab Creamery

Celebrate National Ice Cream Month with Marble Slab Creamery by visiting one of their locations around the country. When you buy two quarts of pre-packaged ice cream, you'll get another pint totally free!