Healthy Frozen Dessert Recipes

This fun and fruity cake is easy to make, once you get the hang of the blending, freezing and layering. Be sure each layer is frozen completely before adding the next to get the maximum rainbow effect. (Some layers may take longer to freeze than others.) If you want more vibrant layers, a drop or two of natural food coloring can enhance the colors. You can sub in frozen fruit if you don't have fresh on hand (just thaw before pureeing), and you can swap frozen yogurt for the ice cream if you'd like.

Sweet, tangy and so refreshing, this is a treat you could enjoy on repeat all summer long. The bananas make it ultra creamy, so it tastes like a cross between sorbet and ice cream. It's perfect for dessert or a midafternoon snack on a hot day.

This green-as-a-shamrock "nice cream"--made with almond milk, coconut cream and bananas--is loosely inspired by the Shamrock McFlurry. Whip up this dairy-free dessert for St. Patrick's Day or anytime you're craving a minty treat. (To keep this recipe vegan, be sure to choose vegan chocolate chips.)

Can't get enough pumpkin spice and pumpkin? Get those fall flavors you love in this dairy-free and vegan ice cream alternative made with bananas and pumpkin puree. This easy and healthy dessert contains no added sugar, unless you use the optional maple syrup--which is a delicious touch. Add some chopped pecans to make it really special.

Jammy and fruit-forward, this granita recipe is one you'll make again and again, especially when blueberries are at their peak. This treat takes some time with all of the freezing and scraping, but if you start in the morning it'll be ready for an afternoon barbecue. If fresh blueberries aren't available, you can substitute with frozen, thawed wild blueberries (which will give you a little extra nutrition, too!).

This creamy strawberry-mango nice cream is a delicious healthy ice cream alternative. It's all fruit, dairy-free, vegan and contains no added sugar. And this three-ingredient dessert is super-fast and easy to prep. Serve it as a snack or light dessert on the hottest days of the summer--or any time you want a refreshing treat.

Get all the tropical flavors you love in a piña colada in this creamy dairy-free dessert. This ice cream alternative gets its sweetness from pineapple and coconut and is just as delicious with or without the optional rum. Either way, it's sure to put you in a beachy state of mind--not bad for a treat that takes just 10 minutes to whip up in your food processor.

Popsicles take a boozy turn with these ginger, lime and vodka ice pops inspired by a classic Moscow Mule cocktail. These simple ice pops have only 47 calories per pop and take just 5 minutes to prep--just remember to stick them in the freezer at least 8 hours before you're ready to serve them.

The only difference between sorbet and sherbet is that the latter has a bit of dairy. In the case of this easy summer dessert, sweetened condensed milk adds sweetness plus a touch of creaminess.

This luscious strawberry nice cream is a wonderful healthy ice cream alternative. It's all fruit, dairy-free, vegan and contains no added sugar, but is bursting with sweet berry flavor. And it takes just minutes to whip up this easy healthy dessert in a food processor if you freeze the fruit ahead. While you'll get the best flavor from fresh berries, if you don't have them on hand, feel free to use store-bought frozen fruit in this recipe. Serve the nice cream on its own or top it with more fresh berries for a refreshing summer treat.

This sweet pudding pop recipe is actually a fun craft project you can make with your young children--they'll love to help mix the ingredients, line up the paper cups, layer in the different mixtures, and pop in the craft sticks. The most difficult part may just be waiting for them to freeze!

Owning an ice cream maker means you can create specialty ice cream flavors at home, for a fraction of what you'd pay at your local ice cream shop. This almond ice cream is a real treat, bursting with chunks of raspberries, slivered almonds, and dark chocolate pieces.

Light whipped topping is the secret to this delicious mousse dessert. Portions of the whipped topping are sweetened and flavored with cocoa powder and strawberries and then layered and frozen to resemble Neapolitan-style ice cream.

Instead of heading down to your local coffee shop to purchase an afternoon iced coffee, grab this summer treat right out of your freezer. All you need to make this 3-ingredient popsicle recipe is chilled coffee, half-and-half, chocolate syrup, and some popsicle molds--it will cool you off and give you a little pick-me-up at the same time.

This rich homemade ice cream recipe was inspired by Linnalla Pure Irish Ice Cream in County Clare, Ireland. They add carrageenan made from local seaweed to give the ice cream a more velvety texture. We've simplified the recipe for home, relying on only egg yolks and cream to do the job. Chopped honeycomb pieces add texture and pops of pure honey flavor, but feel free to omit them if you prefer a simpler ice cream. This ice cream would be delicious with rhubarb pie or crumble, or all on its own.

Who doesn't love a homemade ice cream cake? This dessert recipe is simple to make and so beautiful your guests won't believe you made it yourself. A chocolate brownie crust layered with mocha ice cream and topped with raspberry sauce, fresh raspberries, and chocolate syrup--it's so thick we recommend serving it with a long cake knife, a chef's knife, or a bread knife.

Instant white chocolate pudding and fresh berries make these frozen popsicle snacks quick and easy to prepare.

These little ice cream cookie sandwiches are sure to become a favorite with everyone at your house. Choose your favorite flavor of ice-cream and sandwich it between chocolate-drizzled graham cracker squares that have been sprinkled with a mixture of pretzels and toffee. Yum!

These tasty frozen treats are perfect for a hot summer night.

This beautiful and refreshing lime dessert has some surprising ingredients--avocado and ginger--which add to the texture and flavor of the sherbet. Cinnamon-sugar pita chips can be sprinkled on top of each serving for a welcome crunch.