For Easy No-Bake Cupcakes, Ice Cream Is Your Friend

Next time you want to impress your family and friends, make ice cream cupcakes. This clever twist on two of life's tastiest treats couldn't be simpler to prepare. They are crowd-pleasers for kids and adults alike, and you can customize them to suit your fancy.

Prepare your cupcake pan with liners for easy serving and clean up. Now create a crust on the bottom of each paper by combining crushed cookies — any hard, crunchy cookie (think nutter butter or store-bought chocolate chip) works well — with melted butter. You can add them to a plastic bag and whack them with the back of a big spoon to crush everything into pieces, or you can blitz everything in a food processor. You'll want the pieces as tiny and even as possible for a smooth crust. The ratio is about six Oreo-sized cookies to two tablespoons of butter. You want the crust to come together and keep its shape but not be soggy.

Scoop your ice cream of choice into each cup and add freezer-friendly toppings. Whipped cream, frosting, sprinkles, and some candies like gummies, caramels, and plain chocolates freeze well. However, avoid things with nuts or fruit in them, especially if they're covered in chocolate, as the filling may expand when frozen. Similarly, save the hot fudge sauce, chocolate candy, and cherries to add just before serving. Cover your goodies well and pop them into the freezer for an hour. This allows the crust to set for a mess-free serving. Your frozen sweets can be stored like this for up to a month. 

The sky is the limit with this confection. Let your creativity shine and have fun designing your ice cream cupcake experience. For birthday parties, choose the honoree's favorite ice cream and top it with a birthday candle. For those avoiding dairy, start with an Oreo crust and top with vegan avocado mint chocolate chip ice cream, and a sprig of mint. Oreo also makes an excellent base for peanut butter chocolate ice cream, topped with crushed dark chocolate peanut butter-stuffed cookies, salty peanuts, or a peanut butter cup. At your next kids' birthday party, try a shortbread crust with birthday cake ice cream, homemade whipped cream, rainbow sprinkles, and a cherry.

When the holidays come around, opt for a gingersnap crust with eggnog or pumpkin ice cream, sprinkled with nutmeg and topped with a cinnamon stick. A twist on peppermint hot chocolate is always a hit: Use a chocolate crust, chocolate ice cream, mini marshmallows, and a candy cane.

Once the weather warms up, celebrate strawberry season with a graham cracker crust, strawberry ice cream, crushed meringue, and a ripe, juicy berry (don't freeze the meringue or fruit though). Pool parties are even better with a Biscoff crust, a three-ingredient citrus sorbet, and fresh raspberries. And for the Fourth of July, use a chocolate chip crust, Cookie Monster ice cream, blue icing, red, white, and blue sprinkles, and a sparkler.