We all know the struggle to jazz up basic vanilla and chocolate with new ice cream toppings. But did you know that there are ingredients in our pantries that can make basic become sophisticated? You will be surprised by how these simple ingredients will transform your simple ice cream into a super classy frozen treat.
1. Honey & Cayenne Pepper
Photo by Caroline Provost
Counterintuitive right? This will instantly become your favorite new topping. The sweet honey and spicy pepper make vanilla ice cream come to life.
2. Granola
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You know how you can put granola on yogurt? Well, the same goes for vanilla ice cream. Go out and buy some damn good granola, or even make some, like this homemade Nutella banana granola.
3. Olive Oil
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Olive oil was not meant just for bread. If you are looking for the most sophisticated and classy topping, pour some olive oil over that vanilla. Mix it up and go with a citrus-infused olive oil if you feel especially adventurous.
4. Pumpkin Pie Spice
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We miss pumpkin spice season. Dearly. So why not bring back the good ol’ days and sprinkle some pumpkin spice on your ice cream? Pumpkin pie spice blends can be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores and adds an especially autumn flavor to vanilla.
5. Maple Syrup
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Speaking of autumn, grab some fresh maple syrup and douse that vanilla in sugary sweet goodness.
6. Chocolate-Covered Espresso Beans
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Looking for a bit of extra caffeine with your ice cream? Add some chocolate-covered espresso beans and update your #basic chocolate coffee combo.
7. Old Bay
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Hear me out. I know it seems bizarre, but Old Bay adds that salty, smoky and spicy component to your usual chocolate ice cream. Before you write this off completely, give it a try. You won’t regret it.
8. Jam
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Who said that jam is just for toast? If you’re too lazy to go to the store you can always make your own jam at home.
9. Salt
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Getting back to the basics, but you are also jacking up your chocolate to the next level. If you’ve got some caramel sauce, give your salt shaker a good shake and enjoy.
10. Cocoa Puffs
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What better to add to chocolate than more chocolate. In fact, you can add any of your favorite cereals to your ice cream.