One of the best parts of the holiday season is getting together with friends and family. But with that comes a lot of extra planning, hosting, and of course, cooking. No hostess wants to spend the entire party in the kitchen preparing tasty treats for their guests. The whole point of hosting a party is to be with the people you invited! If you intend to be a smart cookie this holiday season, you’ll want to check out these easy make-ahead holiday desserts with the help of three different ice cream flavors from Hudsonville Ice Cream.
I don’t know about you, but not every vanilla ice cream is the same to me. There are certain times when you want something luscious and creamy. Other times, you need the decadent texture of a vanilla bean. And then there are the times when you crave a cozy, homemade taste. Hudsonville Ice Cream has perfected three different vanilla ice cream flavors that are sure to fit the bill on every occasion. Each of their three vanilla flavors is versatile and delicious and is sure to please all of your friends and family.
The great thing about ice cream make-ahead holiday desserts is they are super simple to prepare of time, and they store really well in the freezer or a sealed container. All you have to do at party time is serve them up to your guests. By using Hudsonville Ice Cream in your make ahead desserts, you and your loved ones will have ample time for making sweet memories together. Your guests will be singing your praises, and asking for all of your delicious ice cream recipes!
Vanilla Bean Pumpkin Squares
Ingredients
4 cups Hudsonville Vanilla Bean ice cream
1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup butter, melted
1 cup canned pumpkin
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie seasoning
Instructions
- Set the Hudsonville Vanilla Bean ice cream on the counter for about 20-30 minutes until it’s soft enough to easily stir with a spoon. Let ice cream stand at room temperature 30-45 minutes to soften.
- Next, in a separate bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs and butter together. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the mixture for garnishing later on.
- Then, press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of an 8-inch baking pan, making sure it is evenly spread across the bottom and firmly pressed down. You can use the flat bottom of a glass to ensure it’s pressed enough.
- Then, in a large bowl, beat the canned pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie seasoning together with a whisk until combined.
- Stir the softened ice cream into the pumpkin mixture with a spoon.
- Spread the mixture evenly over the graham cracker crumbs in the baking pan. Sprinkle the top with the reserved graham cracker mixture.
- Freeze uncovered for at least 4 hours, or until the top of the mixture is firm to the touch, then cover and return to the freezer.
- Before cutting, let stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
French Vanilla Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
2 cups butter, softened at room temperature
2 cups Hudsonville French Vanilla ice cream, softened
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
Jar of raspberry jam*
Jar of apricot preserves*
1 to 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and ice cream until blended (mixture will appear curdled).
- Next, add the flour and sugar and mix until completely combined.
- Divide the dough into four equal portions. Cover and refrigerate for two hours.
- Preheat your oven to 350°.
- Using one portion of the dough, break off teaspoon-sized balls and roll them in your hands until round.
- Then, place the balls of dough on an ungreased baking sheet two inches apart. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Lightly press your thumb into the center of each dough ball to create a small well. Fill each well with half a teaspoon of jam or preserves.
- Bake for 11-14 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Let the cookies sit for one minute before removing from pans to wire racks.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar.
*Feel free to have fun with the cookie fillings! These are great with pie fillings, other types of jam, and even chocolate hazelnut spread!
Vanilla Ice Cream “Truffles”
Ingredients
1 carton Hudsonville Creamery Blend Vanilla ice cream
2 bottles of chocolate hard shell sundae topping
Sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pour the chocolate hard shell into a bowl. Make sure you shake it up first!
- Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop a ball of Hudsonville Creamery Blend Vanilla ice cream. Immediately drop it into the chocolate hard shell using a fork to gently toss the ice cream ball so the entire ball is covered.
- Then remove the ball from the chocolate and place on the parchment paper. Garnish with sprinkles before the hard shell has completely set up.
- Place in the freezer to harden, about two hours. Then, store in an airtight container lined with parchment paper in the freezer until ready to serve.
Whether you decide to use just one or all three of these recipes for make-ahead holiday desserts for your holiday entertaining, you’re sure to find that these three Hudsonville vanilla ice cream flavors are as versatile as they are delicious. Be sure to check out the Hudsonville Scoop Locator to see where you can pick up all of these amazing vanilla flavors.
