How To Decide Between Adding Toppings Or Mix-Ins To Your Homemade Ice Cream

It's pretty difficult to mess up when it comes to ice cream toppings. No matter if your grand finale on a scoop of vanilla is a handful of classic ice cream rainbow sprinkles or you want to transform a bowl of chocolate ice cream with hot honey, it's almost always going to be delicious. However, when should we mix-in those flavors, instead of just slapping them on top? We asked executive pastry chef Yoonjung Oh of Hive Hospitality to help us out.

"It depends on the experience you're going for," she said. "Mix-ins give a consistent bite throughout, while toppings provide contrast and visual appeal." Oh said to keep delicate or crunchy foods like brittle or fresh berries on top, while chewy and melty ones like cookie dough and fudge should be folded into the ice cream for the best experience. Ice cream chain Cold Stone Creamery is known for this folding method, as you can watch the workers craft your dessert behind the counter after you order one of the signature flavors.

When it's time to raid your kitchen for the best ice cream inclusions — whether you're going old-school and sticking with just toppings or trying your hand at ice cream folding — Yoonjung Oh gave us her opinions on which textures and flavors work in harmony.

"I like to pair crunchy with creamy," she said, "[like] nuts or cereal with smooth ice cream." She advised using salt when balancing the sweetness of ice cream, and you can do this with salted snacks or nut butters. Oh even shocked us when she mentioned an unexpected topping that works with vanilla ice cream. "Crushed potato chips," she said. "Salty, crunchy, and a perfect contrast to sweet."

While you can definitely use some of Oh's suggestions, feel free to experiment. Though chocolate, fruit, and nuts are always classic choices, try out balsamic vinegar (which works wonders on ice cream) or even a few strips of bacon. The world is your ice cream scoop!