How To Set Up An Ice Cream Soda Bar

Don’t let summer pass you by without hosting some type of ice cream gathering! Whether you make homemade ice cream in the back yard, set up a sundae bar, or put together DIY ice cream sandwiches, ice cream is the quintessential summer treat.

I put together these ideas for setting up an ice cream soda bar, which is similar to an ice cream float bar. The key difference is that ice cream sodas typically incorporate seltzer or sparkling water along with milk or half-and-half.

Below are some decoration ideas, tips, and recipes for making delicious ice cream sodas and floats; there are more options than just root beer! This interactive bar adds a touch of nostalgia to any gathering with family or friends.

Ideas And Tips To Set Up

Decide on your decorative theme and it will set the tone for your display. I went with a rustic-vintage touch using French toile fabric as a table topper, wire baskets, rustic buckets, and retro chalkboard.

I suggest starting with a good brand of vanilla ice cream since it goes with the most flavors. Breyers Natural Vanilla is my favorite brand for this because it’s got simple ingredients, the texture is creamy but firm, and it tastes great!

Pre-scoop ice cream and keep in the freezer until ready to use. Use a large bowl for serving on the bar, or an insulated container such as an ice bucket to keep it cold longer as it sits on the table.

You can also line a galvanized bucket with parchment paper or insert a large freezer bag to keep it food safe, and place the scoops inside.

Tall shot glasses are great for serving flavored syrups or flavored liqueurs. The set can be reused for a coffee bar, or mini desserts too! I used chocolate syrup, strawberry syrup, and amaretto liqueur for this bar.

For the syrups you can use the ones you find in the ice cream toppings section, or the vast array of flavors you use for coffee, cocktails, or Italian sodas. I have this set of Torani syrups; I love the smaller bottles and the flavor selection.

As for the liqueurs, there are so many complimentary options including Kahlua, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Chocolate, fruity Schnapps, Chambord, Creme de Cassis, Frangelico, Amaretto, and Grand Marnier just to name a few.

It’s not absolutely necessary to keep the liquids cold; if they’re at room temperature it actually helps to melt the ice cream so everything can blend together easier. The exception being the whipped cream. I use a can of Reddi-Wip and put it in a bucket of ice like you would a bottle of champagne.

Provide an array of soda flavors like Root Beer, Dr. Pepper, Coke, Cream Soda, and fruit flavored sodas like Orange Crush, Grape soda, and Cheerwine or Cherry Cola. You can buy a variety pack of vintage sodas, or shop for individuals at places like Cracker Barrel or World Market.

Place seltzer or sparkling water, and dairy products together on the table or corralled on a tray.

Add a sign with directions for making the drinks. A chalkboard works well or a printable sign you can find on Etsy.

How To Make It

Start with a tall glass like these traditional fountain glasses. They give you plenty of room to add all the ingredients and stir them. Straws are a must, but even better are these long spoon-straws made specifically for shakes and floats.

1. Follow the basic formula: 2 scoops of ice cream in a tall glass + a shot of flavored syrup + a shot of half-and-half + seltzer (or sparkling water) to fill the glass.
   • For a float use 2 scoops vanilla ice cream + classic or flavored soda to fill the glass.
2. I like to turn this kid-friendly treat into an adult-friendly treat with a small shot of a flavored liqueur. The flavor you choose can either compliment the ice cream soda flavors or mimic them.
3. Don’t forget to top off with whipped cream and a cherry on top!

Recipe Combinations

The options are endless when is comes to make-your-own flavor combos. Here are some classic mixtures to get you started.

Chocolate Ice Cream Soda

• 2 scoops Vanilla ice cream
• 2 ounces Chocolate syrup
• 2 ounces milk or half & half
• Seltzer water or Sparkling mineral water
• Optional: Kahlua or Chocolate liqueur

Choco-berry Soda

• 2 scoops Chocolate ice cream
• 2 ounces Strawberry syrup
• 2 ounces milk or half & half
• Seltzer or Sparkling water
• Optional: Chambord or Creme de Casis

Cafe Mocha Soda

• 2 scoops Coffee ice cream
• 2 ounces chocolate syrup
• 2 ounces milk or half & half
• Seltzer or Sparkling water
• Optional: Kahlua

Floats

To streamline the process, some guests may want to create simple ice cream floats. Here are some good ones to start with.

Orange Creamsicle

• 2 scoops Vanilla ice cream
• 1/3 cup Orange soda (or a combo of orange juice and seltzer)
• Whipped Cream to top
• Optional: Vanilla Vodka or Grand Marnier

TIP: Alternatively you could use orange sherbet with cream soda.

Strawberry Soda

• 2 scoops Vanilla ice cream
• 2 ounces Strawberry syrup
• Cream Soda to fill
• Optional: Chambord

More Combos to Try

• Vanilla ice cream + Root Beer + a shot of caramel syrup if you like.
• Vanilla ice cream + Coca-Cola + Chocolate Syrup
• Vanilla ice cream + Grape soda (called a Purple Cow)
• Vanilla ice cream + Cherry soda + Sprite (called a Shirley Temple)
• Chocolate or Vanilla ice cream + Cherry Coke
• Chocolate ice cream + Root Beer
• Strawberry ice cream + Cream Soda

I hope you give this DIY ice cream soda bar a try this year. You can add it to almost any birthday, graduation party, or seasonal party theme. It’s also a lot of fun for a baby shower or bridal shower as it brings in a hit of nostalgia.