For anyone looking to cool off this summer, a new viral recipe is transforming one of the season’s most iconic fruits into a creamy frozen dessert, no ice cream maker required.
A watermelon ice cream recipe is taking over TikTok’s FoodTok community, with creators freezing halved watermelons to create an ice cream-sorbet hybrid. The viral method calls for carving out the center of a watermelon, freezing it overnight, then pouring in milk or a dairy-free alternative. Users then scrape the frozen fruit into the liquid until it transforms into a light, fluffy frozen treat.
”I made space in my freezer specifically for this,” creator Kirsten Titus said in a video making the viral ice cream. “This is so freaking good,” she added of the finished product.
The innovative recipe quickly gained traction on social media, thanks in part to how seemingly easy it is to make: two ingredients, no churning or fancy ice cream makers needed. According to TikTok data, the tag #watermelonicecream grew by 1,371% in the past month, quadrupled in just the week of July 10 to July 16 alone.
The trend has even led other watermelon-related content to gain more popularity. Take one Florida farmer, who shared their tips, including one farmer who shared tips on picking the perfect watermelon, earning over 180,000 likes.
But as the trend continues to grow, many creators are taking initiative to find what other fruits can become vessels for the perfect DIY ice cream.
Creator Bridey Drake, for instance, added cream to the inside of halved papaya and melon, creating new flavored ice creams. And others are even swapping the dairy for other liquids, like one creator who poured matcha into the watermelon.
“if you try this, make sure to add some sweetener to the whisked matcha (sugar/honey etc),” the caption to a matcha version video read, “otherwise you’ll end up with a sour face.”
