Ice Cream Floats are one of our favorite summertime treats! Root beer served over classic vanilla ice cream in a frosted mug is the perfect way to cool off on a hot day.

I used to despise root beer. We grew up drinking Dr. Pepper and as an adult I switched over to regular Coke. I could probably count on one hand how many times I had ever had root beer before marrying James.

He finally got me to try the Buc-ee’s brand of fountain root beer and OH-MY-WORD, it was delicious. I took a timid first sip expecting to hate it… and then I refused to give it back. It has just the right amount of spicy vanilla without any weird wintergreen or licorice taste.

(If you don’t know about Buc-ee’s, it’s a gas station famous for it’s clean restrooms and snacks. They’re huge and have a loyal fan base in the South.)

Since becoming a root beer convert, I’ve decided IBC Root Beer is the next best thing when I can’t make the thirty minute drive to Buc-ee’s. It’s become our nighttime routine; after we put the kids to bed, we pop a bag of popcorn and enjoy a super cold IBC root beer while we watch our shows. (IBC Root Beer is perfect for this pre-bedtime treat because, like most root beer, it’s caffeine free.)

A few weeks ago we used it to make ice cream floats and they’ve now become our favorite summer treat!

What goes in a root beer float?

To make these simple root beer floats, you will need the following:

IBC Root Beer (or your favorite brand)
Vanilla Ice Cream
Maraschino Cherries (optional)

How to make root beer floats

This recipe couldn’t be easier- add all of the ingredients to a glass and serve immediately. Here are the basic steps to making a delicious Root Beer Float:

Scoop cold ice cream into a glass mug.
Gently pour the root beer over the ice cream.
Top with a cherry and enjoy!

Toppings for ice cream float

Of course you can always customize your ice cream float by using other varieties of soda- such as Coke or Dr.Pepper. You could also swap out the vanilla ice cream for chocolate or Neapolitan. Homemade whipped cream would be a delicious addition. We like to keep it traditional with the root beer and vanilla- the flavors are just too good together.

What kind of ice cream for ice cream float

I haven’t ever tried to make an ice cream float with “nice cream” or dairy-free ice cream, but I imagine it would work just fine!

Tips for the best ice cream float

For best results, serve your root beer float in a throughly chilled mug. I like to pop my glasses in the freezer a few hours before I’m planning to make mine. (Just make sure your mug of choice is freezer-friendly.)

Another tip is to pour the liquid over the ice cream slowly, if you pour it too fast it will cause it to fizz up and melt too quickly.