India’s summer season is unbearable without icy treats. Especially if you’re out in the Sun for a long time, you crave a frozen dessert to keep yourself refreshed and hydrated more often. However, given a wide range of treats, be it the doodh vali kulfi, dairy-free sorbet, popsicles, and much more, how do you choose the best pick? Here’s a visual guide to help you get the smartest scoop this summer.

| Garima
Jun 03, 2026

From roadside vendors who announce themselves with a bell to homemade kulfis, the dessert made with full-fat milk caramelised into rabri is a classic Indian treat. Loaded with nuts, it is best for people who love a traditional dessert or a rich, post-meal indulgence. For health enthusiasts, kulfi is a recommended option when made at home without preservatives or additives.

Barf ka gola, or shaved ice, is probably one of the most harmful frozen dessert options in terms of food hygiene and safety. A ball of shaved ice rolled on a stick brings back childhood memories for sure while beating the heat. However, the popular syrup variations like kala khata, orange, rose, and others are high in sugar and artificial colours.
From chocolate bars and sundaes to bricks of your favourite flavour, ice cream is the go-to mood enhancer, especially in the summer season. Whether served on a cone, plated as a sundae, or added to a rabri faldooda, ice cream is perfect for people who want to experiment or sit with a comforting frozen dessert on a cheat day.
Perfect for vegans, lactose-intolerant individuals, and health enthusiasts seeking a fruit-forward dessert, sorbet delivers the best of both. Made from pureed seasonal fruits, water, sugar, and lemon juice, sorbet has a similar texture to ice cream but is lower in calories.
Popsicle is a low-calorie frozen treat that is pure hydration and is also a hit amongst kids. However, when you make a popsicle at home, you can use fresh fruit juice to make it a dairy-free and guilt-free summer treat. To add fibre content to your popsicle, you can also add chopped fruit pieces to the mould and freeze.