11 Over-The-Top Root Beer Float Recipes

Black cow, ice cream soda, root beer float — no matter what you call it, this classic treat has been delighting our taste buds since we were children, and it still hits all the right notes. Take a break from the late summer heat with this icy cold treat, and celebrate national Root Beer Float Day. The classic float only requires two ingredients — vanilla ice cream and root beer — but these outrageous floats take the craft to new heights.

Try this twist on the classic root beer float, which swaps the usual vanilla ice cream for mint chocolate chip, and adds a shot of whipped cream flavored vodka. 

For the Boozy Mint Chocolate Chip Root Beer Float recipe, click here.

This dirty root beer float is far too delicious not to slurp down and thoroughly enjoy. It's heavily boozed up, but the sting of the alcohol is tamed down by the ice cream and root beer. It makes the perfect girls night drink — provided everyone at your get-together loves root beer floats.

For the Dirty Root Beer Float recipe, click here.

This root beer float doubles down on that delightful root beer flavor by using homemade root beer ice cream with extra root beer on top.

For the Double Root Beer Float recipe, click here.

On my way to pouring a glass of root beer that might have had a bit of rum in it, I started thinking about combining the two as an ice cream. So, it's root beer and rum ice cream, aka Frozen Black Cow with a Kick. It tastes like a root beer float... with a little something extra.

For the Frozen Black Cow with a Kick recipe, click here.

I've never met anyone who doesn't love a good root beer float. Have you? Creamy vanilla ice cream floating in a tall glass of frosty root beer on a hot summer day... what's not to love? Add some spiced rum and nutmeg to the mix and you have an adult drink with all the fun of being a kid again.

For the Grown-Up Root Beer Float recipe, click here.

It's hard to improve upon a classic, but Donna from Cookistry has done just that. She makes the classic root beer float even better by using coffee ice cream and a scratch-made almond whipped cream. (Please excuse us while we run to the store for some root beer...) 

For the Root Beer Float with Almond Whipped Cream recipe, click here.

A cool, creamy, and perfectly-sweet treat that is easy to make and is great to serve all summer long.

For the Root Beer Shake recipe, click here.

This smooth little layered shot tastes like a root beer float... with ice cream and all! Since you use the sinking technique for this shot, the root beer schnapps takes on a creamy appearance.

For the Root Beer Float Shot recipe, click here.

The ice cream is a breeze to make, and the root beer liquor? What a way to chill! If you can't find root beer extract, just add some vanilla. Tradition is always a good thing!

For the Triple Root Beer Float recipe, click here.

The classic root beer float only has two ingredients — root beer and vanilla ice cream — but the ultimate root beer float has four, elevating it to root beer float stardom with whipped cream, cherries... and a splash of booze. Of course, you can omit the alcohol, if desired.

For the Ultimate Root Beer Float recipe, click here.

Fancy this float up a bit by whipping it all together in the blender, and then putting chocolate sprinkles on the rim of the glass and adding some whipped cream. But if you're not inclined to get that fancy, you can totally just do the ice cream and root beer portion of this recipe and skip the rest.

For the Whipped Root Beer Float recipe, click here.