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LAST UPDATED: • FIRST PUBLISHED: By Toni Dash - 18 Comments

Orange Soda Bourbon Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Floats

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Orange Soda Bourbon Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Floats are an adult cocktail everyone will love. Super easy to make. Makes any event a party!

Boozy Orange Soda Bourbon Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Floats

Bourbon Orange Soda Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Float - BoulderLocavore.com

The Super Bowl is this weekend, have you noticed?! The preparation and verve around it really does warrant unofficial holiday status. Menu suggestions have been flying around the internet for a month. The big brand commercials have been released for early viewing to hype everyone up (the Budweiser puppy and horse commercials get me every time).

I’ve heard multiple stories on NPR about the coaches’ polar opposite personalities and even a spoof on Saturday Night Live about ‘Deflate-gate’. America is primed and I have a cocktail-meets-dessert to add to your party menu:  Orange Soda Bourbon Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Floats. The name is a mouthful and the floats are fantastic.

Orange Soda Bourbon Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Float - Ingredients

I wanted to think of an unexpected treat adult-style and have loved the boozy milkshakes I’ve shared on Boulder Locavore (so have readers based on the number of times they’ve been pinned!):  The Purple Pin (Eau de Violette Liqueur and Gin Milkshake) and Double Irish Trouble (Bailey’s Irish Cream and Irish Whiskey Coffee Shake) and Grasshopper Pie Milkshake (Creme de Menthe).

Ice cream floats are too often left in our A&W Root Beer childhood memories and an ice cream float and pairing bourbon with Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream and Orange Soda seemed just the ticket. It’s easy to prepare making and freezing balls of the ice cream beforehand leaving only a few minute creation when the time arrives. Simple recipes make for easier hosting too!

Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream Balls

How to Prepare Bourbon Orange Soda Bourbon Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Floats

Are they hard to make? NO WAY! Here’s my for-adults-only photo series to show you everything! Make sure you have plenty of maraschino cherries and a Collins Glass on hand!

STEP 1: Pour Bourbon into the Collins Glass.

pouring bourbon in a Collins glass

Be sure to make enough for friends…..

three Collins glasses with bourbon in them and Marker's Mark bottle

STEP 2: Add Maraschino cherries.

three Collins glasses with bourbon and maraschino cherries with a white bowl of cherries

STEP 3: Add pre-frozen Cherry-Vanilla ice cream balls (instructions on pre-freezing in recipe instructions).

Bourbon Orange Soda Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Floats -Ice Cream Balls - BoulderLocavore.com

STEP 4: Fill with Orange Soda (I love San PellegrinoSparkling Orange

Collins glasses with bourbon, maraschino cherries and cherry-vanilla ice cream balls

Fill a bit and wait for the fizzing to subside….

pouring orange soda into glasses to make Orange Soda Bourbon Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Floats

And fill some more…..

making Orange Soda Bourbon Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Floats, pouring in the orange soda

Until the glass is full….

Bourbon Orange Soda Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Floats with fizz from the soda

If you’ve tried this Orange Soda Bourbon Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Float recipe or any other recipe on BoulderLocavore.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

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This recipe intended for those of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly!

Bourbon Orange Soda Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Floats Recipe:

Bourbon Orange Soda Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Float - BoulderLocavore.com
5 from 1 vote
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Bourbon Orange Soda Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Floats

The blending of bourbon, orange and cherry flavors make these boozy adult floats a fun surprise for any occasion. Freezing the ice cream balls beforehand allows them to stay formed longer in the float as well as well as makes creating the floats faster in the moment. Chilling the orange soda and the bourbon, as well as popping the glasses in the freezer for 5-10 minutes will slow the ice cream melting in the cocktail if desired. For underage or teetotalling guests, omit the bourbon and proceed making the float with all other steps. Everyone should try this!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword bourbon ice cream float, cocktail ice cream floats
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings 1 cocktail float (additional floats may be made by multiplying the ingredients by the desired number of floats)
Calories 311 kcal
Author Toni Dash

Ingredients

Ingredients PER 1 Cocktail Float (can be multiplied for additional floats):

  • 1/2-3/4 cups Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream formed into 4-1 1/2 inch diameter balls
  • 1 ounce Bourbon (I used Maker’s Mark)
  • 8 ounces Orange ‘Soda’ (aproximately) (I used San Pellegrino Sparkling Orange Beverage – Aranciata, which is widely available), chilled
  • 2 Maraschino Cherries
  • 14 ounce Collins Glass , straw

Instructions

  1. Place ice cream balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until hard; preferably overnight.

To Make the Floats:

  1. Pour the bourbon in a 12-14 ounce Collins glass. Add the Maraschino cherries followed by the 4 ice cream balls. Fill with Orange Soda (pouring on a tilt will help minimize the foam). Serve with a straw.
Nutrition Facts
Bourbon Orange Soda Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Floats
Amount Per Serving
Calories 311 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 4g20%
Cholesterol 29mg10%
Sodium 76mg3%
Potassium 131mg4%
Carbohydrates 43g14%
Fiber 0g0%
Sugar 41g46%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 280IU6%
Calcium 84mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Facts
Bourbon Orange Soda Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream Floats
Amount Per Serving
Calories 311 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 4g20%
Cholesterol 29mg10%
Sodium 76mg3%
Potassium 131mg4%
Carbohydrates 43g14%
Fiber 0g0%
Sugar 41g46%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 280IU6%
Calcium 84mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

TONI DASH

Toni Dash, is the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of Boulder Locavore®. She has been developing easy to make, well-tested recipes since 2010. Her seasonal recipes bring excitement to the dining table for both gluten-free and gluten diners. Toni has been featured in numerous publications and on culinary websites for her creative, delicious recipes and travel features. For more details, check out her About page.

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  1. Seth B says

    Its a cold snowy winter weekend here, so I think this bourbon ice cream float is the perfect taste of summer and perfect pick-me-up for a grey and blustery weekend! I just recently picked up a set of Collin’s glass straws too!

    Thanks for posting Toni! Cheers!

    Reply

  2. Amira Marques says

    Tank-you cute recipe!

    I think good combination bourbon vanilla and cherry flavor if eat summer time.

    your make floats is maybe favorites for my friends and me.

    Reply

  4. Angela {Mind Over Batter} says

    I want to pinpoint exactly where you had me here. Let’s see, the bourbon? The tip about freezing the ice cream? The cherries? You had me at float. Love this!

    Reply

  6. Jennifer Janz @Fabulousfoodstyling says

    5 stars
    The cherry vanilla ice cream really puts this over the top. Wow! Can’t decide if this is an after dinner drink or if it is dinner!

    Reply

  7. pam (Sidewalk Shoes) says

    Oh. My. Gosh. I love the tip of freezing the balls of ice cream, because who wants to mess with that when you’re waiting on your bourbon cherry float!!! I’ve started a new alcohol linky party on my other blog Grey is the New Black called Tipsy Tuesday – it’s brand new and I’m trying to get the word out – I would love if you would link up!

    Reply

  9. heather @french press says

    I’m not even a big bourbon lover, but man do these sounds amazing! And I LOVE your step by step pics

    Reply

    • Toni Dash says

      Bourbon mixes so well with these flavors you won’t even really taste it strongly as if you were drinking it plain. This is delish, I promise. And thank you for the kind words on the pics! It’s pretty easy to follow but I so loved the colors I couldn’t resist the shots!

      Reply

    • Toni Dash says

      Ice Cream Floats should not be just for kids, right? And candidly if the bourbon is removed they can join in the fun too.

      Reply

  11. Joanie @ ZagLeft says

    What a fun cocktail and I love the tip for freezing ice cream balls ahead of time to keep them firm longer, great idea!

    Reply

    • Toni Dash says

      I’ll confess Joanie, I’m distractable as soon as guests arrive so it’s much better for me (and the guests) to get as much done beforehand as possible. I can pour two things and put ice cream balls in a glass successfully even IF distracted!

      Reply

  12. Heather at Basilmomma says

    Your photos are beautiful! I love this recipe, which would be perfect for having friends over, AND the straws!!

    Reply

    • Toni Dash says

      Thank you Heather! I agree completely on perfect for get togethers. Since the ice cream balls are pre-frozen it would be easy to do that even a few days ahead. Aren’t the straws the best?!

      Reply

  13. kristy @ the wicked noodle says

    I am already in love with this…cocktail? dessert? ice cream float?…and can’t wait to try it!

    Reply

    • Toni Dash says

      I love it too Kristy! It’s just the right amount of everything in my book and easy to put together for a party by pre freezing the ice cream balls.

      Reply
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