Ican admit it: My kitchen is chock-full of appliances. As a contributing product analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab, it’s my job to put the latest gear to the test. But one kitchen appliance I don't use enough is my slushie maker. So when summer finally kicked into gear here in the Northeast, I set up an (admittedly sweet) challenge for myself and my colleagues in the Lab and GH Test Kitchen: I would test as many new things in my slushie maker as we could think up.
I tested these items in my GreenPan Frost, which is a slushie maker and soft-serve ice cream maker, but they’d also work in our other top-tested slushie maker, the Ninja Slushi.
After about 10 hours of pouring, churning, and swirling, I feel confident that I’ve found 10 unexpectedly delicious items to put in your slushie maker this summer. Here are the most surprising things you can make in your slushie maker, in order of least to most surprising.
10. Starbucks Frappuccino
How I tested it: Greenpan Frost, Milkshake Mode, Level 5
Sure, a bottled Starbucks Frappuccino is already cold and thick, but when you add it to a slushie maker and hit “milkshake” mode, you’ll get an even frostier caffeine hit to start (or end) your day.
9. Canned cocktails
How I tested it: Greenpan Frost, Spiked Slushie Mode, Level 5
I love the simplicity of the premixed canned cocktails from Cutwater, and they happen to slushify nicely into a restaurant-quality sip. The Lime Margarita has just enough sugar to thicken up in the GreenPan Frost (the machine requires at least 4% sugar by volume) without tasting cloying. The alcohol gives it a softer texture than spirit-free slushies. Cutwater’s Spicy Bloody Mary and Vodka Mule are also delicious.
8. Lemonade
How I tested it: Greenpan Frost, Slushie Mode, Level 5
GH Senior Food Editor Susan Choung suggested a pickle lemonade slushie, which she also likes to spike with gin for an adult option. If you want to keep things simple, however, regular lemonade becomes a lightly sweet and incredibly refreshing slush. For a savory twist, stir in about 2 tablespoons of pickle juice per cup of lemonade, or more to taste.
7. Yerba mate (and other teas)
How I tested it: Greenpan Frost, Slushie Mode, Level 5
Canned Yerba Madre Berry Lemonade, like other iced teas, is usually consumed cold, but I hadn’t thought of turning it into a scoopable slush for a frosty caffeine hit. GH Fitness & Nutrition Lab Director Stefani Sassos named coffee-free caffeine options like yerba mate a top 2026 food and nutrition trend, as they offer a low-jitter energy boost and antioxidants. When slushified, it became thick, icy, and lightly sweet.
6. Electrolytes
How I tested it: Greenpan Frost, Slushie Mode, Level 6
I love a tall glass of salty electrolytes after a workout, so why not churn them in my slushie machine? With a few minutes of prep before you exercise, you can come home to enjoy an ice-cold slush that’s extra hydrating. I mixed two sticks of Liquid I.V. white peach electrolytes with 32 ounces of cold water for a wonderfully cooling drink in about 20 minutes.
5. Yogurt smoothie
How I tested it: Greenpan Frost, Soft Ice Cream Mode, Level 6
Turns out, you can make one-ingredient froyo with nothing more than your favorite store-bought smoothie. I recommend using a higher level on your slushie maker for this one, as the smoothies tend to be softer and meltier than real frozen yogurt. A frozen Stonyfield Organic Strawberry Smoothie makes breakfast taste like dessert.
4. Chai latte
How I tested it: Greenpan Frost, Milkshake Mode, Level 5
I love a blended coffee drink from a cafe, and tea lovers can achieve the same frosty effect at home by adding chai latte concentrate and milk to a slushie maker. I used Tazo Classic Chai Latte, which became creamy and thick. You’ll need to drink this one quickly, though, as the milk and tea started to separate before I could finish my glass.
3. Hot chocolate
How I tested it: Greenpan Frost, Milkshake Mode, Level 4
In a surprise to me, cooled hot chocolate turned into an icy, scoopable chocolate treat somewhere between chocolate ice cream and a fudgy popsicle. I dissolved four packets of Swiss Miss hot chocolate into four cups of hot water, then let the mixture cool in the fridge and churned it on “milkshake” mode. For a deeper chocolate flavor, add an extra packet or two of cocoa mix.
2. Pudding
How I tested it: Greenpan Frost, Soft Ice Cream Mode, Level 5
I was skeptical about whether a more solid food like pudding would work in a slushie maker, but vanilla Jell-O pudding cups churned into a thick and delicious frozen custard in about 20 minutes. The texture is similar to soft serve, but it has the rich, eggy flavor of pudding.
1. Coffee creamer
How I tested it: Greenpan Frost, Soft Ice Cream Mode, Level 5
I was shocked (and delighted) by how much coffee creamer tasted like freshly churned vanilla ice cream. I used Chobani Sweet Cream for this one-ingredient soft-serve in my GreenPan Frost. I was impressed by the silky-smooth texture and bright white color, which would be a welcome canvas to sprinkles, nuts, and other sundae toppings. If you don’t want quite as strong a flavor (it’s sweet!), replace some of the creamer with whole milk or heavy cream. I recommend full-fat creamer for best results.
You can also treat the frozen creamer as ice cream or gelato and use it to make a delicious affogato by brewing espresso over it.
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Lizzy Briskin is a contributing writer and product analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab. She’s a culinary school graduate and recipe developer with a lifelong passion for soft serve ice cream. Her slushie maker has earned a spot on her counter for the summer.
