When it comes to cooling off in Atlanta’s summer heat, it’s time to think beyond the ice cream cone.

There’s nothing wrong with a great scoop, but sometimes the weather calls for something lighter, icier and a little more unexpected. Luckily, Atlanta is home to a wider world of frozen desserts, from Indonesian shaved ice to Mexican popsicles.

Here are some treats worth seeking out in Atlanta this summer. If you’re feeling really ambitious, you can try to hit all of these spots in one day — they’re all found along Buford Highway.

Es Campur at Gula Indonesian Dessert Cafe

Gula means “sugar” in Indonesian, and there’s no shortage of sweetness at this Indonesian dessert cafe.

For a frozen treat, look under the “es” (ice) category. Each dessert arrives in a beautiful glass dish piled high with shaved ice and a multitude of toppings that seem like they shouldn’t work together — but somehow do.

There are many options to choose from, but AJC dessert columnist Lia Picard writes that she was drawn to the es campur, a colorful combination of sliced avocado, coconut, cubes of bright green grass jelly, jackfruit and condensed milk. A healthy pour of rose syrup imparts a lovely floral flavor as well as a soft pink hue.

5177-A Buford Highway NE, Doraville. 470-359-4899

Shaved ice at Meet Fresh

You’ll find Meet Fresh, a national chain, in the H Mart shopping center in Doraville. The minimalist cafe specializes in Taiwanese desserts like milk tea tofu pudding and purple rice soup. On a hot day, however, the black sugar boba milk shaved ice is a treat, both visually and for the taste buds. Powdery-soft, fluffy ice is piled mountain-high and topped with a heaping pile of black sugar boba, red beans and springy caramel pudding (akin to flan). A scoop of vanilla ice cream sits on top. It’s like boba milk tea in shaved ice form, making it refreshing yet sweet.

6035 Peachtree Blvd., Atlanta. 678-691-9986, meetfresh.us

Halo halo at Kamayan ATL

There are many reasons to visit Kamayan ATL, the colorfulFilipino restaurant that recently moved into a larger space next door to its original location. When the heat is sweltering, its halo halo rises to the top of the list. Served in a parfait glass, the eye-catching dessert features layers of shaved ice, condensed milk and a variety of jellies, including coconut and palm, along with tapioca and mung beans. Additional accouterments adorning the stack include a scoop of ube ice cream, a piece of flan and gummy candies.

5150 Buford Highway NE, Doraville. 678-938-3584, kamayanatl.com

🧊 Read more: Get the full list of five frozen treats to try in Atlanta.

Has your social media feed been taken over by so-called viral dumpling cooking hacks?

Dumplings have become the victim of the latest round of cooking shortcuts that claim to be easier and faster than the original technique. Deconstructed dumpling lasagnas and no-fold skillet wontons are taking the place of slow-cooker barbecue and single-pan “dump” meals.

At their worst, these cooking hacks produce an inferior result without being much easier than the original method. And, even at their best, most shortcuts strip the original dish of its integrity.

For home cooks who want to replicate the flavors of their favorite dumplings, it’s daunting to attempt the real thing. Videos of deft hands expertly folding delicate xiao long baos with an equal and uniform number of pleats intimidate even the most experienced chefs.

The best way to confront that fear is exposure therapy — in this case, eating your way through Atlanta’s diverse and abundant dumpling scene. At some of the metro area’s top spots for dumplings, diners can watch cooks make them in real time or chat directly with the chefs about their methods.

Candy Hom, AJC contributor and chef of Soupbelly, writes that she makes an average of 2,000 dumplings per month and have taught dozens of dumpling classes. In her latest piece for the AJC, she offers her own dumpling-making insights gained from years of experience.

🥟 Read more: 5 lessons home cooks can learn from Atlanta’s best dumplings, along with where to get them.

Chicken Caesar burgers make for an excellent weeknight meal. The burgers come together quickly and, because the dressing is so flavorful, it does most of the heavy lifting — no need to pull out a long list of ingredients.

💡 Bottled Caesar salad dressing touches each component of the chicken burgers

The best way to build flavor in chicken Caesar burgers is to add salad dressing in as many places as possible. Work a little bit into the burger patties, use it to dress the lettuce and spread it on the buns in lieu of mayonnaise or ketchup. Not only does it supply tangy, sweet and umami-filled notes across the dish, it also provides richness in the otherwise lean meat.

💡 Lean on Parmesan cheese for even more umami in chicken Caesar burgers

Store-bought ingredients like Caesar dressing are excellent shortcuts, but sometimes they can taste a little bit flat. It’s often necessary to amplify at least one of its ingredients to make the dish taste its best. In this case, we’re boosting its umami notes with Parmesan cheese. For maximum flavor, I recommend using Parmigiano-Reggiano and finely grating it yourself, but if budget doesn’t allow, you can use a domestic Parmesan.

💡 Broiling is the best way to cook tender chicken burger patties

While it is certainly possible to sear or grill chicken burgers, I prefer to cook these under the broiler. Broiling is hands-free, so you have time to assemble the salad topping, and, because the patties are cooked on a sheet pan, the patties are given some support before they firm up.

🍔 Get the full recipe for these 30-minute chicken Caesar burgers