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.

Buttermilk Kitchen chef and founder Suzanne Vizethann knows a thing or two about breakfast. At her Buckhead restaurant, it’s been the main event for more than a decade, serving popular takes on everything from buttermilk biscuits and pancakes to fried chicken. For Better Breakfast Month, Vizethann shares a decidedly less buttery way to start the day: an easy chia pudding made with almond milk, vanilla, cardamom and maple syrup, then loaded with seasonal fruit and granola.

The best part may be that breakfast makes itself while you sleep.

Vizethann’s recipe is from her Buttermilk Kitchen Cookbook. It needs at least two hours in the refrigerator, but she recommends leaving it overnight. Chia seeds slowly absorb the almond milk, swelling and thickening it into a creamy pudding without any cooking required. Make a bowl before bed, and tomorrow morning’s biggest culinary undertaking is opening the refrigerator.

💡What is the best chia seed-to-milk ratio for chia pudding?

Chia pudding has very few rules, but this one matters.

Vizethann uses one half-cup chia seeds for two cups almond milk, or one part chia seeds to four parts liquid. It produces a thick pudding that can still be loosened if necessary.

💡How do you keep chia pudding from getting lumpy?

Chia seeds are tiny, but given the opportunity, they will band together. To prevent a clumpy mess, whisk the seeds thoroughly into the almond milk when making the pudding, paying particular attention to the bottom and sides of the bowl.

Giving everything another good stir about 10 minutes later helps break apart seeds that have started clumping as they hydrate. Then cover the bowl and let the refrigerator take over.

💡What are the best toppings for chia pudding?

Vizethann suggests peaches, blackberries and blueberries, but feel free to use any fruit you have on hand when you’re making it.

Early September in Georgia gives you an especially nice changing of the guard: the last of summer’s peaches and berries can make way for pears, apples, figs or whatever looks best at the market.

Vizethann reaches for granola, hemp seeds and raw cacao nibs. Toasted nuts, seeds or coconut would work, too. The chia pudding is creamy, and the fruit is soft, so something crunchy makes the bowl far more interesting.

🥣 Get the full recipe for Suzanne Vizethann’s Chia Pudding Bowl with Seasonal Fruit