When dessert feels unfinished, I look for small touches that make each serving feel more deliberate. These seven Publix toppings dress up ice cream and pie, whether I’m serving guests or treating myself.
Prices were checked at a Publix in Atlanta on November 14; they vary by store and change with each week’s ad.
1. Smucker’s Hot Fudge Topping
Warm fudge is my shortcut when a plain scoop or bakery pie slice needs to feel like a proper plated dessert. Microwave it as directed, then drizzle it over cold ice cream for that especially satisfying hot-and-cold contrast.
Taste: The chocolate flavor is rich and unmistakably fudgy. Heating loosens the thick topping into a smooth, pourable sauce that settles luxuriously over every scoop.
Make It Better: Pour it over vanilla ice cream beside a warm pie slice, letting a little sauce reach both.
Parting Thoughts: Chocolate lovers will find this jar genuinely useful, though lighter-dessert devotees may consider it too rich.
2. Smucker’s Magic Shell Magic Shell Chocolate Flavored Topping
For anyone who thinks texture makes a sundae, this chocolate-flavored topping turns from liquid to a breakable shell on ice-cold ice cream. It is particularly fun for family dessert nights because cracking the coating becomes part of the treat.
Taste: The topping delivers a rich chocolate flavor with a dramatic texture change. It pours smoothly, sets within seconds on frozen ice cream, and snaps when tapped with a spoon.
Make It Better: Shake it well before pouring, then break the shell into the ice cream so crisp chocolate runs through each bite.
Parting Thoughts: Choose this when crunch matters as much as chocolate flavor.
3. Reddi Wip Original Whipped Topping
Right before dessert hits the table, I add a fresh swirl of this refrigerated dairy whipped topping to sundaes and pie slices. Real cream is the first ingredient, and the aerosol can makes last-minute hosting considerably easier.
Taste: It has a sweet vanilla-cream flavor and a light, fluffy texture. The swirl is prettiest immediately after spraying, so I wait until everyone is ready to eat.
Make It Better: Shake the can and add the topping just before serving, then finish with a cherry or a restrained scattering of sprinkles.
Parting Thoughts: Last-minute dessert dressers get the most mileage from this easy refrigerated staple.
4. Smucker’s Strawberry Topping
A spoonful of this chunky strawberry sauce gives plain ice cream, cheesecake, or a simple pie a more fruit-forward finish. I reach for it when chocolate would overwhelm the dessert rather than improve it.
Taste: The sauce is sweet and distinctly strawberry flavored, with fruit pieces breaking up its velvety base. That chunkier texture makes it feel more substantial than a thin syrup.
Make It Better: Layer it over vanilla ice cream and add whipped topping or chopped nuts for contrasting creaminess and crunch.
Parting Thoughts: Fruit-first dessert eaters should appreciate this, while anyone avoiding sweeter berry sauces may want a lighter hand.
5. Publix Jumbo Maraschino Cherries
Nothing finishes a classic sundae faster than one bright maraschino cherry placed on top. The jumbo size gives ice cream and cream pies a cheerful focal point without requiring any prep.
Taste: These cherries are distinctly sweet, with the familiar maraschino flavor. Their firm texture stands apart from soft ice cream, whipped topping, and creamy pie fillings.
Make It Better: Add one after every other topping so it stays visible, and refrigerate the jar after opening.
Parting Thoughts: A jar is worth keeping around for classic presentation, but subtle-fruit purists can comfortably skip it.
6. Fisher Ice Cream Toppers, Nut Topping
Mixed chopped nuts bring welcome balance to desserts that already have plenty of sauce and cream. This blend includes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, Brazil nuts, filberts, pecans, pistachios, and macadamias, making it handy for sundaes or pie edges.
Taste: The assortment leans savory-sweet and nutty rather than candy-like. Its crisp crunch cuts through soft ice cream and creamy pie, though the varied nuts make it unsuitable for anyone with relevant allergies.
Make It Better: Sprinkle it over warm fudge just after drizzling so the pieces cling instead of collecting at the bottom of the bowl.
Parting Thoughts: For grown-up crunch and less one-note sweetness, this blend earns its spot.
7. Betty Crocker Rainbow Nonpareils Sprinkles – $2.74
Birthday energy costs very little with these tiny rainbow nonpareils, currently $2.74, down from $3.49. A light scattering dresses whipped cream, ice cream, or a pie slice without hiding the dessert underneath.
Taste: The beads are simply sweet, with a pronounced little crunch. Because they are small and firm, a modest amount provides plenty of texture and color.
Make It Better: Sprinkle them over whipped topping rather than directly onto a slick sauce so they stay visible and evenly distributed.
Parting Thoughts: Keep these for festive color and delicate crunch, not for anyone seeking a major flavor upgrade.
