Breakfast for Dessert

• Ice cream shops such as Humphrey Slocombe in San Francisco have made a name for themselves by incorporating breakfast cereals into their recipes. At home, instead of using the cereals as mix-ins, you can use them as toppings. Unsweetened cereals work just as well as sweetened varieties. You can also try granola or muesli as a dessert topping. Even simple wheat germ adds a welcome crunch to an ice cream sundae.

Crunchy and Salty

• A touch of salt adds a pleasant contrast to sweet and creamy ice cream. And an element of crunch also offsets the smoothness of a cold and creamy dessert. Some forward-thinking dessert chefs sprinkle large crystals of sea salt directly upon the ice cream. But if such a strategy is a bit too much for you, try a salty snack on top of your sundae instead. Chopped-up pretzel sticks make a fine dessert topping. So does simple popcorn. Caramel corn, too, is a possibility, as is the salty-sweet concoction known as kettle corn.

Syrupy Sweet

• Not everything has to be about contrast, however. Sweet syrups made of chocolate and caramel are as traditional a topping as they come. It's worth exploring other sweet, syrupy toppings as well. Try a spoonful or two of pomegranate molasses, which is simply pomegranate juice and sugar reduced to a sticky condiment. Date syrup is another option. For a gourmet topping, try making a reduction from balsamic vinegar and drizzle it over your ice cream flavor of choice.

Fruity Options

• Fruit is another standard dessert topping option, from simple fresh berries to the ubiquitous maraschino cherry. It's worth trying a number of more uncommon variations on this theme as well. Macerate your choice of berry in champagne, red or white wine, rum, Grand Marnier or other liquor. You can also use orange juice or lemonade if you like. Or try a drizzle of quality extra-virgin olive oil plus a sprinkling of sea salt and lemon zest. It may sound unusual but it's surprisingly tasty. Try orange zest, too. Another option is to sprinkle freeze-dried strawberries or other fruit over ice cream, which provides both a sweet note and a crunchy texture at once.

Just a Sprinkle

• Colorful candy nonpareils aren't the only sprinkles that can top ice cream. Take a page from Mexican desserts and sprinkle a sundae with equal amounts of cayenne and cinnamon for a spicy finish. Or add crunch with crushed graham crackers, gingersnaps, vanilla wafers or any other cookie that appeals to your palate.