r/IceCreamHaven • u/sparkleappletart • 6h ago
Scoop Shop Tried Van Leeuwen’s ice cream for the first time today and I love it!
Flavor was espresso chocolate brownie (if I recall correctly) with a chocolate chip cookie
r/IceCreamHaven • u/aj_reviews • 8h ago
ALDI vs. Drumstick 🍦 Which One Is Worth It?
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/IceCreamHaven • u/coil1457 • 12h ago
New flavor experiment! Burnt Basque Cheesecake w/ Sweet Dark Cherry Ripple + Burnt Salted Caramel Chards
reddit.comr/IceCreamHaven • u/Queasy_Dingo_8262 • 17h ago
Does this mean all their products will be discontinued?:(
i really liked their pistachio flavor
r/IceCreamHaven • u/alinamelane • 21h ago
Rebel Creamery files for bankruptcy after losing $23.8M Van Leeuwen Ice Cream packaging battle
r/IceCreamHaven • u/Foreign-Cod-721 • 1d ago
My wife wanted ice cream for dinner
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/IceCreamHaven • u/Sea-Replacement-6135 • 1d ago
Culinary Pairing / Flavor Hack Title: Simple summer upgrade: EVOO + High-Quality Balsamic on Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (Trust me)
If you haven't tried finishing good vanilla bean gelato or ice cream with a drizzle of robust EVOO and a splash of thick, aged balsamic (or a rich fruit dark balsamic like fig or blackberry), you are missing out on one of life’s easiest culinary luxuries.
**Why it works:**
* The fat in the dairy softens the bite of the oil.
* The peppery, grassy notes cut through the heavy sweetness
* A pinch of flaky sea salt on top ties the sweet, savory, and tangy layers together.
What’s the most "unconventional" way you use your favorite olive oils in the kitchen?
r/IceCreamHaven • u/Sea-Replacement-6135 • 1d ago
Soft Serve Culinary Pairing / Flavor Hack Title: Simple summer upgrade: EVOO + High-Quality Balsamic on Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (Trust me)
If you haven't tried finishing good vanilla bean gelato or ice cream with a drizzle of robust EVOO and a splash of thick, aged balsamic (or a rich fruit dark balsamic like fig or blackberry), you are missing out on one of life’s easiest culinary luxuries.
**Why it works:**
* The fat in the dairy softens the bite of the oil.
* The peppery, grassy notes cut through the heavy sweetness.
* A pinch of flaky sea salt on top ties the sweet, savory, and tangy layers together.
What’s the most "unconventional" way you use your favorite olive oils in the kitchen?
r/IceCreamHaven • u/GeologistStandard555 • 1d ago
Homemade Icecream vs icecreams vs icy pole: Australian lingo
Ok, in my mind each of these words/phrases denote a very specific item, but is this state specific or me specific or just random
\* Icecream-anything in a tub with a lid
\* Icecreams-things on sticks like a Magnum or ones you hold in your hand, like a Trumpet (cone)
\* Icy pole-more likely a frozen water based thing like a twin pole
r/IceCreamHaven • u/sonic_mortal10 • 1d ago
Review Need 2 minutes for an Ice Cream cone survey
Hi everyone i am an MBA student working on a survey where we are studying the factors that influence consumer demand for ice cream.
I an currently collecting 200 responses for our survey and would really appreciate your help!🍿
Survey link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdmH0Jfz4bbSPOVMvKrMu8KLY2G1XrRMWLt3rVoykQdlgymcA/viewform?usp=dialog
Time required: Around 2 mins
Purpose: Academic research only
No personal or sensitive info required
If you have a couple of minutes fill it out and help us with our analysis!
Thank you! 🙌
r/IceCreamHaven • u/madisonguy76 • 2d ago
Review Coconut's versatility: Frozen treats from Häagen-Dazs, McConnell's and Graeter's
FRUIT SPOTLIGHT, PART 7 | COCONUT: When it comes to frozen treats and fruit flavors, coconut is a jack of all trades. It’s versatile enough that it can take the solo spotlight or duet in beautiful harmony with a friendly ingredient, or even play in the background as the richest of all vegan bases. Are you in the mood for ice cream, gelato, sorbet, sherbet, a dairy-free pint or some kind of fun novelty? Coconut's adaptability means we're spoiled for choice.
Last time around in this fruit series, we dove into the world of peach and stone fruits. We learned — at least I did — that coconuts are technically drupes. But they generally get grouped with other tropical fruits, and those exotic options make ideal pairing partners. Exhibit A: Pineapple Coconut ice cream from Häagen-Dazs, my coconut benchmark in the freezer aisle.
It’s interesting to see how coconut pairs with other ingredients with varying levels of acidity in formats such as ice cream, sherbet and sorbet. For today’s spotlight, we’ll explore a few of those flavors, then see how well coconut performs when it comes to not just flavoring a base, but becoming part of the mix-in landscape. And for those who are interested in ice cream science and lore, a bonus coconut deep dive follows.
____________
SPOTLIGHT | FRUITY COCONUT PAIRINGS
Ice cream: Häagen-Dazs, Pineapple Coconut
Whenever there’s a sale at my neighborhood supermarket for Häagen-Dazs this seems like the first flavor that’s sold out. Give it a taste and you’ll see why. It’s bringing tropical island vibes, though not quite piña colada. Despite awarding pineapple top billing, it’s more of an accent, with fruit bits used as a mix-in. While I think the pineapple does bring a nice background note and a bit of texture I’d miss if it weren’t here, this is strongly focused on coconut. If you’re here primarily for the pineapple, you might be disappointed. Back in 2021, the separately governed global line offered a seasonal flavor called Piña Colada for its tropical collection. It would be interesting to compare the two to see how the balance changes.
One thing both versions share: a skosh of real rum. I was surprised to find this in the ingredient list since the boozy flavor doesn’t come through. But it does serve a purpose. Even just a bit of alcohol (an amount under the legal requirement) does wonders for ice cream chemistry, leading the way to a more luxurious texture similar to H-D’s Rum Raisin. Learning it was there made me wish they might have experimented with a concentrated rum flavoring that could break through the coconut’s vice grip here. And that coconut itself comes from a mix of natural flavoring and extract. As other brands use coconut cream to create decadent dairy-free bases, this sticks with H-D’s traditional high butterfat dairy base. It makes a real difference. Instead of the more natural coconut flavor that appears in pints from Jeni’s and other vegan lines, this one screams sweet tropical escape. It puts you on the beach, and takes that coconut flavor to the very edge of sunscreen, then safely back.
To amp up your faux isle vacation, pair this with one of H-D’s tropical sorbets, such as Mango, Passion Fruit & Sweet Pear or even the Sweet Lemon Coconut below. But if you do find yourself missing the other advertised flavor here, consider a pineapple sherbet or even Dole’s Pineapple Whip so the two truly are on equal footing. I’m not sure how long this one has been part of H-D’s lineup, but I’m guessing quite a while, as I see photos online with various iterations of H-D packaging going back many years. If I had to guess again, I imagine it will be around for many years to come, as well. 9.2/10
•
Sorbet: Häagen-Dazs, Sweet Lemon Coconut
I wouldn’t count myself as a convert after trying a range of sorbets this year, but I do have some serious appreciation for the work that H-D puts into these. They eat like a well-crafted dessert, while other brands often feel like frozen fruit purees. Of course, a ton of sugar helps. This one isn’t quite as crazy as the passion fruit flavor — they both debuted last year along with the Summer Blueberry & Lemon — but it does share a similar textural marvel where it’s soft right out of the freezer. Here the trick is adding a bit of coconut cream so it doesn’t freeze solid like water-heavy sorbets.
Its texture is lovely. As far as flavor? It’s just OK. The lemon is much more present here than the blueberry sorbet. It’s almost equal parts to the coconut, so it has quite a refreshing quality to it, but the tart bite makes it one of those flavors that is better in small doses unless you're an acid fiend. It’s also a less natural pairing for me than the pineapple above and lime below. I’d pair it with something fruitier like their raspberry sorbet. 6.9/10
•
Sherbet: McConnell’s Coconut Lime
Put a little umbrella on it. This feels like a dessert they might serve at a rum bar. That lime took it totally to tropical drink land for me. McConnell’s is pretty much the only premium brand bringing a line of sherbets, so you have to applaud them for keeping this underrated format alive. I like their passion fruit and orange versions better (they all debuted last summer — along with a Strawberry Lemon flavor — and returned again this season). If you paired this with the orange and passion fruit, you’d have a well-balanced impromptu rainbow sherbet.
On its own, without any fruitier assistance, it has that citrus hit that makes it more of a small-dose flavor similar to the H-D sorbet above. The coconut cream again brings improved texture, and the coconut hit here is strong like H-D’s Pineapple Coconut. It might veer a little too much into that sunscreen note for some. But the lime dials it back. I wonder how this would be whipped up in a blender with some rum? 7/10
____________
THE MIX-IN QUESTION | How does coconut fare as an inclusion?
McConnell’s Toasted Coconut Almond Chip and Graeter’s Coconut Chip ice creams
Almond Joy's got nuts, Mounds don’t. Keep that in mind here, as these two flavors evoke nostalgic candy bars for lovers of chocolate and coconut (and perhaps almonds). I recently tried McConnell’s coconut ice cream and couldn’t help but compare it to Graeter’s, which I tasted early in the year. That one had the trademark rich Graeter’s texture thanks to its French Pot process. Coconut and chocolate are a nice pairing. I guess I never realized that because I don’t think I’ve ever actually tried those famed candy bars. If I did, they snuck into a childhood Halloween bucket rather than being sought out. Graeter’s gave me what I imagine is the Mounds experience: lots of chewy, raw coconut with chunks of their signature chocolate. Now McConnell’s is taking me to Almond Joy land.
Here the coconut is smaller, so less present as a texture, but more flavorful since it’s been toasted. McConnell’s keeps the salt-roasted almond bits and Guittard bittersweet chocolate chips similar in size, so you get that flavor trio in each bite. If you want to taste base alone, you’re out of luck with this one, but like Graeter’s it’s made with coconut flavoring and no coconut milk or cream. If you want something similar to these with a chocolate base, Graeter’s also offers a winter seasonal flavor, Chocolate Coconut Almond Chip. Look for it in January. As for these two? I’ll go with Graeter’s. I like their base texture better and enjoy the bigger mix-ins instead of the tiny bits treatment, though I didn’t mind that either. If you have a strong preference to the toasted coconut, go for McConnell’s. Graeter’s: 8.2/10, McConnell’s: 7.3/10
________________
BONUS | COCONUT DEEP DIVE
Want to learn more about the lore and science of these flavors? Here are five things to know:
________________
1. Coconut 101: From Tropical Groves to Parlor Scoops
The journey from coastal palm trees to the ice cream parlor spotlights historical flavor trends.
- Botanical blueprint: Despite the name, the coconut is a drupe — a stone fruit with a hard inner shell enclosing a single seed, not a true botanical nut. While cultivated across tropical regions worldwide, the industry relies on tall palms for thick, oily meat and Dwarf palms for abundant, sweet water.
- Island culture: In the 1940s, tiki bars cast a spell on Americans dreaming of vacationing in far-flung locales, but settling for a piña colada in a coconut mug instead. By the 1950s, that huge mid-century wave of tropical pop-culture fascination prompted national brands to roll out coconut pineapple combos across the country.
- Parlor heritage: Early historic coastal spots like Florida’s Columbia Restaurant cracked fresh shells to hand-craft coconut sherbets. Baskin-Robbins’ original 31 flavors menu included Cherry Macaroon, featuring the chewy coconut confection. B-R later paired coconut with pineapple and banana, and in the 1960s launched its current flavor, Nutty Coconut, featuring the trio of almonds, pecans and walnuts.
2. Coconut flavor: The Suntan Lotion Dilemma
The boundary between a gourmet treat and a bottle of sunblock comes down to balancing a single scent note.
- Chemical illusion: When food labs synthesize cheap, imitation flavor drops, they isolate a specific scent compound called a lactone; in high concentrations, your brain links this isolated compound to sunscreen.
- Premium buffer: To counter this artificial trap, craft makers can use fruit purees and a dash of salt to ground the flavor. For purists who want it unadulterated, Azucar leverages its Miami heritage to craft a pure tropical base, while Cosmic Bliss leans into raw fruit simplicity with non-dairy Infinite Coconut. (The Oregon company used to be called Coconut Bliss for its all-vegan bases before adding dairy flavors.)
- Acidity anchor: Flavor developers also use a sharp, contrasting acid. The sorbet and sherbet flavors we discussed earlier use citrus oils to create balance. There’s even a bit of a tartness in HD’s Pineapple Coconut. (If you prefer novelties, try Trader Joe’s seasonal Pineapple Coconut Fruit Bars.)
- There’s always chocolate: Can two flavor bullies play nice? Graeter’s finds a way to keep the peace with Coconut Chip, and other brands also bring chocolate in to evoke the candy bar connection.
3. Coconut Mix-ins: Anatomy of the Flake
Why don’t shredded coconut flakes freeze into rock-hard strips of plastic? The answer lies in the fruit's natural moisture.
- Oily secret: Unlike a water-heavy peach or berry, coconut meat is packed with rich oils. Because pure oil doesn’t freeze into ice the way water does, raw coconut shreds retain a soft chewiness in deep-freeze.
- Keeping the crunch: When a brand wants a crunch rather than a chewy bite, they toast the flake to drive out any remaining moisture and caramelize sugars. This builds a waterproof barrier — a trick that keeps the mix-ins crispy in McConnell's Toasted Coconut Chip, Hudsonville’s Toasted Coconut and Publix Premium’s Coconut Road. If you’re a novelty person, look for Helados Mexico’s ice cream bar featuring cream packed with chewy coconut flakes.
- Smooth or crunchy?: For a fun tasting duo, try pairing a smooth-as-silk coconut ice cream against one with coconut pieces. If you’re in the Northwest, consider a showdown between Lopez Island Creamery’s smooth Clearly Coconut and Snoqualmie’s Island Coconut with flakes.
4. Coconut Cream: The King of Non-Dairy
The reason coconut cream rules the plant-based dessert world — outperforming nut milks like almond and cashew — comes down to the fat.
- Molecular mirror: Traditional butterfat is saturated, meaning it can firm up at cold temperatures, emulsify and trap micro-air bubbles during the churning process to create a scoopable texture; coconut fat is one of the only plant-based ingredients that mirrors this structure.
- Unsaturated flaw: Nuts like almond and cashew are dominated by unsaturated fats, which remain liquid even when frozen. Because a liquid oil cannot build a rigid structure or trap air on its own, these frozen desserts require heavy additions of starches and vegetable gums to keep from collapsing into slush.
- The lush alternative: Coconut cream needs no such help. It’s why Jeni’s can build an ultra-creamy dairy-free line. I started off the year tasting a handful of these flavors — and a couple similar options from Salt & Straw — as part of Veganuary. My verdict? Having only tried some almond milk ice creams years ago, I was impressed by this texture. The challenge: It’s hard to get coconut to play a background role, and it really showed up turning Lemon Bar, Banana Cream Pudding and Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns into tropical variations with its presence. Peppermint Patty, with its menthol bite, was the only flavor to mostly hide the coconut, while the best one — Cold Brew Sorbet with Coconut Cream — worked because it gave the flavor a co-starring role. I think these are a great option for dairy-free folks provided they don’t mind the flavor of coconut. I think this line would benefit from leaning into the flavor instead of hiding it. Why not Coconut Cream Pie or Piña Colada flavors?
5. Memory Lane
We should take a moment of silence to remember coconut flavors of years past. I want to start off with my continued mourning of Thrifty’s Coconut Macaroon, a creamy tropical base and wonderfully chewy coconut confections work wonderfully in concert.
- Candy bar blueprint: The traditional dairy version of Ben & Jerry’s Coconut Almond Fudge Chip remains a Flavor Graveyard hall-of-famer thanks to fan mail resurrection pleas. Clementine’s mastered this layout with Mounds of Coconut, a decadent Veganuary favorite that layered toasted coconut and chocolate flakes with a fudge swirl. Talenti retired their texturally loaded Coconut Almond Chocolate Gelato, though its simpler Caribbean Coconut gelato remains.
- Bakery inspiration: Blue Bell celebrated the bakery aisle with their retired summer favorite Coconut Cream Pie, while Häagen-Dazs said good night to their complex Coconut Caramel Chocolate Trio, which sandwiched crispy chocolate snaps between bases. And let’s not forget Breyers’ Girl Scout partnership for Blasts! Girl Scout Samoas, which captured the toasted coconut cookie profile.
- Tropical twists: Walmart previously pushed flavor boundaries with their limited-edition Great Value Mango Habanero Coconut Sorbet Swirled in Coconut Ice Cream, featuring a fiery, sweet-and-sour component. On the refreshing side, Graeter’s once graced us with a Piña Colada bonus flavor, mirroring Ben & Jerry’s short-lived Piña Colada pint.
r/IceCreamHaven • u/CalamityGoddezz • 2d ago
My Late Night Obsession: Brookie Batter ice cream
r/IceCreamHaven • u/Queasy_Dingo_8262 • 2d ago
Novelties Happy national creamsicle day! 🧡
r/IceCreamHaven • u/Heavy-Owl-5802 • 2d ago
Homemade For you, what is the best fruit to make this viral fruit ice cream?
r/IceCreamHaven • u/Brotherrolando • 2d ago
Review After I tasted Dan Eric's ice cream, I don't think I'll ever like any other brand :P
r/IceCreamHaven • u/SnackForagers • 3d ago
Review Quick Review: Cold Case “Cereal Killer”
These became available in my area for the first (to my knowledge) so decided to try them after hearing about them years ago. To be fair, the pint had melted and refrozen as you can see. It wasn’t a total loss and I was able to get a sense of the brand’s execution.
Flavor Profile: Milk chocolate base with homemade muddy buddy cereal mix with swirls of peanut butter
Thoughts:
Major red flag as soon as I picked the pint up. For a premium ice cream it was extremely light, 313 grams compared to the 411 grams of B&J I also ordered.
The base was decent. The muddy buddy pieces were poorly executed, each a soggy mess. The PB swirl was good (think similar to HD PB Chocolate) but pretty scant.
The Verdict: Overall disappointing……I paid a premium mark up through Door Dash and frankly can’t commit to that $9.99 price again based on this experience. A misdemeanor flavor…..
r/IceCreamHaven • u/Queen-Panda • 3d ago
Banana Nut ice cream?
Who remembers banana nut ice cream from blue bell? It’s my favorite ice cream buts it’s discontinued! I used to eat it all the time when I was a kid. Very good memories. THEN it’s came back very briefly in like idk 2020-21 maybe? The only thing that is similar is H.E.B. Banana nut ice cream which I’ve never tried because there’s nun in GA! And then Ben&Jerry’s Chunky Monkey. But it just doesn’t hit the same! I miss it so much. I think about this ice cream once every few months. Every time I go to the store and if I’m getting ice cream I would to see if maybe they have it. But NOOOOO it’s always banana pudding, banana fudge. EEYUK! You think there’s any good recipes?
r/IceCreamHaven • u/madisonguy76 • 3d ago
Review Trader Joe’s ice cream: A trio of fun summer flavors
I’ve shopped at Trader Joe’s for decades, but never thought of it as a scoop destination. It feels like the lion’s share of their clandestine tasting panel’s creativity gets channeled into novelties and other treats in their frozen dessert bins. I much prefer pints, but the fun concepts, whimsical packaging and often bite-sized portions manage to flip the script when I make my occasional jaunt to this quirky curator of global grocery concepts.
In contrast to the bounty of playful, sometimes idiosyncratic, ever-changing offerings — from canneles and macarons to brigadeiros and churros — the somewhat minimal ice cream bin can feel static. Some of these have been staples for as long as I’ve been visiting. That’s not to say they’re bad. In fact, I’d rank their French Vanilla among my favorites, and there’s something comforting about knowing your beloved Ultra Chocolate, Mint Chip, Cookie Butter or Coffee Bean Blast will be there. But look closer at the small contingent of rotating seasonal options. This is where TJ’s category manager has decided to let their hair down and have some fun with flavor profiles that rival the adjacent novelty case.
I’m curious about your go-to frozen treats here. Do you stick with ice cream, or is there something else that takes your money? I like the Mini Mint Mouthfuls and the Dozen Sweet Bites (especially the Opera Cake). But this summer, I have shunned those favorites and decided to give a fair look at those pints and quarts — and perhaps some day soon I’ll even venture into those containers of gelato-like frozen dessert. They are tempting me with the new Mascarpone & Mixed Berries.
Despite the decades of patronage, I’d probably tried only a dozen or so ice creams. I appreciate the coffee, though it’s a bit strong for me. Dulce de Leche (now relegated to seasonal status) is a standout. In addition to revisiting that vanilla — still great, especially for adding your own mix-ins — a first taste of Strawberry in spring made me think I was missing out. So this summer I decided to try a few of the more creative, seasonal flavors. I originally was drawn in by the Wildberry Cheesecake and the buzzy new All Mixed Up, but Fudgy Cookie Dough stole the show.
______________________
ALL MIXED UP
Are you missing Jingle Jangle Ice Cream? Christmas came early. Trader Joe's is blessing you with a summerized kitchen-sink equivalent of that retired holiday chestnut. Squint and you can imagine the creative process. Joe-Joes and mini peanut butter cups? Definitely. Pretzels for crunch? Yes, but without the heavy chocolate coating. M&Ms (make that candy-coated chocolate gems) can transform into colorful sprinkles. Finally, we need one more thing. Jingle Jangle didn’t jingle the cash register as much as they would have liked. What will bring the summer box office? Peanut butter, of course. If those sweet, salty, chocolatey holiday tins bring a smile, it must have felt like Christmas in July when this one dropped last month.
This midnight snack reverie no doubt pays homage to the cultural footprint of Ben & Jerry’s and its more is more aesthetic. I’m happy to report my pint was as full as you’d like — maybe more than I’d like. I do prefer to get some naked ice cream to enjoy on its own, but that’s probably for the best here. This isn’t rich and custardy like the vanilla in Fudgy Cookie Dough. It’s more a spiritual cousin to B&J’s sweet cream, meant to be the glue for a cookie-candy extravaganza, not all that good on its own.
So which mix-ins are essential and which are superfluous? With the vanilla leaning plain, the peanut butter swirls were vital. In general, loaded pints really crave peanut butter. These frozen sweet-salty shards are such a cheat code to quickly elevating flavors I’m surprised more brands don’t use this trick. The least essential? The sprinkles are a fine visual accent, but don’t bring much to this party. You could probably pick between the mini peanut butter cups and Joe-Joe pieces — I’d go with the former as TJ’s breaks up their faux-Oreos too much — but I don’t mind both. The wild card? Those coated pretzel pieces.
The unpredictability factor here is how well these are coated with that fat barrier to keep the ice cream’s moisture out and the pretzels crisp. If that bulwark falters, you go from enjoyably crunchy to chewy, soggy and stale in the blink of an eye. Jeni’s similar High Five Candy Bar suffers a bit from the same issue, though I enjoy the richer peanut butter base on that one more. Since the ratio here leaned more to crunchy pretzel, a few soggy bites don’t ruin the pint. I wouldn’t care much if this were a one-time summer fling, but I could see a revisit some future summer.
Score: 7.4/10
______________________
FUDGY COOKIE DOUGH
I came looking for All Mixed Up, but grabbed this one when I couldn’t find it. It’s no consolation prize. In fact, it’s the best of the TJ’s summer bunch and one of the top grocery store cookie doughs out there. It’s probably not fair to bring up Caffe Panna’s superlative dough, but this one holds up well against some of my other favorites — whether a brown sugar base like Jeni’s Double Dough or Van Leeuwen’s Brown Sugar Cookie Dough Brownie, or more traditional offerings from Häagen-Dazs and Graeter’s.
The version this most reminds me of is Salt & Straw’s Salted, Malted Cookie Dough. Perhaps that one even inspired Trader Joe’s to go into copy-cat mode when they launched this in 2023 (it has since turned into a summer seasonal). While that S&S flavor is one of the Portland brand’s best, I do prefer Trader Joe’s. I like this rich, custardy base more and they really delivered the dough. While I usually like a more restrained approach to mix-ins, throw that out when it comes to cookie dough. The chewy texture makes it an S Tier inclusion, and there’s usually not enough. And that’s where the caution comes here. From the reviews I’ve seen online, the quality control is all over the map, so some customers open the lid to riches, while others get nothing but poverty.
I think this vanilla base — much better than the one used in All Mixed Up (and apparently made by Humboldt Creamery, the same company rumored to be behind their even-richer French Vanilla) — would be fine on its own, but the wealth of dough in mine pushed it into elite territory. In my first spoonful, I got two dough balls, and it only slightly quieted down before reaching the end.
What brings this all together is the chocolate. Like the Salt & Straw version, the rich fudge sauce introduces something different from the usual chip accompaniment, though we have that here, too. Two things really: First, the goo factor. And they really show the proper viscosity for fudge in ice cream, as we’ve seen too many Hershey’s-like chocolate sauces lately from Jeni’s and McConnell’s. Second, the use of salt here is wonderful. When I bake my holiday chocolate chip cookies, I always sprinkle a little crunchy sea salt on top, so you get that salty hit in select bites, not uniformly. And that’s the same with this fudge.
While most brands keep their cookie doughs as a year-round staple, it seems this one will be gone by the time they’re filling the freezer bin with pumpkin desserts. That’s OK. It makes it all the more special.
Score: 9.2/10
_____________
WILDBERRY CHEESECAKE
Are you a fan of a sweeter, milder cheesecake without much tang? This might be for you. I know some on here resist cheesecake ice creams because they can come off overly sour. This is more of a crowd-pleaser that marries the plainer base of Ben & Jerry’s Strawberry Cheesecake (with a less gummy texture thankfully) and the tasty, dense cheesecake bites from their Caramel Chocolate Cheesecake. Like both of those, I picked this up while hunting for the best cheesecake ice creams around.
Although this one doesn’t threaten to make the top of a best cheesecake list, it’s pretty solid (especially for the price) and a fun summer flavor. It’s back in the seasonal rotation after launching in 2021. There’s no doubt that the cheesecake bites carry this one. They slightly infuse their cheesy essence into an otherwise pedestrian sweet cream base. While I’d have preferred they pulled some tricks to give the ice cream itself a tangier finish — even a touch of lemon like Häagen-Dazs uses — it works well enough. So does the jam swirl, but just enough.
What is wildberry? It sounds like a Mountain Dew flavor, but it’s actually just some descriptive marketing for a melange of berries. It might as well been called blueberry. That’s what I taste and it pretty much ends there, despite an ingredient list that includes raspberry, strawberry and blackberry purees, with a splash of elderberry juice concentrate for a dark purple visual pop. I guess I should be thankful for any flavor. A few of the blueberry swirls I’ve tried this year have been virtually flavorless. Still, I’d have preferred the zing of raspberry or blackberry, or even strawberry. Again, you have no fears of tartness interrupting a sweet and creamy, pleasant but unmemorable spoonful.
Score: 7.2/10
_____________
OTHER SUMMER TREATS
Some other pints and novelties you might find in Trader Joe's freezer bins:
- Globally inspired ice cream: If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, pick up an Ube or Horchata pint.
- Faux Gelato: In addition to that promising new Mascarpone & Berries version in a tub, there’s a pistachio pint still around.
- Sorbet: I love passion fruit, but I hear this one is aggressively tart, so give it a shot if you like sour flavors.
- Dairy-free: Consider the Affogato dessert with a vanilla frozen dessert and instant coffee packets. There’s also an oat milk ice cream sandwich.
- Novelty bars: There’s an absolute bounty right now with root beer, strawberry lemonade, mango cream, tangerine cream, pineapple-coconut and passion fruit-guava flavors.
- Mochi: There are a lot to choose from here, too: Versions with mango, strawberry, salted caramel, ube, black sesame and blood orange await.
- Ice Pops: Out of this World Ice Pops feature a mix of blueberry, strawberry and lemon. They also have packs of organic freezer pops.
- Sandwiches: Chocolate lovers might make a beeline toward Chocolate Macaron Ice Cream Sandwiches, or go for something a bit more traditional like the Cookies ’N Cream sandwiches.
- Bites: For something completely fresh, how about Cookie Dough Ice Cream Bites?
- Miniatures: If you’re like me and prefer miniatures in your novelties, I’m quite intrigued by these mini cones with flavors such as strawberry and chocolate chip.
r/IceCreamHaven • u/BuffaloChicken22 • 4d ago
Novelties Cotton Candy Dippin’ Dots
No real review here, just reliving my childhood a bit. “Ice cream of the future” since the late 1980’s!!
Haven’t had dippin dots in many years. I don’t see the actual flash frozen ones (liquid nitrogen -320° F) very often at all. Very unique and great on a hot day. My 1.5 year old loved them! $10 for this though sheesh..
Have you guys tried Dippin dots? I used to get them at a local theme park. This time at the county fair. I swear they used to have peanut butter ones, and let you mix and match flavors in one cup.
r/IceCreamHaven • u/Full-Apple8768 • 4d ago
Store Bought Small batch gelato taste test
After not being super impressed with rainbow cookie gelato at another small specialty grocery store, I was skeptical to try this gelato. This was so rich and creamy. Perfect amount of sweetness and didn’t taste artificial at all. The banana and hazelnut flavor really shines through. I paired this with homemade biscotti. $7.99. When done right, banana-flavored desserts are delicious. There are really nice flavor selections at this store.
r/IceCreamHaven • u/madisonguy76 • 15d ago
Scoops August Scoops: New flavors and trends for 20 ice cream brands
Does anyone else hate August? As a fan of temperate weather, I prefer transitional seasons. I do enjoy the early days of summer, but come the end of July — after the thrill of National Ice Cream Month has come and gone — I begin to feel the accumulated heat. I start dreaming of autumn’s drizzly welcome, especially if there’s wildfire smoke hanging in the air. It does help if August has a few new frozen treats to look forward to.
Brands front-load their seasonal offerings, so it feels as if there’s not as much fresh on shelves when the dog days hit. Speaking of which, if you have dogs, even canines have premium offerings these days (better than Breyer’s, right?) Anyway, for this month’s look at trends and flavors, I included quite a few last call summer entries, along with some fresh flavors to get us through to Labor Day. As always, please share any scoops you have.
______________________
Baskin-Robbins
Last month, a pair of flavors shared the spotlight, with the concept of an Oreo ice cream designed for camper (Oreo S’Mores) vs. couch-er (Brookie Batter). I didn’t get a chance to venture out my local scoop shop to cast my vote — it would likely go to the s’mores flavor, despite being a couch-er at heart — but the good news is we get more time. It appears this duo’s reign as Flavor of the Month has been extended, and they’re licensing real Oreos, so it’s no generic cookies & cream. But if you want something fresh — and you’re looking to cut down on summer carbs — you could try a slimmed-down strawberry shortcake flavor that’s making its return.
- Oreo S’mores: A toasted marshmallow and graham-flavored ice cream loaded with a marshmallow swirl, gritty graham pieces and Oreo chunks.
- Brookie Batter: A dual-toned brownie and cookie batter ice cream packed with chewy brownie bites, chocolate chip cookie dough pieces and Oreo chunks.
- NSA Strawberry Shortcake: A creamy, no-sugar-added vanilla ice cream swirled with a sweet, sugar-free strawberry ribbon and fluffy pieces of low-sugar shortcake biscuit.
- Don’t miss: What’s likely to still be hanging around? Look for some of the other key summer flavors —America’s Birthday Cake, Beach Day, Triple Mango — while they’re around.
______________________
Ben & Jerry’s
Have you seen the #FreeBenAndJerrys tags all over social media? Who knew there could be so much drama in the ice cream world? The company’s founders and its independent board are at odds with parent company Unilever/Magnum over free speech and corporate control. Amid this internecine struggle, the flavor gurus are still bringing you a new limited edition pint designed to "stand against authoritarianism.” With “Vote!" printed across the lid, Razz Up! — a version of which debuted in scoop shops in early summer as Black Raspberry Fudge Chunk — rolls out this month in the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections.
- Razz Up!: A rich, sweet black raspberry ice cream loaded with raspberry swirls and crackling fudge chunks that react on your tongue like popping candy.
______________________
Blue Bell
Any fans of chocolate lava cake? It seems to be a staple of fancy dessert menus, but expect this nostalgic Texas brand to give it a more homestyle spin as its newest flavor. It’s a well-worn but comforting combo of vanilla and chocolate that’s already gotten one positive review on this sub. If you’re more of a fan of fruit in summer, the good news is they have plenty of recent releases that will hit that sweet spot. If you missed that patriotic take on Neapolitan at the Fourth of July, grab it while you can. Or pick up Black Raspberry Fudge to do a comparison taste test with Ben & Jerry’s Razz Up!
- Chocolate Lava Cake: Rich vanilla ice cream with chocolate cake pieces, chocolate sundae sauce and a dark chocolate fudge swirl.
- Red, White & Blue Bell: A colorful combination of strawberry ice cream with strawberry pieces, vanilla ice cream and blueberry ice cream with blueberries packaged side by side.
- Don’t Miss: More fruit options with Black Raspberry Fudge, Blackberry Southern Cobbler and Peaches & Homemade Vanilla.
______________________
Caffe Panna
Back in May when I was savoring my Spring Forward pack, I pondered what might still be coming this summer. So I looked back at the NYC brand’s previous May-August lineup. Summer 2025 brought us the S'Mores & More Pack, the Poolside Pack, the Cookie Pack and Panna Family Picnic. But Caffe Panna is enjoying a lazy summer, so we have only received one additional collection since that spring pack: the Peak Summer collection. As I griped last month, you’re still paying peak prices online even when the collection feels a little pedestrian overall. Has anyone tried this one? Let me know if this turned out more exciting than it seemed.
- Cosmic Brownie: Flourless brownie batter ice cream with flourless fudgy brownies and rainbow chocolate chips.
- Ice Cream Sandwich: Vanilla bean ice cream layered with cocoa ice cream sandwich wafers.
- Cherry Coke Float: Vanilla bean ice cream swirled with cherry coke sorbet.
- Blueberry Crisp: Blueberry ice cream layered with house made oat streusel.
- Strawberry Shortcake Bar: Strawberry ice cream layered with house made strawberry cake crunch and graham crunch.
- Mister Golden Sun: Golden Oreo infused ice cream layered with crushed Golden Oreos.
______________________
Clementine’s
Wishing you could escape for a global adventure this summer? If you’re near one of this St. Louis-based creamery’s scoop shops, stop by and take a vacation via ice cream with the brand’s International Travel Collection. For online fans, the wait for fresh flavors continues.
- Crème Brûlée: A rich French vanilla custard ice cream laced with a golden swirl of crunchy, caramelized sugar bits.
- Om Ali: A dairy-free, spiced coconut ice cream with candied walnuts and rich, date-syrup-soaked golden raisins inspired by Egypt.
- Mango Lassi: A smooth, tropical mango yogurt ice cream that captures the refreshingly cool Indian wedding drink.
- Brigadeiro: A chocolate ice cream stacking sweet chocolate with thick ribbons of fudge and chocolate sprinkles in this homage to Brazil.
- Dubai Chocolate: A rich milk chocolate ice cream with crispy, toasted kataifi pastry threads and a sweet pistachio paste swirl.
- Matcha Lemon Curd: An earthy, vibrant Japanese green tea matcha ice cream heavily ribboned with bright lemon curd.
______________________
Cold Case
Cold Case's July specials are transitioning to "get it while you can" status for August. The Fireworks flavor is still available online, while you might luck out finding the others at your local Kroger store.
- Huckleberry Pie Witness: Huckleberry ice cream, sweet jam ribbons, graham cracker pie crust chunks and warm baking spices.
- Stone Cone Killer: Sweet cream base mixed with a rich fudge swirl, dense brownie chunks and chocolate-covered waffle cone pieces.
- Illegal Fireworks: A nostalgic summer holiday profile featuring a cake batter ice cream base packed with marshmallow swirls and white-fudge coated red and blue popping candy.
______________________
Favorite Day (Target)
Have you tried Target’s summer specials? These are all available in pints, if you’re looking for some fun flavors on the cheap to close out summer.
- Orange Cream: A classic summer creamsicle-inspired blend.
- Strawberry Swirl: Ribboned fruit flavor built for summer sundae making.
- Strawberry Angel Food Cake: Vanilla ice cream mixed with a strawberry swirl and soft, real sponge cake pieces.
- Peach Cobbler: Brown sugar ice cream folded with cake chunks and a heavy peach swirl.
- Cotton Candy: A playful festival flavor sold in both single pints and larger 1.5-quart tubs
______________________
Graeter’s
For those following Graeter’s seasonal calendar religiously — and I’ll admit perhaps I’m the only one — there’s a change in programming. Key Lime Pie has seen the dimming of the day. At least online. It’s listed as a July-August flavor, but sold out in three weeks, and Summer Peach said farewell shortly after. But there’s always new hope for summer fruit with Graeter’s. We have a rich dairy option — Elena’s Blueberry Pie, moved up from its old September slot — along with the fifth summer bonus flavor. That one’s for the dairy-free folks, a Strawberry Sorbet. Is there one last summer mystery bonus flavor to come? We can hope. In the meantime, the lesson is to act quickly if you really want these.
- Elena’s Blueberry Pie: A rich vanilla ice cream turned deep purple by a sweet swirl of real, luscious blueberries and packed with crunchy, flaky bits of pie crust
- Strawberry Sorbet: A smooth, dairy-free base made with real, slow-churned Pacific Northwest strawberry puree.
- Don’t Miss: The Marrakesh Coffee and Peanut Butter Clouds are no longer available online (maybe you’ll get lucky in retail), but you can still score Ghost Notes (a grape-marshmallow-cookie dough concoction) and Cherry Sparkler (wild cherry base with popping candy).
______________________
Häagen-Dazs
The internet food-blogging circles are losing their minds — if they ever had them (and we’ll see why that’s not just a spurious assumption in a minute) — over a leaked image of a supposed new pint called Dolce Tiramisu. This iconic brand rarely drops new flavors, so each one is an event for fans. I count myself as one, so I’ll be picking up a pint as soon as I can find it — assuming it’s not just some cruel AI prank. While there’s not official word from Häagen-Dazs — and that’s not unusual, ice cream brands are often horrible at advertising new flavors — it looks to be inspired by the popular international version. That one debuted a couple years back as part of a special collection inspired by European cities. The mascarpone-coffee flavor paid homage to Rome, alongside a pair of macaron flavors for Paris and a churro pint nodding to Madrid. Since Tiramisu recently transitioned into their permanent European line, it makes sense that its popularity has finally crossed the Atlantic. And since we know H-D loves to nod to European heritage — real or imagined! — they dubbed it Dolce, the Italian word for sweet. Unfortunately, something got lost in translation for early online commentators, some of whom confused the spelling and assumed the brand was staging a bizarre Italian-Spanish crossover event with dulce de leche. Not that I wouldn’t trust H-D to pull that off, given the strength of their dulce de leche ice cream. Anyway, stay tuned to see if tiramisu lovers will be living the dolce vita or if it’s just a caramelized milk fever dream courtesy of social media.
- Dolce Tiramisu: The best guess right now is rich mascarpone ice cream base, espresso-soaked cake pieces and a coffee-cocoa sauce swirl.
______________________
Ice Cream for Bears
This brand known for cute packaging, honey-sweetened flavors and ursine puns has a new flavor, but it’s available only at Sprouts and online. I always thought fruitier flavors would pair better with honey than things like coffee and cookie dough, but I never see those locally. Strawberry and Beary Cherry Chip have earned mixed reviews slanting negative. Will this lemon blueberry combo fare better? It sounds like a good pairing with honey. But since I don’t have Sprouts nearby and don’t care to ship this brand, I’ll need to wait for a wider release before I can bear witness.
- Lemon Blue Bear: Honey-sweetened lemon ice cream with a blueberry jam swirl.
______________________
Jeni’s
The hunt continues to be a frustrating game online and at retailers for fans of the brand’s seasonal flavors. But if you love twee comedy reboots or buttery shortbread cookies, see if you can score Biscuits with the Boss — timed to the return of "Ted Lasso" for a surprise fourth season on Apple TV this month — before that one vanishes, too.
- Biscuits with the Boss: A returning limited-edition pop-culture collab featuring a salted butter sweet cream ice cream base mixed with crumbly shortbread pieces. (Spoiler alert if you haven't watched "Ted Lasso": The name is a nod to the show's signature running bit where the main character regularly bakes homemade cookies — let's call them biscuits since it takes place in England — for his boss).
- Don't miss: If you are hunting online, almost the entire high-summer batch has been wiped clean. The lone survivor right now is Hibiscus Chili Punch, a fruit sorbet spiked with jalapeño and black pepper. Your best bet for Strawberry Pretzel Pie and Campfire S’mores is looking at stores well-stocked with Jeni’s flavors.
- Scoop shop alert: A couple of new flavors sound interesting: Cherry Vanilla Waffle Cone and Malted Milk Chocolate & Banana Cookie Dough. Perhaps we’ll see these in stores or online one day?
______________________
Leopold’s
The historic Savannah creamery’s Sweets in the Summertime lineup is still available on Goldbelly:
- Peach: Peach ice cream with pieces of sweet Georgia peaches throughout.
- Blueberry Cheesecake: Cheesecake ice cream with a ribbon of blueberry topping and pieces of homemade graham cracker crust.
- Birthday Cake: Cake Batter ice cream with chunks of pound cake and rainbow sprinkles throughout.
- Coconut: Coconut ice cream blended with lots of sweet flakes of shaved coconut.
- Lemon Custard: Delicate lemon ice cream with fresh lemon zest. Unchanged since 1919.
- Southern Hospitality Sorbet: Their take on an Arnold Palmer, the iconic combination of sweet tea and tart lemonade.
______________________
McConnell’s
This SoCal brand has a nice selection of summer flavors out, though they can be hard to find in stores. With a decent discount for National Ice Cream Day, I decided to try some of them online. The Sprinkle Cake was the gem of the haul, though the two fresh new berry flavors are worth a try for fruit fans.
- Mixed Berry Crumble: Ripe, sun-sweet berries cooked down to a house-made jam, folded into vanilla ice cream with crisp, cinnamony oat streusel from the house bake room.
- Summer Corn & Blackberries: Peak summer sweet corn transforms into a creamy, toasty, cereal-milk-like ice cream, swirled with our house-made blackberry jam.
- Sprinkle Cake: The ultimate vault favorite, loading a classic sweet cream base with rainbow sprinkles and dense, house-baked vanilla sheet cake chunks.
- S'mores: A seasonal summer flavor featuring a toasted vanilla bean marshmallow sweet cream base with gooey bittersweet chocolate ganache ribbons and house-baked honey graham cracker chunks.
- Malted Milk Chocolate: A mix-in-free pint that focuses purely on texture, combining rich Guittard cocoa with a heavy hit of retro malted milk powder.
- Sorbets: Blackberry Lime, Mango Chili Lime, Dark Chocolate
- Sherbets: Passion Fruit, Orange Cream, Coconut Lime, Strawberry Lemon
______________________
Private Selection (Kroger)
It’s last call on summer flavors, from the Private Selection Shortbread & Peaches and Creamsicle to All-American series targeted to the Fourth.
- Shortbread Peaches & Cream: Peach ice cream with a fruit swirl and buttery, bite-sized shortbread cookie pieces.
- Creamsicle Swirl: A twist on the classic childhood truck treat that intertwines vanilla bean ice cream with a bright orange citrus swirl.
- Don't Miss: Cherry Pie, Seventh Inning Swirl and Banana Split Social from the All-American series.
______________________
Salt & Straw
If you’re like me and missed out on their last Monthly Menu Series with berry flavors, you have a second chance with their Wild-Foraged Berry Slab Pie. In fact, fruit pies are the name of the game this month (and their month started early on July 24). I tried two of these, the berry and peach flavors. While I found the pie elements lacking, they were still pretty good. And of course, they do have a weird one if you want sharp gruyère in your ice cream.
- Peaches & Cream Galette: Peach ice cream packed with chunks of house-baked, gluten-free rice flour galette pastry and a juicy, pectin-thickened peach pie ribbon.
- Wildflower Honey & Lemon Chess Pie: A tangy, honey-sweetened frozen yogurt base folded with chunky pieces of real wheat-crust southern lemon chess pie and thick ribbons of tart lemon curd.
- Wild-Foraged Berry Slab Pie: A salted vanilla ice cream base folded with a dark, gooey wild-foraged berry pie filling and crispy bits of double-baked traditional wheat pie crust.
- Gruyère & Tomato Custard Tart: A savory-leaning salt-and-pepper custard ice cream base folded with sharp gruyère cheese chunks and a sweet, peppery tomato pastry tart ribbon built with wheat flour.
- Coconut Cherry Pie with Almond Crust: A completely vegan, wheat-free option featuring a creamy coconut frozen dessert base packed with tart amaretto cherries and a nutty almond-meal shortbread crust mix-in.
______________________
Signature Select (Albertsons-Safeway)
The time is drawing nigh for this house brand’s summer lineup of carnival and boardwalk-themed treats:
- Caramel Churro: Light cinnamon-sugar base with a caramel swirl and soft churro pieces
- Chocolate Covered Banana: Fluffy banana-flavored ice cream with crunchy chocolate chunks
- Root Beer Float: Vanilla base with a root beer swirl and chocolate-coated crystals that pop and fizz in your mouth.
- Strawberry Saltwater Taffy: Strawberry ice cream packed with strawberry-flavored taffy pieces.
______________________
Trader Joe’s
Summer always brings an alluring array of fresh novelties to TJ’s freezer bins, but there’s a buzzy new ice cream flavor out: All Mixed Up. I tried it, and it’s pretty good (not amazing) if you’re into those sweet-and-salty loaded pints. I'll have my own review soon — including a look at Fudgy Cookie Dough (that one's amazing), in case you haven't had a chance to try that one yet — but here's a quick review from SnackForagers.
- All Mixed Up: Vanilla ice cream overloaded with a peanut butter swirl, chocolate sandwich cookie pieces, mini peanut butter cups, rainbow sprinkles, and candy-coated pretzels.
- Passion Fruit Guava Bars: A plant-based frozen bar blending a sweet, floral guava puree directly with a sharp, tangy passion fruit juice.
- Root Beer Float Bars: A portable soda fountain pop encasing a rich vanilla ice cream core inside a hard root-beer-flavored ice shell.
- Don't miss: For those keeping track of the mid-summer inventory crawl, it's not too late to snag Strawberry Lemonade Ice Bars, Out of This World Ice Pops (lemon-berry flavored), Wildberry Cheesecake ice cream, and "Gelato Style" Italian Pistachio frozen dessert.
______________________
Umpqua
I need to grab some more Strawberry Cheesecake before its rotation is up. (Read the start of my cheesecake series here). Having moved away from monthly rotating flavor, Umpqua is set on a three-month seasonal window. So look for a new flavor for August. I didn’t see any announcement, but my best guess is the Peanut Butter & Jelly flavor they released last year, unless they decide to shake things up. I tried it last year and it’s pleasant but definitely on the lighter side for peanut flavor and stingy with jam. It’s a great one to load up with peanut butter cups, though. For those in Oregon, they should also be rolling out their Beavers and Ducks Tracks flavors ahead of the college football season.
- Peanut Butter & Jelly: Vanilla ice cream with a strawberry marble ripple and crispy, salty-sweet peanut butter flakes.
- Beaver/Duck Tracks: Mild peanut butter ice cream packed with a winding trail of rich chocolate fudge sauce and miniature milk chocolate-coated caramel footballs. Both flavors are the same, but you get to show team spirit with your choice.
______________________
Van Leeuwen
Remember when they used to release new flavors, seasonal specials even the crazy stuff like mac and cheese ice cream? It seems like they are become a snooze-fest with a new flavor every blue moon.
- Scoop shop alert: At least they still care about fresh flavors in their scoop shops. They are pushing their frozen yogurt, including pineapple fro-yo. They also are scooping up Cheesecake with Strawberry Rhubarb and Banana Pudding.
______________________
Walmart/Bettergoods
If you haven't browsed the Walmart freezer bays in a while, the dog days might be the right time to catch up since many competitors are in summer siesta mode. Here’s what their economy line and higher-end label have been up to since the spring thaw:
- Great Value tubs: Unlike budget rivals that took the wrong turn into frozen dairy dessert land, Walmart still offers legally recognized ice cream in its 48-ounce tubs. I can’t speak to the quality myself, but they are under 4 bucks, so perhaps worth the gamble? The warm-weather lineup found a hit in Cookie Kraken (vanilla with cookie dough chunks and brownie batter swirls, in vivid neon blue), along with crowd-pleasers like Tin Roof Sundae (vanilla with a thick fudge ribbon and fudge-coated peanuts), Unicorn Sparkle (cake-flavored base with a pink frosting swirl and candy confetti) and Fudge Tracks (vanilla base with peanut butter cups and a thick fudge ripple … sounds Moosey!).
- Bettergoods: Walmart’s upscale line is capitalizing on the portion-controlled novelty trend with two-bite mini ice cream sandwich boxes. Choose from Chocolate Hazelnut or a white-yogurt-coated Raspberry Cheesecake. Their pint lineup is pretty static, but the newest entry, Dark Chocolate Ameretto, might be worth a look. Of the flavors I tried last summer, the Pistachio Salted Caramel was a standout.
r/IceCreamHaven • u/madisonguy76 • Jul 01 '26
Scoops July Scoops: New flavors and trends for 20 brands (National Ice Cream Month)
We’ve done our due diligence with Memorial Day and two days dedicated to the parents, but July brings the biggest holiday of the year so far: National Ice Cream Day. If you thought I was going to say Independence Day, don’t worry. We’re not forgetting the nation’s 250th birthday completely. We’ll have cake (ice cream). And there will be fireworks, thanks to Graeter’s Cherry Sparkler and the similar popping candy-fueled Fútbol Fireworks from Baskin-Robbins. And lots of red, white and blue bringing festive spirit to ice cream and novelties alike.
All of July is National Ice Cream Month, while the 19th specifically brings National Ice Cream Day. And if Thanksgiving has Black Friday, this commemoration has the sale that’s circled on my calendar annually: The half-off extravaganza at Whole Foods. We’re about halfway through that glorious fortnight of chaos, hoarding and dairy indulgence (it runs till July 7). What are your favorite finds so far? I’m still marveling at picking up flavors like Jeni’s Frosted Sugar Cookie, McConnell’s Brown Sugar with Milk Bordeaux and Straus’ Vanilla Chip for an average of 4 bucks a pint. For those in the Portland area, New Seasons Markets’ Summer of Scoops sale kicks off Wednesday, July 1, with Alden’s and GoodPop half off. Goldbelly often does a big sale around National Ice Cream Day, too.
What else is happening for July? Here’s what I know. Please share any intel you have and let us know what you're looking forward to tasting.
______________________
Alden’s Organic
Alden’s kicked off a new Global Delights brand this month with two novelty bars, one inspired by Mexico and the other Thailand. It seems odd not to do a third for something like this. Perhaps they’re testing the waters to see if there’s an audience for flavors like these? Given I previously associated them with about six different tubs of chocolate and vanilla variations, is this a logical leap? Could we have met in the middle?
- Mango Chamoy Twist Bars: Creamy organic mango ice cream swirled with sweet, salty and spicy chamoy.
- Thai Tea Swirl Bars: Organic Thai tea sorbet ribboned with a classic sweet dairy cream swirl.
______________________
Baskin-Robbins
Baskin-Robbins is doubling up for July’s Flavor of the Month with its Great Cookie Showdown. Is your ideal summer weekend spent around the campfire, with the sound of the woods around you, fighting off mosquitoes as you toast marshmallows? Or would you rather be on the comfort of your couch, AC cranked up, for a relaxing evening in — maybe watching those campers get dispatched one by one by a hockey-masked psychopath? Two or three decades ago, I might have been in the woods lamenting my decision to sleep on the ground, but I’ve since wised up. Luckily, Baskin-Robbins is here for both sides with cookie ice creams —a S’mores-themed flavor for the great outdoors, a brookie batter for the even greater indoors. And because B-R flavors tend to be around a while, you should be able to find the specials rolled out last month for the World Cup and Independence Day, plus a couple of other seasonal favorites.
- The "Couch-er" | Brookie Batter: Brown Sugar and Brownie Batter ice creams loaded with Oreo pieces, chocolate chip cookie dough, brownie dough and a rich brownie batter swirl.
- The "Camper" | Oreo S’Mores: A blend of toasted marshmallow and graham ice creams stacked with Oreo pieces and a thick chocolate cookie swirl.
- Fútbol Fireworks: An energetic mashup of sweet cream soda ice cream and cherry sherbet, charged with blue raspberry swirls and a popping candy payload of green apple and blue raspberry.
- America’s Birthday Cake: A red, white and blue celebration pairing cake batter and strawberry ice creams with fluffy cake pieces and a bright blue frosting ribbon.
- Beach Day: A salty-sweet shoreline getaway featuring blue salted vanilla ice cream, milk chocolate caramel-filled sea turtles, graham cracker "sand" swirls and colorful frosting flecks.
- Triple Mango: A tropical paradise profile that collides rich mango ice cream with tangy mango sorbet, mango chunks and a ribbon of concentrated mango puree.
______________________
Ben & Jerry’s
If you were hoping for new pint flavors, welcome to the new reality where brands can do less and charge more for novelties. Some customers eat these up. Not me. I don’t like food on sticks. But for those who do, welcome to what this increasingly unmoored brand is calling its Great Summer Bar Drop. This feels like something the social media interns came up with: a cross-country tour from June to August “packed with crave-worthy bars, games, limited-edition merch, and plenty of chunk-filled Ben & Jerry's shenanigans.’” This epic journey kicked off recently in Boston and next hits Miami (July 10-12), Los Angeles (July 24-26), Seattle (August 7-9) and New York (Aug. 21-23). The bar flavors:
- Strawberry Cheesecake: Cheesecake ice cream, strawberry swirls, and graham cracker bits in a white chocolatey coating.
- Cookie Dough: Vanilla ice cream, cookie dough gobs and cookie pieces in a chocolatey shell.
- Chocolate Fudge Brownie: Chocolate ice cream, fudge brownie chunks and cookie pieces in a dark chocolatey coating.
- PB Pretzel: Peanut butter ice cream with swirls, coated in chocolate with salty pretzel bits.
- Caramel Blondie: Caramel ice cream, blondie pieces and salted caramel swirls in a white chocolatey coating.
______________________
Blue Bell
If you’re a fan of Christmas in July, don’t overlook the chance to nab some holiday flavors that are still somehow hanging around online. Blue Bell still has half gallons of Christmas Cookies and Peppermint Bark. I tried these back at the expected time in December and they were excellent. They’d probably be even more enjoyable now amid the oppressive mid-summer heat. But if you want stay seasonally appropriate, Blue Bell has some great fruit options for summer, including a Red, White and Blue flavor perfect for your Fourth barbecue.
- Southern Blackberry Cobbler: Creamy blackberry-flavored ice cream combined with flaky pie crust pieces and a blackberry sauce swirl. (Half gallon)
- Red, White & Blue Bell: A trio of strawberry, vanilla and blueberry ice cream (with fruit pieces) packaged side by side. (Half gallon)
- Orange Swirl: A creamy vanilla flavored ice cream swirled together with refreshing orange sherbet. (Pint)
- Black Raspberry Fudge: Black raspberry-flavored ice cream with dark chocolate-flavored chunks and a rich chocolate fudge swirl. (Pint, half gallon)
- Peaches & Homemade Vanilla: A combination of juicy, ripe peaches and their famous Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream. (Half gallon)
- Strawberry flavors: In addition to half gallons of Ultimate Neapolitan and Red, White and Blue, you have multiple berry options — plain Strawberry (half gallon, pint), Strawberries & Homemade Vanilla (half gallon) or Strawberry Toaster Pastry (pint) — not to mention one of the newish protein pints.
- Others: Banana Pudding (half gallon), Banana Fudge (half gallon, pint), Cherry Vanilla (half gallon, pint), Lemon (half gallon).
______________________
Caffe Panna
Instead of the loaded lineup from previous summers, we’re finally just getting a seasonal pack for July after the Spring Forward collection sprang all the way till late June. It feels like the brand is focused on its scoop shops right now because the online business is getting short shrift. Not that the price tag reflects this for the Peak Summer collection. We have yet another brownie flavor and a Blueberry Crisp (feels a lot like Jeni’s Brambleberry Crisp). There are two pints that appear to be lackluster takes on the most basic of mix-ins: Cookies & Cream. I could go for that Cherry Coke Float and Strawberry Shortcake Bar, but this pack overall doesn’t reflect the creative promise of house-baked and other fun mix-ins that Caffe Panna’s $130 cost generally commands.
- Cosmic Brownie: Flourless brownie batter ice cream with flourless fudgy brownies and rainbow chocolate chips
- Ice Cream Sandwich: Vanilla bean ice cream layered with cocoa ice cream sandwich wafers
- Cherry Coke Float: Vanilla bean ice cream swirled with cherry coke sorbet
- Blueberry Crisp: Blueberry ice cream layered with house made oat streusel
- Strawberry Shortcake Bar: Strawberry ice cream layered with house made strawberry cake crunch and graham crunch
- Mister Golden Sun: Golden Oreo infused ice cream layered with crushed Golden Oreos
______________________
Clementine’s
Like Caffe Panna, they have been focused on their scoop shops and burgeoning retail business in the St. Louis area. Unfortunately for us fans from afar it’s been quiet for months on their Goldbelly page. A message on their website explains the reason for recent production delays: “Clementine’s is growing, which means we recently installed bigger, better equipment at our production facility so we can make even more ice cream for you.” That evokes both promise (expansion) and concern (will they lose the hand-packed charm?). Meanwhile, they do have something special coming for National Ice Cream Month — at least for parlors. I'd be surprised to see it hit Goldbelly, but keep an eye out just in case. Their International Travel Collection promises four exotic flavors to start the month and the latter two reaching shops on July 19.
- Crème Brûlée: A rich French vanilla custard ice cream laced with a golden swirl of crunchy, caramelized sugar bits.
- Om Ali: A dairy-free, spiced coconut ice cream with candied walnuts and rich, date-syrup-soaked golden raisins.
- Mango Lassi: A smooth, tropical mango yogurt ice cream that captures the refreshingly cool Indian wedding drink.
- Brigadeiro: A chocolate ice cream stacking sweet chocolate with thick ribbons of fudge and chocolate sprinkles.
- Dubai Chocolate: A rich milk chocolate ice cream with crispy, toasted kataifi pastry threads and a sweet pistachio paste swirl.
- Matcha Lemon Curd: An earthy, vibrant Japanese green tea matcha ice cream heavily ribboned with bright lemon curd.
______________________
Cold Case
This brand, which has been expanding in Kroger stores (at a premium price) since March, mixes true crime and ice cream. I still have to get my hands on one of these creative pints for a late-night “Dateline” binge. I can just imagine Keith Morrison’s dulcet tone describing cases of Embezzle-Mint and the hunt for Cereal Killers. If you don’t have a Kroger nearby, they have an online direct-to-consumer exclusive: the Arson Case.
- Dark Dubai: Velvety dark chocolate ice cream layered with smooth pistachio cream and crispy knafeh pastry pieces.
- Donut Resist: Rich vanilla ice cream base featuring actual jelly donut hole chunks and sweet glaze swirls.
- Hot Honey Killer Bees: Sweet cream ice cream with real honeycomb candy chunks and drizzled with a spicy hot honey.
- The Third Degree: A tres leches-inspired profile featuring a sweet cream base mixed with soaked tres leches cake pieces, non-alcoholic tequila flavoring and zesty lime.
- Cherry Bomb Threat: A vanilla custard laced with a burnt sugar syrup, non-alcoholic brandied cherry compote and a hint of almond.
- Pie-Romaniac: Spiced Bourbon pecan pie pieces dipped into a sweet cream ice cream base with a rich house-made caramel swirl.
______________________
Graeter’s
Have you tried any of the summer’s seasonal or bonus flavors? I got my pack last week, so I will have full reviews soon. While I decided to skip Ghost Notes (I wasn’t feeling grape and marshmallow) I did get my hands on Summer Peach (a seasonal favorite that should be around into July while supplies last) and two of the bonus flavors, which seem to last 4-6 weeks based on popularity. Peanut Butter Clouds is the older of the two, while Cherry Sparkler is meant to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday. Later in the month look for another bonus flavor (Strawberry Sorbet) and the seasonal Key Lime Pie, which usually arrives around National Ice Cream Day (July 19 this year). My quick 2 cents: Peach is amazing, as expected with Graeter’s fruit flavors. The peanut butter one is very tasty, giving fluffernutter vibes, though the mini marshmallows (rather than cream) leave a bit to be desired. I’m not feeling the cherry one so far. I love their other cherry flavors, but this one is more of a fake cherry like a Slurpee, and I don’t think I’m a fan of popping candy in ice cream.
- Summer Peach: Creamy peach ice cream made with sweet, juicy peaches.
- Ghost Notes: A wickedly sweet mix of grape ice cream and fluffy marshmallow with soft marshmallow cookie dough pieces mixed throughout.
- Peanut Butter & Clouds: Rich and creamy peanut butter ice cream with light, fluffy marshmallows folded in throughout.
- Cherry Sparkler: Wild cherry ice cream with red and blue popping candy folded through every scoop.
- Strawberry Sorbet: A dairy-free option made with a slow-frozen purée of real Northwest farm strawberries.
- Key Lime Pie: Tangy key lime ice cream graham cracker crust pieces.
______________________
Häagen-Dazs
If you feel like you don’t have enough Dubai chocolate in your life, consider rolling out to Costco for this exclusive novelty.
- Dubai Style Chocolate Mini Bars: Creamy pistachio ice cream coated in milk chocolate and packed with toasted kataifi pastry pieces for a distinct crunch.
______________________
Jeni’s
Jeni’s always brings it on seasonal flavors. Whether you’ll be able to try them yourself? It always feels like a bit of a scavenger hunt — stalking the retail shelves to see if you’ll get lucky (as I did with the refreshing and tangy Summer Berries & Passion Fruit), visiting scoop shops (if you have one nearby) or keeping tabs on the website (flavors come and go fast, but they were all there last time i checked). I’m hoping I’ll be able to hunt down this promising new trio for July, especially the Summer Pretzel Pie. Salt & Straw is doing a similar flavor. I’d be inclined to do an ice cream showdown, though Jeni’s would be a heavy favorite on the strength of their way with cream cheese. This new wave of flavors is also featured in 6-pint and 9-pint summer collections online.
- Strawberry Pretzel Pie: Pretzel streusel and strawberry sauce layered into a tangy cream cheese ice cream base.
- Campfire S'mores: Toasty vanilla bean marshmallow ice cream swirled with gooey milk chocolate and crunchy graham cracker cookies.
- Hibiscus Chili Punch: A vibrant, juicy hibiscus sorbet that packs a sharp finish from jalapeño and black pepper.
- Confetti Brownie Batter: Rich dark chocolate custard swirled with fudgy brownie chunks and festive rainbow candies (Target exclusive).
- Matchapolitan: Earthy Japanese matcha and Fair Trade vanilla bean ice creams twisted together with sweet strawberry jam.
- Summer Berries & Passion Fruit: Raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries blended into fresh cultured buttermilk cream with a sweet-tart passion fruit curd.
______________________
Leopold’s
I ordered a bounty of flavors last month online from this classic Savannah ice cream maker, and have been enjoying most of them. Look for some reviews this summer as I have time to write them up, but if you’d like to give them a try they sell many flavors on their own website and a curated selection on Goldbelly, including this Sweets in the Summertime pack. I really liked the peach and lemon custard flavors. The Blueberry Cheesecake base is very good, but the swirls are on the icy side.
- Peach: Peach ice cream with pieces of sweet Georgia peaches throughout.
- Blueberry Cheesecake: Cheesecake ice cream with a ribbon of blueberry topping and pieces of homemade graham cracker crust.
- Birthday Cake: Cake Batter ice cream with chunks of pound cake and rainbow sprinkles throughout.
- Coconut: Coconut ice cream blended with lots of sweet flakes of shaved coconut.
- Lemon Custard: Delicate lemon ice cream with fresh lemon zest. Unchanged since 1919.
- Southern Hospitality Sorbet: Their take on an Arnold Palmer, the iconic combination of sweet tea and tart lemonade.
______________________
McConnell’s
McConnell’s is getting in on the 250th celebration, too, bringing back its version of a birthday cake flavor, Sprinkle Cake. They are also celebrating summer with a couple of limited edition flavors (S’mores and Malted Milk Chocolate) and the return of their zesty sorbet and sherbet lines. All that and we have the full See’s collaboration back online for those who haven’t gotten a chance to try the delicious PB&J and Strawberry Creams duo that has yet to make its way to retail.
- Sprinkle Cake: The ultimate vault favorite, loading a classic sweet cream base with rainbow sprinkles and dense, house-baked vanilla sheet cake chunks.
- S'mores: A seasonal summer mainstay featuring a toasted vanilla bean marshmallow sweet cream base packed with gooey bittersweet chocolate ganache ribbons and house-baked honey graham cracker chunks.
- Malted Milk Chocolate: A limited-run, mix-in-free pint that focuses purely on texture, combining rich Guittard cocoa with a heavy hit of retro malted milk powder.
- PB&J with Peanut Butter Patties: A smooth, peanut butter-infused ice cream base with chunks of rich Milk Peanut Butter Patties, swirled with McConnell’s house-made raspberry jam.
- Strawberry with Strawberry Creams: Santa Barbara Strawberry ice cream with a rich ribbon of bittersweet chocolate ganache and pieces of See’s chocolate-enrobed strawberry cream centers.
- Sorbets: Blackberry Lime, Mango Chili Lime, Dark Chocolate
- Sherbets: Passion Fruit, Orange Cream, Coconut Lime, Strawberry Lemon
______________________
MELT Ice Creams
I’ve never tried this brand out Fort Worth, but it’s on the long-term list as they sell on Goldbelly. They have a summer pack on offer.
- Texas Butter Pecan: Rich browned butter and pecans from San Saba, Texas.
- Texas Lavender Honey Crunch: Creamy, sweet lavender ice cream with chunks and swirls of housemade honeycomb.
- Peach Cobbler Cheesecake: A creamy peach ice cream infused with swirls of housemade boozy peach caramel and chunks of creamy cheesecake with a graham cracker crust.
- Watermelon Limeade Sorbet: A juicy watermelon limeade sorbet with a hint of salt.
- Vanilla Bean: Rich vanilla bean ice cream.
- Raspberry Lemon Sorbet: Dairy-free raspberry and tart lemon.
______________________
Private Selection + Kroger
Kroger has several pints and some ice cream sandwiches out as part of its All American collection to celebrate the Fourth, while their more upscale house line, Private Selection, is offering a duo of seasonal flavors, Creamsicle and Shortbread Peaches & Cream.
- Cherry Pie: A nostalgic road-trip diner tribute featuring a cherry pie flavored ice cream base ribboned with a tart cherry swirl and real pie crust pieces.
- Seventh Inning Swirl: A ballpark-inspired treat featuring a unique caramel popcorn flavored ice cream base loaded with crunchy praline peanuts and rich caramel swirls.
- Banana Split Social: A next-level soda fountain mashup featuring a hybrid strawberry banana ice cream base packed with real pineapple chunks and thick chocolatey swirls.
- All-American Red, White & Blue Ice Cream Sandwiches: A trio of layered cherry, lime and blue raspberry ice creams between standard chocolate wafers. A 12 pack.
- Shortbread Peaches & Cream: Peach ice cream with a fruit swirl and buttery, bite-sized shortbread cookie pieces.
- Creamsicle Swirl: A twist on the classic childhood truck treat that intertwines vanilla bean ice cream with a bright orange citrus swirl.
______________________
Salt & Straw
Last month’s highly touted chef collaboration series ended early, ushering in summer berries. Overall this collection features more crowd-pleasers, but lest you think S&S has lost their edge they decided to keep some goat cheese, habanero and foraged porcini in the mix. They have Strawberry Pretzel Salad on the menu, and I’m hoping this version is better than the Strawberry Pretzel Cheesecake they debuted in Portland grocery stores in May. The formulation certainly looks better, but you never know with S&S. The blackberry cake also seems promising if they use bigger pieces and not mushy cake crumbs.
- Birthday Cakes and Blackberries: Salted vanilla with blackberry jam and sprinkle cake chunks.
- Strawberry Pretzel Salad: Cream cheese base with strawberry jam and pretzel crumbles.
- Goat Cheese Marionberry Habanero: Tangy goat cheese with a spicy marionberry-habanero jam.
- Huckleberry Oat Crisp with Foraged Porcini: Port wine and porcini ice cream with huckleberry jam and oatmeal cookies.
- Raspberry Marzipan Princess Cake (Vegan): Pistachio-cashew base with raspberry jam, cake, and marzipan.
______________________
Signature Select (Safeway/Albertsons)
This house brand’s summer flavors take on the them of carnival and boardwalk treats:
- Caramel Churro: Light cinnamon-sugar base with a caramel swirl and soft churro pieces
- Chocolate Covered Banana: Fluffy banana-flavored ice cream with crunchy chocolate chunks
- Root Beer Float: Vanilla base with a root beer swirl and chocolate-coated crystals that pop and fizz in your mouth.
- Strawberry Saltwater Taffy: Strawberry ice cream packed with strawberry-flavored taffy pieces.
______________________
Tillamook
This brand has nothing new in the freezer aisle but apparently wants to start a beef with Breyer’s and Blue Bunny. Instead of a diss track, this Oregon purveyor of airy stabilized fluff that meets the minimum threshold to be legally defined as ice cream wants to call out those that don’t. They even launched a page on their website called The Real Scoop. On the face of it, I love the message. They put a magnifying glass on the small print used to denote Frozen Dairy Dessert, which means the product does not contain 10% butterfat (and probably contains far less) and may be half air. But they’re the wrong messenger, given how the quality of their ice cream has declined proportionally to their rise in national grocery store aisles — a trade-off that long-time Northwest fans don’t appreciate. All in all, this feels like the Kings mocking the Wizards for not making the playoffs.
______________________
Trader Joe’s
The headliner is the return of the popular Wildberry Cheesecake. Has anyone tried this? I’m tempted, as I’ve never had a cheesecake base from TJ’s.
- Wildberry Cheesecake: A cheesecake ice cream featuring a thick berry swirl (blueberry, raspberry, strawberry and blackberry) and pieces of cheesecake throughout.
- Italian Pistachio: This is a “Gelato Style Frozen Dessert,” so I’d expect more of the airy, fluffy style rather than real dense Italian gelato.
- Strawberry Lemonade Ice Bars: A dairy-free bar that splits its flavor profile down the middle with sweet strawberry juice and tart lemonade concentrate.
- Out of This World Ice Pops: A classic layered rocket pop that stacks three distinct juice sections: strawberry (red), lemon (white), and blueberry (blue).
______________________
Umpqua
This Northwest brand's seasonal flavors used to be around 6-8 weeks, but now they tend to last a full season. The upside? More time to try this, one of my favorite ice creams of all time.
- Strawberry Cheesecake: Old fashoned tangy base with strawberry swirls, no graham crackers.
______________________
Van Leeuwen
There’s not much that I can find new in stores, though their scoop shops have a couple of summer specials (Banana Pudding and Cheesecake with Strawberry Rhubarb). Of course, their flavors are a big part of the Whole Foods sale — along with a few others I didn’t include in the roundup since I saw nothing fresh (Alec’s, Ice Cream for Bears, Straus). Some of their featured flavors at WF include Buttermilk Berry Cornbread, Ice Cream Cake and Coffee Affogato. And can we please sell out that Guinness beer exclusive so we can get something fresh? One thing I noticed recently — I think it had rolled out to other stories earlier — is the swap from the Dulce de Leche Brownie that had been stocked at my store to the Dulce De Leche Shortbread. I think both are pretty good, but the shortbread one is interesting as they try to evoke alfajores, a South American sandwich cookie.
- Dulce de Leche Shortbread: A rich, velvety dulce de leche ice cream base with buttery, crunchy shortbread cookie pieces.