It doesn’t take a genius to know that ice cream consumption generally decreases as colder weather settles in. But here at Uproxx, we believe ice cream should be eaten all year round (for reasons that also don’t require a genius). Right now, ice creameries around the country are “going seasonal” to get people off the chilly streets and into the cozy, sweet comforts of their stores.
Gone are the days of insatiable cone-licking heat. As temperatures plummet, we tend to replace bike rides to the beach with a movie in front of the fireplace, and a quick cone on the way home with a cup of hot chocolate. But this latter scenario doesn’t need to be the case. With options that include bacon, mashed potatoes, and fig, it’s about time we all expand our ice cream horizons to truly reflect the dessert’s worth.
From Santa Barbara to Chicago, Philadelphia to New York, if you have an adventurous palette, you’re guaranteed to find a flavor that will make you forget ice cream was ever tied to summer in the first place. Here are a few of our favorites:
Whiskey Fudge Rebellion — Luca and Bosco — Catering and Special Orders in/around NYC
If nothing warms you up in the dead of winter quite like some good old-fashioned booze, Luca and Bosco’s “Whiskey Fudge Rebellion” is the flavor you’ve been waiting for. Luca and Bosco (once a cart, soon to be a storefront, currently by special order) has created a flavor that tastes like it should be enjoyed in front of a crackling fire with Nick Offerman.
Marrons Glaces — Grom — NYC and Turin (Italy)
If you think ice cream is strictly a summertime treat, you haven’t tried Grom’s Marrons Glaces. The unconventional flavor is a far cry from your typical wet chopped-nut topping — as the ice cream itself features the marron, a larger, sweeter variety of chestnut, candied to the core and then glazed with sugar syrup.
You might even consider plopping a scoop into the gelateria’s hot chocolate to warm your own core.
Pumpkin Pie, Egg Nog, Cardamom & Gingersnaps, Peppermint Stick — McConnell’s Ice Cream — Available at Whole Foods
McConnell’s Ice Cream, originally located in Santa Barbara, is taking classic holiday flavors that we all know and love and turning them into ice cream. It’s a simple hook that makes sense (Dryers does it, too). Pumpkin Pie and Eggnog — the two flavors we’ve tasted — offer just the right balance of holiday whimsy and sweet creamy comfort. A sure fire way to get you hooked on ice cream in the cold.
Nutella Maple Bacon Sandwich — Black Dog Gelato — Chicago
When the thought of freezing cold ice cream in the winter sounds like more of a chore than a delight, it’s time to change the way you eat your dessert. If you’re in Chicago, you’ll want to head to Black Dog Gelato between squalls to get your hands on one of their Nutella Maple Bacon Gelato ice cream sandwiches.
What combination of flavors says ‘winter’ better than Nutella and maple? Add bacon to that mix and you have a winner.
Lemon Gingersnap — Smitten Ice Cream — Five Bay Area Locations and One in LA
When the weight of flavors like maple bacon and eggnog sound like an instant food coma and you really can’t afford to take a nap, maybe it’s time to try something light and fruity, like Smitten Ice Cream’s Lemon Gingersnap. The recipe calls for lemons, zested and juiced in house, plus an added gingersnap kick (there’s the wintery bit). With the “smoothest ice cream in the world,” courtesy of patented liquid nitrogen machinery, you’ll have a tough time turning down this couldn’t-be-more-California, self-proclaimed “tech company’s” treats.
Bourbon Pecan Pie — Salt & Straw — Portland (Oregon), Los Angeles
Leave it to this Portland institution to offer some of the most oddly successful holiday flavors in the country. The bourbon pecan pie plays it pretty straight up — with the bourbon’s bite ensuring that the flavor isn’t teeth-achingly sweet. Other offerings, like fruitcake (perennially unpopular in solid form), might be a tougher sell.
