13 Regional Ice Cream Flavors Everyone Should Know

If you're an adventurous ice cream lover, like us, you probably spend a little extra time at the ice cream parlor choosing between flavors that are a lot more intriguing than the basic vanilla, strawberry and chocolate.

To try all of the incredible flavors North America has to offer, however, you're going to have to do a bit of traveling. That's because many places throughout the U.S. and Canada have some fascinating regional flavors you're not going to be able to try anywhere else. Curious about these unique ice creams, and where to try them? We've got the inside scoop (pun intended) for you below.

Blue Moon

Unless you've traveled to the Midwest, you're probably not aware of Blue Moon. This unusual flavor, primarily found across Wisconsin and Michigan, has a vibrant blue hue, and a flavor that varies a bit from location to location. Different places have their own secret recipes, with many claiming to be "the original," but in general, it has a somewhat fruity flavor with a hint of marshmallow, akin to certain rainbow fruit cereals.

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Buckeye

A buckeye is a popular candy in the Midwest—particularly Ohio—consisting of a ball of peanut butter dipped in chocolate. It's made to look like a nut from Ohio's state tree, the buckeye tree (which also resembles the eye of a deer). The ice cream typically takes vanilla ice cream and blends in the candy for a swirl of peanut butter and fudge, making this a flavor that's easier to appreciate than many of the others on this list.

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Grape-Nut

Grape-Nuts are far from the most popular cereal these days, but they are a key ingredient in Grape-Nut ice cream, popular across New England (as well as the Caribbean). It's just vanilla ice cream with crunchy, malty Grape-Nuts thrown in toward the end of the churning process to add a bit of extra flavor and texture.

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Green Chilis

More adventurous eaters can head to New Mexico, where some establishments add hatch green chili peppers to their desserts. Whether you want a simple flavor of vanilla with a green chili puree on top or the whole shebang with chocolate, caramel and more, you're in for a spicy and unusually complex treat.

 

Also read about: A Definitive Ranking of All 27 Classic Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Flavors

 

Huckleberry

You won't find huckleberries in the produce aisle of your typical supermarket, because they grow only in the wild throughout the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountains. That's also where you'll find this unique ice cream flavor. Huckleberries look like small blueberries, with a tangy yet sweet flavor halfway between a boysenberry and a blueberry. Added to vanilla ice cream, they complement the creaminess with their bold flavor.

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Marionberry

Marionberries are another uncommon berry variety. They're a specialized type of blackberry named after Marion Country, Oregon, where they were cultivated. Typically, they're swirled throughout vanilla to lend a deliciously tart and sweet contrast.

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Moon Mist

Head up to Nova Scotia to discover Moon Mist ice cream, which is undeniably one of the more colorful options on this list. It's a candy store dream come true combining banana, grape and bubblegum flavors in a decadent collage of yellow, purple and blue. The flavor certainly isn't for everyone, but it's absolutely worth trying at least once.

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Old Bay

Old Bay seasoning—combining paprika, red and black pepper and celery salt—is the star ingredient in one of the stranger options on this list. The classic seasoning, typically used to emphasize seafood, meat, potatoes and more, highlights the East Coast's love of fish and shellfish, also introduces some interesting flavors in this Maryland specialty. They add these spicy and salty flavors to vanilla ice cream for a bizarre but surprisingly tasty dessert combo.

 

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Prickly Pear

Prickly pear has been a popular cooking and medicinal ingredient in Native American communities for centuries, and it also adds a cool twist to ice cream. This flavor is most popular in Arizona, especially during prickly pear season in August. It adds a refreshing strawberry-like flavor to vanilla ice cream while imbuing it with the vibrant purple-pink color of the prickly pear's flesh.

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Superman

Superman ice cream is yet another Midwest staple, getting its name from the primary color mix of red, yellow and blue reminiscent of the iconic superhero. The red flavor is usually cherry while the yellow is lemon, with the blue typically consisting of the Blue Moon ice cream we mentioned above. Together, they taste like fruity and sweet summer fun.

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Teaberry

Teaberry is a plant that grows only along the East Coast, producing small, red berries. You might expect them to taste like most berries, but instead, they have a minty flavor, similar to wintergreen. During teaberry season, it becomes a popular ice cream ingredient across Pennsylvanian. The berries lend a playful pink color to the ice cream, as well as a minty freshness.

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Tiger Tail

Canadian tiger tail ice cream has one of the most striking appearances on this list, though the flavor combination can be an acquired taste. It combines creamy orange-flavored ice cream with stripes of black licorice for a punchy pop of flavor.

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Ube

While ube ice cream was once a rare find across the U.S., the popularization of Asian desserts has made it much more abundant, particularly in coastal areas. Ube is a Filipino purple yam with an appealing natural color and a creamy, sweet and earthy flavor. That makes it a popular ingredient in many desserts, with ice cream being one of the most accessible—and most delicious.

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