Ice Cream

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? 1 fun thing: America's favorite flavors

Data: Instacart. Graphic: Jacque Schrag and Sarah Grillo/Axios Orange sherbet and rocky road ice cream are each the most uniquely popular flavors in 11 states, Axios' Jacque Schrag writes from Instacart data. Uniquely popular means the flavor that had the highest percentage point difference above the national average. Classic flavors — vanilla, chocolate, and cookies and cream — are the most popular nationwide.

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Frigid Confections

Ice Cream, 101 Whether it’s in a sundae, a cone, or blended into a shake, ice cream is one of the United States’ favorite indulgences—97% of Americans say they like or love the chilly treat. US ice cream production hit 1.31 billion gallons in 2024, with the average American eating a whopping 19 pounds. Ice cream is the final result of a complex process that blends several ingredients. As it’s being made, the ingredients change significantly throughout the production process, ultimately giving the dish its signature “scoopable” texture. Ice cream’s celebratory nature brings people together, especially in the days before widespread home refrigeration. In the late 1600s, Paris’s Café Procope first began serving the sweet treat to the public; the trend quickly spread, particularly in Italy, where some parlors have been open since the 1700s. ... Read our full overview on ice cream here.   Also, check out ...  > America's ice cream obsession began under Prohibition. (More) > George Washington spent thousands on ice cream one summer. (More) > Visualizing Ben & Jerry's legendary flavors. (More)

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I Scream, You Scream

While ice cream's exact origins are hard to pinpoint, frozen dairy desserts have a history dating back to ancient China. Seventh-century documents refer to a frozen milk dish that eventually evolved into a soft blend, which many consider the earliest version of ice cream.   > Watch a visual history of the frozen treat. (More, w/video) > See where your favorite ice cream ranked among Americans' favorite flavors. (More)   Around 800 CE, Arab conquerors of the Persian Empire began mixing dairy into the syrup-infused cold treat sharbat. In the 16th century, the Italians concocted their take on the dessert, leading to sorbetto. Around the same time, the royal court in India began freezing condensed milk, pistachios, and saffron in conical molds to create kulfi. In the late 1600s, Paris's Café Procope first began serving gelato, a frozen dessert similar to ice cream, to the public; the trend quickly spread, particularly in Italy, where some parlors have been open since the 1700s.   > Kulfi, an ice cream predecessor that's still popular in India, dates back to the 16th century. (More) > In 1694, a Sicilian in Paris opened the first gelateria, a precursor to the ice cream parlor. (More) > Ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and Italian ice are all popular cold desserts, though they have many important differences. (More)   During the 19th and 20th centuries, America was the center of ice cream innovation, inventing both the sundae and the cone. When home freezers became globally available post-World War II, people could easily store their favorite treat, cementing its worldwide popularity.   > In the 19th century, ice-cream-related illnesses were somewhat common in America due to vendors' poor hygiene. (More) > America's ice cream obsession began under Prohibition, with the street treat acting as a legal vice that helped ease the pain of the Great Depression. (More)   Discover more:  > During World War II, fighter plane turbulence was used to make ice cream. (More) > Vanilla was originally used as an additive in chocolate rather than as a stand-alone flavor. (More, w/video) > George Washington loved to serve ice cream while hosting guests and spent thousands of dollars on it in a single summer. (More)