Reporting by Colleen Kottke, Wisconsin State Farmer / Wisconsin State Farmer
While classic vanilla and chocolate continue to earn their place at the top of the menu, shop owners say customers are increasingly gravitating toward flavors that offer something a little more distinctive. Thus, regional ice cream makers are using those traditional flavors as a blank canvas for making Wisconsin-inspired creations featuring local dairy, cherries, fudge and even kringle, balancing nostalgia with a taste for new experiences, one scoop at a time.
Americans’ appetite for ice cream remains strong, with U.S. production climbing to 176.7 million gallons in the first quarter of 2026, up 1.6% from a year ago. In a state known for its dairy heritage, ice cream’s popularity comes as little surprise. The 2026 National Ice Cream Survey conducted by the International Dairy Foods Association and Morning Consult found that 97% of Americans either like or love ice cream, underscoring the treat’s broad appeal during the peak summer season.
The popularity of these regional and premium favorites offers a glimpse into how summer tastes are evolving in a state where dairy traditions run deep. Wisconsin is home to roughly 1,000 ice cream shops and parlors, and more than 100 of them are located in northeast Wisconsin, according to recent business directory estimates.
Together, those ice cream parlors, frozen custard stands and scoop shops serve thousands of customers each day during the peak summer season, offering everything from traditional favorites to seasonal specialties and inventive flavor combinations that keep ice cream lovers coming back for another scoop.
Zesty’s Frozen Custard & Grill
Local partnerships are part of the recipe for success at Zesty’s Frozen Custard and Grill in the Green Bay area.
Manager Tierna Vanderheyden said customers can’t get enough of flavors such as Turtle Delight, a rich caramel custard packed with fudge and pecans, and Uncle Mike’s Kringle, featuring pieces of the bakery’s salted pecan kringle swirled into vanilla custard with salted caramel. Seroogy’s Mint Meltaway is another crowd-pleaser, blending mint custard with chocolate flakes and chunks of the Green Bay chocolatier’s iconic candy.
“We’re a local company and like to source ingredients from other local companies,” Vanderheyden said. Zesty’s has two locations at 508 Greene Ave., Allouez and 2639 Lineville Road, Howard.
Wilson’s Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor
For generations, Wilson’s Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor, 9990 Water St., in Ephraim has been a summertime tradition in Door County. The historic shop, which dates to 1906, draws visitors with more than two dozen ice cream flavors and a picture-perfect view of Green Bay.
While customers can choose from about 26 flavors, including a handful of rotating specialties, some favorites never go out of style. Door County Cherry remains one of the top sellers, featuring Cedar Crest ice cream made with locally sourced Door County cherries, said Becca Hardy. Another crowd favorite is Chocolate Peanut Butter Explosion, a rich blend of chocolate and peanut butter ice cream swirled with fudge and loaded with peanut butter cups.
Just as important as the flavor is how it’s served, Hardy said.
“Most customers opt for a waffle cone before heading outside to enjoy their treat along the waterfront,” she said. Whether they’re longtime visitors or first-time tourists, many come seeking the classic Door County experience – a scoop of ice cream at Wilson’s and a view of the bay.
Scoops Ice Cream House
For 19 years, families have been stopping in for a scoop at Marko Sosa’s ice cream shop in Calumet County, where premium hand-dipped ice cream and specialty treats keep customers coming back. With 24 flavors available, there is no shortage of options, but a few signature creations stand out from the crowd.
One of the shop’s longtime favorites is Bear Bait, a creation Sosa developed himself. The flavor combines brownie ice cream with swirls of peanut butter, caramel and chocolate, creating a rich treat that has become one of the store’s signature offerings. Another top seller this summer is national award-winner Raspberry Fudge Torte, made with the shop’s vanilla ice cream and packed with a raspberry swirl and chunks of chocolate fudge.
“We make our own ice cream and our own creations,” said Sosa who has been in business for 19 years.
While customers enjoy sampling new flavors, Sosa said many return year after year for the signature varieties that helped build the business, 131 E. Chestnut St. in Chilton, proving that a creative twist on a classic treat never goes out of style.
Legendairy Cookies ‘N Creamery
At Legendairy Cookies ‘N Creamery in downtown Appleton, customers may come for the oversized cookie sandwiches, but many stay for the frozen custard tucked inside them. The shop uses frozen custard made from local Wisconsin dairy products, creating a rich, creamy treat that has developed a loyal following over the past 3½ years.
Employee Clair Nash said one of the shop’s most popular flavors is Cookies Monster, a bright blue vanilla custard packed with cookie dough pieces and Oreo cookies. While the colorful creation is a hit with kids, adults love it just as much. Another customer favorite is Salted Caramel Toffee, made in-house by ice cream maker Jeremy Mattson. The flavor combines buttery toffee pieces with ribbons of salted caramel, delivering the sweet-and-salty combination many customers crave.
Nash said the shop enjoys creating flavors the same way it develops its cookies, carefully selecting ingredients and mix-ins to build something unique. Whether customers choose a scoop, a cookie sandwich or both, the locally crafted frozen custard has become a signature part of the Legendairy experience at101 E. College Ave., Appleton.
Cedar Crest Ice Cream Parlor
At the Cedar Crest Ice Cream Parlor in Manitowoc, customers don’t have to look far to find the flavors that keep them coming back for another scoop. Located just a stone’s throw from the ice cream processing plant at 2000 S. 10th St., Manitowoc, the Wisconsin company is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and the parlor has been bustling during the recent stretch of hot summer weather.
Parlor manager Myriam Mediano said Superman remains one of the shop’s biggest crowd-pleasers. The colorful favorite combines blue raspberry, cherry and vanilla ice cream swirled together into a nostalgic treat that appeals to both kids and adults. Another top seller is Caramel Collision, a rich blend of caramel-flavored ice cream, a caramel swirl and chocolate-coated caramel mini cups.
Customers are also showing plenty of interest in Cedar Crest’s limited-edition summer offerings. One of this season’s featured flavors combines strawberry ice cream with popping candy, creating a fun, crackling ice cream experience that has become a popular warm-weather novelty at participating scoop shops.
Even with new flavors drawing attention, Mediano said the classics continue to hold their own. Whether customers are reaching for Superman, a seasonal specialty or a traditional favorite, many stop in to cool off with a scoop while celebrating a brand that has been part of Wisconsin’s ice cream tradition for five decades.
Kelley’s Country Creamery
Tucked amid the rolling countryside south of Fond du Lac, Kelley’s Country Creamery has built a reputation as “the best ice cream in the middle of nowhere.” Set on the Kelley family farmstead at W5215 Fond du Lac County B, the creamery draws visitors from across Wisconsin – and around the world – who are willing to make the drive for a scoop of hand-crafted ice cream made with Wisconsin dairy.
Founder Karen Kelley said some flavors never go out of style. Strawberry and butter pecan remain year-round favorites among customers browsing the creamery’s 20 to 25 flavors and lineup of homemade ice cream. But summer is when seasonal fruit flavors really shine.
Recent hits have included Lemon Cheesecake, the creamery’s flavor of the month, while the patriotic Firecracker flavor is expected to be a popular choice over the Fourth of July holiday. The festive creation features vanilla ice cream swirled with strawberry and blueberry ribbons and topped with red, white and blue sprinkles.
Kelley and her team also enjoy pushing the boundaries with unique farm-inspired flavors. Later this month, the creamery plans to offer Sweet Corn, a butter-based ice cream flavored with sweet corn and a touch of salt and pepper. In August, Huckleberry will make its seasonal return.
Summer travel season brings a steady stream of customers through the doors, Kelley said, with visitors stopping from near and far as they explore Wisconsin’s countryside. Whether they’re craving a classic scoop of butter pecan or eager to try an unconventional flavor like sweet corn, many make Kelley’s a destination all its own.
Mullen’s Dairy Bar
Since 1932, Mullen’s Dairy Bar has been serving up dairy treats rooted in family tradition. What began as a milk bottling operation founded by dairy farmer Frank Mullen Sr. and his sons eventually grew into an ice cream business, and today the company continues to make its ice cream in small batches using simple ingredients, cane sugar and no artificial dyes, preservatives or sweeteners.
With nearly 30 flavors available, customers have plenty of choices, but some stand out more than others. Front-of-house manager Winter Ouweneel said Dirt Cake has become one of the shop’s signature flavors. Created by one of the owners, the flavor starts with a devil’s food ice cream base and is loaded with Oreo cookie chunks and buttercream frosting.
“It’s very fluffy buttercream and gives the ice cream a nice light whipped texture,” Ouweneel said.
Other customer favorites include Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Espresso Oreo, while the seasonal lineup keeps customers coming back to see what’s new. Summer flavors such as Toasted Coconut, Key Lime Pie, Root Beer Float and Cotton Candy rotate onto the menu, joining other seasonal offerings throughout the year. Past favorites have included Highland Grog and Gingerbread during the colder months.
Ouweneel said changing the flavor selection with the seasons helps keep things fresh while giving customers something new to look forward to with each visit.
Today, Mullen’s operates locations at 212 W. Main St., in Watertown, 120 E. Wisconsin Ave. in Oconomowoc and 2420 Milwaukee St. in Delafield. Its ice cream can also be found at retailers throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest. Whether customers are drawn to a nostalgic scoop of Dirt Cake or ready to try a seasonal specialty, Mullen’s continues to blend dairy-farm heritage with creative flavor combinations that have made it a destination for Wisconsin ice cream lovers for nearly a century.
This article originally appeared on Wisconsin State Farmer: The flavors of summer: Wisconsin-inspired ice cream takes center stage
Reporting by Colleen Kottke, Wisconsin State Farmer / Wisconsin State Farmer
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