14 North Carolina Creameries Serving Farm-Made Ice-Cream Flights
There’s something truly magical about farm-fresh ice cream, the kind that turns a simple dessert into an unforgettable moment. I discovered this sweet joy last summer while road-tripping across North Carolina, where family-owned creameries craft incredible flavors using milk from their own happy herds.
Every scoop tastes richer, fresher, and somehow more personal. And now, many of these charming spots offer ice cream flights—small, artfully arranged portions of multiple flavors—so you can sample everything from classic vanilla to inventive seasonal creations.
It’s the perfect way to taste the full spectrum of their creamy artistry. Pack your sweet tooth and join me on this delicious journey through North Carolina’s finest farm-to-cone destinations.
1. Scoops Microcreamery – Sneads Ferry
I stumbled upon this coastal gem completely by accident while escaping a sudden summer storm. The owner, a former marine biologist, greeted me with a warm smile and suggested their signature flight—six miniature scoops of handcrafted heaven!
Their ‘Make it a flight’ option lets you handpick from seasonal surprises like Honey Lavender (made with local wildflower honey) and Sea Salt Caramel that actually uses Atlantic sea salt. Each flavor tells a story of local ingredients and creativity.
The petite wooden flight board presentation makes for an Instagram-worthy moment, but trust me, you’ll be too busy savoring to snap photos for long.
2. Carolina Scoops – Pineville
“You simply must try the flight,” whispered the elderly gentleman next to me in line, his eyes twinkling with mischief. He wasn’t wrong! For just $7, this Charlotte-area favorite serves four perfectly portioned half-scoops that let you explore their flavor universe without commitment.
My personal quartet included their Brown Butter Cookie (grandmother’s recipe), Carolina Strawberry (picked that morning), Dark Chocolate Orange (surprisingly zingy), and Toasted Coconut (transports you straight to the beach).
The family behind the counter knows most customers by name, and by my second visit, they remembered my favorites too!
3. Landis Creamery – Landis
Generations of dairy farming expertise shine through in every bite at this Rowan County treasure. The flight special here—four generous scoops for $7 or upgrade to the large for $10—became my weekly reward after hiking nearby trails.
Their signature Butter Pecan uses pecans candied on-site, while the Blackberry Cheesecake features berries from the neighboring farm. What makes this flight extraordinary is the temperature control—each scoop arrives at the perfect consistency, neither too hard nor melting too quickly.
The outdoor seating area overlooks the very fields where their Jersey cows graze, completing the authentic farm-to-spoon experience.
4. Simply Natural Creamery – Ayden
Watching the Jersey cows lazily grazing just yards from where I enjoyed my rainbow-hued ice cream flight created a connection to my food I’d never experienced before. This family operation takes pride in transparency—they’ll happily show you exactly how their milk transforms into the creamy delights on your spoon.
Their flight presentation is a work of art: six miniature scoops arranged in color order from vanilla bean to wild blueberry. The Butter Brickle flavor changed my life a little bit, with its caramelized butter bits and toffee swirls.
Pro tip: Time your visit for late afternoon when the farm offers mini-tours!
5. Chapel Chill – Chapel Hill
Students crowd this quirky creamery for good reason—their newly launched ice cream flights have become the talk of campus! I squeezed in among the college crowd and discovered flavor combinations I’d never imagined possible.
The flight boards here feature clever UNC-themed names carved into the wood marking each flavor position. My favorite combination included their Coffee Caramel Crunch (using beans from the local roaster) and Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake that somehow captures summer in a single bite.
The owner, a UNC chemistry professor, applies scientific precision to her recipes, resulting in textures that defy the ordinary laws of frozen treats.
6. Howling Cow Creamery – NC State University, Raleigh
Science meets sweetness at this university-run creamery where dairy science students create some of the freshest ice cream I’ve ever tasted. Their newly introduced flight program feels like a delicious research project—four perfectly formed scoops served in branded ceramic dishes.
Wolf Tracks (their signature flavor with peanut butter cups and fudge swirl) pairs surprisingly well with their seasonal Campfire S’mores. The campus location buzzes with energy as professors and students debate flavor profiles with scholarly intensity.
What makes this place special? The milk travels less than 200 yards from cow to cone, and the student creators often serve their own experimental flavors with palpable pride.
7. Homeland Creamery – Julian
Six generations of dairy farming heritage fill each spoonful at this Greensboro-region landmark. Their flight presentation—a miniature milk bottle carrier holding six sample-sized mason jars of ice cream—might be the most charming in the state.
The notorious “Cow Pie” flavor (don’t worry, it’s chocolate with brownie chunks and fudge swirls) sits alongside their award-winning Banana Pudding that genuinely tastes like grandma’s recipe. What separates Homeland from others is their vat-pasteurization process, preserving milk proteins that give their ice cream an unmatched silky texture.
The farm store also sells their cream-line milk in glass bottles—the perfect souvenir.
8. Two Roosters Ice Cream – Raleigh
Creative collaborations make this Triangle-area parlor a standout destination for adventurous palates like mine. Their flight program rotates monthly, featuring four seasonal scoops that often incorporate ingredients from local artisans.
I nearly fell off my chair trying their Cheerwine Float (made with the iconic NC soda) and Maple Bacon made with pork from a nearby farm. The owner—a former engineer—approaches ice cream making with methodical precision, testing dozens of variations before a flavor makes the menu.
The minimalist shop interior with its hand-drawn flavor board creates a canvas where the vibrant ice cream colors truly pop. Worth every calorie!
9. Mama Bird’s Ice Cream – Sweetwater
Hidden down a winding country road, this Chapel Hill vicinity treasure feels like stumbling into someone’s dreamy farmhouse kitchen. Mama Bird herself—a former pastry chef with twinkling eyes—suggested I try the $10 six-scoop flight when I couldn’t decide between flavors.
Each scoop arrives in a vintage teacup on a repurposed window shutter serving board. The Honey Lavender uses flowers from their own garden, while the Buttermilk Blackberry features fruit picked that morning from bushes you can see through the window.
The shop’s collection of mismatched chairs and handwritten recipe cards pinned to the walls creates an atmosphere of visiting a beloved relative’s home.
10. Wandering Cone Creamery – Wilmington
Salty ocean breezes complement the sweet treats at this coastal small-batch creamery where I accidentally created my own flight by being hopelessly indecisive. The patient owner now offers a formal flight option—four mini scoops in seashell-shaped dishes.
Their Sea Salt Caramel actually uses salt harvested from Wrightsville Beach, while their seasonal Peach Cobbler contains fruit from inland farms. The constantly rotating menu features over 100 flavors throughout the year, making repeat visits a delightful necessity.
The shop’s nautical-themed interior with weathered wood and rope accents perfectly captures Wilmington’s maritime character, making the tasting experience feel authentically coastal.
11. Maple View Farm Ice Cream – Hillsborough
Rocking chairs on a wraparound porch overlooking rolling pastures—this is how ice cream should be enjoyed! My first visit to this Orange County institution coincided with the launch of their “Farmer’s Flight” featuring five heirloom flavors made from recipes dating back to 1963.
The Black Walnut uses nuts foraged from the property, while their signature Maple View Sweet Cream showcases the pure flavor of their grass-fed cows’ milk. Each scoop comes with a tiny card explaining the flavor’s history and ingredients.
The fourth-generation farmers who run this operation can often be spotted moving between the barn and creamery, embodying the true farm-to-cone experience.
12. Sunni Sky’s Homemade Ice Cream – Angier
“Choose any five flavors and we’ll make it a flight,” announced the teenager behind the counter at this unassuming roadside stand that’s become legendary among NC ice cream aficionados. Despite offering over 130 flavors, the staff remembers regulars’ preferences with impressive accuracy.
My flight featured their famous Carolina Crunch (vanilla with honey-roasted peanuts and chocolate chunks) alongside seasonal Watermelon that tasted like summer distilled into cream. The presentation is simple—five scoops in a cardboard boat—but the flavors are anything but basic.
The picnic tables under towering oak trees provide the perfect spot to contemplate the complex flavor profiles in each spoonful.
13. Loblolly Creamery – New Bern
Named for the towering pines that surround this riverside creamery, Loblolly offers what they playfully call the “Forest Flight”—six woodland-inspired flavors arranged on a cross-section of pine.
Their Pine Needle Honey (yes, really!) uses foraged ingredients that somehow create a refreshing, almost minty profile. The Wild Blueberry incorporates berries picked from the owner’s property. What makes this flight special is the progression of flavors, designed to be eaten in a specific order that tells the story of the surrounding ecosystem.
The shop’s floor-to-ceiling windows frame the Neuse River, where occasionally you’ll spot an osprey diving for fish while enjoying your treats.
14. Bull City Scoops – Durham
Housed in a converted tobacco warehouse, this Durham hotspot blends industrial chic with farm-fresh flavors. Their “History Flight” features four scoops representing different eras of the city’s culinary heritage.
The Tobacco Road (brown butter with caramel swirl) honors Durham’s agricultural past, while the Modern Durham (coffee with chocolate-covered espresso beans) celebrates the city’s current foodie renaissance. Each flight comes with a small map showing where ingredients were sourced within a 30-mile radius.
The owner, a Durham native and former history teacher, loves sharing stories about the city while you sample. The reclaimed wood counters and exposed brick create a space that honors the past while looking toward the future.