13 Underrated Ice Cream Flavors That Just Don’t Get Enough Love
We all have our go-to ice cream flavors: vanilla, chocolate, maybe strawberry if we’re feeling just a bit adventurous. These classics are comforting, familiar, and always a safe bet.
But beyond these beloved staples lies a vast and exciting world of frozen delights, just waiting to be explored. From exotic fruit blends to unexpected savory-sweet combinations, there’s so much more to ice cream than most people realize.
Over the years, I’ve made it my personal mission to try every scoop I could find, seeking out the overlooked and underappreciated. Today, I’m here to celebrate those hidden gems that deserve recognition.
1. Ube: The Purple Wonder
My first encounter with ube ice cream happened at a tiny Filipino shop tucked away in my neighborhood. The vibrant purple color caught my eye immediately!
Made from purple yams native to the Philippines, this flavor offers a subtly sweet, nutty taste that’s absolutely enchanting. Ube has this magical quality of tasting simultaneously familiar and exotic. It reminds me of vanilla with hints of pistachio, but distinctly its own thing.
The creamy texture combined with its earthy sweetness creates a truly unforgettable experience. Fun fact: Ube has been a Filipino dessert staple for centuries before becoming an Instagram darling!
2. Black Sesame: Nutty Sophistication
Remember when I thought ice cream had to be sweet and colorful? Black sesame shattered that notion completely. This sophisticated East Asian treat features ground black sesame seeds that create a striking gray-black color and an intensely nutty flavor profile.
The taste starts with a gentle roasted note before revealing layers of complexity: slightly bitter, nutty, and with a hint of sweetness that doesn’t overwhelm.
It’s the grown-up ice cream I never knew I needed. Black sesame has been used in Asian desserts for generations, valued not just for flavor but also for its health benefits!
3. Tamarind: Sweet-Sour Symphony
Tamarind ice cream hit my taste buds like a flavor revolution! This tangy tropical fruit creates a perfect balance of sweet and sour that dances across your palate in the most refreshing way possible.
The first spoonful surprises with its bright acidity, quickly mellowing into a complex sweetness with caramel-like undertones.
I love how it manages to be both refreshing and indulgent simultaneously. Perfect for hot summer days when you need something zingy. Throughout Latin America and South Asia, tamarind has been a beloved flavor for centuries, used in everything from candy to savory dishes!
4. Teaberry: Wintergreen Surprise
Growing up in Pennsylvania, teaberry ice cream was our local treasure that confused out-of-town visitors. The bright pink color misleads you into expecting something fruity, but instead, you get a refreshing minty flavor with spicy undertones!
Teaberry (also called wintergreen) has this incredible ability to cool your mouth while warming your spirit.
The flavor reminds me of those pink wintergreen mints my grandmother always carried, but in a creamy, luxurious form. This regional specialty remains beloved in parts of the Northeast US, particularly in Pennsylvania Dutch country where it’s considered a nostalgic treat.
5. Sweet Corn: Summer in a Scoop
The skeptical look on my face when my friend suggested sweet corn ice cream quickly transformed into pure delight after the first spoonful! This Mexican-inspired flavor captures summer’s essence in the most unexpected way.
Fresh corn kernels infuse the cream with their natural sweetness, creating a flavor that’s subtly sweet with an authentic corn taste.
Some versions even include actual kernels for a fun textural pop! The flavor reminds me of warm cornbread drizzled with honey. Mexican elote (street corn) vendors inspired this flavor, which celebrates the natural sweetness of fresh summer corn.
6. Lavender Honey: Floral Elegance
“Are you eating perfume?” my brother joked when he saw my lavender honey ice cream. I just smiled and took another spoonful of this delicate, aromatic treat that transports me to French countryside every time.
The gentle floral notes of lavender blend perfectly with the golden sweetness of honey, creating a sophisticated flavor that’s both familiar and exotic.
What makes this flavor special is how it changes as you eat it: first floral, then sweet, with a lingering honey finish. Lavender fields in Provence have inspired chefs for centuries, and this ice cream captures that Mediterranean magic in frozen form.
7. Cardamom: Spice Road Delight
My spice cabinet inspired my obsession with cardamom ice cream after I sprinkled some into my homemade vanilla batch on a whim. This aromatic spice creates an ice cream experience that feels both exotic and comforting at once.
The warm, slightly citrusy flavor of cardamom transforms ordinary cream into something magical. Each spoonful delivers a complex taste that starts sweet before revealing subtle notes of pine, citrus, and exotic spice.
Popular throughout the Middle East and South Asia, cardamom is often called the “queen of spices” and has been traded along ancient spice routes for thousands of years.
8. Avocado: Creamy Green Goodness
“You put WHAT in ice cream?” was my initial reaction before trying avocado ice cream at a Latin American festival. Now I’m completely hooked on this velvety, subtly sweet treat that showcases avocado’s natural creaminess.
The pale green color hints at its main ingredient, but the flavor is surprisingly versatile: buttery, nutty, with just the right amount of sweetness to complement the fruit’s natural richness.
The texture is absolutely dreamy: possibly the creamiest ice cream you’ll ever experience! Avocado ice cream has been popular in Brazil, Mexico, and the Philippines long before avocados became trendy in North America.
9. Maple Bacon: Sweet-Savory Revolution
My breakfast-for-dessert dreams came true when I discovered maple bacon ice cream! This flavor rebel perfectly balances sweet maple syrup with salty, smoky bacon bits for an unforgettable taste experience.
The base is a rich, amber-colored maple cream that tastes like the best pancake topping you’ve ever had. Scattered throughout are crispy bacon pieces that add surprising texture and a savory counterpoint.
Every bite delivers that perfect sweet-salty combination that keeps you coming back for more. This flavor gained popularity during the bacon-everything trend, but has stayed around because the combination genuinely works!
10. Olive Oil: Mediterranean Luxury
The doubtful look on my face when offered olive oil ice cream at an Italian restaurant quickly transformed into pure wonder. This sophisticated flavor showcases how high-quality olive oil can create an incredibly smooth, rich ice cream with a distinct Mediterranean character.
The flavor is subtle yet distinctive – creamy with fruity notes and a peppery finish that’s characteristic of fine olive oils.
What’s remarkable is the silky texture that coats your palate luxuriously. Gelato artisans in Italy have been making olive oil gelato for generations, often using regional olive varieties to create unique local specialties.
11. Pandan: Southeast Asian Gem
My culinary adventure through Singapore introduced me to pandan ice cream, and I’ve been trying to find it everywhere since! This Southeast Asian flavor comes from the aromatic pandan leaf, creating a naturally green ice cream with an intriguing taste.
Describing pandan to the uninitiated is challenging: it’s fragrant like vanilla but with grassy, nutty notes and hints of coconut.
The vibrant green color comes naturally from the leaves themselves. The overall effect is refreshing, exotic, and utterly addictive. Pandan is sometimes called “Asian vanilla” because it’s used as a flavoring in so many Southeast Asian desserts.
12. Goat Cheese & Fig: Cheese Plate Reimagined
Who knew my cheese plate obsession would lead to ice cream enlightenment? Goat cheese ice cream with fig swirls transformed my understanding of what frozen desserts could be! The tangy, slightly savory goat cheese creates a perfect canvas for sweet, jammy fig ribbons that run throughout.
Each spoonful offers a beautiful balance between creamy cheese, honey sweetness, and the distinctive texture of fig seeds.
It’s like a sophisticated cheese course in dessert form. Artisanal creameries started experimenting with cheese-based ice creams about a decade ago, inspired by the farm-to-table movement and cheese’s natural creaminess.
13. Calamansi: Citrus Mystery
My Filipino friend’s grandmother served calamansi ice cream after dinner one night, and I’ve been searching for it ever since! This citrus fruit creates a bright, tangy ice cream that’s both familiar and exotic.
Smaller than a lime, calamansi delivers a unique citrus flavor that’s somewhere between mandarin orange and lime.
The resulting ice cream has this incredible sunny brightness that makes your taste buds tingle with delight. Some versions include bits of candied peel for extra zing. Calamansi is a staple in Filipino cuisine, used in everything from beverages to marinades, but it shines especially brightly in desserts.