Top 100 Frozen Desserts
in the World

Clotted cream ice cream is a traditional ice cream that’s associated with Cornwall, although it’s sold in supermarkets throughout the United Kingdom. This ice cream is made with Cornish whole milk, eggs, and clotted cream. The use of Cornish clotted cream gives the ice cream a unique flavor and a velvety consistency. This decadent ice cream can be flavored with various additional ingredients such as vanilla, and it can be found in many bars and cafes across the region. It is also not uncustomary to add a dollop of clotted cream on top of the scoops of Cornish ice cream.Expand

Pistachio is one of the most popular flavors of Italian gelato. A mainstay in every gelateria, in its original form, this frozen treat combines pistachio paste with the classic base of milk, cream, eggs, and sugar. Occasionally, crushed and toasted pistachios can be added, but the basic texture should always remain dense and creamy. Due to the high prices of pistachios and pistachio paste, many gelaterias nowadays opt for cheaper replacements, but the best pistachio is considered to be the grown in a small Sicilian town of Bronte.Expand

Turkish ice cream is believed to originate from the city of Maraş—hence the name—and what really sets it apart from other varieties is its resistance to melting and a particularly dense, chewy texture. These qualities are brought by adding two thickening agents to the basic milk and sugar mixture: Arab gum, also known as mastic resin, and salep—a type of flour made from the root of the early purple orchid. In fact, in the Kahramanmaraş region, ice cream typically contains distinctly more salep than usual, which is why it is sometimes called kesme dondurma—from the Turkish kesmek, meaning to cut—which is the reason why this ice cream variety is usually eaten with a knife and fork. In Türkiye, ice cream is commonly sold in the streets but also in specialized dondurması shops, whose owners will often go out of their way by producing their own salep, apart from using exclusively natural flavorings and milk from goats fed only with thyme, orchid flowers, and milkvetch.Expand

Frozen custard comes from the "Custard Capital of the World", Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it's sold more than anywhere else around the globe. It is a gourmet ice cream treat made with eggs, cream, and sugar, and it originated from Coney Island, New York, when it was a popular carnival treat. As the popularity of frozen custard grew, it quickly spread to the Midwest. As there is far less air added than in other similar treats, the result is a thick and dense custard with tons of flavor. A lot of frozen custard fans believe it is better than ice cream since it is served before being refrozen and mantains a soft, yet heavy consistency, so it is a unique regional treat in which you can really feel the difference when talking about flavor.Expand

Cremolada is a popular frozen dessert from Peru, often described as a cross between a smoothie and shaved ice. It's made by blending fresh fruit pulp with sugar and water, then freezing the mixture. Sometimes, a bit of lime or lemon juice might be added to enhance the fruit's natural flavors. Once it's frozen, the cremolada is scraped or shaved into a granulated texture, similar to a granita or a slushie. Cremolada is typically served in cups or glasses and is consumed with a spoon or a straw. It's especially popular in the hot months as a refreshing treat.Expand

A staple at every Italian gelateria, nocciola is a classic hazelnut gelato. It is prepared with a fragrant hazelnut paste that is combined with a base of milk, cream, eggs, and sugar to create a creamy treat that is characterized by its nutty flavor. The best hazelnut gelato in Italy is produced from Piemonte hazelnuts, which are considered the finest variety for the confectionery industry. They provide the delicate, nutty flavor and the characteristic aroma. Nocciola or hazelnut gelato is often combined with chocolate to create bacio—another popular gelato flavor—but most gelaterias offer it on its own, as an essential addition to their offer.Expand

Kulfi is a traditional ice cream made with slowly simmered whole milk. Although the long-simmering process results in a loss of volume, it makes up for it with a delicious, nutty, caramelized flavor. The ice cream is characterized by its unusual, conical shape, a result of using traditional, special molds with tight-fitting lids. Kulfi is usually flavored with traditional Indian ingredients such as pistachio, rose water, and saffron, although some cooks prefer to flavor it with fruits such as berries. It is believed that kulfi was invented by the ancient inhabitants of the Himalayas during the Mughal Empire era. There are some main differences between kulfi and regular ice cream: kulfi has less air and is denser than regular ice cream, because the milk gets more concentrated through the cooking process. Today, kulfi can be made at home or found at street stalls, sold by vendors called kulfiwalas.Expand

This classic flavor combines hazelnuts and milk chocolate into a rich, smooth gelato. Though similar to the bacio flavor, gianduia is typically prepared with milk chocolate and does not incorporate crushed hazelnuts. It was modeled on gianduia, an iconic Italian cocoa, sugar, and hazelnut paste that was initially introduced in the 19th century. Similar to the gianduia confection, the gelato is also usually associated with Piedmont, a region famous for its hazelnuts, but it is commonly found in numerous gelaterias throughout the country.Expand

This classic Italian ice cream dessert hails from Pizzo, Calabria. It was supposedly invented in 1952, in Gelateria Dante, by a gelataio named Giuseppe De Maria, better known as Don Pippo. He used his hands to mold a mixture of chocolate and hazelnut gelato around a melted dark chocolate filling, then rolled it in some bitter cocoa powder. This frozen dessert is recognized as a traditional agricultural product of the region, and it has influenced the creation of many modern varieties that combine different types of gelato or additions such as almonds, walnuts, and even maraschino cherries.

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Queso helado is a Peruvian dessert that's very similar to ice cream, and it originates from Arequipa. It's usually made with a combination of whole milk, evaporated milk, cinnamon, cloves, desiccated coconut, sugar, and egg yolks. Both types of milk are simmered with cinnamon, cloves, coconut, and sugar. The pan is taken off the heat, the egg yolks are added to the pan one by one, and it's then returned to the heat and simmered for a few minutes. The mixture is strained in order to remove the spices, and it's then placed in the freezer until frozen. After a few hours, queso helado is served in bowls, dusted with cinnamon. It is believed that the first queso helado was made at the Arequipa convent of Santa Catalina as an ice cream substitute.Expand

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is an American ice cream company founded in New York City in 2008 by Ben Van Leeuwen, Pete Van Leeuwen, and Laura O’Neill. The brand began as a single yellow ice cream truck operating on the streets of New York with a mission to create high-quality ice cream using simple, carefully selected ingredients. Van Leeuwen is best known for its French-style ice cream, made with milk, cream, cane sugar, and egg yolks, which delivers a rich texture and intense flavor. In addition to its traditional dairy offerings, the company has gained recognition for its extensive range of vegan ice cream flavors. The product portfolio includes classic varieties such as vanilla, chocolate, and pistachio, alongside innovative seasonal and limited-edition creations. Over time, Van Leeuwen has grown from a local New York venture into a nationally recognized premium ice cream brand with numerous scoop shops and widespread retail distribution. The company is distinguished by its minimalist visual identity, commitment to ingredient quality, and approach to elevating everyday ice cream through artisanal craftsmanship. Today, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is regarded as one of the leading contemporary premium ice cream brands in the United States.Expand