Some ice cream flavors are eternal. Vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry will always hold their ground, but other flavors once delighted diners before fading from menus and freezer aisles.
From candy-inspired scoops to forgotten fruits, here are 12 flavors we think deserve another chance.
1. Peach
Before cookie dough and brownie batter took over, peach ice cream was a beloved summer flavor, especially in the South.
Once a regular on grocery shelves, it now survives mostly at farmers’ markets or homemade churns. Its refreshing fruitiness deserves a revival.
2. Butter Brickle
Born from a toffee candy in the 1920s, butter brickle ice cream mixed buttery sweetness with crunchy bits.
It was a Baskin-Robbins classic and a Midwest staple. Today, it’s rare, though Braum’s in Oklahoma occasionally scoops it.
3. Grape
Bold and colorful, grape ice cream once popped up in soda fountains across America. Tangy and sweet, it stood out from other fruit flavors.
Now, grape is mostly relegated to popsicles, leaving its creamy cousin all but forgotten.
4. Black Walnut
Earthy and distinct, black walnut ice cream was once offered by heavy hitters like Haagen-Dazs and Blue Bell.
Over time, demand dropped and it was shelved. Today, you may still spot it under Mayfield Dairy Farms at select grocers.
5. Tin Roof
A sundae-inspired flavor from the 1930s, tin roof blended vanilla, chocolate sauce, and chocolate-dipped peanuts.
Blue Bell made it a household favorite until discontinuing it in 2019. Turkey Hill still carries it, but only sporadically.
6. Brown Bread
A New England specialty, brown bread ice cream featured molasses and spiced bread crumbs, giving it a gingerbread-like richness.
Once popular in Boston parlors, it’s now an almost-forgotten artisanal treat.
7. Tutti Frutti
Bright pink and studded with banana, pineapple, and cherries, tutti frutti was an ice cream parlor classic from the late 1800s through the 1980s.
Today, you’ll rarely see it beyond nostalgic shops like Leopold’s in Savannah, Georgia.
8. Maple Walnut
This Northeastern gem combined the sweetness of syrup with crunchy walnuts. Once a diner staple, it’s now eclipsed by pistachio and other trendy nut flavors.
Its balance of sweet and savory makes it a comeback contender.
9. Teaberry
With a pink hue and flavor reminiscent of wintergreen gum, teaberry ice cream hit peak popularity in the 1960s. Today, it lingers mainly in Pennsylvania, kept alive by small regional brands like Yuengling’s.
10. Neapolitan Spumoni
Spumoni with pistachio, cherry, and chocolate with candied fruits or nuts was once a fixture in Italian-American restaurants.
Now it’s largely replaced by simpler Neapolitan, though its colorful layers are a nostalgic favorite.
11. Lemon Custard
A Southern favorite, lemon custard ice cream dates back to early soda fountains. Its balance of creamy richness and tart citrus made it a refreshing warm-weather scoop.
Once common at parlors, it’s now hard to find outside of small regional creameries.
12. Peppermint Stick
Once a holiday staple, peppermint stick ice cream swirled vanilla with crushed candy canes or peppermint bark.
It used to be widely available seasonally but has become harder to find. Its festive crunch is long overdue for a national comeback.