Ata Atso: 12 Best places to get ice cream during winter in Western NY

Is there anything better than eating cold, creamy and delicious ice cream on a hot summer day? How about eating that same delicious ice cream on a cold winter day? If you live in Western New York, you know that the cold weather doesn’t stop us from doing the things we love, and if you’re anything like me, that means you love eating ice cream year-round, regardless of the weather. The problem is that many of our favorite ice cream places are seasonal and close up shop once summer ends and fall begins. That’s why I’ve compiled this list of great Western New York places to get your ice cream fix no matter the weather. So slip on your knit hat, gloves, winter coat and let’s go!

Sweet Jenny’s

You’ll find Sweet Jenny’s nestled in the middle of historic Williamsville, right next to the beautiful Glen Park and Ellicott Creek. It doesn’t look like your average ice cream shop because it is located inside the historic red 1811 Williamsville Water Mill. While Sweet Jenny’s appearance is far from average, it’s homemade ice cream is no different. Sweet Jenny’s serves ice cream year-round, constantly changing available flavors to cater to the season and keep things fresh. In the fall, they make seasonal favorites like Chai, Salted Caramel Apple Pie, Bourbon Butter Pecan, and Pumpkin Gingersnap.

The Salted Caramel Apple Pie flavor has nice big apple chunks, pie crust pieces and spices that give it some great flavor. It reminds me apple the homemade chunky applesauce my grandma used to make. The Pumpkin Gingersnap tastes just like pumpkin pie, probably because it’s made with actual pumpkin pie filling! It also has strong nutmeg and pumpkin spice flavors along with soft gingersnap cookie pieces that also have a nice strong taste. You can’t have fall ice cream without a good Chai flavor, and Sweet Jenny’s is soft and creamy, with spices that aren’t to strong or overwhelming.

After Thanksgiving they start to serve their Christmas flavors, which include flavors like Peppermint Stick, Gingerbread and Peppermint Oreo. The Peppermint ice cream is a nice sweet peppermint that reminds me of peppermint mixed with those sweet after-dinner butter mints, which yields a mint that isn’t overly strong like other mint flavors. Some of their classic holiday specials include Peppermint milkshakes and milkshakes made with their Brandied Eggnog ice cream. I can’t wait to return and try the Gingerbread ice cream, or maybe even a Gingerbread milkshake! Oh, and don’t forget to pick up some delicious chocolates, because they make great Christmas gifts or a nice treat whenever you need one!

Address: 56 East Spring Street, Williamsville, NY 14221

Details: Ice cream served all year; Facebook

Sweet Emilia’s Ice Cream

Sweet Emilia’s is a bit of a hidden gem in the sense that it’s one of those places you may drive past several times, but never visit. Well here’s your official invitation to try it out. This ice cream shop is made to serve kids and families. They have a large selection of Perry’s Ice Cream and a big variety of milkshakes and smoothies to choose from. What sets Sweet Emilia’s apart, in my opinion, is the very creative sundaes. Owner Keith Wilson continually comes up with some great ideas for truly unique sundaes.

Some of these sundaes include “The Eleven," which is a sundae made to celebrate the release of Stranger Things season 3. This sundae features vanilla custard, hot fudge, caramel, M&Ms, Twix, Reese’s, Heath, Butterfinger, Oreos, Kit-Kat, chocolate sprinkles and whipped cream for a total of 11 toppings! Made in a take-home container, this and other sundaes like it are great to take home and stick in the freezer for an event like a party or just whenever the family wants to dig in on a massive ice cream sundae together! Of course if you’re really hungry and an ice cream fanatic like me, you can just tackle these mammoth sundaes by yourself. Another giant sundae I’ve had the pleasure of devouring was the “Hogwarts” sundae, which featured an ice cream castle, ice cream cone towers with whipped cream “smoke,” a whipped cream bridge and a moat of hot fudge and caramel. Bloody brilliant!

This coming holiday season you can look forward to some creative Christmas sundaes that Keith has in the works. There is even a sundae to celebrate the release of “Frozen II,” which would be great to share with your little Frozen fan. Oh, and for those adults that are getting tired from all the shopping and wrapping during the holiday season, affogato (ice cream drowned with espresso) is on the way!

Address: 545 W Klein Rd, Buffalo, NY 14221

Detail: Ice cream served all year

Lake Effect Ice Cream

If you’re from Western New York, you know that this place needs no introduction. Lake Effect has been an area staple and the go-to artisan ice cream shop for some time now. While their ice cream is known for its amazing taste and creaminess, it’s the imagination that goes into the flavors and every ice cream creation that makes the difference; and you better believe Lake Effect will be bringing that imagination along with some past holiday favorites this year. Lake Effect has some new holiday flavors coming, with the return of some past flavors including a creamy Eggnog and Holiday Jingle, which is a sugar cookie base with soft chunks of the holiday favorite anise-flavored Jingle cookies. Just like past years, Lake Effect will also have plenty of awesome holiday ice cream cakes, which are perfect for holiday gatherings with the family. Past offerings have included their Santa and wreath ice cream cakes, so keep your eyes peeled for the announcement of this year’s cakes.

Some more holiday releases will include new specialty sundaes with a mystery hot element. Even if the weather outside and the ice cream may be cold, Lake Effect has you covered because they’ll be selling hot chocolate to keep you nice and warm. Lake Effect will also be bringing back their Christmas boxes, which contain four new exclusive flavors and a wooden nickel, good for a free small cone. Last year’s box had some great flavors, one of which was Peanut Butter Bomb, which is their Peanut Butter Epiphany ice cream blended with double the chocolate chunks and had a giant chocolate-covered peanut butter buckeye in the center. This one reminded me of digging for buried treasure of chocolate and peanut butter. Can we make treasure hunts like this a thing?

Returning to reality, we have the exciting reveal of the four flavors in this year’s box. First is Ho Ho Ho, which is their House Chocolate ice cream packed with chocolate flakes and all the Ho Ho pieces you can handle. Next is Tipsy Snowman, which is their Extra Cookies Extra Cream ice cream (my favorite flavor) with even more crushed cookies and a generous drizzling of Irish Cream. Old School Peppermint Stick is next, which is a reformulated peppermint ice cream with a touch of vanilla and crushed peppermint sticks to bring back those nostalgic holiday feelings. Last, but not least, is Nutcracker Sweet, which is a rich peanut butter ice cream mixed with chopped peanuts and the famous Paula’s Donuts Peanut Frycake donuts with some extra sweet donut glaze; because more donut glaze is always a good thing.

After the holiday season is over, Lake Effect keeps pumping out the good stuff. They’re bringing back their Valentine’s boxes, which contain small ice cream truffles with several different flavors, all of which are artistically decorated and, of course, delicious. While past Valentine’s boxes have been great, owner Jason Wulf says they are planning on beefing up the boxes even more. These boxes make great gifts for your significant other, but let’s be honest here; you probably deserve a box yourself, right? Lake Effect will also be bringing back their Butter Lamb ice cream cakes which were such a hit last year they had to stop selling them.

Even if you’re not snatching up one of these holiday boxes or delicious holiday ice cream cakes, you owe it to yourself to stop in and try one of their ice cream flights. What’s an ice cream flight? Well my ever-curious ice cream friend, a flight is a series of small ice cream scoops that allows you to try either five or nine different ice cream flavors at once, because we all know there is no more difficult decision in life than picking just one flavor of ice cream. They’re named after the Erie Canal lock just outside the windows of the Lockport location, so stop in and eat some great ice cream as you take in a great view.

Addresses: 79 Canal St, Lockport, NY 14094 (Lockport location) or 1900 Hertel Ave, Buffalo, NY 14214 (Hertel location).

Details: Lockport location open all year; Hertel location open until Dec. 29.

Platter’s Chocolates

Platter’s has grown a lot since Carl Platter began making orange chocolate in his basement back in 1938. Now located in the historic Wurlitzer building, Platter’s has become a great place to visit no matter what your sweet tooth may desire. You can take a tour of the chocolate factory to see and learn how they make all of their delicious treats. Of course you can then visit the shop on the way out and buy some of those treats like sponge candy bars, chocolate-covered pretzels and Rice Krispies Treats, popcorn and much more. “Why are you including a chocolate place in your ice cream article?” you may ask. Well that’s because Platter’s is no one-trick pony.

Platter’s serves Perry’s Ice Cream all year long, so you can get a cone or make a sundae with your favorite flavors. Make sure you don’t forget their custard. You should definitely try their orange chocolate custard, because the company started by making orange chocolate, so who knows orange chocolate flavor better? They also offer a changing custard of the week that corresponds to the season. During November you’ll be able to find pumpkin pie custard and in December you’ll see flavors like eggnog and sugar cookie. You can also make a Sonic Swirl (like a Dairy Queen Blizzard) with the custard like I did with the pumpkin pie custard and cheesecake bites.

Platter’s also has you covered if you need to warm up during the cold months. Check out their cafe for some of their unique winter staples. They offer a sponge candy latte that will make you wonder how they got chocolate and sponge candy flavors in there at the same time. We already know that they know their orange chocolate, so you definitely need to try their orange hot chocolate. The orange hot chocolate doesn’t have a ton of orange taste to begin with, but the orange flavor kicks in on the way down. If you like orange chocolate, this is a one-of-a-kind drink for you. Platter’s is a great place to stop whether you need to warm up with some orange hot chocolate, or cool down with some seasonal custard. Stop in and give them a try for yourself!

Address: 908 Niagara Falls Blvd, North Tonawanda, NY 14120

Detail: Ice Cream served all year; Facebook

Main Street Ice Cream

If you haven’t already been to Main Street Ice Cream in Hamburg, then let this serve as your official invitation. Every time I’m in Hamburg, those roundabouts always seem to somehow spit me out in the direction of Main Street Ice Cream (funny huh?). Main Street Ice Cream is known for their many flavors of homemade ice cream, custard, waffle cones, ice cream cakes and pies. Open until December 24th, they have you covered for all of your seasonal holiday favorites. You can look forward to their Crazy for Cranberry Sundae, which has cranberries cooked with some secret “goodness” and homemade streusel over their vanilla custard. During the holiday season you can also look forward to eggnog shakes, peppermint shakes, a peppermint brownie sundae, and peppermint chocolate crinkle ice cream sandwiches.

Luckily for you Main Street Ice Cream always offers flights of ice cream, which means that you can try 4 flavors at a time. With so many great flavors to choose from, this option is a lifesaver. During the holidays I recommend you order yourself a little “holiday flight”, which consists of Frosty’s Magic, Eggnog, Ho Ho Ho, and Peppermint. Frosty’s Magic is vanilla ice cream with caramel, brownies, M&Ms, Nestlé Crunch and Butterfinger pieces. You can’t go wrong with all those mix-ins! The Eggnog ice cream is very soft and creamy with a nice rich flavor that would make it a favorite of those who like French Vanilla ice cream. The Peppermint ice cream has more of a subtle mint that isn’t overpowering or overly sweet, which makes it a good choice if you don’t usually go for mint ice cream. The Ho Ho Ho ice cream has red and green sprinkles, swirls of cherry dip, and, you guessed it, chunks of Ho Hos. The Ho Hos are a nice addition to this flavor because they provide some nice flavor along with a cool texture. After your flight I hope you also have room to try a scoop of their other holiday flavor: Spumoni. This flavor consists of cherry, chocolate and pistachio ice cream, which is like a cool holiday twist on the traditional Neopolitan ice cream. The cherry has a nice strong flavor along with the chocolate, while the more subtle pistachio provides a nice complement to the other flavors.

Before you leave, make sure to check out their premium mints and delicious sponge candy from Oliver’s Candies, which make great gifts or stocking stuffers. Perhaps my favorite part of a Main Street Ice Cream visit is hitting the to-go freezer on the way out. It’s always chock full of ice cream pints, ice cream bars, ice cream cakes and pies, and ice cream cookie sandwiches (with seasonal combinations like molasses cookies with pumpkin ice cream or chocolate crinkle cookies with peppermint ice cream). There are also small cups of Dole Whip and their Two-Berry Twist, which is a refreshing mix of black raspberry frozen yogurt and raspberry sherbet. My favorite might just be the Dippety-Do’s, which are chunks of ice cream inside a shell made of solidified ice cream dip in flavors like chocolate, blue raspberry or cherry (like Edy’s Dibs). I recommend getting your hands on some with cotton candy ice cream and a blue raspberry shell because the two flavors make an awesome combination. The dippety-do’s are great for snacking, and I may have even noticed how the cup fits right in your car’s cup holder, making for a great snack while driving (don’t judge me). Not to be forgotten, but with every visit to Main Street Ice Cream you’ll also get served with a smile and a nice conversation to go with a friendly and neighborly atmosphere. No visit to Hamburg is complete without a visit here.

Address: 35 Main St, Hamburg, NY 14075

Detail: Open until Dec. 24; Reopens in March (exact date is weather dependent); Facebook

King Condrell’s Candy & Ice Cream

If you like the experience of a classic ice cream parlor, then King Condrell’s is a great stop for you on your Winter ice cream journey. King Condrell’s has the appearance of a retro ice cream parlor with the long bar, nostalgic wall decor and the courteous tableside service. Don’t be fooled though, because this ice cream parlor offers much more than your average ice cream parlor of yesteryear, and the Fall and Winter seasons present a great opportunity to take advantage of all it has to offer. During the holiday season, King Condrell’s is decked out with Christmas decorations, lights and cheery Christmas music playing in the background.

I happened to stop in at the end of the fall season, just before they began serving their Winter specials, so I was able to get a taste of both seasons. During the Fall they feature seasonal flavors such as Pumpkin Pie, Caramel Apple, Apple Pie, and Blueberry Pie. They also serve A la mode sundaes featuring fresh apple pie and rhubarb pie. I ordered the Fall Spectacular Sundae, which consisted of “Apple Pie ice cream with hot apple topping, Blueberry Pie ice cream with warm white sauce, and Pumpkin Pie ice cream with hot fudge, all floating in marshmallow and topped with whipped cream”. The Apple Pie ice cream was rich and creamy and was complemented well by the pie crust pieces and hot apple topping. The Blueberry Pie ice cream had a very nice blueberry flavor without being overbearing and the Pumpkin Pie ice cream had a nice subtle pumpkin flavor without being too sweet or having too much pumpkin spice flavor. The marshmallow sauce running the length of the sundae is also a great touch, because it allows you to scoop up each flavor of ice cream with some marshmallow topping, which goes great with each flavor. All of the sauces and toppings are homemade and fresh, which really makes a difference. All in all, this is a great way to try several seasonal flavors at once.

Once December begins, they begin to shift over to their Winter offerings, which means seasonal ice cream flavors like Cranberry, Eggnog, and Peppermint Stick. Seasonal sundaes include a Sponge Candy Sundae, a Peppermint Sundae, and a Warm Butter Rum Sundae, which features their eggnog ice cream. They also offer a Mocha Cappuccino Express Sundae, which is a scoop of vanilla ice cream covered with chocolate sauce and whipped cream, floating on top of cappuccino with a double shot of espresso. There are even more specials in the works, so keep your eyes and ears open! You should definitely take advantage of their huge milkshake selection and order a holiday flavored milkshake like an eggnog or gingerbread shake. I tried a gingerbread milkshake, which was nice and thick with a mix of vanilla and a sweeter gingerbread flavor. This is definitely a shake that I could go for year round. On your way out make sure your check out the large selection of candy and handmade chocolates, which make great gifts or a nice treat for yourself, because let’s face it; you’ve been good this year, right?

Address: 2805 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, NY 14217

Details: Ice cream served all year, Facebook

Hertel Ave Poutine and Cream

If you’re looking for a great food scene in Western New York, look no further than Hertel Ave in Buffalo. The street is jam-packed with creative and delicious restaurants, one of which is Hertel Ave Poutine and Cream. That’s right, owners Jake Fraser and Marc Adler have managed to pair the iconic Canadian poutine with ice cream for a one-of-a-kind match made in heaven. At Hertel Ave Poutine and Cream that’s not even the tip of the creative iceberg. They have creative poutine options like Buffalo Chicken and Bacon Cheeseburger Poutine. Wait, this is supposed to be an ice cream article, right? It absolutely is, which is why I’d like to introduce you to their Funnel Cake Poutine. First, you start with funnel cake fries, then you drizzle them with caramel and chocolate sauce, add a little cinnamon and powdered sugar, and top the whole concoction with a scoop of homemade ice cream. The fries are crispy on the outside with a soft inside, while the powdered sugar adds a nice touch that might make you think you’re at the County Fair. This dish also provides a nice contrast between the warm, crunchy fries and the cold, creamy ice cream, which complement each other nicely. This is perfect for you if you like to dip your french fries in a milkshake, or if you’re craving a sweet finish to your meal.

Next up is their Fried Dough Ice Cream Cone. Say what?!? Who knew that when you fry a piece of pizza dough it creates a great ice cream cone? Well let me tell you, this is definitely the most unique ice cream cone I’ve ever had. The cone is very warm and chewy, so be ready to grab with your teeth and pull. The cone itself isn’t very sweet, which makes it a good complement to the ice cream. I went with the Nutella ice cream, which was thick with a very accurate Nutella taste. If you’re still hungry for some more, keep reading, because it’s about to get even crazier.

As if the Funnel Cake Poutine and Fried Dough Ice Cream Cone weren’t enough, get ready for their Ice Cream Burrito. Close your eyes and picture a log of homemade ice cream wrapped in a “shell” of battered and fried pound cake, drizzled with chocolate fudge and caramel. Next, sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar, then nestle that confectionary creation next to nice big mound of delicious whipped cream. The final step is to stop drooling and head on in to Hertel Ave Poutine and Cream to make your sugary dream become a reality by purchasing an Ice Cream Burrito. The pound cake “shell” has a slightly crispy outside with a very soft and chewy inside. The pound cake layer isn’t overly sweet, therefore it doesn’t compete with the sweetness of the ice cream. Another nice element is that the burrito has a good balance between the amount of pound cake “shell” and ice cream interior. This is better than any fried food you’ll get at any carnival, so grab a buddy to help you tackle this sizable confectionary masterpiece.

If you try to tackle the threesome of the Funnel Cake Poutine, Fried Dough Ice Cream Cone and Ice Cream Burrito all at once like I did, I recommend you bring three things: a hungry friend, a strategy, and napkins ..... lots of napkins, because things will get messy.

No visit to Hertel Ave Poutine and Cream is complete without one of their freak shakes, which are milkshakes piled high with goodies on top of the mug. I tried the Cookie Monster Freak Shake, which was piled high with whipped cream and pieces of Oreo and Chips Ahoy cookies, all held in place on the rim of the mug by a delicious coating of fudge. The milkshake was sweet and flavorful, and with its toppings almost felt like a milkshake with a small sundae on top of it. Hertel Ave Poutine and Cream is known for these bad boys, so keep your eyes open for new freak shakes, as new creative shakes pop up regularly. This holiday season you can look forward to a Peppermint Chocolate Freak shake and a Gingerbread Freak Shake. Nothing sums up the Christmas holiday like peppermint, gingerbread and and stuffing yourself with sweets, right?

Address: 1488 Hertel Ave, Buffalo, NY 14216

Details: Ice cream served all year, Facebook

Churn Soft Serve

Did I mention that Hertel Ave was a great food scene? Well luckily for you it is, because if you walk across the street from Hertel Ave Poutine and Cream you’ll find Churn Soft Serve. Churn is known for their soft serve ice cream that is made from grass fed Pittsford Dairy milk, using minimal processing and no artificial flavors, colorings or stabilizers. Churn is also known for their selection of Vegan options, which make it easy for anybody to find something delicious regardless of their dietary needs. They routinely have coconut Vegan soft serve and have seasonal Vegan soft serve flavors like pumpkin and pumpkin coconut, which create more menu options by just substituting a Vegan soft serve into a menu item. Churn is also the sister company to Lloyd’s tacos, which has a big influence on some of their imaginative creations.

You can’t get more of a cross between the two companies than their December special: The Taco ‘Bout It. This baby is a homemade waffle taco shell, chocolate/vanilla twist ice cream, chocolate dip, sprinkles, and chopped peanuts. The waffle shell is thin, but easily holds up to the weight of the goodies it holds. While the toppings on the taco are colorful and look really cool, they’re more than just good looks. The toppings deliver a big crunch, which is a nice texture contrast to the soft serve and thin taco shell. Even with the toppings, you can still taste the vanilla and chocolate soft serve, which just adds to the multiple flavors already at play.

Perhaps the most famous crossover from Lloyd’s is their churro sundaes, which are creative sundaes full of themed toppings, all accompanied by a delicious warm churro. I tried the new churro sundae, the Babbity Rabbity, which consists of cinnamon soft serve, carrot cake cubes, rum raisins, cream cheese frosting, roasted walnuts, and the homemade churros. The cinnamon soft serve has a sweet, creamy base, with an accurate cinnamon taste. The carrot cake has the typical moist texture that you look for in a good carrot cake. These sundaes have two layers of toppings, so I typically have a strategy when I eat them. First, I eat the top layer of soft serve and toppings, then I eat one of the churros before eating the next layer of ice cream and toppings. I then eat the other churro before finishing the last of the ice cream. This is a great way to mix up the textures and tastes so that the sundae never gets boring. Let me say, if you thought dipping french fries in ice cream tastes good, wait until you try a churro dipped in ice cream. The churro has a nice crunchy outside with a soft inside and the cinnamon sugar is pleasantly sweet. The churro dipped in the soft serve tastes great because the warm, slightly crunchy churro is a great contrast to the cold, creamy soft serve.

Churn always carries vanilla, chocolate, and vegan coconut soft serve, while rotating an additional flavor about every three months or so. The current flavor is cinnamon, which is accompanied by specials including the Babbity Rabbity (churro sundae), Baklava (an ice cream cone with buttered filo, honey, and roasted walnuts), and the Baconator, which features Piggery bacon, waffle bits, toffee and Harvest Patch maple syrup, all mixed up like a DQ Blizzard (this counts as a breakfast food, right?). Some of their seasonal “Drank” specialties include a Peppermint Hot Chocolate and other warm delights like Santa’s Sipper and Hot Mulled Cider.

No visit to Churn is complete without hitting the to-go freezer on the way out. It’s usually stocked with popsicles, ice cream to-go, and several variations of ice cream cookie sandwiches. I recommend the classic chocolate chip cookie sandwich with vanilla ice cream or the gingersnap cookie sandwich with pumpkin soft serve. Homemade cookies and delicious soft serve; how can you go wrong?

Address: 1501 Hertel Ave, Buffalo, NY 14216

Details: Ice cream served all year, Facebook

Cheshire Farms Creamery

If sitting down in a nice big leather chair in front of the fireplace and TV with a bowl full of ice cream and the smell of fresh baked goods, waffle cones and coffee wafting through the air sounds like a good time, then Cheshire Farms Creamery is the place for you. Located just off the top of Canandaigua Lake, Cheshire Farms Creamery brings you great elements of the old time family farm all in one place. Using locally sourced milk and cream, Cheshire Farms crafts some of the most delicious ice cream to accompany their scrumptious baked goods.

I decided to try a flight of ice cream, which comes with 5 generous scoops of ice cream and a separate section of the tray to be filled with the topping of your choice such as hot fudge, caramel, or marshmallow. I wanted to get the full unadulterated flavor of the holiday flavors, so I opted for no topping and dove into a plate of holiday ice cream goodness. The first flavor I went for was Peppermint Bark, which is made with candy canes that are put into a food processor and crushed into a fine magical holiday dust and then mixed into a peppermint ice cream base. Add some melted semi-sweet chocolate and shattered chocolate fragments and you’ve got an amazing holiday ice cream. The peppermint base is strong, yet plenty sweet (that’s the magical candy cane dust), while the shattered chocolate gives it a very unique texture almost akin to chocolate flakes. This is definitely a step up from any peppermint ice cream you’ve ever had and is a must-try flavor. Next I tried Apple Pickin’ Pie, which had a very creamy and flavorful base with a unique spice taste. This flavor also had some crispy apple chunks along with some big shortbread chunks as a cool simulation of pie crust for the complete apple pie experience. Next I tried Egg Noggin, which was thick and and creamy with a more subtle taste, almost like French Vanilla with a twist. Next up was Spiced Chai, which had almost a light coffee taste while nice spice flavor kicks in a bit later as the ice cream reaches the back of your mouth. Lastly I tried Cookie Berry (although it’s technically not a holiday flavor), which had some nice big Oreo cookie chunks with a very strong berry flavor. Although I didn’t try it, you may also be able to catch the Pumpkin Pecan flavor, which may stick around after Thanksgiving.

From Thanksgiving into Christmas, you’ll find that Cheshire Farms is a great place to go for some delicious holiday favorites, whether it’s a holiday ice cream flavor or a fresh baked pie or Yule log. Cheshire Farms also makes some great custom holiday ice cream cakes and pies, using holiday flavors such as the tasty Peppermint Bark (please be sure to give 48 hours notice). We all know that ice cream warms the soul, but if you need to be physically warmed up then you should definitely try a coffee float or hot cocoa float, which are coffee or hot cocoa with a scoop of your choice of ice cream. Egg Noggin is a popular choice to pair with these drinks, but I would personally try some hot cocoa with either the Spiced Chai or Peppermint Bark. One piece of advice for you is that because Cheshire Farms closes for some deep cleaning and recharging during the month of January, you should make sure you stop in to stock up on your favorite ice cream flavors before they close. A January without your favorite ice cream flavors just sounds plain depressing, so make sure you get some ice cream in your freezer!

Address: 10 Parrish St, Canandaigua, NY 14424

Details: Open until Dec. 29 (closed Dec. 25-26th); Reopens Feb. 19, 2020; and Facebook

Spotted Duck

The traditional Christmas story may center around Santa and his reindeer delivering presents to all the good boys and girls, but at the Spotted Duck it’s the black and white Ancona ducks that deliver the goodies. That’s because owners Elizabeth and Daniel Hoover use the duck eggs to produce a rich and creamy frozen custard whose thickness rivals that of gelato. Even though the weather may get cold, the ducks are still hard at work producing eggs that help make a delicious frozen treat that you absolutely have to try. With some genuine ingenuity and lots of organic and locally sourced ingredients, the Hoovers and their ducks have even managed to produce several delicious and creative holiday flavors.

There’s no better way to try these holiday flavors than by ordering the Full House flight, which is a scoop of 12 flavors. The Full House is perfect for sharing with a group or, if you’re like me, treating yourself to a nice little frozen custard buffet. The Full House is served on a long wooden board with circular holes that hold small mason jars, which are perfectly sized for holding a scoop of frozen custard. The first flavor I tackled was the Hoo-Pudding, which is a spiced frozen custard with dried fruit, nuts, and local gin. This flavor had a sweet base with a cinnamon taste and some good texture from the chewy fruit and slightly crunchy nuts, resulting in a unique flavor. Next I tried Squashed, which is a pumpkin maple frozen custard with pecans. This one had more of a subtle taste, almost more like a sweet butternut squash rather than pumpkin, but was refreshingly unique considering that pumpkin is a much more common frozen custard flavor. The next flavor was Grog Nog, which is “from scratch” eggnog frozen custard flavored with local bourbon and brandy. Like many eggnog custards, this one was soft, smooth and creamy. I’d say this one is even a little sweeter than a traditional eggnog (probably thanks to the bourbon and brandy) and tastes like a sweet cream. Next was my favorite holiday flavor, which was a simple spiced frozen custard: Gingerbread. This one has a very accurate gingerbread flavor that is also very strong. Combining strong spices like nutmeg and allspice with a creamy and smooth texture makes this flavor a holiday favorite that you need to try.

Next, I had the Elderberry Port Reserve, which is elderberry frozen custard with Port wine (contains 1 percent alcohol). Although this one isn’t technically a “holiday” flavor per se, it is seasonally available, so I definitely had to try it. This flavor had a subtle fruity taste, with hints of wine flavor. Blended with a soft and creamy texture, this sweet flavor is quite refreshing. Next up was Chai Tea, which is simply vanilla chai frozen custard. If you like spice, this the flavor for you, because it has a strong spice flavor; stronger than any chai ice cream I’ve ever had. The warm spice taste becomes prominent when the custard hits the back of your throat and almost tastes hot. Combined with a slight grittiness, this is a very unique flavor and far from your everyday chai flavor. That brings me to Super Stout, which is made with local Ithaca Beer Super Stout, coffee and chocolate. This flavor was rich, sweet, and very chocolatey with an ever-so-slight hint of stout flavor. The coffee and chocolate combination gives this flavor a unique sweetness that will appeal to a wide audience. Next up was Cinnamon Stick, which is a cinnamon frozen custard. This is a sweeter cinnamon with a very subtle spice (a sweet spice, not a hot spice). With a very smooth and creamy texture, this one is a flavor that everybody will definitely like. The last holiday flavor was Mistletoe, which is a peppermint and cranberry frozen custard with dried cranberry bits. This flavor is a very sweet peppermint-fruit mix that results in a multilayered flavor experience. This one is creamy and soft with the cranberry bits adding even more to the texture. Mistletoe is a truly unique twist on the traditional peppermint taste that would be good for those who don’t usually like peppermint.

Among flavors that aren’t necessarily seasonal, you should definitely try the Candied Coconut (dairy free) and Real Cookies & Cream. The Candied Coconut flavor has delicious coconut brittle while the Real Cookies & Cream flavor has fresh baked chocolate cookie bites in it that are even better than cookie dough. I’d also highly recommend trying an ice cream cookie sandwich with fresh chocolate chip cookies and a complementary flavor like Seneca Salted Caramel or Gingerbread (pictured). Get creative with these! If you start to get cold and need to warm up, try a smothered coffee, which is coffee topped with salted caramel or chocolate mousse. Oh, and don’t forget to ask for some feed to take back and feed the ducks. They worked hard making your frozen custard, so give them some thanks! ‘Tis the season after all!

Address: 999 State Route 54, Penn Yan, NY 14527

Details: Open until Christmas (Starts in November from noon to 5 p.m. only Friday and Saturday ); Reopens April 2020; Facebook

Moonlight Creamery

Moonlight Creamery should definitely be on your Winter ice cream bucket list if you like uncommon ice cream flavors or ice cream that pushes boundaries by experimenting with new tastes and textures. Even better is the fact that owners Heidi Grenek and Harry Hilbert take great pride in the craftsmanship they put into their ice cream and it shows in the final product. Their ice cream is made in small batches with fresh cream from hormone-free cows from local dairy farms. Every sourcing decision they make for the business is carefully thought out, from the Fair Trade certified coffee and chocolate to their bowls made of sugarcane or the spoons made from potato starch, which are fully biodegradable in 90 days. While this all sounds very serious, at Moonlight Creamery they’re simply focused on offering you one-of-a-kind tastes and textures that will result in a truly unique ice cream experience.

Moonlight applies that philosophy to the holidays by making several creative holiday flavors. Some of these flavors include White Chocolate Peppermint Bark, Rum Raisin, Great Pumpkin Pie, Norwegian Krokan, Frozen Cocoa, Sweet Potato with Toasted Marshmallows, Egg Nog, Cranberry Sorbet, and Harrison’s Holiday Hoopla! (which was created by the owners’ son). I was fortunate enough to try some of these flavors, one of which was the Cranberry Sorbet (dairy free), whose description reads, “Fresh cranberries for a burst of holiday flavor”. This was definitely different than I expected, because it had thick ice cream-like texture and didn’t have an overpowering fruity taste, but instead tasted more like a cranberry-vanilla mix (which is good in my opinion because too much cranberry flavor can become too tart). The texture was also interesting because it almost seemed as if the cranberries were flaked in texture, which is very unique. Next I tried the Thanksgiving favorite, Sweet Potato with Toasted Marshmallows, which features sweet potatoes, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon and toasted marshmallows. This flavor had an instant sweet potato taste with a thick texture. Rather than tasting like a sweet potato-vanilla mix, this one tastes like straight sweet potato, which means it stays true to its roots. This is also a great holiday flavor that is a nice change of pace from the much more common pumpkin ice cream. This one would definitely make a great dessert for a Thanksgiving or Christmas gathering.

Moonlight has you covered for your holiday gift giving as well. You can give the gift of year-round ice cream by giving a membership to the Pint of the Month Club. Members get a pint of ice cream each month for an entire year. This is truly the gift that keeps on giving! You should also shop their very artistically decorated artisan truffles, which will blow the mind of the person receiving them. You’re also allowed to buy some for yourself, but I must warn you that some of them look so cool you’ll be hesitant to eat them. You should also block off Feb. 1, 2020, on your calendar, because Moonlight is hosting their annual Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast fundraiser to benefit Holy Childhood. They will open at 7 a.m. with all sorts of special breakfast ice cream flavors, donut ice cream sandwiches and more. The “holiday” was invented nearby in Rochester in the 1960’s, so Moonlight is keeping the tradition going by putting their own creative twist on things. I can’t think of anything better for breakfast, so count me in!

Address: 36 West Ave, Fairport, NY 14450

Details: Ice cream served all year (with shorter winter hours); Facebook

Pittsford Farms Dairy

Wherever you are in Western New York, Pittsford is just a reasonable drive away; and trust me, Pittsford Farms Dairy makes the drive more than worth it. Located in the heart of Pittsford, Pittsford Farms Dairy is located in a large building whose interior reminds me of the massive log cabins that you see millionaires build and show off on HGTV. The inside is incredibly homey with the smell of fresh baked goods and a coffee bar accompanying the hardwood floors and high ceilings. Oh and what’s more homey than a couple massive freezers filled with delicious ice cream? Pittsford Farms Dairy is sourced by local farms, which also adds to the neighborly feeling because you are supporting small businesses and local farms.

While Pittsford Farms Dairy may be a great place to visit year-round, you better believe it’s a great place to stop when the temperature drops and the holidays start creeping up on you. If you catch them during the Fall season or shortly after, you’ll find awesome seasonal flavors like Snapdragon, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pumpkin Snap, Pumpkin, and Dirty Pumpkin. I was able to try the Pumpkin Snap, which is pumpkin ice cream with a caramel swirl and pieces of gingersnap cookies. The pumpkin base had a nice balance of sweetness and strong spice flavor with a soft texture while the gingersnap cookies were very flavorful with a soft texture as well. One thing Pittsford Farms Dairy always does is pack their ice cream full of mix-ins, and this flavor is no different because it has a lot of gingersnap cookie pieces. I also had the Dirty Pumpkin flavor, which is pumpkin ice cream with Oreo cookies and chocolate chips, and it was definitely one of my favorite Pittsford Farms Dairy flavors. Like I mentioned before about the mix-ins, this flavor is packed with Oreo chunks, and some of these chunks are big and definitely not finely ground like in some grocery store ice creams. Pair those Oreo cookies with the tasty pumpkin base and a nice crunch from the chocolate chips and you’ve got a winner on your hands.

For the month of December, you’ll be able to get your hands on holiday flavors like Gingerbeast, Peppermint Stick, Peppermint Fudge, Cinnamon, Peppermint and Christmas Cookies & Cream. As always, special holiday ice cream cakes are available by order. Last year Peppermint Stick ice cream pies were available in the store, so keep your eyes open for a possible return this year. They also make a Yule log each year, available in three different flavors. Of course being a dairy operation they’ll have all the eggnog you (or your digestive system) can handle!

Oh and don’t forget about the coffee bar which has coffee, tea and all the other drinks that can keep you warm and toasty in the Winter. On your way out I suggest grabbing a homemade cookie and a quart of ice cream to take home. Trust me, you won’t regret it!

Address: 44 N Main St, Pittsford, NY 14534

Details: Ice cream served all year; Facebook

Special thanks to the following people for their generous hospitality and help: Howard Cadmus of Sweet Jenny’s; Keith Wilson of Sweet Emilia’s; Jason Wulf of Lake Effect Ice Cream; Denise Fenton of Main Street Ice Cream; Jake Fraser and Marc Adler of Hertel Ave Poutine and Cream; Lisa Kurds of Cheshire Farms Creamery; Elizabeth and Daniel Hoover of Spotted Duck; and Heidi Grenek and Harry Hilbert of Moonlight Creamery.

Christian Lasal is from Middleport, NY. He’s a graduate of Daemen College with a major in Environmental Studies Specialization and a minor in Global & Local Sustainability. He works in the fresh cut produce department at Wegmans. He’s an avid ice cream lover who likes to travel and try unique and delicious ice cream. He’s also fond of ice cream challenges and one-of-a-kind ice cream creations.

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Tuesday, December 24, 2019

12 Best places to get ice cream during winter in Western NY - newyorkupstate.com

Sweet Jenny’s

Sweet Emilia’s Ice Cream

Lake Effect Ice Cream

Platter’s Chocolates

Main Street Ice Cream

King Condrell’s Candy & Ice Cream

Hertel Ave Poutine and Cream

Churn Soft Serve

Cheshire Farms Creamery

Spotted Duck

Moonlight Creamery

Pittsford Farms Dairy

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