If a trip to the cider mill is on your usual fall bucket list, this fall ice cream flavor is one you’ll love! Inspired by all of our favorite fall activities, this flavor is apple cider ice cream with cinnamon graham swirls and donut pieces. This one is a scoop shop exclusive, so have your answer ready to “in a cone or a dish?”

The Inspiration Behind Our Lavender Ice Cream: Q&A with Megan Mergler, Perry’s Product Manager

Q. How long did it take from concept to launch? 

From ideation to the first production run, Lavender Dream ice cream took 13 months to bring this concept to life.

Q. What inspired this flavor? 

Seeing lavender beautifully done in other food and beverage categories inspired us to discover our own take on this trending flavor. We wanted to make sure the floral notes of lavender did not overwhelm the base and instead acted as a subtle complement. We found the perfect balance between the floral of lavender, softness of vanilla, and the jamminess of blackberry — resulting in a smooth and refreshing gourmet ice cream you won’t find just anywhere.

Q. Who is going to love this flavor? 

People who have embraced the lavender trend, enjoy culinary-inspired ice cream flavors, or have loved Perry’s Strawberry Cheesecake or Perry’s Black Raspberry will absolutely want to try this.

Q. What is the eating experience like? 

Consumers will enjoy the light, smooth, and refreshing taste of Lavender Dream! With a perfect balance of vanilla and lavender, the flavor is delicate and never overpowering (no soapy notes!). The soft purple color is as calming as the taste itself! It’s a spoonful of summer ice cream sweetness done just right — a standout among our limited edition ice cream creations!

Q. What other Perry’s flavors pair nicely with it? 

This flavor pairs well with our fan-favorite combinations: Vanilla Cloud (Lavender Dream & Vanilla), Purple Haze (Lavender Dream & Black Raspberry), and Blackberry Bliss (Lavender Dream & Midnight Blackberry Cheesecake).

Affogato

Coffee and ice cream lovers unite with this delicious (and warm!) Italian ice cream treat. Our Affogato recipe couldn’t be easier! Simply place a couple scoops of your favorite Perry’s Ice Cream flavor in a mug, add a delicious cup of coffee or shot of espresso, and voila! You can enjoy the taste of ice cream without feeling chilly in the process.

Recommended flavors:

• Tuxedo
• Cookies & Coffee
• Chocolate
• Vanilla (or Madagascar Vanilla, French Vanilla or Vanilla Bean!)
• Bittersweet Sinphony

Pint ‘O Coffee

If you’ve tried an affogato recipe before and are looking to switch things up, we’ve got another suggestion hot and ready for ya! This single-serve coffee dessert starts with your favorite Perry’s Ice Cream Pint flavor. Grab your go-to pint and use a spoon to carve a small opening from the side all the way down to the bottom, creating a passage for the coffee. Then, use a funnel, measuring cup, or place the pint right below your single-serve coffee maker (like a Keurig or Nespresso), and pour the coffee into the opening created in your pint. Grab a spoon and enjoy!

Recommended flavors:

• Madagascar Vanilla
• Brownie Batter
• Southern Pecan

Hot Chocolate

If you’re not one for coffee or decide to make this a late-night snack, fear not! This caffeine-free ice cream treat will keep you warm and cozy without keeping you up all night. Like the affogato recipe, simply grab your favorite flavor, add a scoop or two to your mug, and pour hot chocolate right on top. Easy, delicious, and kid-friendly!

Recommended flavors:

• Mint Ting-A-Ling
• Cookies & Cream
• Caramel Chocolate Twist
• S’more Adventures
• Peanut Butter Cup

Let’s start with the closest alternative there is to ice cream: frozen yogurt. Even though it’s not classified as ice cream, it still contains milk and cream, making it a frozen dairy dessert. That said, if lactose doesn’t agree with you or you have a dairy allergy, this option may not be for you. However, it contains the least sugar content of all the ice cream alternatives and even has health benefits such as added probiotics, calcium, & Vitamin D. So, if you’re looking for a healthier alternative but want a similar taste to ice cream, consider giving frozen yogurt a try! 

Perry’s Frozen Yogurt Offerings:

• Key Lime Pie Frozen Yogurt
• Peanut Butter Chip Frozen Yogurt
• Vanilla Frozen Yogurt
• Raspberry Truffle Frozen Yogurt (scoop shop exclusive)

Next is our deliciously flavorful ice cream alternative: sherbet (or “sherbert”). No matter how you say it, you won’t regret trying this fruity & refreshing option. Although it’s very fruit-flavor forward, don’t let that fool you–sherbet does contain dairy (lactose-intolerant friends, be weary!). In fact, the addition of milk, cream and butterfat help to give sherbet that creamy, ice cream-like texture it’s known for. So why is it considered an ice cream alternative? The biggest reason is that sherbet does not contain the minimum percent of dairy milkfat that is required for the classification of “real ice cream.”

On top of that, sherbet’s shining star ingredient is the addition of fruit puree, making it a little lower on the lactose scale and a little higher on the sweetness scale as far as dairy desserts are concerned.

Sherbet also tends to be lower in calories and saturated fat, so if you’re in the mood for something fruity and a bit lighter than your traditional ice cream, scoop up some sherbet! 

Perry’s Sherbet Offerings:

• Northern Lights Sherbet
• Rainbow Sherbet

Last, but certainly not least, allow us to introduce you to Sorbet, a fruity and dairy-free option! Not only can your vegan, dairy-free, and lactose-intolerant friends enjoy this treat, but it also contains fewer calories and less fat, making it a slightly healthier ice cream alternative. It’s important to note, however, that due to its high fruit content, sorbet typically has more sugar than its counterparts.

In addition, sorbet has a different texture vs. frozen yogurt, ice cream, and sherbet. The absence of dairy in this ice cream alternative gives it an icier texture than other frozen desserts.

So, if you’re looking for something lighter, cooler, and icier than traditional ice cream or its alternatives, give sorbet a try! 

Perry’s Sorbet Offerings:

• Lemon Sorbet (scoop shop exclusive)