The 15 Most Popular Types of Ice Creams From Around the World

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With summer around the corner, many start thinking about bathing suit season. For us? Summer means one thing: ice cream season. Sure, you can enjoy it year-round, but nothing beats a cold, creamy scoop on a hot day. It’s sweeter, richer—especially by the beach, lake, or poolside under the sun.

If you grew up in America, you probably have fond memories of vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, or other classic flavors in a cone (or a cup with sprinkles). Maybe you even remember the hum of a homemade ice cream maker on a lazy summer afternoon. But did you know there are different types of ice cream beyond what you’ll find at the local shop?

While America has its classics, ice cream around the world features unique textures, flavors, and names. If you grew up abroad, your scoops might look or taste a bit different—but the joy is the same everywhere.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane and explore some of the most popular types of ice cream, here at home and around the world. From creamy classics to global delights, every scoop has a story.

1. Hard Custard Ice Cream

When it comes to ice cream, we can’t forget American ice cream. You know it, you love it—but do you know how it’s made or what makes it unique? And did you know there’s more than one type?

Hard-custard ice cream is the classic American favorite. Made with heavy cream, eggs, sugar, and other ingredients, it’s churned and frozen into creamy, scoopable goodness. This is the ice cream you’ll find in most shops and recipe books.

Iconic flavors include chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and mint chocolate chip.

2. New England Ice Cream

Did you know New England has its own unique kind of ice cream? It’s not like the typical American scoop—it’s delightfully chewy. You can even bite straight into it from the cone (if your teeth can handle it!). This texture comes from using less air and adding milk proteins, creating a dense, creamy treat that’s similar to gelato but with its own charm.

Ever had ice cream mixed with cookies or chocolate chunks on a marble slab? That idea started at Steve’s, a small ice cream shop in Somerville, Massachusetts.

New England ice cream isn’t just about texture. It’s about flavors that reflect the region’s history—peppermint stick, rich maple, or classic coffee. It’s more than dessert; it’s a bite of nostalgia, ready to be enjoyed in a cone or cup.

3. Philadelphia Ice Cream

Unlike New England ice cream, the Philadelphia variety isn’t from Philadelphia, nor is it unique to the city. Sometimes it’s even referred to as New York ice cream or American ice cream.

Philadelphia ice cream is ice cream made without eggs. It’s lighter and fluffier than custard ice cream and other egg-based ice creams and melts in your mouth more easily. It is typically churned with more air than its denser counterparts.

Philadelphia ice cream may have a different texture than custard ice cream, but its flavors are pretty similar. Classics include vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and other iconic flavors.

4. Frozen Custard Ice Cream

Frozen custard is a unique type of ice cream, more like soft serve than traditional hard ice cream.

It’s said to have originated in Coney Island but is now most popular in the Midwest. Made with a rich base high in fat and eggs, it’s churned in a special machine that minimizes air and produces a soft, creamy texture. In fact, it’s ready in just two minutes after the base is added! Unlike regular ice cream scoops, frozen custard is served in soft “ploops.”

Popular flavors include vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, and it’s a favorite for milkshake mix-ins.

5. Soft Serve

Soft serve is a relatively new type of ice cream that came about in the early to mid 20th century and peaked in the 1950s or 1960s. Some say Carvel founded it, while others credit Dairy Queen.

Soft serve has a low-butterfat base that is made with milk, sugar, and a few other ingredients. It typically does not contain eggs. It is rapidly churned with air, which forms a light foam. Soft serve usually has more air than most ice creams, which is what gives it its signature swirl and lightness.

Soft serve comes in a multitude of flavors, with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry being the most popular. Unlike other types of ice cream, it does not contain mix-ins like Oreos, chocolate chips, or nuts.

6. Frozen Yogurt

Frozen yogurt is similar in consistency to soft serve but differs slightly in flavor and consistency. It tends to be denser.

Frozen yogurt differs from soft serve as it’s made with yogurt rather than milk and cream. It’s pretty easy and fast to make, too. Some recipes are as simple as churning together a quart of yogurt and a cup of sugar. There’s another myth about frozen yogurt: while it’s typically served soft, it doesn’t have to be. You can let it harden in the freezer and scoop it like you would with ice cream.

Frozen yogurt comes in every flavor you can imagine. The traditional ones are common, but you can also find options like white chocolate mouse (thank you TCBY), butter pecan, and so many other varieties.

7. Sorbet

Sorbet is considered a dairy-free frozen dessert, so it doesn’t technically fit in the ice cream category. However, it’s frozen, melty, can be scooped in a cone, and tastes great on a hot day. Thus, it’s on our list.

Sorbet is derived from the concentration in sugar found in fruit, as well as fiber and pectin. It’s a sugary syrup that is whipped together and frozen and, as it freezes, becomes a labyrinth of tiny ice crystals and sweet, fruity sugar.

Sorbet is great for vegans and lactose-intolerant people looking for a refreshing treat on a hot day. This treat is also delicious for those looking for a frozen fruity dessert. Common flavors include raspberry, strawberry, lemon, lime, and other fruity flavors.

8. Sherbet

Remember rainbow sherbet? If you’re a child of the 90s, you probably are. Sherbet is a mix between sorbet and ice cream. It’s fruity, but it also contains milk.

According to the FDA, sherbet needs to have between one and two percent milk solids. If you’re making it at home, that equates to roughly equal amounts of dairy and some other liquid. That liquid can be juice or fruit (which sherbet typically is), but also tea, soda, or any other liquid you can think of that isn’t milk. Sherbet is smooth. It’s creamier than sorbet but less creamy than ice cream.

The most iconic sherbet flavor is rainbow sherbet, and orange is probably number two.

9. Gelato

Italy is known for great pasta, pizza, mozzarella, and ice cream. Only they don’t call it ice cream; they call it gelato. And it is delicious.

Gelato is denser than ice cream and typically doesn’t “scoop” like American ice cream does. Instead, it can be sliced, or even chopped out. This is because it is churned at a lower speed than American ice cream, resulting in less air being whipped into it. The ice cream base (the technical word for ice cream recipe) is also different and is typically made with whole milk (rather than cream), so it has a lower milk fat percentage. Additionally, most American ice creams are made with eggs or other stabilizers. Gelato is not.

Gelato flavors aren’t too far off from American ice creams. Favorites include pistachio, strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate chip (although the Italians call it Stracciatella).

10. Kulfi

If you grew up in India, have Indian parents, or have ever visited, you’ve likely tried Kulfi. Kulfi is to India what Gelato is to Italy. It tastes like ice cream but looks like a popsicle.

Kulfi is a dense, frozen dessert, and it is frozen inside of molds as opposed to churned inside an ice cream machine. It’s sweet, but not overly sweet. It is made with milk, but the milk is first cooked for hours on the stove with sugar, nuts, and spices. The trick to kulfi is to simmer and constantly stir the milk mixture.

Kulfi comes in a variety of flavors that are unlike traditional American ice cream. These include rosewater, mango, pistachio, and even saffron.

11.  Dondura

If you’ve ever visited Istanbul, we hope you tried dondura. If not, and if you’re an ice cream fanatic, it’s worth going to Turkey to taste.

Dondura is Turkey’s version of ice cream and is frozen, chewy, and stretchy in form. It is made from a fine powder derived from salep, a wild orchid root native to Turkey. This root becomes an elastic hydrocolloid and enables ice cream to become flexible. It’s so flexible that it can stretch two feet! If you’re looking for dondura in the U.S., you’re out of luck because Turkey has banned the export of salep.

Dondura comes in a variety of flavors. Some local flavors include sade (plain) and fıstıklı (pistachio).

12. Dippin’ Dots

Twenty-eight years ago, Dippin’ Dots was created and deemed “the ice cream of the future.” While it never entirely took off and replaced traditional ice cream, it certainly is fun.

Dippin’ Dots is formed by flash-freezing little drops of liquid ice cream base in liquid nitrogen. The result? Little pearls of creamy ice cream. These dots require colder-than-normal temperatures to stay hard (think -40 degrees Fahrenheit and below) and separated, which is probably why Dippin’ Dots never became a huge success. That’s colder than the average grocery store and home freezer!

Common flavors of Dippin’ Dots include the typical vanilla and chocolate, but also banana split, mint chocolate, orange creme de la creme, and other gourmet flavors.

13. I Tim Pad

Imagine a time when desserts were more than just a treat—they were an experience. I tim pad, a made-to-order ice cream from bustling street markets, captures that sense of wonder. Unlike traditional ice cream, it’s quick-frozen on an icy metal plate and shaped before your eyes. The result? Thin, velvety sheets of rich, flavorful ice cream.

The magic doesn’t end there. Add your favorite mix-ins—crushed Oreos, fresh mangoes, or anything you love. Then, the ice cream is rolled into cigar-shaped spirals, a technique that’s both mesmerizing to watch and fun to eat. Served in a cup and topped with whipped cream or a drizzle of chocolate, it brings back the joy of simple pleasures.

With its roots in tradition and its creative appeal, I tim pad offers more than dessert—it’s an experience that connects past and present in every bite.

14.  Mochi Ice Cream

If Dippin’ Dots is the newest ice cream on our list,  Japan’s mochi ice cream is the oldest.

Mochi is a thick, chewy cake that dates back more than 2,000 years. It’s pounded, glutinous rice. In the early 1990s Frances Hashimoto, owner of Mikawaya, an LA restaurant, decided to fill mochi with chocolate ice cream. The result was a Japanese-inspired ice cream sandwich that quickly became a hit in the U.S. and shortly after, Japan.

Mochi ice cream now comes in a variety of flavors such as green tea, mint chocolate chip, strawberry, and cookies and cream. It can even be found at Trader Joe’s! You can get inspired by the best kawaii anime restaurants for these sweet treats too.

15. Spaghettieis

Spaghettieis is Germany’s fun, playful ice cream that looks nothing like ice cream. It looks like a plate of spaghetti!

Spaghettieis was introduced in the 1960s in Mannheim, Germany, by Dario Fontanella. He created it after seeing children cry and say they wanted “ice cream, not a plate of spaghetti.” Spaghettieis is formed by putting vanilla ice cream through spaetzle presses. The result? Spaghetti looking ice cream “noodles” that were then topped with strawberry (i.e. the spaghetti sauce) and topped with shaved white chocolate flakes(i.e., the parmesan cheese).