25 Unique and Weird Ice Cream Flavors To Try in 2025

Whatever your ice cream preferences, you probably have one of two reactions when you see a weird ice cream flavor at a specialty scoop shop or in the supermarket freezer.

You might make a face — who would want to eat that? — and clutch your carton of vanilla or cookie dough a little tighter. Or, alternatively, a novel combination of flavors or an offbeat mix-in might get you fired up.

Any unusual ice cream flavor is, by nature, polarizing. But the ice cream world is getting bigger, and as it does, those divisive flavors are becoming more numerous, not to mention weirder. 

See, we’ve mastered the classics. Anyone who can get their hands on a solid recipe and quality ingredients can do a great vanilla. In today’s oversaturated ice cream market, it takes a truly unique ice cream flavor to stand out.

As such, ice cream companies are pulling from a variety of hats to come up with weird new ice cream flavors: we’re seeing bizarre flavor combinations, provocative ingredients and concepts that don’t seem like they should be as delicious as they are. It’s an exciting time for anyone who loves taste-testing a new, weird ice cream flavor. 

So, what are the weirdest flavors of ice cream on the market? From relatively tame boundary-pushers to truly acquired tastes, these 25 weird ice cream flavors are worth your attention. 

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• 25 Unique Ice Cream Flavors To Try
• Learn To Make Unusual Ice Cream Flavors

25 Unique Ice Cream Flavors To Try

1. Beer Ice Cream

We’ll start you off with something tame: this is a list of weird ice cream flavors, not off-putting ones. No matter which way we feel about it, beer is a flavor we pretty much all know, so it’s as good a place to start as any. 

Though it’s not commonly sold, this boozy ice cream flavor pops up from time to time in specialty ice cream shops, and it’s a relatively easy weird ice cream flavor to recreate at home since its main flavoring is so accessible. 

You probably already know whether you like the flavor of beer or not. If you do, you might find that it’s vastly improved when you crack open a cold one into the ice cream maker. 

2. Blue Cheese Ice Cream  

You either love blue cheese or you hate it. The famously pungent cheese has an unmistakable flavor and aroma, and while some can’t stand it, there are legions of dedicated blue cheese fans ready to defend its merits. Blue cheese ice cream is no doubt the brainchild of one of those fans. 

One of the most famous purveyors of this strange ice cream flavor is the West Coast chain Salt & Straw, a specialty ice cream shop that frequently puts out some of the industry’s weirdest ice cream flavors. 

Salt & Straw’s Pear and Blue Cheese ice cream is a permanent flavor on the menu and an enduring fan favorite despite being an acquired taste. We think it’s the subtle, balancing flavor of the pears that makes this one work. 

3. Everything Bagel Ice Cream  

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams has recently expanded far beyond its Columbus, Ohio, roots. With storefronts nationwide, Jeni’s is also one of the best grocery store ice cream brands, with products available at many chains. Along with becoming well-known in general, Jeni’s is becoming widely known as one of the best producers of delightfully weird ice cream flavors. 

One of Jeni’s recent creations was a head-scratchingly unusual ice cream flavor called Everything Bagel Ice Cream. Onion, garlic, streusel, cream cheese, poppy seeds — this breakfast-inspired Jeni's ice cream flavor sounds bizarre, but it was so beloved that it was re-released in 2023 after a limited-time run in 2021. 

Those who love this weird ice cream flavor are enamored of its flavor and texture contrasts, its sweet-savory balance and its novelty. Those who don’t love those things aren’t quite so charmed.

4. Lobster Ice Cream  

Lobster is a way of life in New England, where lobstering is both a major industry and a point of local pride. That means that a summer trip to New England will involve encountering every lobster-related novelty food and souvenir you could possibly conceive. You’d better believe that includes ice cream. 

This weird ice cream flavor is a bit much to wrap your head around. Real lobster meat is mixed directly into the ice cream base — that’s all it is. Those who enjoy the flavor say that the creamy texture and natural sweetness of lobster combine beautifully with the ice cream base. We’re a bit more skeptical, but you should definitely try this one for yourself. 

5. Sweet Corn Ice Cream  

This unusual ice cream flavor might sound a bit strange to U.S. customers who are used to uber-sweet ice cream. But it’s nothing new: sweet corn ice cream has been popular in Mexico, the Philippines and Korea for years. 

You might expect a flavor like this to taste a little bit off, but it’s subtly sweet and surprisingly delicious. Recently, it got a big launch in the U.S. market when it was sold as a limited edition Van Leeuwen Ice Cream flavor, a company famously fond of weird ice cream flavors.

Its accessible ingredients also mean sweet corn ice cream is an excellent homemade ice cream recipe for anyone who wants to try making an interesting ice cream flavor of their own.

6. Balsamic Ice Cream  

While it sounds like a weird ice cream flavor bar none, balsamic in ice cream actually makes quite a bit of sense. It’s tangy enough to offset a super-sweet base and has a subtle sweetness that keeps it from sticking out unpleasantly in an ice cream flavor. It’s also very simple, so if you’re looking for a weird ice cream flavor to try making at home, balsamic is a great one to start with. 

7. Goat Cheese Marionberry Habanero  

Portland-based chain Salt & Straw has built a following on its rotating monthly flavors, some of which are among the weirdest ice cream flavors in the business. And some of those weird ice cream flavors have become so beloved by fans of the franchise that they keep coming back seasonally, year after year. 

Goat Cheese Marionberry Habanero is one such flavor. There is a lot going on here. Goat cheese is tangy, sharp and pungent; marionberries are sticky-sweet; habanero offers in-your-face spice. 

The vision here was to let those flavors bring out the flavor in each other, and if the number of devotees this weird ice cream flavor has amassed is any indication, it’s working.

8. Chile and Chocolate Ice Cream   

This is another weird ice cream flavor for anybody who likes things spicy. No longer confined to any one specialty ice cream store, the concept of combining chili and chocolate has taken off in the last 10 years or so in the U.S. 

While it is still considered somewhat of a weird food combo stateside, this mix of chile with chocolate, often a dark chocolate, has been popular in other countries and cultures for centuries. 

Fans of this flavor pairing claim that the chile heightens the flavor of the chocolate and the chocolate takes the edge off the spice. Although it’s not as spicy as you might think, chile chocolate ice cream definitely still gets you with that spicy kick in the end. 

So if you’re not into that, this weird ice cream flavor may not be your thing. But for others, it’s exactly what they never knew their plain chocolate scoop needed.

9. Wasabi Ice Cream  

Sometimes you want to freeze and burn your mouth at the same time. This concept has become increasingly popular in recent years, seeing the release of many popular desserts with a surprising kick of spice. You’ll see a few on this list, and this is a particularly popular one. 

You’ve probably tasted wasabi before, and when you did, it most likely came with a fish-based main course like sushi or sashimi. The cooling taste of raw fish often balances the heat of wasabi in Japanese cooking, and if you think about it, wasabi ice cream follows the same principle. 

Dairy neutralizes spice, too, so what you end up with when you make wasabi ice cream is a milder flavor than straight-up wasabi that still packs a punch. 

10. Cold Sweat 

We’ve tried to avoid featuring too many only-in-one-place ice creams on this list — a weird ice cream flavor isn’t as much fun if you know you can only try it four states away. But we had to make an exception for this viral hit. Cold Sweat is the creation of local creamery Sunni Sky’s in Angier, North Carolina, and it’s…something else.

If your favorite weird ice cream flavors are the spicy ones, you have got to get yourself out to North Carolina, stat. You’re never going to top the heat that Sunni Sky’s packs into this weird ice cream flavor, with three types of chile (including ghost pepper!) and a base using two types of hot sauce. 

No amount of cold ice cream is going to put out the fire in your mouth after just one bite of this stuff — and that’s what has fans coming from far and wide for a scoop of this weird ice cream flavor.

11. Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Ice Cream  

When it first hit stores in 2021, this strange ice cream flavor had a lot of fans questioning whether the good people at Van Leeuwen’s were running out of ideas. It’s bright orange, proudly mimicking a childhood favorite that, frankly, never asked to be made into an ice cream flavor. It doesn’t seem like it could possibly be appealing. 

So fans were stunned when its buttery, cheesy, surprisingly subtle flavor was…actually delicious. What? 

It looks like the very definition of a gimmick, but this weird ice cream flavor proved to be worth its salt during its tenure in stores. Although it’s been re-released periodically since its original run, it seems to be discontinued again at the moment. 

12. Deviled Egg Custard  

In 2022, Salt & Straw made an audacious addition to its picnic-inspired lineup of monthly specials: Deviled Egg Custard. Black sea salt and shortbread cookies complemented an egg yolk base in a decidedly weird ice cream flavor, even for Salt & Straw. 

The surprise here? It doesn’t really taste like a deviled egg. Many ice creams use a custard base that includes egg yolks, so adding egg to this weird ice cream flavor didn’t change its flavor much at all. 

13. Grape Nuts Ice Cream  

This weird ice cream flavor is only weird in parts of the U.S., where Grape-Nuts are known mostly as the preferred breakfast cereal of the elderly and not as an ice cream flavor. But in New England, Eastern Canada and the Caribbean, Grape-Nuts are a common ice cream mix-in, and you can find this ice cream at New York-based Island Pops. 

Although the store is based in New York City, Island Pops ships its Trinidadian-inspired ice cream flavors nationwide. So if you need a reminder that weird ice cream flavors are relative, or you’re just wondering what it would taste like if you threw your breakfast into the ice cream maker and waited, order a pint of Grape Nuts and see what you think.  

14. Pizza Ice Cream  

Yet another weird ice cream flavor courtesy of Van Leeuwen, one can imagine that Pizza came about as an unholy hybrid of pool party food that was somehow meant to fill the niches of both dishes at once. 

Like many of Van Leeuwen’s weird ice cream flavors, it hasn’t been sold widely since 2022, but the buzz generated by its initial release might portend an eventual comeback. Fans say that it’s not as savory as it sounds, and that the creaminess of mozzarella and sweetness of tomato work surprisingly well in an ice cream. 

15. Green Smoothie 

Here’s another head-scratcher from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. Ever seen the twentysomethings at your local gym walk in with a huge green smoothie in hand? That’s the kind of flavor Jeni’s was going for when it released this spinach-based ice cream. It’s undeniably a weird ice cream flavor, but it works better than you’d expect. 

That’s because the majority of its component flavors are actually fruits, and not very unusual ones at that. Mango, banana, pineapple and orange are all fairly typical ice cream flavors, or at least not too out there. It’s the addition of spinach, that green-smoothie mainstay, that tips this ice cream flavor into “weird” territory. 

Never fear, though: as in a real green smoothie, you can barely taste it. In Jeni’s Green Smoothie Ice Cream, the spinach adds depth and substance, not flavor.

16. Garlic Ice Cream  

If you ever find yourself in the farming town of Gilroy, California, you’ll know it by the smell: your nostrils will be filled with the aroma of garlic. 

Gilroy is the Garlic Capital of the World, so much so that you can smell it driving through. The city even hosts multiple garlic festivals throughout the year. So are we really surprised that some enterprising local chef turned the town’s one and only claim to fame into a weird ice cream flavor? 

When it comes to garlic ice cream, you get what you’d expect. It just tastes like garlic. No tricks or fancy additions to this weird ice cream flavor. But it’s all over Gilroy, so you have to assume it sells. That should be reason enough for you to sample this weird ice cream flavor while you’re passing through. 

17. Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Ice Cream  

If you’ve ever furtively turned away to lick the red-hot Cheeto dust off your fingers and thought, “man, that sure would make a good ice cream flavor,” you’re not alone. Marble Slab Creamery had the same idea, and the result was this weird ice cream flavor that has to be tried to be believed. 

The concept is simple: a sweet cream base enrobes crushed Hot Cheetos, neutralizing a bit of their spice. And it sounds like the sort of weird ice cream flavor that couldn’t possibly be good. But Marble Slab fans keep on coming back for this most unusual of flavors, so if you get the chance to try it, indulge your curiosity to see what everyone is talking about. 

18. Oyster Ice Cream  

Many Japanese ice cream flavors have taken off in the U.S. — it wouldn’t feel right to classify something as palatable and popular as matcha ice cream as “weird.” But not all of the country’s contributions to the ice cream world are as broadly appealing, and this is one of those cases. 

Food-themed Tokyo entertainment complex Namjatown offers a huge variety of culinary pleasures, some of which are weirder than others. And one of those is this undeniably weird ice cream flavor. In the complex’s dessert section, you can find a gelato flavor made with real oysters, and yes, it really does taste like them.

While some fans love its uniquely briny taste, we suspect that this weird ice cream flavor might be a bit much for many. You may find that you want to enjoy Japan's superb seafood as an entrée rather than a dessert. 

19. Olive Oil Ice Cream  

We all know what happened when Starbucks tried to release its (ill-fated) line of olive oil coffees. But don’t let that make you too skeptical of this increasingly popular, slightly-weird ice cream flavor: olive oil flavoring works much better when it has a substantial base like ice cream rather than…well, coffee. That one was bound for disaster from the start. 

Thanks to the nutty flavor of olive oil, this interesting ice cream flavor has a subtle, layered flavor and a complex smoothness that pairs surprisingly well with your favorite hot fudge. If you want to serve ice cream with your dessert course at a classy event where typical vanilla just won’t do, olive oil ice cream makes a wonderfully elegant party food. 

This flavor is also a bit easier to find than others on this list, with Salt & Straw being a notable brand to sell a version made with Arbequina olive oil.

20. Hot Honey Ice Cream  

How many Van Leeuwen flavors is this now? Say what you will about how good they taste, but this artisan brand is truly dedicated to releasing new and increasingly weird ice cream flavors. This one swirls spicy honey through a French vanilla base for a slow burn that takes a second to cut through the sweetness.

If you’re looking for a weird ice cream flavor with that kind of spicy-sweet thing going on, this one is a favorite of Van Leeuwen’s fans. Just know it’s not going to taste like honey in the way you might expect! 

21. Fried Milk Ice Cream 

Iconic Dallas eatery Uchi is making a name for itself in the ice cream business, but its weirdest ice cream flavor is really only weird in name. Why? Because in spite of its amusing name, Fried Milk Ice Cream combines fairly standard and widely-loved ice cream mix-ins. 

A sweet cream base, dulce de leche, salted fudge and blondie bites are all fairly typical additions to an ice cream flavor. Really, the most unusual element of this not-quite-weird ice cream flavor is its use of cornflakes.

Still, it’s a unique and novel flavor and trying this ice cream is definitely one of the best things to do in Dallas for foodies. Even if you aren’t in the Dallas area, many places serve a variation of this unique ice cream, including restaurants, ice cream shops and even food stalls at the local fair. 

22. Mountain Dew and Doritos Ice Cream  

It isn’t often that a small hometown ice cream shop goes viral, but Sparky’s Homemade Ice Cream in Columbia, Missouri, did just that. In 2023, a customer discovered that the mom-and-pop store sold a weird flavor of ice cream called Mountain Dew and Doritos, and the internet went berserk. 

So, how does the weird ice cream flavor that gave Sparky’s its big break actually taste? Well, think margarita with all of the opposite connotations. The concept is the same: salt and lime are a great combination. But one is a girls’ night staple, and the other is a weird ice cream flavor almost without compare and which might be a bit of a hard sell. 

Whatever your opinion, those who’ve had the chance to try this neon-green creation say the salty Dorito pieces are a great contrast to the citrusy flavor of the soda. 

23. Banana Parsnip Sherbet  

Nearing the end of our list, we have one more seasonal flavor from our friends at Salt & Straw. This mellow but unusual option blends bananas, parsnips, honey and cinnamon, aiming to create a creamier product, and it’s working pretty well for them. 

There aren’t any harsh flavors in that mix, so you get a subdued blend of earthy, sweet notes that works a lot better than an ice cream made of a fruit and a tuber seems like it should.

Salt & Straw is always pushing the ice cream envelope, and depending on who you ask, their innovative flavors don’t always work. But if you don’t mind the tendency that bananas have to crowd out every flavor they come into contact with, this weird ice cream flavor pulls off something pretty compelling. 

24. Grey Poupon Ice Cream  

Ah, Van Leeuwen, we can always count on you for the weird ice cream flavors we didn’t know we needed. This one combines spicy Dijon mustard and pretzel bites in a French vanilla base, which is fairly on-brand for a company dedicated to putting out attention-grabbing flavors you’ve definitely never seen before. 

Although it won’t be for everyone, this unique ice cream flavor works for some because the mustard swirl is not as spicy as the real thing. It’s a bit subtler and sweeter, so that slight kick you expect when you spread Dijon mustard on a sandwich isn’t there. 

While this flavor appears to be discontinued, it retains a place in the proud lineage of weird ice cream flavors Van Leeuwen has been cultivating for years. 

25. Avocado Ice Cream 

This increasingly popular but still somewhat weird ice cream flavor makes the list for the same reason as many of its peers: its base flavor is much more associated with savory foods. If you think about its smooth and creamy texture, it gets a little bit easier to see why this weird ice cream flavor makes sense. 

But for many, avocado is something you spread on toast or mash to make a dip for your chips — certainly not an ice cream flavor. However, avocado is actually one of the milder and more palatable weird ice cream flavors on this list. 

It has a very mild flavor, it’s slightly sweet, and if you can get past the guacamole and toast associations, it holds up surprisingly well as an ice cream flavor. That makes avocado a good point of entry into the world of unusual ice cream flavors. It’s also relatively easy to make avocado ice cream at home if you’re impatient to try it but can’t find it at your local grocery store or ice cream parlor. 

Learn To Make Unusual Ice Cream Flavors 

If you’ve ever tried your hand at making homemade ice cream, you no doubt know it can be tricky. Replicating the perfect texture of an ice cream shop scoop isn’t easy, but with the help of an expert chef, you can learn to make your very own weird ice cream flavors. 

How? By participating in cooking classes near you or even online cooking classes from the comfort of your own kitchen. 

Your instructor will not only give you helpful hints about the ice cream-making process, but also help you figure out how to combine flavors and get inspired to come up with weird ice cream flavors of your own. 

Some ice cream fans stand by the classics, and that’s okay. But there’s a whole world of weird ice cream flavors out there, and as times and palates change, some of these weird flavors of ice cream might just become tomorrow’s standbys.

Chocolate and chile pepper may never become the new vanilla, but so long as there is a crowd who loves to push the envelope, these weird ice cream flavors will have a place in the ice cream world.

For even more ways to explore your favorite foods, check out other experiences happening on Cozymeal.