My Go-To Ice Cream Sundaes

Since I got diagnosed with celiac disease in 2014, I’ve found that my ice cream preferences have evolved as I became limited in the types of sundaes and custard toppings I could consume. I used to be a huge fan of Mint Oreo®️ sundaes, KitKat®️ and cookie dough toppings, you name it. Once I went gluten free, I started broadening my ice cream horizons and began trying more flavors that incorporated nuts or fruit, which are the main toppings that make up many of my current favorite flavors and sundaes. Nowadays, when none of the nearby establishments’ flavors of the day sound very good or are ones I can’t eat, I often default to 3 different different sundaes.

3. Hot Fudge Sundae

A classic. Also happens to be my Mom’s favorite as well. The key to really enjoying a hot fudge sundae is to eat it immediately after being served. I’ve made the mistake too many times of waiting until I got home to dig in, but at that point, the hot fudge has melted most of the ice cream and the whole sundae starts getting kind of sludgy. If I’m getting this at a drive-thru, I’m either in the passenger seat starting to eat it as we head to our next destination, but if I’m driving? We’re pulling into a parking spot so I can eat this in it’s prime.

2. Caramel Cashew Sundae

Another classic sundae enjoyed by many. This is probably the sundae I’ll make most often from home since we always seem to have caramel and cashews on hand. I love the blend of salty and sweet flavors that you get from this combination. One thing that’s important to keep in mind with this sundae is getting the proper ratio of caramel to ice cream to cashews. I tend to get carried away with the cashews, which I then try to remedy by adding more caramel. That then upsets the delicate balance between the ice cream and the toppings, and we certainly don’t want the whole sundae going to waste. Kopps Frozen Custard has a ‘Cashew Creation’ sundae that I personally think is way too overwhelming for a single person to consume, in addition to being oversaturated with toppings. I’ve bought this sundae several times and tried splitting with several other people, but it’s still pretty difficult to find the actual ice cream underneath all the caramel and marshmallow fluff(?) that’s piled on there. I no longer order it or offer to split it with other people simply because a lot of it ends up going to waste due to unequal proportions.

1. Raspberry Sundae

Here we go, my ALL-TIME FAVORITE sundae that I could never get sick of, and it’s only a single topping! I don’t think I’ve gone a single month in the past 5 or so years without getting one of these at some point. There’s just something so refreshing about combining raspberries with vanilla custard, no matter where I get it from. I usually head to my local Oscar’s or Culver’s to get my fix. I already like raspberry-flavored ice cream in general, like black raspberry ice cream with bits of dark chocolate mixed in it, or Kopp’s annual New Years’ Eve/Day Raspberry Chambord flavor, but when it comes to mixing actual raspberries with other toppings, like chocolate, both atop vanilla custard, I’m not as big of a fan. I don’t like my sundaes to be overly complicated, especially with something like chocolate, which can so easily overwhelm the frozen dessert as a whole. Of course, there’s always room for experimentation, but for now, I’ll just keep sticking with my plain raspberry drizzle on my plain vanilla custard, and that will keep me content.