We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. Learn more.

  1. Lifestyle
  2. Restaurants

This Is the Hottest Ice Cream Flavor in America Right Now

By:
Julia Glum
3 min read
- Bill Diodato—Getty Images
Bill Diodato—Getty Images

If you celebrate National Ice Cream Day and don't Instagram your cone, did you really eat it? This Sunday, look no further for a photogenic scoop than America's hottest — or, rather, coolest — flavor.

According to data from financial transaction company Square, which looked at sales from roughly 10,000 ice-cream shops, the fastest-growing ice cream flavor in 2018 is "unicorn." The mythological creature is exploding in popularity, inspiring a wide variety of ice cream recipes Lisa Frank would love. Order a unicorn scoop, and you'll receive any combination of bright rainbow colors, sprinkle swirls, edible glitter, frozen frosting and fondant horns.

Plus, you'll be fashionable: Sales of unicorn ice cream jumped 191% percent from January to June, making it the trendiest flavor in the country according to Square. Unicorn Frappuccinos, lattes, cakes and bagels are so last season.

For Sunday's National Ice Cream Day, you can purchase unicorn ice cream at Target, which sells a super-sweet version featuring "a sour blue raspberry swirl, frosting swirl and glitter candy bits," according to BuzzFeed.

Or check out Taiyaki NYC, which PopSugar reported offers a strawberry-vanilla soft serve iteration with glittery sprinkles and unicorn ears in a fish-shaped cone.

Don't like dairy? Try the vegan Unicorn Magic flavor at Cocobella Creamery in Los Angeles, which the menu describes as "pink vanilla with marshmallows, [gluten-free] animal crackers and sprinkles."

Magical, right?

No matter which unicorn creation is your favorite, make sure you shop for it early — if you're located in Oregon or Montana, you may have some competition at the local ice cream parlor. People in those states eat the most ice cream out of anyone else in the country, according to a Square analysis that adjusted for population. (Nationally, the average American family spends about $54 on ice cream every year.)

You may think of ice cream as a cool-down treat designed for people in hot places like Hawaii or California, but several of the top consumers are states with chilly climates. Maine, for example, comes in third, followed by Massachusetts and Washington. Connecticut, Colorado and Alaska also appear on the delicious list.

Tags