I scream, you scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM!

Ice cream season is in full swing and it's time to announce the Top Ten Best Ice Cream Shops in Steuben County for 2022! 

Here we go!

The Last Stand

(Painted Post)

The Last Stand has expanded its footprint to Painted Post bringing its wide array of delicious offerings with them. Hand-dipped hard ice cream, sundaes (like Death by Chocolate and S’more Please sundaes), milkshakes, razzles, floats and ice cream sandwiches. They even have dairy-free and gluten-free options (including gluten-free cones).

Beartown Peaches 'n Cream

(Painted Post)

At not every ice cream shop can you pick up fresh fruit and vegetables, an array of plants, and also some of the tastiest ice cream around. But Beartown Peaches 'n Cream isn’t every ice cream shop. Stop by and see for yourself why they’ve been a local favorite for years.

Gauss' Sweet Shoppe

(Campbell)

Some of the best experiences are found off the beaten path. Gauss' Sweet Shoppe is proof. With a rotating menu of homemade flavors (like banana nut fudge, mango, Pina colada, and others), you’ll want to head out into the country just a little ways for this one.  

Dippity Do Dahs

(Corning)

Named TravelAwaits “Best Small Town Ice Cream Shop” in the country for 2021. Stop by Dippity Do Dahs and taste what all the fuss is about. Offering 30 delicious homemade flavors, specialty non-dairy sorbets (including wine sorbets), rotating beer flavors, vegan peanut butter soy, customized ice cream cakes, pizzas, cookie sandwiches and more. 

Hokey Pokey's Ice Creamery

(Corning)

A Corning tradition for over three decades, this is the spot for refreshing oh-so-good Italian ice. With both hand-dipped hard ice cream and soft-serve options and rotating flavors of the week (did someone say Raspberry Oreo, Strawberry Rhubarb, Chocolate Overload?) Hokey Pokey’s is what it’s all about!

Twin Kiss Ice Cream

(Bath)

Located just outside of town on Route 415, Twin Kiss is known for ample servings and reasonable prices. More than an ice cream shop, as they also serve grill food, Twin Kiss knows how to take soft-serve ice cream to the next level.

Emmie's Ice Cream

(Bath)

Emmie's Ice Cream offers several options, as well as creative interpretations of what ice cream can be, like their Birthday Cake Confetti Dip Top (that’s right) or the delicious Strawberry and Cheesecake Delight which includes strawberry cheesecake ice cream, accented with real strawberries and an actual slice of cheesecake (yeah, that one sells out).

Keuka Creamery

(Hammondsport)

When you share your name with the most unique of all the Finger Lakes, finding unusual ways to experience ice cream (like upside-down peanut butter banana splits and ice cream nachos) is just something folks expect. Enjoy a wide variety of Dole flavors and soft-serve ice cream sandwiches rolled in sprinkles, nuts, or candy. 

The Udder Place

(Hornell)

Sure, taking your photo with the cows is fun, but The Udder Place is more than a playful diversion. Turns out it’s also a great spot for delicious ice cream and the folks in Hornell are finally sharing the secret with the rest of us. 

Annie's

(Canisteo)

An integral part of the Canisteo community for the past five years, Annie’s serves up the best Perry’s Ice Cream from Oregon Blackberry Cheesecake and Fudge Swirl to Panda Paws and Birthday Bash. From Toasted Coconut to Mint-Ting-A-Ling. Dip-tops, twists, sprinkles. So many reasons to smile. 

History of Ice Cream (In case you were interested!)

Ice cream has come a long way since the days of Alexander the Great and his honey flavored ice, but some form of frozen delight has been enjoyed by various cultures around the world for the past couple millennia. 

Of course, up until around 1800, ice cream was “a rare and exotic dessert enjoyed mostly by the elite.” According to some accounts, “President George Washington spent approximately $200 for ice cream during the summer of 1790” and “President Thomas Jefferson was said to have a favorite 18-step recipe for an ice cream delicacy that resembled a modern-day Baked Alaska.”

Over the years, ingredients have changed, as have methods for making, storing, even serving these cold creamy treats. 

Did you know in one small American town in the late 19th century it was illegal to sell ice-cream sodas on a Sunday? So they took out the carbonated soda and added syrup, creating an entirely new dessert, craftily disguising the name of this new decadent dish by swapping out one vowel for another and calling it the “Ice Cream Sundae.”

Over 30 ice cream shops throughout Steuben County were nominated for their frozen goodies by locals, some serving ice cream made by others, some specializing in crafting their own tasty creations from scratch. That’s a lot of lip-smacking goodness to explore. It also means no matter what town you visit, you’re bound to find a spot serving up some delicious ice cream.

Check out the Steuben Ice Cream Trail on our Explore Steuben Trip Planner App along with many other exciting things to experience while visiting Steuben County!