How adventurous are you with your Vermont creemee?
We all know the classic maple creemee. If you’ve spent enough summers eating your way around Vermont, you’ve probably graduated to a maple and black raspberry twist, too.
But would you order pickle? Basil? Thai tea? Toasted coconut? Limoncello?
Vermont’s creemee scene has gotten considerably more creative, and some of my favorite stands around the state are serving flavors that go far beyond the traditional maple, vanilla and black raspberry. Some are available all summer, while others appear for only a week or weekend before something completely different takes their place.
I’m often a maple purist, but put a flavor on the board that I’ve never seen before and there’s a very good chance I’m ordering it.
So, if you want to branch out from the traditional Vermont maple creemee this summer, here are a few places to start.
Devyn’s Creemee Stand in Swanton
Pickle creemee, anyone?
Devyn’s Creemee Stand in Swanton has become one of the places to watch if you’re looking for unusual creemee flavors in northern Vermont. Along with more familiar options, Devyn’s rotates through specialty flavors that have included everything from pickle to toasted coconut.
Yes, pickle.
It’s exactly the kind of flavor that makes you stop when you see it on the menu board, and isn’t that half the fun?
Because specialty flavors rotate, check what Devyn’s is serving before making a special trip for a particular one. Or do what I prefer to do: show up and let the creemee board decide your order.
Lu Lu Local favorite: Lu Luin Vergennes
Lu Lu in downtown Vergennes is already known for its inventive small-batch ice cream, so it makes sense that its approach to frozen desserts extends to some fun seasonal creemee flavors, too.
Watch for flavors like strawberry and limoncello, especially during the warmer months.
Lu Lu is also right in the heart of downtown Vergennes, making it an easy addition to a day exploring Vermont’s smallest city. Grab your creemee and walk around downtown, or use it as an excuse to stop in Vergennes while traveling through Addison County.
Red Hen Baking Local favorite: Red Hen Baking in Montpelier
Red Hen Baking is known first and foremost for its bread and pastries, but during creemee season, there’s another reason to stop.
You can typically count on maple alongside a rotating specialty creemee flavor, with the second option changing regularly throughout the season.
That rotating menu is part of what makes Red Hen a fun repeat stop. Instead of deciding what you want before you arrive, check the current flavor and decide whether you’re going all-in or ordering it as a twist with maple.
And while you’re there, this is absolutely not the time to demonstrate restraint around the bakery case.
ShireTown Marketplace in Middlebury
If variety is what you’re after, keep an eye on the creemee board at ShireTown Marketplace in Middlebury.
Its rotating lineup has included flavors like mint chocolate chip, peppermint, butter pecan and orange creamsicle, along with other seasonal options throughout creemee season.
This is a particularly good stop for people who want something different without necessarily jumping straight from maple to pickle. Orange creamsicle or butter pecan feels adventurous enough to make things interesting while still firmly occupying familiar dessert territory.
And because Middlebury is one of my favorite towns to wander, you can easily make your creemee part of a larger afternoon downtown.
Canteen Creemee Company Local favorite: Canteen Creemee Company in Waitsfield
If we’re talking about creative Vermont creemees, Canteen Creemee Company has to be part of the conversation.
Located in Waitsfield in the Mad River Valley, Canteen has developed a following for pushing the boundaries of what belongs in a creemee cone or cup. Specialty flavors have included combinations and ingredients like basil, Thai tea, honey lemon and ginger.
This is where I’d send the person who sees the weirdest flavor on the menu and immediately thinks, “I need to try that.”
Canteen also gets creative with its toppings and combinations, so don’t feel like you need to stop at a plain cone. See what’s on the menu, embrace the fact that you’re already here and order accordingly.
What Exactly Is a Vermont Creemee?
If you’re visiting Vermont and wondering why everyone keeps spelling “creemee” that way, welcome to one of our favorite summer traditions.
A Vermont creemee is essentially soft-serve ice cream, but calling it soft serve here misses part of the cultural significance. Creemee stands are a staple of Vermont summer, and maple is the flavor most closely associated with the tradition.
Ask Vermonters where to find the best maple creemee and you’re likely to start an argument.
The fun part is that the tradition continues to evolve. Maple isn’t going anywhere, but more shops are experimenting with seasonal fruit, herbs, spices and flavors inspired by desserts and cuisines from around the world.
Which means there are considerably more creemees to try. For research purposes, obviously.
Where to Find Unique Creemees in Vermont
The best thing about hunting for unusual Vermont creemee flavors is that the list is never really finished.
Many of the most interesting flavors are limited releases. A shop might serve something like basil or strawberry for a week before replacing it with an entirely different option. What you ate last July may never appear in exactly the same form again.
That’s why I recommend checking each shop’s current menu or social media before making a long drive specifically for one flavor.
It’s also why this is a particularly fun Vermont summer road trip challenge: pick a few creemee stands, see what’s on the board and order something you wouldn’t normally choose.
You might find a new favorite. Or you might discover that you are, in fact, a maple creemee traditionalist. Either way, you get a creemee.
Maple Purist or Creemee Adventurer?
I’ll always have room for a really good maple creemee. There’s a reason it’s the Vermont classic.
But I also love that our creemee scene keeps getting more inventive. Pickle, basil, Thai tea and limoncello aren’t replacing maple. They’re giving us even more reasons to spend the summer driving around Vermont in pursuit of frozen dairy products.
And I’m very willing to accept that assignment.
So tell me: what’s the most unusual Vermont creemee flavor you’ve found? I’m always looking for another stop to add to this list.
The places in this guide, on the map
-
Directions to Lu Lu (opens in a new tab)
Creemee or ice cream stand · Vergennes, VT
If the limoncello creemee is available, get it. Sample the unique ice cream flavors and be wowed!
-
Directions to Red Hen Baking (opens in a new tab)
Bakery · Montpelier, VT
The perfect spot for a loaf of bread, sandwich, creemee or coffee. Don't miss the honor-stand bread room!
-
Directions to Canteen Creemee Company (opens in a new tab)
Creemee or ice cream stand · Waitsfield, VT
Go for a unique creemee or sundae - but don't miss their savory bites too!
Talk with locals
Comments
Be the first to chime in
Been here? Your tip could save the next visitor a wrong turn.