From Small-Batch Ice Cream to Decadent Date Shakes, These Treats Will Help You Beat The Heat
The summer heat can be intense in the Coachella Valley, but one way to cool down is by indulging in a refreshing frozen treat. To help you beat the heat, we’ve rounded up the yummiest ice cream shops, including gelato, milkshakes and more in the Palm Springs area. Read on to discover where you can cool off deliciously!
Kreem
Must-Try Treat: Vegan Ube Ice Cream
This small-batch creamery features a frequently changing menu with original ice cream flavors, both vegan and non-vegan. Kreem even incorporates spices like rosemary and turmeric-ginger as some of their ingredients. Be sure to try the vegan horchata ice cream and the Ube, a vegan sweet purple yam ice cream with toasted vegan marshmallows.
Location: Palm Springs
Shop(pe) Ice Cream & Shop
Must-Try Treat: Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich
Shop and indulge in some dee-lish ice cream at this combination ice cream parlor and gift shop. You can peruse a wide selection of candles, artwork, greeting cards and other treasures, then treat yourself to a build-your-own ice cream cookie sandwich. Combine your choice of cookies (which are made in-house) with a cappuccino crunch or mango sorbet ice cream. Shop(pe) Ice Cream & Shop also offers milkshakes, smoothies, soda floats, affogatos and more!
Location: Palm Springs
9/2
Nitroinfusions
Must-Try Treat: Strawberry Balsamic Nitropop
Get a taste of truly fresh ice cream at Nitroinfusions, which uses local ingredients and no additives or preservatives. This creamery freezes ice cream right in front of you using liquid nitrogen, a method that the owners learned from a chemistry teacher on YouTube! They have created over 30 unique flavors, but when it comes to a hot summer day, we love the refreshing organic strawberry balsamic Nitropop on a stick. To make it extra yummy, add a chocolate drizzle.
Location: Old Town La Quinta
Shields Date Garden
Must-Try Treat: Date Shake
The café at the historic Shields Date Garden offers a wide variety of California cuisine, ranging from gluten-free choices to dishes that contain dates. We suggest cooling off with a creamy date shake made with Shields’ patented Date Crystals. Enjoy it on the patio, which offers views of a lake, palm tree garden and the surrounding mountains. Or you can purchase Shields Date Crystals to create your own shake at home.
Location: Indio
Gelato Granucci
Must-Try Treat: Joshua Tree Coffee Gelato
This Palm Springs ice cream shop offers a variety of gelatos made in-house, and they make their ice creams and gelatos using local, fresh ingredients. A must-try is the Joshua Tree coffee gelato, which features an espresso roast flavor from the beans of Joshua Tree Coffee Company. Gelato Granucci’s dairy-based gelatos are lower in fat and sugar than traditional ice cream, and they offer a selection of Italian flavors on their seasonal menu.
Location: Palm Springs
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Lappert’s Super Premium Ice Cream
Must-Try Treat: Dole Whip Float
This long-time premium ice cream shop has various locations, including Palm Springs, Palm Desert and even Hawaaii! But you won’t need to travel far to sample Lappert’s Dole Whip Float! This dairy-free dessert in a cup was made famous by the Dole Plantations in Hawaii (and you may have tried it at Disneyland). It’s delicious, fat-free, gluten-free and vegan, and it’s the perfect cooling treat on a sizzling hot day.
Location: Palm Springs, Palm Desert
Lynne Eodice is an accomplished writer & photographer. She is the former Features Editor for Petersen’s PHOTOgraphic magazine, and has contributed her writing and/or editorial expertise to Photographer’s Forum, Rangefinder, DoubleExposure.com, California Tour & Travel, Family Photo and Adorama’s Learning Center. She is also the author of Photos That Inspire: Photo Workshop, an instructional book that’s illustrated with more than 200 images by various photographers, published by Wiley & Sons.
