10 Ice Cream Concoctions Worth Traveling For

Even if today weren't National Ice Cream Day (it is!), we'd be craving a steady supply of chilly ice cream treats. Luckily, we found a bounty of frozen goodness from across the country.
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By Sarah Bruning, CNTraveler.com

We're smack-dab in the middle of a (wet?) hot American summer, and unless you live in Alaska, it's scorching outside. Even if today weren't National Ice Cream Day (it is!), we'd be craving a steady supply of chilly ice cream treats. Luckily, we found a bounty of frozen goodness from across the country.

Ice Creams worth Traveling
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CHURRO ICE CREAM SANDWICH AT CHURRO BOROUGHLos Angeles, CAWhile it hasn’t reached cronut-level fervor, this hybrid dessert has drawn major crowds with its crispy-chewy cinnamon-sugar shell filled with a creamy orb of vanilla custard.
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WHISKEY BACON GELATO BAR AT BLACK DOG GELATOChicago, ILJessie Oloroso dreams up dozens of imaginative pairings for her small-batch shop, from your fairly run-of-the-mill Mexican hot chocolate to the more wacky raspberry apple-cider sorbet. We’re particularly fond of the whiskey bacon gelato bar.
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STRACCIATELLA SUNDAE AT PUBLICNew York, NYFor his almost S’mores-like creation, Chef Brad Farmerie tops a scoop of chocolate-chip-flecked gelato with smoked paprika marshmallow and crunchy chocolate tuile.
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IT CAME FROM GOWANUS AT AMPLE HILLS CREAMERYBrooklyn, NYA blend of 72 percent Guittard chocolate and cocoa powder creates an über-decadent base, to which ice-cream guru Brian Smith adds white chocolate pearls, hazelnut paste, gianduja, and fudgy dark-chocolate brownies laced with natural orange extract and Grand Marnier.
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GELATO AT FAINTING GOATSeattle, WADon’t let the lines deter you: It’s worth the wait to sample one of the 18 rotating flavors available each day. Husband-and-wife team Yalcin and Sevim Ataman use organic sugar and milk to churn out year-round favorites, such as honey lavender and Turkish hazelnut, along with seasonal sorbets like bilberry or green apple.
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BAROLO CHINATO CHERRY SORBET SANDWICH AT ROYAL STREETDeer Valley, UTA hefty dose of Italian digestif barolo chinato, supplemented with local tart cherry juice, takes this frozen sammie from a family-friendly dessert to an adults-only indulgence. To complement the fortified wine’s fruity notes, two double chocolate-chip cookies bookend the boozy center.
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THE ULTIMATE SWEET R SUNDAE AT SWEET REPUBLICPhoenix, AZFour heaping scoops of vanilla and chocolate ice cream sit atop a quarter-pound chocolate-chip-walnut-oatmeal cookie. Brownies, almond toffee brittle, hot fudge and caramel sauces, whipped cream, and roasted marshmallows add extra oomph.
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SAISON WITH SUNFLOWER SEEDS AND GOLDEN FLAX AT JENI’S SPLENDIDColumbus, OHLike every flavor blended at this popular artisan creamery, this debut starts with grass-grazed milk sourced from small Ohio farms. Owner Jeni Britton Bauer then doctors the silky base with Belgian-style Rockmill Brewery ale and double-toasted sunflower, flax, and pumpkin seeds.
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GOAT CHEESE, THYME, AND HONEY AT LICK ICE CREAMSAustin, TXThough we love this spot’s original recipe (a cilantro-tinged lime ice cream), our newest obsession is this savory-sweet combo, which highlights the eponymous trio of locally grown ingredients.
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STRANAHAN’S WHISKEY BRICKLE AT SWEET ACTIONDenver, COWhat started as an experiment has become one of the most popular scoops in this shop’s repertoire. It might be the sinfully rich vanilla base that’s earned this flavor its cult following, or it could be the boozy bits of toffee—either way, works for us.More frozen goodness:Ice Cream (and Other Summery Desserts) from Around the WorldBeyond Ice Cream: Frozen Treats From Around the Globe

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