National Chocolate Ice Cream Day – June 7

Every year on June 7, Americans scoop up a celebration of a timeless frozen treat: National Chocolate Ice Cream Day. As summer heats up, this food holiday invites the nation to cool down with a bowl (or cone) of creamy, chocolatey bliss. Chocolate ice cream holds a special place in dessert history – surprisingly, it predates vanilla in the ice cream timeline. From classic soda fountain sundaes to homemade churns on the back porch, chocolate ice cream is woven into American food culture. On National Chocolate Ice Cream Day, devotees indulge in their favorite chocolatey concoctions, reminisce about ice cream parlor memories, and maybe even experiment with new recipes and toppings. It’s an invitation to satisfy your sweet tooth and celebrate one of the world’s most beloved ice cream flavors.

Celebration Ideas for Chocolate Ice Cream Day

Celebrating National Chocolate Ice Cream Day is a treat in itself. The simplest approach: enjoy a generous serving of chocolate ice cream! Visit your local ice cream parlor or scoop shop – many independent creameries and national chains alike have been known to offer discounts or even free scoops on this day. You might find special edition flavors like double fudge brownie or Mexican chocolate (with a hint of cinnamon and chili) featured for the occasion.

If you prefer to celebrate at home, consider throwing an ice cream social. Stock up on a few pints of quality chocolate ice cream and set out a toppings bar for family and friends. Hot fudge, whipped cream, sprinkles, chopped nuts, fresh berries – the possibilities are endless for customizing the perfect sundae. For a nostalgic touch, serve them in float glasses or vintage-style bowls. You could even organize a blind taste-test of different brands of chocolate ice cream to determine which one reigns supreme in your household.

Another fun activity is making homemade chocolate ice cream. Whether you have a hand-crank ice cream maker or an electric machine, churning ice cream from scratch can be a rewarding project. Try a simple custard-based recipe with cocoa powder or melted chocolate and fresh dairy. (Pro tip: using high-quality Dutch-process cocoa or real bittersweet chocolate will yield a deeper flavor.) If traditional ice cream feels too time-consuming, whip up a batch of “nice cream” by blending frozen bananas with cocoa for a quick, vegan chocolate treat. Any way you scoop it, be sure to share your chocolate ice cream adventures on social media with #ChocolateIceCreamDay.

Recipes and Product Picks

Chocolate ice cream is incredibly versatile, lending itself to all sorts of delicious recipes. You can blend it into a thick chocolate milkshake – perhaps even topping it with whipped cream and a cherry for that classic diner look. Or consider making an ice cream pie: soften chocolate ice cream and spread it into a cookie crust, then refreeze and drizzle with caramel or peanut butter sauce. If you’re feeling really adventurous, use chocolate ice cream as a base for an affogato (an Italian dessert where you pour a shot of hot espresso over a scoop of ice cream – in this case, chocolate plus coffee makes a mocha delight!).

For those looking to stock the freezer on this day, there are plenty of top-notch chocolate ice creams on the market. Premium brands often boast high cocoa content and minimal artificial ingredients – Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, for example, offers a velvety Dark Chocolate truffle flavor, while Häagen-Dazs’s Belgian Chocolate is a long-standing favorite. If you want to try something new, look for craft ice cream makers in your area; many create unique twists like chocolate ice cream swirled with local brownies or infused with stout beer for adults. And let’s not forget dairy-free ice cream lovers: brands like Ben & Jerry’s and So Delicious have almond milk or coconut milk-based chocolate flavors that are surprisingly decadent.

Beyond just eating ice cream, this holiday can be a chance to explore the world of chocolate itself. You might sample different types of cocoa powder or origin chocolates to see how they influence the flavor of ice cream. Some gourmet shops sell “ice cream starter” mixes for chocolate flavor – these typically include high-grade cocoa and sugar, requiring you to add milk and cream. Whether you go homemade or store-bought, the goal is to savor that lush, creamy taste that has made chocolate ice cream a dessert standby for generations.

History of Chocolate Ice Cream

Long before chocolate bars and candies dominated the scene, chocolate was enjoyed as a drink – and it was those 17th-century cocoa drinks that inspired the first ice cream flavors. In fact, chocolate ice cream was invented before vanilla. The earliest known frozen chocolate recipe was published in 1693 in Naples, Italy, in a book called The Modern Steward. By the late 18th century, chocolate ice cream had made its way into medical lore: in 1775, Italian physician Filippo Baldini recommended chocolate ice cream as a remedy for ailments like gout and scurvy. (Imagine your doctor prescribing ice cream!)

Chocolate ice cream gained popularity in Europe and eventually crossed the Atlantic. The dessert found an enthusiastic audience in America by the 19th century. Thomas Jefferson famously enjoyed ice cream (though vanilla was his flavor of choice), and by the 1800s, chocolate was a staple in ice cream parlors. The proliferation of mechanical refrigeration and commercial ice harvesting in the late 19th century made ice cream more accessible to the masses, and chocolate was among the top flavors being produced. While National Chocolate Ice Cream Day’s exact origins are a bit murky – it’s an informal holiday likely started by ice cream lovers or the dairy industry – its purpose is crystal clear: to honor the rich history and taste of this classic treat.

Today, chocolate consistently ranks as one of America’s favorite ice cream flavors (usually neck-and-neck with vanilla for the top spot). It’s a fixture at scoop shops from coast to coast, and countless variations have evolved – from dark chocolate gelato to dairy-free cocoa sorbets. The holiday on June 7 first started appearing on calendars and in media by the late 20th century as a fun way to kick off summer and spotlight a flavor that truly deserves its day in the sun (or rather, in the freezer).

Future National Chocolate Ice Cream Day Dates

Year	Date	Day of the Week
2025	June 7, 2025	Saturday
2026	June 7, 2026	Sunday
2027	June 7, 2027	Monday
2028	June 7, 2028	Wednesday
2029	June 7, 2029	Thursday

Fun Facts about Chocolate Ice Cream

Older than vanilla: People often assume vanilla came first, but historically, chocolate beat vanilla to the punch. Because chocolate beverages were hugely popular in 17th-century Europe, early ice cream makers naturally tried freezing chocolate flavors before vanilla was widely available. A recipe for a frozen chocolate treat appeared as early as the 1690s in Italy, whereas the first vanilla ice creams trailed after. So next time someone calls vanilla “plain,” remind them chocolate is the true OG of ice cream flavors.

Medicinal ice cream? In the 18th century, some doctors thought ice cream could be good for you. Dr. Filippo Baldini’s 1775 book suggested chocolate ice cream could cure health issues like gout and scurvy. While we don’t recommend treating ailments with sundaes today, it’s fun to know that your chocolate scoop was once considered pharmacy-worthy!

Consumption nation: Americans love their ice cream. The average American eats roughly 19 pounds of ice cream per year – about 4 gallons’ worth. And chocolate is a top-tier flavor; surveys often find it in the number one or two spot in popularity. In fact, in one recent poll, about one in three Americans picked chocolate as their favorite ice cream flavor. That’s a lot of chocolate waffle cones being enjoyed each year.

Record-breaking scoop: The largest ice cream dessert ever made was downright monumental. In 1985, Broward County, Florida, created an ice cream sundae that weighed over 55,000 pounds! And chocolate ice cream certainly played a starring role among the 12,000 gallons of various flavors. As for milkshakes, the record for the largest chocolate milkshake is 6,000 gallons, achieved in 2000 by a team in New York – that’s enough shake to fill an entire swimming pool.

Presidential preference: Chocolate ice cream has even found its way into the White House. Records from state dinners and White House menus show that many U.S. Presidents have been fans of ice cream. James Madison served ice cream at his inaugural ball in 1813 (though likely vanilla or apricot). More recently, President Barack Obama famously mentioned his love for chocolate peanut butter ice cream, a flavor that combines two American obsessions into one decadent scoop.