National Frozen Custard Day

A uniquely creamy dessert, frozen custard tastes like ice cream has been leveled up! National Frozen Custard Day provides an opportunity to celebrate this heavenly treat. And for those who have never tried frozen custard? This is the perfect time!

History of National Frozen Custard Day

Frozen custard’s first appearance can be traced back to New York’s Coney Island in 1919. Ice cream vendors added egg yolk to their ice cream to create a smoother texture – and it had the added benefit of staying frozen longer. Plus, frozen yogurt has slightly fewer calories than ice cream, more protein, and less saturated fat.

By 1933, the World’s Fair in Chicago had brought frozen custard to the midwest, and it became especially beloved in the northern state of Wisconsin. Milwaukee, Wisconsin was the place where many iconic shops opened in the 1930-40s, making the city the unofficial “Frozen Custard Capital of the World”.

As frozen custard grew in popularity in the midwest throughout the decades, this new cousin of ice cream began expanding its geographical reach. Now, frozen custard shops and products have popped up all over the United States and the world, including the UK and Australia.

How to Celebrate National Frozen Custard Day

There’s hardly anything better on a hot summer day than a delicious scoop of frozen custard. National Frozen Custard Day is the ideal time to celebrate! Try some of these ideas:

Enjoy a Scoop of Frozen Custard

As the trend for frozen custard has grown, shops featuring this delicious treat have popped up all over the United States. Culver’s, Freddy’s, Ritter’s and Custard’s Last Stand are just a few of the many restaurants that offer frozen custard to their patrons.

Visit Leon’s Famous Frozen Custard Drive In

One of the iconic frozen custard shops that originated in Milwaukee in 1942, Leon’s not only offers delicious custard, but it has retained that classic drive-in vibe that was so popular in the 1950s. Located in downtown Milwaukee, the scene feels like it’s something right out of the 1970s American sit-com, Laverne and Shirley.

Leon’s Frozen Custard continues to be family owned and the custard flavors are often selling out, meaning that each batch served up is very fresh. Basic flavors will usually include vanilla, chocolate or butter pecan. Plus, each day comes with its own special flavor, such as cinnamon, maple walnut, mint, strawberry or raspberry.

Make Frozen Custard at Home

Don’t have access to a frozen custard shop in the community? Or perhaps it’s simply a new culinary adventure to try in the kitchen. Frozen custard isn’t really that difficult to make for those who already have an ice cream maker.

The major difference between a recipe for homemade ice cream and a frozen custard recipe is that it has egg yolks in it. This does mean that there’s a need to plan ahead because the yolks have to be cooked into the ice cream base in advance and then allowed to cool before putting the mix into the ice cream freezer.