Ice cream

Minnesotans, generally speaking, have a reverential attitude about ice cream. That’s owed in part to DQ, patron saint of soft serve — the Twin Cities’ oldest Dairy Queens first opened in the late 1940s, and a few of those spots are still in operation today. But the Cities have even more to offer than peanut buster parfaits. From tart sorbets and creamy paletas to indulgent custards and candy-packed scoops, here are some excellent ice cream shops around Minneapolis and St. Paul. Note that these ice cream shops are listed geographically. It may be a national chain, but Dairy Queen is the quintessential Twin Cities ice cream experience. This Lexington Avenue location is the Cities’ oldest shop — it dates back to 1947 and still sports an old-fashioned neon sign. Find all the classics here, from peanut buster parfaits to cherry dilly bars. • This iconic St. Paul shop is a step back in time to the era when diners ordered ice cream from walk-up windows. Conny’s soft serve ventures well outside the chocolate/vanilla paradigm, hitting flavors like amaretto, black cherry, and pumpkin. Grab some onion rings and a chili dog to complete the nostalgic summer meal. • 2 Scoops is a great spot for no-frills classics, like rich, delicately salty butter pecan or fudgy Zanzibar chocolate, or banana splits heaped with whipped cream and maraschino cherries. Pair a cone with homemade pizza, a chili dog, or a pulled pork sandwich. There’s a little patch of green space across from the shop for a s...

This silky, luscious and very classic custard can be used as the base for any ice cream flavor you can dream up. These particular proportions of milk and cream to egg yolk will give you a thick but not sticky ice cream that feels decadent but not heavy. For something a little lighter, use more milk and less cream, as long as the dairy adds up to 3 cups. You can also cut down on egg yolks for a thinner base, but don’t go below three. Then flavor it any way you like. See Featured in: The Only Ice Cream Recipe You’ll Ever Need Read More • Step 1 In a small pot, simmer heavy cream, milk, sugar and salt until sugar completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk yolks. Whisking constantly, slowly whisk about a third of the hot cream into the yolks, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the pot with the cream. Return pot to medium-low heat and gently cook until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer). • • Cooking Guide Basic Knife Skills By Julia Moskin • Cooking Guide How to Use an Instant Pot By Melissa Clark • Cooking Guide How to Make a Pie Crust By Melissa Clark • Cooking Guide How to Stock a Modern Pantry By Julia Moskin • Cooking Guide How to Make Pancakes By Alison Roman • Cooking Guide How to Frost a Cake By Melissa Clark • Cooking Guide How to Make Yogurt By Melissa Clark • Cooking Guide How to Make Sole Meunière By Melissa Clark About Us NYT Cooking is a subscription ...

Becca Miller (she/her) has been working in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen since 2018, where she researches and writes about tasty recipes, food trends and top cooking tools. She graduated from NYU with a liberal arts degree focusing on creative writing. She makes killer scrambled eggs, enjoys a glass of un-oaked chardonnay and takes pride in her love of reality television.

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