91 Adjectives for Ice Cream: The Best Words to Describe Ice Cream (Curated & Ranked)

Lindsey Desmet
Updated 06/05/2022
Four ice cream cones with a variety of ice cream flavors

Ice cream has been around since the 1600s, but it didn’t become industrially produced and popular outside of elite circles until the mid-1800s.[1]

Ice cream cones were popularized after appearing in 1904 at the World’s Fair in St. Louis.[2]

Today, ice cream is one of the most popular desserts, with around 96% of Americans reporting that they eat ice cream.[3]

The U.S. consumes the most ice cream, but it’s a popular treat worldwide. Many countries even have their own unique varieties, such as Italian gelato,[4] Japanese mochi,[5] and Turkish dondurma.[6]

No matter your favorite flavor or type of ice cream, we list the best words to describe ice cream below.

  1. Up
    8
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    Refreshing

  2. Up
    4
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    ::

    Glacial

    cold

  3. Up
    7
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    Creamy

  4. Up
    6
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    Indulgent

  5. Up
    5
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    Mellow

  6. Up
    5
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    Sour

    appropriate for acidic flavors like lemon

  7. Up
    4
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    Enticing

  8. Up
    5
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    Cold

  9. Up
    2
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    Heavenly

  10. Up
    2
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    Sugary

  11. Up
    2
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    Fresh

  12. Up
    2
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    Tasty

  13. Up
    2
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    Crunchy

  14. Up
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    Delightful

  15. Up
    2
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    Tasteful

    flavorful

  16. Up
    2
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    Velvety

    smooth

  17. Up
    2
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    Treacly

    overly sweet

  18. Up
    2
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    Choice

    superior

  19. Up
    1
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    Irresistible

  20. Up
    1
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    Sweet

  21. Up
    1
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    Frozen

  22. Up
    1
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    Delectable

  23. Up
    1
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    Rich

  24. Up
    1
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    Saccharine

  25. Up
    1
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    Appetizing

  26. Up
    1
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    Homemade

  27. Up
    1
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    Frigid

  28. Up
    1
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    Chocolatey

  29. Up
    1
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    Hard

  30. Up
    1
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    Dulcet

    sweet and pleasant

  31. Up
    1
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    ::

    Milky

  32. Up
    1
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    Chilly

  33. Up
    1
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    ::

    Ice-cold

  34. Up
    1
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    ::

    Dulcified

    sweetened

  35. Up
    1
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    Fried

    ice cream served with a crispy coating

  36. Up
    1
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    Icy

  37. Up
    1
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    Mouthwatering

  38. Up
    1
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    Luscious

  39. Up
    1
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    Edible

  40. Up
    1
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    Silky

  41. Up
    1
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    Ambrosial

    delicious

  42. Up
    1
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    Cool

  43. Up
    1
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    Chunky

  44. Up
    1
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    Scrumptious

  45. Up
    1
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    Goopy

  46. Up
    1
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    Numbing

    very cold

  47. Up
    0
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    Delicious

  48. Up
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    Smooth

  49. Up
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    Tangy

    appropriate for sour, fruity flavors

  50. Up
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    Chilled

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    Yummy

  52. Up
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    Decadent

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    Palatable

  54. Up
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    Old-fashioned

  55. Up
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    Soft

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    Divine

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    Sweetened

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    Sticky

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    Frosty

  60. Up
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    Delish

  61. Up
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    Low-fat

  62. Up
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    Delicate

  63. Up
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    Aperitive

    appetizing

  64. Up
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    Plain

  65. Up
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    Candied

  66. Up
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    Nutty

    appropriate for certain flavors like butter pecan and pistachio

  67. Up
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    Fruity

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    Gooey

  69. Up
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    Tempting

  70. Up
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    Flavorful

  71. Up
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    Sugar-free

  72. Up
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    Scooped

  73. Up
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    Flavorsome

    full of flavor

  74. Up
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    Fancy

  75. Up
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    Flavored

  76. Up
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    Soupy

    partially melted

  77. Up
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    Speckled

    ice cream that includes chocolate chips or candy pieces

  78. Up
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    Honeyed

    sweet

  79. Up
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    Melting

  80. Up
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    Swirled

  81. Up
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    Salty

    appropriate for specialty flavors like salted caramel

  82. Up
    -1
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    Exquisite

    well-made and delicious

  83. Up
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    Melted

  84. Up
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    Syrupy

    thickly sweet

  85. Up
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    Tart

    appropriate for sour flavors like lemon

  86. Up
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    Appealing

  87. Up
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    Satisfying

  88. Up
    -1
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    Tasteless

    bland

  89. Up
    0
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    Premium

    high-quality

  90. Up
    0
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    Bitter

    Ice cream is usually sweet, but some specialty flavors are bitter!

  91. Up
    0
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    Cheap

Recipe: Easy Ice Cream in a Bag

While you can easily grab a carton of ice cream from many grocery and convenience stores, it can be fun to try making your own ice cream at home, too!

The simplest ice cream recipes call for two plastic baggies, a few ingredients, and around 15 minutes of prep time.

Start by gathering the following ingredients:

  • Ice (enough to fill about half of a large resealable plastic baggie)
  • 1 cup of half-and-half
  • 1/3 cup of kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla extract

You can also use any toppings you’d like, such as chocolate chips, fudge sauce, fruit, or bits of cookie dough.

Combine your half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla extract in one resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag, being sure to press out any excess air.

In a larger plastic baggie, place your ice and salt. Then, place your bag of ingredients inside the bag of ice.

Shake the bag for around seven to 10 minutes until the ice cream hardens. It’s best to wear gloves while shaking it, so your hands don’t get too cold!

Once the ice cream hardens, you’ll have a single serving ready to eat! Add or mix your toppings and scoop the ice cream into a bowl or cone.

If you prefer your ice cream harder, you can leave it in the freezer for a while before eating. If you prefer flavors other than vanilla, you can also mix in things like cocoa powder or espresso powder to create your own unique flavors!

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