Hot Take: I Didn’t Actually Like This Long-Awaited Ice Cream Flavor

Sorry, but I'd rather stick to the combo from Wendy's.

If you’ve never experienced the delicious treat of dipping your french fries in ice cream, then you’re truly missing out. It’s the perfect combination of hot, crispy, salty fries and cool, creamy, sweet ice cream.

Cult-favorite ice cream brand, Van Leeuwen, understands the simple joy of french fries in ice cream. That’s why it created its latest flavor, Malted Milkshake & Fries.

The ice cream creation is in collaboration with the Idaho Potato Commission to create a flavor that gives off old-school diner vibes. It starts with a malted ice cream base, which lends a savory, classic milkshake-like flavor, and is dotted with real chunks of french fries—that are made in-house with Idaho potatoes.

Because I love dipping my Wendy’s fries in a Frosty, I was so excited about this flavor that basically does the dipping for you. Sure, chunks of potato floating around in your ice cream may sound strange to some people, but I’ve eaten ice cream with turkey in it, so I’ll try anything once.

However, I hate to say it, but this long-awaited ice cream flavor just wasn’t for me—but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, Van Leeuwen did just make a polarizing Hidden Valley Ranch-flavored ice cream for crying out loud.

What Does the Malted Milkshakes & Fries Ice Cream Taste Like?

The ice cream base itself is great. It’s the perfect combination of sweet, rich, and savory and tastes like what I’d imagine you’d get at a ‘50s malt shop. The malt barley gives it a unique flavor—plain vanilla just wouldn’t suffice.

My issue with the ice cream came from the potato pieces. They didn’t have that salty flavor you’d expect—in fact, they didn’t taste like anything at all. But what really put the nail in the coffin is the texture.

The whole reason I love dipping my fries in ice cream is because you get the mix of warm and crispy and cool and creamy. The potato pieces in this ice cream are cold and soft. Imagine if you opened your freezer, took out a bag of frozen french fries, and took a bite—that’s what this ice cream tasted like.

The combo is just a little bit off. So, if I want french fries and ice cream, I’m just going to save my $12 on a Van Leeuwen’s pint and use a few of those bucks to order fries and a cone or milkshake from my favorite fast food joint.

However, it does seem like I could be on the losing end of this argument because there are only a little more than 100 pints available on Van Leeuwen’s site. That means if you want to try the flavor, you’ll have to order it ASAP.