Publix's Limited-Edition Peppermint Stick Ice Cream is The Ultimate Nostalgic Treat
Imagine the peppermint ice cream of your childhood. Maybe it was pink in hue, studded with chunks of candy cane. Maybe it was a snowy white, swirled with minty red and green flakes. The colorful shards of crushed peppermint undoubtedly bleed bright color into the pint, creating delightful ribbons of pink or green that swirl through the fluffy ice cream.
No matter the look or hue of your childhood peppermint ice cream, you’d recognize the distinct taste anywhere. It’s not overwhelmingly minty, leaving most of the flavor to the jewels of crunchy peppermint embedded throughout the pint. It’s sweet enough to create an appropriate amount of decadence, then cut with light peppermint to result in a cool, refreshing spoonful. Not to be mistaken for grinch-green mint chip, peppermint stick ice cream harbors a candy sweetness that mint alone just can’t replicate.
Hyper-seasonal peppermint stick ice cream was always a very special treat—a flavor reserved for special occasions and celebrations. In many ways, peppermint ice cream symbolized the joy of the holiday season. If you grew up eagerly anticipating the seasonal release of peppermint ice cream, you’re going to adore Publix’s limited-edition Peppermint Stick flavor.
When I first spotted the festive ice cream in my local Publix’s freezer, I immediately sent a photo to my Mama, who fondly recalled the ice cream as a constant through many of her childhood holidays. Peppermint Stick is one of Publix’s 12 limited-edition holiday ice creams, released alongside fan-favorites like Pumpkin Pie, Santa’s White Christmas, and Pecan Turtle Fudge. The Peppermint Stick container is elegantly decorated, with a whimsical red and green font swirling across the label. The seasonal flavor is sold by the half-gallon, ensuring there will be plenty of peppermint ice cream to go around.
The ice cream may look the part, but does the taste of this seasonal flavor live up to your childhood memories? We tasted 10 of Publix’s limited-edition holiday flavors, and the Peppermint Stick ice cream was an overwhelming favorite. Our editors admired the flavor’s nostalgia factor; one editor commented, “Peppermint ice cream is my favorite. As a kid, my sister and I couldn't wait for our local grocery store to stock the seasonal flavor. This version takes me back to those blissful days.”
WATCH: Homemade Peppermint Patties
A very special detail sets this peppermint flavor apart from all the other grocery store pints. Rather than loading the half-gallon with artificial peppermint extract, Publix uses a base of vanilla ice cream, accentuated simply with green and red bits of peppermint candy. It delivers that crave-worthy candy sweetness without going overboard on the mint flavor, exactly replicating the peppermint ice cream of your childhood. It'll be a beloved sweet treat for the kids and pack a wave of nostalgia for the adults.
Bring a bit of childhood cheer to your holiday home and pick up a container of limited-edition Peppermint Stick ice cream, available now at your local Publix. Stock up on this festive flavor while it lasts, and be sure to call your siblings and your cousins to share the news.
