Here’s the scoop on the best ice cream spots in Livingston County
LIVINGSTON COUNTY — The weather is warming, the spring rain has come. Another season is fast approaching — ice cream season.
The chilly treat can be found in numerous locations across Livingston County, from a drive-thru in Fowlerville to a chocolate boutique in Howell. In the spirit of spring and, well, my sweet tooth, I explored three of Livingston County’s most popular ice cream destinations.
Blank Slate Creamery
Founded in Ann Arbor, Blank Slate Creamery has since expanded to two other locations. Luckily for Livingston County one of them is Brighton. The ice cream parlor opened in 2019 and was forced to operate through a walk-up window during the pandemic. The charming indoor space was later reopened to customers.
Blank Slate offers nearly 30 homemade flavors, with classics like Cookies and Cream alongside “Balsamic Strawberry” and “Vietnamese Cinnamon.” I tried one of their bestsellers, Brown Butter Cookie Dough, which — rest assured — is not your normal cookie dough.
Rich, caramel undertones pair with the traditional sweetness to serve up an elevated version of the classic. I also sampled one of their more unique flavors, "Fresh Basil." I found it surprisingly delectable, especially with the lemon zest olive oil drizzle that helps bring out the herby flavor and provides a Mediterranean twang.
Blank Slate Creamery is certainly not a destination to sleep on. Although one scoop does ring in over $5, the variety of unique flavors and its charming location make it worth the visit.
Address: 126 E Grand River Ave. Suite 1
Hours: 2-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 2-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays
Whistle Stop Ice Cream Caboose
Whistle Stop earns points for its unique location. What’s more original than getting served ice cream from a train car? The old-fashioned red caboose, situated in the parking lot of Sunrise Family Diner in Howell, boasts a variety of sweet treats, including sundaes, frozen yogurt, and “crossroads” — their own spin on Dairy Queen’s Blizzards.
While Whistle Stop’s flavors are more generic than Blank Slate, they still offer a wide variety of classics, including Black Cherry, Mackinac Island Fudge and Mint Chip. I decided to try a scoop of their Lemon Cheesecake Bar, with crunchy graham cracker chunks and chewy cheesecake bites in tart lemon ice cream.
Even if the ice cream isn't homemade, it might be something even more appealing: inexpensive. At just $3.29 for a single scoop, Whistle Stop offers a tasty bargain.
Address: 2385 E. Grand River Ave.
Hours: 3-9 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and 12-9 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays
Cap’n Frosty
Residents of Pinckney and Hamburg Township are able to boast about yet another of Livingston County’s most popular ice cream destinations. The blue barn draws in dozens of customers daily, who are able to choose from a variety of sweet treats, including hand-dipped and soft serve cones, sundaes, shakes, malts, avalanches and ice cream nachos.
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Cap’n Frosty has over 30 flavors of Hershey’s ice cream to satisfy every type of sweet tooth. I enjoyed a scoop of Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffle, but other favorites include Cookie Dough, Moose Tracks, Blue Moon, and Better Brownie Batter. To make it all that much sweeter, each scoop is topped off with a gummy bear as a Cap’n Frosty signature.
From the wooden picnic tables to the reasonable prices — only $3.59 for a single scoop — Cap’n Frosty is a staple in Livingston County.
Address: 9245 Bernice Drive
Hours: 3-9:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and 12-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays-Sundays
— Ari Hickman is a sophomore at Brighton High School and a freelancer for The Livingston Daily. Contact the newsroom at newsroom@livingstondaily.com.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Here’s the scoop on the best ice cream spots in Livingston County
