Heavenly New Flavors From 4 of Our Favorite Hawai‘i Ice Cream Makers

One includes bites of horchata-soaked doughnuts. Anybody wanna spoon?

Watermelon Soju sorbet from Butterfly Ice Cream.

Photo: Katie Kenny

Getting lickins’ is not a good thing. Unless it means pigging out and lickin’ up cool treats from a cup or cone, especially when temperatures start soaring. Here’s the scoop: We went to five local ice cream and gelato makers to pick our flavor flaves. Think jazzed-up versions of basic chocolate and coffee flavors, and refreshing sorbets that celebrate seasonal local ingredients—tangy pickled mango, juicy watermelon and sweet mountain apple. Move fast. Some flavors may be donezo by the weekend and, since no one can freeze time, we’re already waiting in line.

Butterfly Ice Cream

• Blue Pea ice cream: Its blue color comes from butterfly pea powder, which is made from blue butterfly pea plant flowers and is typically used in tea or to dye foods indigo. According to the owner, customers have said it tastes like azuki beans or matcha.
   

• Watermelon Soju sorbet: Korean soju, sweet watermelon purée and watermelon juice. Sorry keiki, this one is a no-can-do for you.
   

• Lemon Pie: Tart lemons, velvety cream and a spill of graham cracker crumble.
   

Open daily, noon–7 p.m. Salt at Our Kakaʻako, 691 Auahi St., (808) 429-4483, butterflycreamery.com, @butterflyicecream

Wing Ice Cream

• Papaya sorbet: Papaya purée with edible blossoms from GoFarm Hawai‘i and a squeeze of citrus.
   

• S’moreos: Rich, dark chocolate ice cream, a swirl of marshmallow and chunks of Oreo cookies.
   

• Watermelon-shiso sorbet: A syrup of ume, shiso leaves and sugar is mixed with watermelon purée.
   

Open noon-8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday, closed on Monday. 1145 Maunakea St., #4 (the entrance is on North Pauahi Street), (808) 536-4929, wingicecream.com, @wingicecream

Via Gelato Hawai‘i

• Horchata gelato: Horchata gelato mixed with bites of Purve’s horchata doughnuts that have been soaked in horchata—similar to those soaked ladyfingers in Tiramisu.
   

• Mountain apple: July’s flavor of the month. Check out the shop’s Instagram and website to see when it is available.
   

11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily, 1142 12^th Ave., (808) 732-2800, viagelatohawaii.com, @viagelatohawaii

Asato Family Sherbet

The last day to order these summer flavors will be July 8.

• Mango Bango: Local mango is paired with creamy Orange Bang drink (like Zippy’s kine).
   

• Lychee: Made with the super sweet and bambucha Kaimana variety from Hilo.
   

• Pickled mango juice: Green mango, plus all the sweet, salty and puckery ingredients that go into making a pickled mango brine. 
   

1306 Pali Highway. Orders accepted online at asatofamilyshop.com, @asatofamily

SEE ALSO: Asato Family’s Sherbet Takes You Back to Small-Kid Days 

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