The Most Iconic Ice Cream Flavor In The Decade You Were Born

While your favorite ice cream depends on personal tastes, the year you were born might have a stronger influence than you think. America's love for ice cream has been pretty much constant since it arrived in the country in the 1700s, but the most popular flavors have varied quite a lot. We dove into dessert history and got the scoop on the most iconic ice creams of the 1930s to the 2010s, so you can find out which flavor ruled cups and cones during the decade you were born.

From vintage ice cream flavors no one seems to eat anymore to modern ones featured on Instagram feeds, the following frozen treats truly captured the hearts of generations. To pick ice creams for each decade, we considered the overall popularity of the flavor at the time, as well as how strongly it represents that period's dessert trends and innovations. There's some surprising history behind why certain flavors rose to prominence at 1950s soda fountains, 1980s ice cream chains, gourmet scoop shops of the 2000s, and so on.

Some of these flavors were breakout stars during the decade they were invented, while others saw a rush of popularity some time after. Many were even helped along by old-school ice cream brands that are no longer around, like Howard Johnson. To be clear, we won't be covering ice cream novelties like Choco Tacos or '90s-era character ice pops here, but you might get just as nostalgic over the following flavors.

The history of rum raisin ice cream began in Italy, and in the early 1930s, it arrived in America and soon became one of the most popular flavors of the decade. With rich, warm rum and fruity raisins in a vanilla base, this classic flavor carries a ton of nostalgia for the Silent Generation, as well as Americans who grew up in the '70s and '80s, when rum raisin saw a resurgence in popularity. It's a true oldie-but-goodie.

Think vanilla is boring? Americans of the 1940s didn't, especially once vanilla soft serve — an exciting new innovation at the time – hit the mainstream thanks to chains like Carvel and Dairy Queen. A Life magazine article from 1948 also named vanilla as the most popular flavor at Howard Johnson's, once one of the largest U.S. restaurant chains known for its 28 ice cream flavors (via Food Timeline). The simplest of flavors was clearly king during this decade.

Tons of Americans who are nostalgic for the 1950s name cherry vanilla ice cream, aka "White House Cherry," as their favorite flavor during the decade. Some speculate that the nickname comes from the tale of George Washington chopping down the cherry tree. Countless '50s-era advertisements from the likes of Borden and Sealtest sing the praises of this iconic flavor, and you can still enjoy Borden's cherry vanilla ice cream at its last remaining store in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Butter pecan is more than just "old people ice cream" – it's both delicious and has a unique story. Oral and written histories say this iconic ice cream flavor first gained popularity among Black Americans as an alternative to vanilla, as 1960s-era Jim Crow culture discouraged them from buying vanilla ice cream. Butter pecan eventually became one of the most popular flavors of the '60s nationwide, though it's still most strongly associated with the South. 

In 1973, mint chocolate chip ice cream was popularized by the royal wedding of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips. English culinary student Marilyn Ricketts entered a competition to create a dessert for the occasion, and her winning creation was "Mint Royale" ice cream, a now-iconic combo of a mint base with chocolate chips. Mint chocolate ice cream had actually been served up in the United States for decades prior, but the '70s made it a mainstream superstar.

Though it's not 100% clear who invented cookies and cream, it debuted during the late 1970s to early '80s. Beloved Texas ice cream brand Blue Bell lays claim to the flavor and first filed a trademark for "cookies n' cream" in 1981, which was later denied. The beloved flavor soon became one of America's most popular ice cream flavors, and it was further etched into tubular '80s legend by the original Dairy Queen Cookies 'n Cream Blizzard, released in 1985.

No treats scream 1990s like ice cream truck novelties from Screwballs to Flintstones Push-Up pops, but Superman ice cream is equally colorful and nostalgic to countless '90s kids. This vintage multicolored ice cream boasts the hues of Superman's iconic suit, and flavors vary depending on the manufacturer – it could be fruity, bubble gum-esque, or just plain vanilla with food dye. Just like how Superman embodies justice, this heroic flavor symbolizes the radical kid-dominated culture of the '90s.

Rather than specific flavors, the 2000s ice cream market was dominated by health and dieting concerns of the time, with "light" ice creams, soy-based treats, and frozen yogurt reigning supreme. But on the opposite end, Cold Stone Creamery — with its decked-out frozen creations mixed with cookies, candies, sauces, and more — also became a Y2K sensation. In 2003, the chain debuted its cake batter-flavored ice cream, which became one of Cold Stone's most popular flavors of the aughts.

Any foodie who wasn't living under a rock in the 2010s remembers when cereal milk ice cream was everywhere. It started in 2008 at New York City's Momofuku Milk Bar, when famed pastry chef Christina Tosi released a soft serve made of milk steeped with corn flakes. Bloggers, recipe developers, and companies like Ben & Jerry's were all over the trend like, well, milk on cereal. This sugary, breakfast-inspired flavor won countless hearts with its combo of nostalgic and modern vibes.