Blue Bell is offering Dr Pepper Float ice cream as a limited-edition flavor. Credit: Nina Rangel

Last week, Blue Bell Ice Cream announced a Texas-sized collaboration with local favorite Dr Pepper, promising “another refreshing way” to enjoy the soda.

Given the likely appeal for sweet-toothed San Antonians, we tried the Brenham-based creamery’s new limited-edition Dr Pepper Float flavored ice cream to see what the fuss is all about.

Blue Bell describes the new flavor as “creamy vanilla ice cream swirled together with a Dr Pepper flavored sherbet.” The creamy vanilla description is absolutely correct, but we couldn’t tell you whether the sugary cola notes were Dr Pepper if we didn’t already know that was the goal.

Blue Bell’s new limited-edition Dr Pepper Float flavored ice cream. Credit: Nina Rangel

Here’s the problem. The rich creaminess of the vanilla base pretty much snuffs out any peppery notes expected from the soda. That said, the soda-tinted ice cream would probably be pretty tasty in an actual float with more Dr Pepper poured over it.

In all, Blue Bell has produced a solid soda-tinted ice cream — just not one that’s bursting with identifiable Dr Pepper flavor. If you’re looking for a summer treat that truly evokes a Dr Pepper float, we suggest stocking up on both the limited run Blue Bell product — it’s available through 2024 — and a six pack of the soda itself.

The new ice cream is available in pints and half-gallons at area grocery stores.

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This article appears in May 17-30, 2023.

Nina Rangel uses nearly 20 years of experience in the foodservice industry to tell the stories of movers and shakers in the food scene in San Antonio. As the Food + Nightlife Editor for the San Antonio...