National Chocolate Ice Cream Day is on Monday, June 7, 2027, and it falls on June 7 every year. It celebrates the rich, classic scoop that’s back on top as America’s favorite flavor. Early June is the perfect time to start ice cream season.
When Is National Chocolate Ice Cream Day?
It’s always June 7. It’s an unofficial food day. July is National Ice Cream Month, with National Ice Cream Day on the third Sunday.
Who Started National Chocolate Ice Cream Day?
No founder or start year has been documented.
Why Celebrate Chocolate Ice Cream?
Because Americans love it most. In an April 2026 survey of more than 2,200 U.S. adults, the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) found chocolate was the No. 1 flavor again. Vanilla had held the top spot in 2024.
The rest of the top five: butter pecan, vanilla, cookies and cream, and caramel or salted caramel. Hot fudge was the favorite topping, chosen by 31%.
Cones were the most popular way to eat it, picked by 40%, ahead of ice cream sandwiches at 24%. Seven in ten people said flavor was “very” important when buying.
What makes it “ice cream”?
Federal rules say ice cream must contain at least 10% milkfat and weigh at least 4.5 pounds per gallon. Cocoa and chocolate count as “bulky” flavors, so the milkfat minimum applies to the rest of the mix. Chocolate ice cream can never drop below 8% milkfat.
How to Celebrate National Chocolate Ice Cream Day
- Do a taste test: compare a milk chocolate, dark chocolate and chocolate chip ice cream, then vote.
- Build a sundae: add hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry for the classic.
- Make a float: pour root beer or cola over a scoop of chocolate ice cream and add a straw.
- Blend a milkshake: add a spoonful of peanut butter or a shot of cold coffee.
- Make it at home: whisk cocoa into the custard base for a deeper chocolate flavor.
- Visit a local creamery: try a small-batch chocolate flavor you can’t buy at the store.
- Read the label: check whether a carton says “ice cream” or “frozen dairy dessert.”
- Bake an ice cream pie: spread softened chocolate ice cream in a cookie crust and freeze.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is America’s favorite ice cream flavor?
Chocolate, according to IDFA’s 2026 national survey. Butter pecan came second and vanilla third.
Is frozen dairy dessert the same as ice cream?
No. Products that don’t meet the federal ice cream standard, such as lower milkfat, must use another name, like “frozen dairy dessert.”
What’s the favorite ice cream topping?
Hot fudge, chosen by 31% in IDFA’s 2026 survey, followed by whipped cream and caramel sauce.