The best place for ice cream in Waco in 2024, according to Yelp reviews—plus, see the rest of the top 12 spots

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Highest-rated ice cream shops in Waco by diners

Ice cream is a treat that can be enjoyed all year round, although the volume produced during the hotter months signals otherwise. The majority of ice cream and other frozen desserts in the U.S. are made between March and August, with July being the busiest month of all, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Many Americans have memories of their pastel green mint chocolate chip scoop dripping down their waffle cone at the height of summer or cooling down with their sprinkle-covered chocolate and vanilla soft-serve twist. Ice cream tends to scream nostalgia, but the range of available flavors has evolved since the days when the dessert was mainly limited to vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.

Of course, that doesn't mean those aren't still top-tier choices. According to a May 2024 survey of 2,200 American adults by the International Dairy Foods Association and Morning Consult, the top 10 ice cream flavors today are still the three classics (vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, in that order) followed by butter pecan, cookie dough, cookies and cream, mint chocolate chip, chocolate chip, rocky road, and peanut butter or peanut butter cup.

Nowadays, many ice cream shops offer fresh combinations and ingredients you may never have imagined could be made into ice cream, concoctions like black sesame cookies and cream or honey lavender. Some ice cream shops boast flavors with even more unheard-of ingredients and combinations, like the savory tarragon olive oil or pineapple with pink peppercorns.

Ice cream creators have also expanded into rethinking frozen yogurt, soft serve, and vegan options. Dairy-free folks no longer have to order the only sorbet on the menu. There are nondairy milk ice creams made from plant-based milks like oat or almond and other plant-based products like avocado or sunflower butter.

And then there are the toppings, one of the best parts about getting a scoop at your local shop. Pour on the condensed milk or dulce de leche. Sprinkle bits of honeycomb or your favorite childhood cereal.

Ice cream shops everywhere have made it their job to serve up the smoothest, creamiest, and most crave-able options. To find out who's doing the best job of it, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated ice cream shops in Waco using data from Yelp . Data is as of June 14, 2024.

Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 10 reviews were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than five locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.

Read on to determine where you'll get your next cup or cone from!

Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific ice cream shops listed or the items they serve.

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#12. Mr Snow

- Rating: 3.3/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 817 Tulane St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: shaved ice, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. U-Swirl

- Rating: 3.5/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 100 North New Road Ste B Waco, Texas
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Peachwave Frozen Yogurt

- Rating: 4.0/5 (12 reviews)
- Address: 1605 Hewitt Drive Ste 105 Waco, Texas
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, gelato
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Katie's Frozen Custard

- Rating: 4.1/5 (120 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 602 South Valley Mills Drive Waco, Texas
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. 3 Spoons Yogurt

- Rating: 4.1/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2440 West Loop 340 Ste A9 Waco, Texas
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream

- Rating: 4.1/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 215 South University Parks Drive Ste 105 Waco, Texas
- Categories: desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. Coco's Shaved Ice

- Rating: 4.1/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3824 Bosque Blvd. Waco, Texas
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, shaved ice
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Hey Sugar Candy Store- Waco

- Rating: 4.3/5 (40 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 324 South 6th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: candy stores, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Smallcakes Cupcakery & Creamery - Waco

- Rating: 4.3/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 2324 Marketplace Drive Ste 120 Waco, Texas
- Categories: cupcakes, ice cream & frozen yogurt, bakeries
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Pokey O's Cookies & Ice Cream

- Rating: 4.5/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Waco, Texas
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, food trucks
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Heritage Creamery

- Rating: 4.5/5 (243 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1125 South 8th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. La Nueva Michoacana Paleteria

- Rating: 4.6/5 (16 reviews)
- Address: 1205 North 25th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Chia-Yi Hou, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 237 metros.