New England-Style Ice Cream: The Chewy Frozen Treat

This dense, taffy-like ice cream is a regional specialty found at shops like Herrell's.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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New England-style ice cream is a unique frozen treat characterized by its rich, dense, and chewy texture. Unlike the airy Philadelphia-style, New England ice cream is churned at a slower rate, resulting in less air and a higher butterfat content. This creates a thick, fat-rich base that is perfect for generous mix-ins like cookies, brownies, and candy. While there's no single definitive recipe, key New England creameries like Herrell's and Hood have pioneered and popularized this beloved regional style.

Why it matters

New England-style ice cream represents a distinct regional food culture and tradition, with small-batch creameries and mom-and-pop shops playing a key role in preserving and evolving this unique frozen treat. As larger commercial brands have homogenized many ice cream offerings, the continued popularity of New England-style ice cream highlights consumer demand for artisanal, locally-rooted food experiences.

The details

New England-style ice cream is characterized by a few key features. It is churned at a slower rate, resulting in a low overrun (less air) and a dense, thick texture. The ice cream also tends to have a higher butterfat content, around 14%, compared to the 10-12% in standard ice creams. This fat content contributes to a richer mouthfeel and slower melting speed. The dense, chewy base is the perfect canvas for generous mix-ins like cookies, brownies, and candy.

  • In 1973, Steve Herrell pioneered the New England-style ice cream concept and trademarked the term "smoosh-ins" for mix-ins.
  • Herrell's Ice Cream, a Massachusetts icon, has been highlighting the region's beloved ice cream style in its two locations since the 1970s.

The players

Herrell's Ice Cream

A Massachusetts-based ice cream shop founded in 1973 that is known for its thick, dense, and mix-in-heavy New England-style ice cream.

Hood

A classic New England brand that produces a line of "New England Creamery Ice Cream" advertised as its creamiest offering to date.

Steve Herrell

The founder of Herrell's Ice Cream who is credited with pioneering the New England-style ice cream concept and coining the term "smoosh-ins" for mix-ins.

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What they’re saying

“Judy Herrell, the current owner of Herrell's, told Serious Eats the ice cream shop uses a 14% butterfat base, which is well above the 10% to 12% used in standard ice creams.”

— Judy Herrell, Owner, Herrell's Ice Cream (Serious Eats)

What’s next

Readers interested in trying New England-style ice cream can visit Herrell's Ice Cream locations in Northampton and Amherst, Massachusetts, or look for Hood's New England Creamery Ice Cream line at local grocers. Those feeling adventurous can also try making the dense, chewy treat at home by adjusting their ice cream maker's churn speed and incorporating stabilizers like guar gum or xanthan gum.

The takeaway

New England-style ice cream represents a unique regional food tradition that has persisted despite the homogenization of many commercial ice cream offerings. The continued popularity of this dense, taffy-like frozen treat highlights consumer demand for artisanal, locally-rooted food experiences that offer a distinctive sensory experience.