EASTON, Pa. — Two Lehigh Valley dairy farms are featured on a trail of sweetness that spreads across the Keystone state.
Klein Farms and Crystal Spring Farms are among 42 stops on the 2023 PA Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail, a drivable tour that encourages visitors to visit local dairy farms that produce freshly-made ice cream.
- Klein Farms and Crystal Spring Farms are part of PA Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail
- The farms make their ice cream onsite and add no artificial flavors or ingredients
- Along with the trail, LehighValleyNews.com reporters and editors named some of their favorite ice cream spots
The program, now in its sixth year, is run by visitPA.com, the state Department of Agriculture, PA Preferred and the Center for Dairy Excellence.
How it works: Sign up on the trail's website visitpa.com/trip/scooped-ice-cream-trail. Each time you visit one of the participating farms or creameries and you buy a cone, you’ll receive a check-in. Collect 10 codes (10 stops on the trail) and you’ll receive a Scooped stainless-steel ice cream scooper. The trail runs through Sept 10.
It's all in the milk
Klein Farms Dairy and Creamery in Forks Township operates Happy Holstein Ice Cream, which has been serving homemade ice cream since 2016.
The shop sells cones and cups and carries traditional flavors year-round including vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, mint chocolate chip, peanut butter, Oreo and coffee.
Seasonal ice creams (summer flavors include pistachio pizzazz and lemon chiffon) rotate.
The ice cream is made from scratch on the premises by Daniel Duffin of Riegelsville, who partnered with the Klein family.
It contains all-natural ingredients and no artificial colors or flavors, said shop manager Kelsey Simms.
"We used a fresh milk mixture that gives it a better taste. It's way creamier," she said. "While eating ice cream is not healthy, per se, but because [ours] has no additives, in my opinion it's a better route to go. Plus, it's delicious. You can't go wrong with any flavor."
The PA Ice Cream Trail was created to increase consumer awareness of locally-produced dairy products and drive statewide traffic to PA Preferred creameries.
Simms said since the farm — established in 1935 — has participated in the trail, staff has noticed an uptick in people to coming to the family-owned business.
The farm also sells milk, eggs, cream cheese, yogurt, produce meats, plus many farm-to-table items.
"The ice cream trail is a big deal for dairy farms. It gives us exposure. A lot times people will say, 'I didn't even know there is a [farm] here,'" Simms said. "It's also a great way to support local farmers because what they do and how hard they work is underrated."
While visiting, check out the play area for kids and the petting area with goats, chickens, pot-bellied pigs and Licorice, the resident mule. A food dispenser offers the animals pellets and costs a quarter.
If you go: 410 Klein Road, Easton (Forks Township), 610-253-8942, kleinfarms.com
Taste the cream
The second Lehigh Valley-based trail stop is Crystal Spring Farm in North Whitehall Township, a creamery that employs an ice cream developer trained by Penn State Creamery.
"We believe that you should be able to taste the cream in ice cream so we don’t cover up that flavor with a lot of extras in the form of candy and other artificial products," staff said.
The farm, which produces 12,000 gallons of ice cream annually, offers hand-dipped ice cream and soft serve made-on premises.
Sundae toppings and whipped cream are also homemade (butterscotch, hot fudge, dusty road, chocolate nut, peanut butter, caramel, pineapple, strawberry, cherry).
They also sell milkshakes, smoothies and freshly-made yogurt parfaits.
What to try: Staff say the banana splits are a real show stopper, and could pass as dinner.
Info: 3550 Bellview Road, Schnecksville, North Whitehall Township, 610-799-4611, crystalspringfarmpa.com
Searching for more options?
Here are our staff picks for the best ice cream and gelato in the Valley:
Penn State approved
The Hotel B Ice Cream Parlor, originally housed in the Historic Hotel Bethlehem, serves scoops from Penn State Creamery Ice Cream.
Each month a hotel staff member makes a trip to State College to bring back 500 gallons of Penn State ice cream.
The classic shop serves 12 flavors daily plus featured flavors that rotate monthly.
What to try: Death by chocolate (Flakes of pure chocolate, fudge pieces, and chocolate swirl blended with rich chocolate ice cream, alumni swirl (vanilla ice cream with Swiss mocha chips and blueberry swirl) and cookie dough.
Also, the warm brownie sundae. Staff say it's so popular that it sells more than three times as much as any other sundae.
Info: 462 Main St., 610-625-5355, bethlehem-shoppe-ice-cream
The OG store
Bethlehem Dairy Store, otherwise known as The Cup, is a Lehigh Valley staple having served customers for over 30 years.
Its two locations offer more than 20 hard ice cream flavors, soft-serve, no-sugar added, sherbet and frozen yogurt.
Additionally, they have 10 different types of sundaes (hot fudge, peanut butter, hot butterscotch, pineapple, and more).
What to try: Seasonal flavors such as the Georgia peach, blueberry cheesecake, banana peanut butter, strawberry marshmallow, banana orange and pineapple.
Info: 1430 Linden Street and 2 Farrington Square, Bethlehem, 610-691-8422, bethlehemdairystore.com
Artisanal ice cream
Bank Street Creamery, established in 1998, serves more than 120 types of ice cream in rotation with unique names such as the purple cow (black raspberry), Mexican chocolate diablo (cinnamon and chocolate covered almonds and cayenne pepper), Easton bisque (Italian amaretto ribbon and toasted macaroon pieces) and gianduja (hazelnuts and chocolate).
Also, pick from an array of vegan gelatos (avocado, mango, toasted coconut, peanut butter fudge, white chocolate mint) and seven different types of sundaes (or be creative and make your own).
What to try: C.M.P sundae (vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup, marshmallow sauce, topped with whipped cream, peanuts, and a cherry) and the avocado or lavender vegan gelato.
Flavors change daily, so check their social mediafor the latest updates.
Info: 15 S. Bank St., Easton, 610-252-5544, bankstreetcreamery.com
Eat with a 'giant'
Driving down Route 309 and it's hard to miss "Giant Chip," the titanic mascot of the iconic Inside Scoop.
The owners, Penny and Tony Caciolo, brought Chip onboard in 2018, but have been offering homemade ice cream since the 70s.
The charming old-fashioned ice cream parlor sells hard and soft-serve ice cream, milkshakes, malts and nine varieties of sundaes.
Lighter options include eight fruit smoothies to try named after iconic movie stars including Elvis Presley, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe.
What to try: Not to be devoured alone, the Volcano — perhaps the biggest sundae around — is made with 14 scoops of ice cream, eight toppings, whipped cream and cherries. Finish the whole thing and your name will be placed on the shop's "Wall of Flame."
Check the website for the latest flavors.
Info: 301 N. Third St., Coopersburg, 610-282-1955, theinsidescoop.com
A rollercoaster of flavors
Located across from Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom, Ice Cream World is popular spot for visitors and tourists alike.
The shop sells more than 60 flavors including Bailey's Irish cream, cake batter, cappuccino blast, tiramisu and cookie monster.
On tap are summer faves, such as mango, 10 soft-serve options, five soft yogurts and several flavors of water ice.
Planning a party? The spot also hosts sundae parties and creates custom-made ice cream cakes.
Info: 3512 Hamilton Blvd, Allentown, 610-439-8591, icecreamworld.com
Drive right up
Richard's Drive In not only serves cheesesteaks, burgers and fries, but inexpensive ice cream and milkshakes as well.
Cones start at $3.10 (or $2.80 for soft-serve). In addition, pick from nine varieties of sundaes.
What to try: Dusty Road sundae (fudge sauce and caramel sauce, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, cherry).
Info: 1550 Sullivan Trail, Easton, 610-250-7799, facebook.com/RichardsinForks
The sweet spot
Grab some chocolate and get an ice cream on the way out.
The Shoppes of Premise Made boasts beautifully decorated rooms filled with chocolate delicacies, hard candies and gift collectibles.
Additionally, the Ice Creamery offers 40 homemade ice cream flavors and the bakery sells freshly-made pies, cakes and their signature German sugar cakes.
What to try: Strawberry shortcake (strawberry ice cream swirled with whipped topping, strawberries, and vanilla cake pieces) or French custard (vanilla custard ice cream with dark sweet Bordeaux cherries).
Info: 10860 Hamilton Blvd., Breinigsville, 610-395-3221, premisemaid.com
TG Countryside
The small creamery makes its ice cream fresh daily in small batches to assure the best taste.
Among the options are close to 40 hard ice cream flavors and several different types of sundaes.
Countryside switches out their specialty soft serve flavor every few weeks (current selection is strawberry lemon). Always in stock: classic soft chocolate and soft vanilla.
Sugar-free and vegan options are also available.
What to try: The candy-overloaded Paul Bunyan made with crushed Kit Kats, chocolate cake crunch ice cream, mini rainbow nonpareils, and hot fudge.
Info: 5130 Chestnut St., Emmaus, 610-928-2800, tgcountryside.com
'Udderly'-delicious
A popular food truck and ice cream shop, Udder Bar scoops up ice cream, milk shakes and waffles.
Appealing to all appetites, they offer 40 different flavors, along with non-dairy and vegan ice cream, gluten-free options, milkshakes and three different types of waffle sundaes.
For those on-the-go, they offeronline ordering.
What to try: The Daffle (a donut stuffed with choice of ice cream and toppings) or the scrumptious Liege, bubble and taco waffles.
Info: 1852 W. Allen St., Allentown, 484-221-8653, theudderbar.com
No dairy needed
Vegans looking for something sweet have plenty of cool options in Bethlehem.
VegOut(1 East Church St.,610-419-0126) carries editor-approved ice cream, sundaes and shakes.
Shakes rotate weekly, so call ahead to check what's available.
Likewise, Vegan Treats(1444 Linden St., 610-861-7660) sells pints of its ice cream and soft-serve cups of strawberry and cheesecake (July 12 and 13), coffee cake batter and cinnamon brown sugar (July 14-16), chocolate and malt (July 17-18), matcha and blueberry (July 18-20), peanut butter and brownie batter (July 21-23).
Call ahead for the remaining summer schedule.
