Salt & Straw has become a household name for ice cream lovers, renowned for its innovative and mouthwatering flavors. Each month, the brand unveils a unique set of ice cream flavors, and January is no exception. January’s offerings often come with a special theme, making it a month full of exciting new taste experiences for fans. In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the flavors that Salt & Straw typically rolls out in January.
The Allure of January Flavors
January is a time of new beginnings, and Salt & Straw captures this spirit by introducing flavors that are both refreshing and indulgent. These flavors not only tantalize the taste buds but also often carry a story, whether it’s inspired by seasonal ingredients, cultural traditions, or the brand’s own creative vision. The limited – edition nature of these January flavors adds to their allure, as customers know they have a short window to savor these unique concoctions.
Past January Flavor Highlights
The “New Year’s Indulgence” Series (2017)
In 2017, Salt & Straw presented the “New Year’s Indulgence” series. One of the stand – out flavors was “Happy Birthday Elvis,” created to pay homage to Elvis Presley’s birthday on January 8th. This flavor combined a lightly spiced banana custard ice cream with chunks of peanut butter bacon cookie dough, finished off with a swirl of marionberry jam. The combination of sweet banana, savory bacon, and rich peanut butter was a decadent treat that brought together some of Elvis’s favorite flavors.
Another flavor from this series was “Santa Barbara Pistachio Spumoni.” It was made with candied pistachios, sugar, vanilla, and pistachio oil blended into a sweet praline butter and churned into a silky ice cream. Layers of chocolate from Portland’s Pitch Dark added a subtle cocoa crunch, and candied pistachios and luxardo cherries provided the perfect sweet finish. Eating green foods around the New Year is said to bring good luck, and this green – hued pistachio ice cream was a delicious way to start the year on a lucky note.
“Vegan Dulgences” Series (2019)
In 2019, January saw the debut of the “Vegan Dulgences” series. Co – founder and head ice – cream maker Tyler Malek crafted five vegan flavors that were anything but ordinary. “Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies” offered a combination of chewy, gluten – free salted chocolate chip cookies in a creamy toasted coconut base. It was a hit among those looking for a dairy – free yet indulgent option.
“Elvis’ Peanut Butter Banana Split” was another crowd – pleaser. It brought together the classic combination of peanut butter, banana, and a touch of “bacon” butter (made from peanut butter and a savory twist), all in a vegan – friendly ice cream. This flavor was a great example of how Salt & Straw could take a traditional flavor combination and transform it into a vegan delight.
January 2024 Flavors: The “Dairy – Free Decadence” Series
Toasted Oat Milk & Cookies
A cinnamon – spiked vanilla oat milk ice cream filled with chewy chocolate chip cookies and hunks of ultra – rich chocolate ganache. The warm, spicy cinnamon in the oat milk base complemented the sweetness of the cookies and the richness of the ganache.
Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
A creative take on the classic dessert. It consisted of red velvet cake – infused coconut ice cream swirled with red velvet batter and topped with hunks of red velvet cake and tangy cream cheese frosting. The coconut ice cream provided a creamy base, while the red velvet elements added a moist, cake – like texture and a distinct, sweet – tangy flavor.
Bananas Foster with Candied Pecans
A tropical – inspired flavor. Coconut cream ice cream was infused with a bananas foster reduction, which included rum, brown sugar, and spices. The ice cream was then swirled with more of the bananas foster reduction and candied pecans. The result was a flavor that captured the essence of the classic bananas foster dessert, with the added crunch of the candied pecans.
Marionberry Oatmeal Cobbler
Combined a coconut milk and cinnamon ice cream with a sweet marionberry filling swirl and bits of pie crust or cobbler topping. The cinnamon – spiced ice cream base paired well with the tart – sweet marionberries, and the bits of cobbler topping added a satisfying crunch.
Death by Chocolate Chocolate Cake
A chocolate lover’s dream. Made with a chocolatey upcycled barley milk base, it was paired with caramelized Dutch process cocoa, vegan chocolate cake, and vegan chocolate ganache. The multiple layers of chocolate created a rich, intense flavor experience.
2025 January: Return of Dairy – Free Series
Chocolate Caramel Corn with Candied Peanuts
A new flavor that reimagined a stadium favorite. It had a corn – infused coconut and oat milk base, with a housemade caramel candy made from freshly popped popcorn and roasted peanuts, and a chocolate stracciatella folded throughout. The combination of the savory corn, sweet caramel, and rich chocolate was an unexpected but delicious blend.
Coconut Cake & Pineapple Jamwas
Tyler Malek collaborated with Gables Delight, a renowned jam maker, to create this tropical flavor. It featured rum – spiked vanilla coconut cream ice cream with pineapple coconut jam and bits of gluten – free vanilla cupcakes with shredded coconut and coconut cream. The result was a flavor that evoked the feeling of a tropical vacation, perfect for brightening up the winter months.
Death by Chocolate Chocolate Cake
Returned, continuing to satisfy chocolate lovers with its chocolatey upcycled barley oat milk ice cream, swirls of chocolate caramel fudge, chunks of chocolate cake, and chocolate ganache.
Marionberry Oatmeal Cobbler
Made a comeback as well, offering the same comforting combination of cinnamon – spiced coconut and oat milk ice cream, marionberry filling, and oatmeal cobbler topping.
Bananas Foster with Candied Pecans
Also returned, delighting customers with its banana – coconut cream ice cream, bananas foster caramel, and candied pecans.
How the January Flavors are Created
The Creative Process
The process of creating January flavors at Salt & Straw starts with the brand’s head ice – cream maker, Tyler Malek. He draws inspiration from a variety of sources, including seasonal ingredients, customer feedback, and his own culinary experiments. For January, he often focuses on flavors that are warming, indulgent, and in line with the spirit of the New Year.
Once he has an idea for a flavor, he begins the experimentation phase. This involves testing different ingredient combinations, ratios, and preparation methods. He works closely with local farmers, artisans, and producers to source the highest – quality ingredients. For example, when creating a flavor with fruits like marionberries, he ensures that the berries are sourced from local farms at the peak of their season.
After the initial experimentation, the flavors are tested in small batches. Feedback is gathered from employees, and sometimes even from a select group of customers. Based on this feedback, adjustments are made to the flavors until they are perfected.
The Significance of January Flavors for Salt & Straw
Brand Image and Customer Engagement
The January flavors play a crucial role in shaping Salt & Straw’s brand image. By 推出 unique and innovative flavors each January, the brand showcases its creativity and commitment to providing customers with new and exciting taste experiences. This helps to keep the brand relevant and appealing in a highly competitive ice – cream market.
The limited – edition nature of the January flavors also drives customer engagement. Customers are eager to try these exclusive flavors before they disappear. This often leads to increased foot traffic in Salt & Straw scoop shops and higher online orders during the month of January. It also encourages customers to share their experiences on social media, further spreading the word about the brand.
Conclusion
In conclusion, January at Salt & Straw is a month filled with flavor innovation. Whether it’s the “New Year’s Indulgence” series, the “Vegan Dulgences” series, or the “Dairy – Free Decadence” series, each January offering brings a unique set of flavors that cater to a wide range of tastes. From chocolate – lovers to those seeking dairy – free options, there’s something for everyone. The creative process behind these flavors, involving local sourcing and meticulous experimentation, ensures that each scoop is a high – quality, delicious treat. These January flavors not only provide a delightful start to the new year for customers but also strengthen Salt & Straw’s position as a leader in the artisanal ice – cream industry. As we look forward to future Januarys, we can expect Salt & Straw to continue to surprise and delight us with even more imaginative and scrumptious ice – cream flavors.
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