the dope cactus

You know when my favorite time to eat ice cream is? When I’m cold. Does that make any damn sense? Nope but that’s just the way I choose the live my life LOL!

When I hit up Smokin Jelli, who is the CEO of Smokin Jelli Media, to share her favorite ice cream flavors I had no idea what she’d deliver & let me just say WOW! Y’all are going to love her recipes. Mine won’t exactly be homemade but you can still enjoy them all the same. This chile is too cool for me though. She is really in the kitchen whippin’ work okay!

Smokin’ Jelli’s Picks

Ice cream, my go-to cure-all, has a special place in my heart + my kitchen. It never ceases to amaze me how simple ingredients like cream, condensed milk + my favorite mix-ins can add such delectable delight to any day, especially a challenging one. And although picking up a pint from my local grocery store proves to be a quicker remedy than whipping up a batch of this frozen dessert, there is something much more satisfying + enjoyable about the homemade kind. Here are my three favorite ice cream flavors to make at home.

Lemon Oreo

Growing up my grandmother’s favorite cookie was a lemon cream sandwich. I don’t recall the brand but Oreo’s Lemon cookie bears a striking resemblance in flavor profile + look. Add real vanilla scraped from the inside of a bean to give your recipe a subtle, confectionary twist. To keep more cookies intact in your mix break them into pieces, try not to mash them to crumbs. When the lemon + vanilla mingles with your freshly whipped cream, from the first spoon you’ll think you’re in heaven!

Strawberries + Cream

If you’ve never enjoyed sweet, crisp slices of strawberry in your ice cream, missing out is an understatement. For this recipe, I like to add my strawberries after I’ve blended all of the other ingredients to keep my slices intact when I scoop. Another key ingredient is a fudge ribbon you can add when your homemade confection is soft solid by cutting through the ice cream mixture with a knife + adding a generous chocolate pour. But don’t take my word for it. If this description did its job, I’ll let your taste buds prove it to you.<

Crownies + Cream

And for my last act, I’l require the use of the gym to deter any verbal calories these thighs of mine might get the brilliant idea to attract!

Crownies + Cream is a doozy! Several years ago when my kids were very young I got the brilliant idea to bake my brownies in a cupcake liner until they were almost done, then add a spoonful of chocolate chip cookie dough to finish them off. Crownies – as my oldest son donned them – was born! Laden with butter + milk, bearing the title of ‘High Fat Priestess’, these sinful delights became the talk of my entire neighborhood seemingly overnight. When added to the no-churn ice cream recipe I make at home – this recipe will send your worries to sit off in a corner while you ponder how every spoonful can be filled with so much delight, one after another. Each bite (or lick, depending on your preference) is a combination of mouth orgasm + brain adrenaline, guaranteed to capture your heartstrings + even tie them into a pretty little bow 😉

I’m not a chef. I’ve been cooking for kids for 23 years. Do I spend an absorbent amount of time at the gym after I’ve indulged in these frozen desserts. Absolutely! Time + gravity, however, can be your friend – with moderation. But, life is short, so my advice, make the ice cream + enjoy it!

For a cannabis-friendly option, I like to add some cannabis sugar (homemade, again) or an infused fruit simple syrup (also, homemade). However, while I’m not a physician or health professional I should point out the necessity to balance your sugar intake, especially when you’re making things at home + tend to add a lil extra for comfort from your ‘chef’s spoon’.

All things in moderation, I’d be remiss if I did not make that statement. And all things considered – live your life to the fullest + get two scoops!

Brit’s Picks

While all of my picks are based around Blue Bell brands you can use your favorite brand as an alternative. I honestly haven’t bought standard ice cream from the grocery story out here in Denver yet so I don’t even have an alternative to suggest. I will say that recently someone bought some Breyer’s ice cream for me but I refused to try it because I remember it being gross when I was a kid. I think my dad bought it or something. He was almost banned from the house. But let’s get into my picks!

Vanilla + Chocolate Chip Cookies

I like to call this one the comfort classic. Vanilla is such a staple when it comes to ice cream flavors. You can simply eat it as is or spruce it up with fresh-baked  chocolate chip cookie crumbs or literally anything else you want to add (crushed candy, any cookie variety, fruit or just some syrup). My favorite chocolate chip cookies to add would be from Tiff’s Treats. Please open one in Denver!

Butter Pecan

Butter Pecan (do you say pee-can or puh-cahn?) is definitely a southern classic & it was my mom’s favorite. I’d often sneak a few bites whenever my mom made herself a bowl. I never truly enjoyed this flavor until my adulthood. While you don’t have to add anything to this flavor to enjoy it, you could spruce it up with some root beer to make a float. If you want to make it boozy throw in some bourbon too.

Cookies ‘N Cream

Now this here flavor has been apart of my life since I can remember. If we had ice cream in the house it was always Cookies ‘N Cream & whatever flavor my parents wanted. I don’t know if Blue Bell uses Oreo’s or not & quite frankly I don’t care. All I know is that when that ice cream hits my tongue all is well in the universe. You literally cannot go wrong with a Cookies ‘N Cream flavor from anywhere!

To infuse these treats since you aren’t really making them from scratch you can simply use a tincture. Or infuse your chocolate chip cookies if you’re baking them yourself. I also recommend just smoking a bowl before indulging. But I’d recommend smoking a bowl before, during & after anything.

What are some of your favorite ice cream flavors to make or buy from the store? Let us know in the comments & give us a follow on IG: @smokinjelli & @longhornbrit.