Coolness: National Ice Cream Day at Jilly's (psst, it's Sunday, July 20)

It’s a big weekend at Jilly’s Ice Cream Bar. National Ice Cream Day, which is this Sunday, July 20, means a whole lotta delicious things – and new treats – at the gourmet shop.

Debuting on Sunday, you’ll find:

-The chocolate-chip cookie ice-cream sandwich, made with your choice of ice cream fillings

-The brownie sundae, starring a decadent 64% bittersweet dark-chocolate brownie. Jilly’s Executive Chef Casey Shiller recommends topping it with Chippermint (mint chiffon ice cream with chocolate drops) and hot fudge. Jilly’s owner Jill Segal prefers the Browned Butter Pecan ice cream (butterscotch ice cream with vanilla salted caramel swirl and brown butter-toasted pecans) and vanilla salted caramel sauce

-Jilly’s 20^th flavor (which is, coincidentally, being released on the 20^th), sugar-free Orange Cream Dream. It’s actually two ice creams swirled together: sugar-free vanilla bean and sugar-free orange-zest ice creams, both made with made with Swerve-brand sweetener, a sugar substitute. The orange zest makes for a subtle, slightly bitter flavor; it’s the go-to option for diabetics. (Jilly’s also has gluten-free, vegan and dairy-free options.)

More new goodies include the Design Your Own Sundae Kit, which is a portable ice-cream party in a bag. Customers can buy a cooler bag with the fixings for one-scoop sundaes for 18 to 20 people, including a selection of toppings (called “chunkage”) and sauces.

Finally, inspired by the secret menu at California’s In-N-Out Burger chain, Jilly’s is offering the first in a series of off-menu items. In collaboration with 105.7 The Point’s “Woody and Rizzuto Show,” Jilly’s is selling the “Ninja Sundae” (because ninjas are the ultimate in stealth, of course.)  We can’t tell you much about it, but we know it’s made with bacon.

There are three final things we want to tell you about Jilly’s Ice Cream:

-The Browned Butter Pecan ice cream, described above, is a life-changer. Unbelievably good.

-Don’t leave the joint without checking out the colored, twinkling lights in the ceiling of the dining room.

-Jilly’s has a two-scoop side-by-side cone. The ice cream is a lot less likely to wind up on the floor than with a normal sugar cone that has two scoops stacked vertically. It’s also cool, said Segal, because the flavors mix in the center. We like it because two friends can share (see photo).

National Ice Cream Day

Sunday, July 20: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Jilly's Ice Cream Bar

8509 Delmar

jillysicecreambar.com

314-993-5455