Do Ice Cream And Chili Crisp Mix? We Tried The Jeni's X Fly By Jing Collab To Find Out

In the heat of summer, we all want a little cold treat, but Jeni's Ice Creams has just partnered with Fly By Jing to bring together ice cream and spice in a frozen dessert that is an absolute must-try this summer. Jeni's has chosen three ice cream flavors to be topped with Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp.

For the uninitiated, chili crisp is an oil-based condiment originating from China that consists of a combination of dried chili flakes, garlic, onions, green onions, and other seasonings. The three featured Jeni's ice cream flavors include Darkest Chocolate, Salty Caramel, and Double Dough. They're available in a three-scoop cone topped with chili crisp for a limited time starting on July 11. 

Chili crisp has been featured on various fast food menus like Panda Express and Taco Bell, but the ice cream combo is a welcome surprise. I tried all three flavors to find out how this oil-based topping mixed with an ice-cold, creamy treat.

The three-scoop combo of ice cream mixed with chili crisp completely confused my taste buds in the most intriguing way. A bite of the Darkest Chocolate flavor with chili crisp on top almost made me think of the earliest version of hot chocolate made by the Aztecs: simply a blend of cocoa and chili peppers.

The Darkest Chocolate was a rich and fudgy scoop, so when mixed with the chili crisp you got this deep cocoa flavor with a spicy bite for an aftertaste. Next up, the Salty Caramel brought another element with its sea salt and vanilla flavors. Letting the caramel ice cream melt on my tongue while the sea salt and spice from the chili oil lingered left my mouth wondering why this was all happening together, but also reaching for more bites. Finally, the Double Dough finisher brought back chocolate with some chips thrown in and had a creamier texture than the aforementioned scoops. The custard base of the Double Dough ice cream was heavier, which also helped it to cool down the chili crisp.

Of the three scoops, the Salty Caramel was the most impressive simply because it took three unique profiles (salty, sweet, and spicy) and made them work together even as your taste buds tried to comprehend the mix. As a person with a low spice tolerance, this was the exact right heat level for a dessert without burning away the enjoyment.

While Jeni's is featuring the three flavors reviewed above as part of this collaboration, the ice cream shop is also offering customers the opportunity to create their own chili crisp combinations. For a limited time, customers can add Fly By Jing's chili crisp to any of the ice cream shop's available flavors and even take a little to-go container home to control the spice level.

After having experienced the spicy, chocolatey, and salty dance of the featured ice cream trio, I had a feeling that pairing the chili crisp with a different flavor profile would take things to the next level. I was completely right.

If you've ever had the joy of tasting a mangonada, which features a spicy, sweet chamoy sauce and mango sorbet, then you know that fruity and spicy flavors go hand in hand. For the most refreshingly tart and spice-filled summer treat, I suggest pairing the chili crisp with Jeni's Sparkling Cherry Pie or Lemon & Blueberries Parfait. Both flavors have their own delicious blends of fruit jams, but the sour cherry and numbing Sichuan peppercorn in the sparkling cherry pie combined with chili crisp will send your taste buds to a new planet.