The Fruity Drink That Was Originally Created To Be An Ice Cream Topping

Ice cream can be topped with just about anything and fruity toppings added to your favorite ice cream can add a pleasing bite and mouthfeel. Did you know that one of your favorite childhood drinks was originally invented to pour over ice cream? 

That's right. Hawaiian Punch, the deliciously fruity drink you probably have stashed away in your pantry, was first created to be a fruity ice cream topping. With the ever-growing popularity of adding fizzy sodas to fast food ice cream, a Hawaiian Punch + ice cream combo is a retro treat you owe it to yourself to try.

Hawaiian Punch was invented in 1934 by a trio of fellas — Tom Yates, A.W. Leo, and Ralph Harrison — in California, who combined five different fruit juices to create "Leo's Hawaiian Punch." This fruity syrup was sold to soda fountains, ice cream makers, and restaurants and the mixture — made with real fruits shipped from Hawaii — gave customers a delicious tropical flavor to pour over their ice cream.

Eventually, customers found Leo's Hawaiian Punch + water made a heckuva delicious drink, and bottles of Hawaiian Punch concentrate started being offered in grocery stores. By the 1950s, Hawaiian Punch (dropping Leo's from the name) became a national brand, firmly entrenched in the minds and stomachs of American consumers.

Since Hawaiian Punch was originally invented as an ice cream topping, it makes sense to indulge in this sweet treat primarily at home. Whether you choose the classic Fruit Juicy Red or opt for something more colorful like Green Berry Rush, Berry Blue Typhoon, or Orange Ocean, your opportunities for deliciousness are endless.

Vanilla is an obvious choice for adding Hawaiian Punch, but Orange Ocean can be added to orange creamsicle ice cream from an explosion of orange flavor or a litany of flavors can be added to a classic dish of sherbet. You already enjoy the rich depth of flavor found in a root beer float or a Coke float. Why not add a bit of fruity flavor to the mix by pulling out the Hawaiian Punch and adding it to a dish of ice cream? While you'll have to go off-brand for the classic syrup style, you could always wet and warm up some of the Hawaiian punch powder mixes to get a luscious thick topper.