Although there are some dubious sources that list vanilla ice cream as one of the most popular ice cream flavors in the U.S., the truth couldn’t be further from the truth. Chocolate ice cream is actually one of the most popular ice cream flavors in the United States—beating out vanilla ice cream by two whole percentage points. That’s why National Chocolate Ice Cream Day, a day that’s celebrated on June 7th annually, is always extremely popular.

The History Of Chocolate Ice Cream

Like so many food holidays, the origins of National Chocolate Ice Cream Day are lost to us. That’s why we’ve decided to do a brief history of chocolate ice cream instead. Of course, in order to cover the history of this frozen delicacy properly, we first have to talk about the history of chocolate and then pivot to the history of ice cream. We have a lot to cover in a short amount of space, so let’s get this chocolate ice cream party started.

Chocolate can be traced all the way back to Mesoamerica. Cacao seeds were fermented and turned into an alcoholic beverage as far back as 1400 BC, and were made into a chocolate beverage since 500 BC. The Aztecs believed that these seeds were gifted to them by their deity Quetzalcoatl, and they not only used them for making beverages but also used them as currency at one point. When the Spanish conquered the Aztec empire, chocolate was spread throughout Europe starting in the 16th century.

Ice cream is a delicacy that can be traced back to 7th century China. This was a dessert that was made from rice flour, camphor, and buffalo milk. After it was mixed, it would then be packed into the snow until it was frozen. According to legend, Marco Polo is believed to have taken the idea of ice cream from China and brought it back to Italy where it was refined further into a form that modern people would recognize today.

Somewhere between the 16th and 17th centuries in Italy, chocolate and ice cream were introduced to one another. One of the first recipes for chocolate ice cream is even recorded in a book by Antonio Latini that was published in 1692 called The Modern Steward. Not surprisingly, chocolate would become a popular ice cream flavor not only in Italy but around the world.

Celebrating National Chocolate Ice Cream Day

National Chocolate Ice Cream Day can be celebrated by enjoying chocolate ice cream in one of its many forms. Perhaps this is something as simple as a bowl or cone of chocolate ice cream, or maybe it’s in one of its other forms including sundaes, shakes, and other tasty treats. No matter how you enjoy it, however, be sure to use the hashtag #NationalChocolateIceCreamDay to let everyone know that you’re celebrating this chocolaty holiday in style.