Holey Cream

This is no ordinary ice cream adventure. This ice cream adventure takes us to a magical place where ice cream and donuts live together in harmony.  A place where the choices are dazzling, the combinations are delightful, and the resulting flavors are delicious.  A place where sugary dreams are brought to life with care.  A place in Hell's Kitchen called Holey Cream.

I also had no ordinary special guest with me on this adventure (or was I a special guest on his?).  For this ice cream and donut extravaganza I was joined by my friend Jean-Tae who was one of my inspirations for starting Scoops, Sundaes, Sprinkles, and Shakes in the first place.  You see, in 2015 Jean-Tae took on a "100 Days of Ice Cream Challenge" in which he ate a different flavor of ice cream every day for 100 days straight.  Photo evidence went up on Facebook every day with the number, flavor, and those of us who joined him along the way.  This spring Jean-Tae announced that he was taking up another challenge.  This time, donuts.  When I heard about Holey Cream, I knew a crossover was called for.  So it was that on Day 46 of the Donut Challenge we met up at this ice cream and donut mecca.

I think I had this look on my face the whole time I was at Holey Cream.

We walk up to the counter and are greeted by the friendly staff.  I inform them that I want the ice cream-donut-sandwich-thing, but I don't know what that means.  Well... They start with a plain donut, and you pick your ice cream flavor, glaze flavor, and topping.  I can't decide what flavor of ice cream to get; there are over 30 to choose from.  I am told I can pick two.  Then I choose from about half a dozen glaze flavors.  Then I'm taken over to the topping selection where there are more than 20 options.  THEN I'm asked to pick a drizzle for the top.  The smile on my face and wonder in my eyes must have gotten bigger with every step.  The employees noted my joy and found it to be contagious.

There were too many ice cream options to capture in one image, but behold the beautiful toppings!

What I got: Donut Ice Cream Sandwich - a plain donut with two scoops of Holey Moley Ice Cream, one scoop of Coffee Mud Pie Ice Cream, Nutella glaze, Heath crumble, and marshmallow drizzle.

What Jean-Tae got: Donut Ice Cream Sandwich - a plain donut with two scoops of Holey Moley Ice Cream, one scoop of Brownie a la Mode Ice Cream, Nutella glaze, Oreo pieces, and marshmallow drizzle.

What Greg got: one scoop of Outrageous Caramel Pretzel Ice Cream in a cup.

Please do not mistake the similarity of our sandwiches for a lack of options.  There are literally thousands of combinations you could make.  We just have similar tastes when confronted with such a smorgasbord.

Behold the beauty!

We feasted with gusto!  The Holey Moley Ice Cream is a cookie dough base with M&Ms and fudge mixed in. The candy in it added even more fun to a treat that I could not stop smiling about.  I have mentioned before that I am a fan of coffee ice creams, and the Coffee Mud Pie was perfect!  The coffee flavor mixed with chocolate was just what I wanted and the gooeyness of the brownie pieces brought a fun texture to the party.  All three toppings, the Nutella, Heath, and marshmallow sauce, came together to feel like I'd created sophisticated s'mores on top of a sundae.  The donut itself was the perfect platform for all of the flavors, being soft and fluffy and soaking up ice cream as it had a little time (but not much, I ate this fast) to melt.  It wasn't too heavy, as I find donuts can sometimes be.  The cake of the donut was tasty but not overpowering, creating a sandwich where everything could be enjoyed in harmony.

This is a simplified version of the process.  It does not mention that you get THREE scoops of ice cream, which you can split between two flavors, and that after you add toppings, the whole thing is crowned with a drizzle.

I highly encourage you to head over to Holey Cream and compose your own heavenly donut ice cream creation.  There is so much to choose from that everyone will be able to make their own version of the perfect sandwich.  Holey Cream is right outside the Theatre District and open late, so you can stop in for a treat after a show.

The Rundown:
Where: Holey Cream
796 9th Avenue
New York, NY 10019
https://www.instagram.com/holeycreamnyc/
What they're known for: Donut Ice Cream Sandwich
A single cup or cone: $5.50
Most Extreme Menu Item: 12 Donuts $24.50, but most extreme ice cream is their selection of sundaes, which include 4 scoops of ice cream each at $9.00
Non-ice cream menu options: Donuts, cupcakes, brownies, cookies, smoothies, hot and cold beverages