Drizzling Olive Oil on Ice Cream Is More Than a TikTok Trend—Here’s Why You Should Try It

TikTok's favorite ice cream topping is something you probably already have in your kitchen. Extra-virgin olive oil drizzled on ice cream is an Internet sensation, but the trend isn’t just a social media fad. Adding the condiment to cold desserts has been popular in Italy for years, as well as at gourmet dessert shops, like New York’s Caffe Panna and Brooklyn’s Lilia, where a famous soft serve vanilla gelato sundae is topped with olive oil, sea salt, fennel pollen, and honey.

Find out more about this unlikely pairing, including if this combination really works and how to recreate the trend at home.

Why Olive Oil Works So Well With Ice Cream

"Olive oil is a really fun way to add a totally different dimension to your ice cream," says Hallie Meyer, founder of Caffe Panna, an Italian-inspired ice cream and coffee shop. Olive oil has been offered alongside more typical toppings like sprinkles since the Manhattan scoop shop opened in 2019. It adds a little spice and warmth to a cold dessert. It's been fun to see how people get creative with it, says Meyer. Just like hot fudge, a drizzle of olive oil adds more depth to each bite of ice cream.

The Best Ice Cream Flavors to Pair

At Caffe Panna, the neighborhood special is vanilla bean gelato with sea salt and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, but customers add olive oil to all types of ice cream flavors. It's great with strawberry; it can bring out the fruitiness, Meyer says. Olive oil also works well with herbal flavors and is especially good with dairy-free sorbets. Sorbets typically don’t have any fat, which comes from the cream, milk, and eggs in ice cream and gelato—adding olive oil adds an extra level of richness to sorbet.

Pretty much any flavor with a mild base can benefit from a drizzle of olive oil, Meyer says. Heavier ice creams, like those based in peanut butter or filled with toppings, may not fare as nicely. But don’t let that stop you from experimenting!  

Which Olive Oil to Use

Meyer says whatever extra-virgin olive oil you typically enjoy at home will work. Particularly something with a little spice to it can calm down with ice cream and offer an extra kick to your palate in one spoonful. A finishing olive oil, typically a bit pricier but a lot more flavorful, can totally transform your ice cream without adding any extra sugar or additives. 

How Much Olive Oil to Use

In terms of quantity, you’re not looking to drown or dress your ice cream in olive oil—it's not a salad. Rather, aim to add a delicate drizzle on top of your bowl or cone, just as you would any saucy topping. Of course, you can always add more olive oil and play around with how different olive oils taste with various flavors and brands of ice cream, sorbet, and gelato.

To start, just scoop out a spoonful of ice cream, add a small dot of olive oil, and enjoy in one bite—and then take it from there.

Don't Forget the Flaky Salt

For a full TikTok-approved experience, don't skip the flaky salt on top. It can be a bonus for texture and for highlighting the tasting notes of even the simplest ice cream flavors.