The State That Produces By Far The Most Ice Cream In The Country

Nothing beats a creamy, cold ice cream on a hot day. But, have you ever taken a moment to consider where your ice cream comes from? In the United States, California tops the list as the state that produces the most ice cream by far, selling 5.5 million gallons in 2024 (per the World Population Review). In fact, California has led the nation as the number one ice cream producer for the last 20 years.

Clearly, Californians love their ice cream — more than any other state as well. As president, the former California governor, Ronald Reagan, designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day in 1984.

All that gorgeous weather must give everyone a hankering for their favorite frozen treat. With an average of over 290 days of sunshine each year, they don't call it the Golden State for nothing! Sunny California boasts the ideal climate for year-round cattle raising and dairy farming. Understandably, the state is also the country's top milk producer.

California can claim many ice cream firsts. Hollywood ice cream shop owner, Clarence Clifton Brown, may have invented the first hot fudge sundae in 1906. The unique topping for ice cream sundaes became a hit and is still featured in some of the best ice cream in LA.

The state can claim the invention of rocky road ice cream as well. Oakland ice cream maker William Dreyer came up with the concoction of chocolate ice cream, crunchy almonds, and fluffy marshmallows in 1929 (though rival ice cream parlor Fenton's Creamery contests this). He called it rocky road as a pick-me-up in the wake of the Great Depression. Dreyer went on to found the ever-popular Dreyer's Ice Cream, which ranks as one of the top-selling companies in America today, outlasting the many discontinued ice creams by a long shot.

California also holds the record for the World's Largest Ice Cream Sculpture. The 70-foot tall structure in Yermo, California sits at the entrance of California's largest gas station, Eddie World. The larger-than-life sundae is constructed from a water tank, complete with ice cream sundae toppings like sprinkles, strawberry sauce, and a cherry on top.