Staff report

Hankering for a sweet treat as the summer heat bears down?

The state released its eighth annual list Monday of the must-visit locations on the 2025 Ohio Ice Cream Trail. Award-winning and nationally recognized shops, such as Warren’s Cockeye Creamery and Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt, are two of several Valley businesses to be honored. Both make return trips to the list, released in honor of National Ice Cream Month, celebrated in July.

Overall, 150 shops across Ohio are cited. The full list is available at Ohio.org.

“Ice cream is part of Ohio’s summertime identity — whether it’s a shop that’s been serving scoops for generations or a new spot with bold flavors and fresh ideas,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of Ohio’s Department of Development. “The Ice Cream Trail celebrates the entrepreneurs and small businesses that make Ohio special — creating jobs, using Ohio-grown ingredients and turning main streets into destinations for families.”

Ripley’s Scoop Shop in Brookfield and Katie’s Korner also were acknowledged. Katie’s Korner features locations that include Cortland, Champion, Howland, Girard and Austintown. Known nationwide, Handel’s shops can be found in Youngstown, Boardman, Poland, Austintown, Liberty and Niles.

Cockeye Creamery marks a return to the Ohio Ice Cream Trail. Known for its creative flavors and support of Ohio’s dairy producers, the creamery is a small-batch shop built on a reputation of award-winning recipes.

“We started Cockeye Creamery with one goal: to make the kind of ice cream that brings people together,” said Max Hoover, Cockeye Creamery co-owner. “To be included on the Ohio Ice Cream Trail again is such a special nod — not just to the quality of our frozen desserts, but to the community that supports our business and the families that have made us part of their memories.

“We’re proud to represent Northeast Ohio and excited to keep sharing what we love.”

Cockeye Creamery earned the Grand Master Ice Cream Maker title from the North American Ice Cream Association in 2023.

TourismOhio partnered with county convention and visitors bureaus to ensure that every corner of the state is represented — from downtown scoop shops to main street creameries. Fifty-four counties are represented. Priority was given to businesses serving Ohio-made ice cream and those with a meaningful, long-standing presence in their communities.

Ice cream plays a major role in Ohio’s economy. Home to more than 1,400 dairy farms and 250,000 dairy cows, Ohio is ranked 11th in the nation for milk production, with Ohio cows producing nearly 650 million gallons of milk annually.

“From pasture to pint, every scoop is made possible by the hardworking dairy farmers and creameries who get up early to deliver fresh, high-quality milk and products,” state Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge said. “Choosing Ohio-made ice cream is supporting local communities and Ohio agriculture.”