Review: Salt & Straw Pints of the Month: Apple Series

Marked by warm spices wafting from kitchen windows and temperatures in the 80s, September in San Diego is when late summer slips into early fall. This month’s Salt & Straw flavors are an ode to the beginning of a new season while holding onto the last wisps of summer with all things apple: apple picking, caramel apples, apple cider and apple pie.

Apple Cider Donut

The very first bite opened with notes of cinnamon, occasionally cut with bite-sized slices of apple, and closed with a strong aftertaste of fall spices. Like many Salt & Straw flavors, Apple Cider Donut includes chunks of cake, which gives the smooth ice cream texture contrast and an enjoyable chew. While the flavor is described as apple cider inspired, the ice cream’s cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom spices as well as streusel topping overpowers notes of apple. It’s a classic fall flavor, though almost no apple comes through — quite difficult to finish if you are not a fan of cinnamon.

3.75/5

Apple and Cheddar Cinnamon Rolls

Apple and Cheddar Cinnamon Rolls was one of the flavors we were most excited to try. It is made with the same base as the Salt & Straw Smoked Mac and Cheese ice cream from the company’s August 2024 monthly pint series, using Beecher’s Smoked Flagship Cheese. The ice cream had a flavor profile almost identical to cheesecake — with the faintest apple flavor that was often drowned by a cheesy umami — similar to the taste of salted cheese foam topping on various tea drinks. The ratio of cinnamon roll dough to ice cream was slightly high, so its texture leaned closer to ice cream cake than ice cream. If you are a fan of mix-textured ice cream, this one is for you.

4.5/5

Vanilla Apple Custard Tart

For true fall enthusiasts, the Vanilla Apple Custard Tart was a captivating flavor. The heavenly notes of a vanilla ice cream base complimented the toasty, cinnamon-spiced apple with bits and pieces of what tasted like pie crust. This golden ice cream initially has stronger vanilla flavors, but eventually faded to a lingering tartness. We also noticed a lack of the “silky, rich custard layer” that was promised; instead, the cidery tart was more prevalent. Even though it wasn’t what we quite expected, the comforting sweet yet woody vibes of the vanilla were condensed into a malty, milkshake-like scoop. If you’re looking for a spin off of basic vanilla ice cream, this aromatic apple-filled flavor is perfect.

4/5

Caramel Apple Sherbet

The Caramel Apple Sherbet had browned caramel ribbons infused with a lighter appley base. The toasted, rich caramel reminded us of the Werther’s golden-wrapped hard caramel candies with a lasting aftertaste of browned butter — complex and nutty. Lacking the stronger notes of apple puree aside from tanginess, we found the apple sherbet base was creamy and light but didn’t add as much depth compared to the intense caramel. Unlike the chewy exterior caramel and crisp apple in classic caramel apples, the scoop’s texture was extremely underwhelming.

3.5/5

Hoppy Apple Cider Sorbet

The Hoppy Apple Cider Sorbet was a light and refreshing hard cider sorbet — holding fruity and floral tropical notes reminiscent of lychee thanks to the addition of Centennial and Amarillo hops, flowers of the Humulus lupulus vine. In celebration of the cidery leading the Pacific Northwest’s hard cider renaissance, the Hoppy Apple Cider Sorbet was based on a fermented hard cider from Finnriver. Even though we had a hard time discerning the bubbly cider flavor often incorporated in cider sorbets, the bitter aftertaste of apple peel added an enjoyable complexity in comparison to the sweeter icy base. This crisp, fruity and light sorbet served as one last nod to summer.

4.5/5