The best ice cream in Ankeny: the local scoop shops and the treats worth the trip.
The quick answer
RolledSweet Swirls, Iowa's first rolled ice cream
Small-batchThe Outside Scoop, two dozen rotating flavors
Classic scoopsUptown Dairy, hard-pack and affogatos
Short driveSnookies in Beaverdale
In town
What are the best ice cream shops in Ankeny?
Ankeny's best local scoop shops are Sweet Swirls (rolled ice cream made to order), The Outside Scoop (small-batch, rotating flavors), and Uptown Dairy (hard-pack scoops and affogatos), all made-in-town spots rather than chains.
Sweet Swirls Rolled Ice Cream (303 SW School St). Iowa's first rolled ice cream: you pick a base, mix-ins, sauce, and toppings, and they mash and roll it on a frozen plate in front of you. Soft serve, shakes, and cakes too. It started out of a trailer back in 2017 and keeps later weekend hours than most, which makes it a good after-dinner stop.
The Outside Scoop. Small-batch ice cream made from scratch, with about 24 flavors on a rotating basis. An Ankeny storefront (with a truck that gets around, too), and a local favorite for a reason.
Uptown Dairy. A classic, simple ice cream shop serving hard-pack scoops (including fun flavors like Superman and Blue Moon) plus shakes, floats, and affogatos, espresso poured over a scoop, for the grown-ups.
Flavors and hours rotate, especially outside summer, so it's worth a quick check before you head over.
The dependable stops
Custard, soft serve, and chains
When you just want a reliable cone, Ankeny has the usual strong options: frozen custard, soft serve, and the drive-thru treat chains are scattered along the main commercial corridors. They're the easy default for a weeknight or a post-game crowd, and they're open later than most of the small shops.
Worth the drive
The metro classics
A few Des Moines-area institutions are close enough to fold into an Ankeny evening:
Snookies Malt Shop (Beaverdale). A walk-up soft-serve institution since 1986, with a big neon sign and long summer lines. Worth it.
Other metro favorites, from rolled ice cream to old-school shoppes, are an easy add if you're already headed into the city.
Ice cream pairs naturally with a summer night out. Grab a scoop before a movie at the theater, after a walk at a park, or following dinner from our best restaurants list. In December, swap the cone for hot cocoa and the holiday lights.
The best of Ankeny, every week
The Ankeny Brief is a free weekly email on where to eat, what's new, and what's happening around town. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
The local favorites are Sweet Swirls (rolled ice cream made to order), The Outside Scoop (small-batch, rotating flavors), and Uptown Dairy (hard-pack scoops and affogatos). All three are local, not chains; tastes vary, so try more than one.
Does Ankeny have a local ice cream shop?
Yes, including Uptown Dairy and The Outside Scoop, plus the usual custard and soft-serve chains. The Outside Scoop makes its ice cream from scratch in small batches.
What is affogato?
It's hot espresso poured over a scoop of ice cream. Uptown Dairy serves it daily, a grown-up twist on the usual cone.
Where can I get ice cream near Ankeny?
Des Moines classics are a short drive, including Snookies Malt Shop in Beaverdale, a walk-up soft-serve institution since 1986.
Sources: Catch Des Moines, Des Moines Register (Uptown Dairy), and local coverage (The Outside Scoop, Snookies Malt Shop). Shops, flavors, and hours change seasonally; confirm before you go, and tastes are personal, so this is a starting point, not a ranking.
The Ankeny Brief, free every Monday.What is new, what to do, home sales. One email.
Free, every Monday 7 AM
Get the Ankeny briefing.
Everything new in Ankeny this week, in one email. No spam, unsubscribe any time.