Grocery chain goes viral with 'addictive' butter-dipped ice cream cones, sparking divided reactions

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Grocery chain goes viral with 'addictive' butter-dipped ice cream cones, sparking divided reactions

Connecticut-based Stew Leonard's tests unusual dessert combo that splits Instagram users

Andrea Margolis Fox News

Published

December 6, 2025 11:00am EST

Video

Stew Leonard's butter-dipped ice cream cones go viral on social media

Stew Leonard Jr., president of the Connecticut-based Stew Leonard's grocery chain, tries out the viral new butter-dipped vanilla ice cream cones for himself.

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A regional grocery store recently went viral after unveiling an unusual — and intriguing — treat: butter-dipped ice cream cones.

Stew Leonard's, a Connecticut-based chain with additional locations in New York and New Jersey, posted an Instagram video of the dessert on Nov. 20.

The video shows an employee dipping a vanilla soft-serve cone in a bowl of melted Stew Leonard's-brand butter.

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"Soft serve … dipped in real butter," the post read. "Yes, we're testing it. Yes, it’s insane."

The chain also shared a video of its CEO, Stew Leonard Jr., trying the dish himself. The Instagram video has been liked nearly 75,000 times, sparking reactions ranging from amusement to mild disbelief.

Stew Leonard Jr holding ice cream, dipping it in butter

Stew Leonard's drew massive online attention after sharing its test run of a butter-dipped vanilla soft-serve cone. (Stew Leonard's)

"My son just said (in awe), 'We don't even do that in Wisconsin,'" one person wrote.

"Just because you ameriCAN doesn't mean you ameriSHOULD," another joked.

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Many commenters were enthusiastic about the butter-and-vanilla combination and expressed interest in trying it.

"I would absolutely lose my mind over this," an Instagram user said.

Stew Leonard's said the ice cream is dipped in "real butter." (Stew Leonard's)

"I could have gone my whole life without ever fathoming this combo … and now I'm craving it so much," another wrote.

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Other social media users made suggestions for the dish.

Many commenters were surprised by the idea yet intrigued enough to consider trying the rich, buttery coating themselves. (Stew Leonard's)

"Serve with French fries!" one person wrote.

"Gotta do that with sweet-corn ice cream!" another viewer said.

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Speaking to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for Stew Leonard's described the treat as "the perfect combination of salty [and] sweet."

"I held off trying the butter-dipped cone for a few days for fear that I might like it too much, and I was right to do so," the official said.

Split image of restaurant exteriors, Stew Leonard Jr

A Stew Leonard's spokesperson described the dessert concoction as "the perfect combination of salty [and] sweet." (Theodore Parisienne for NY Daily News via Getty Images; Stew Leonard's)

"It's absolutely delicious!"

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She added, "The overriding flavors are obviously vanilla, butter and salt, but as you take your first bite, there's a slight crunch from the cooled butter shell, and I think that's what makes the cone a little addictive and totally decadent."

Andrea Margolis is a lifestyle writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Readers can follow her on X at @andreamargs or send story tips to andrea.margolis@fox.com .

Grocery chain goes viral with 'addictive' butter-dipped ice cream cones, sparking divided reactions