Trader Joe’s Just Launched Our New Favorite Ice Cream

After a few trips to Trader Joe’s in search of their new limited-edition Ube Purple Yam Flavored Ice Cream, I finally got my hands on a pint, and let me tell you that you should probably do the same — STAT. The grocer specifically warned that they’re selling the purple pints for a “very limited time only” and when they say that, we know they mean business. (RIP to all the other fan-favorite groceries that have graced shelves for only a brief moment in time.)

For those who are unfamiliar, here’s a crash course in ube, courtesy of the travel experts at Culture Trip: Pronounced “OO-beh,” ube is a naturally purple yam that is grown in the Philippines and is most popularly consumed in the form of ube jalea, a creamy purple yam jam. It’s an essential ingredient in Filipino dessert recipes including halo-halo, cakes, jams, cookies, and, of course, ice cream.

Trader Joe’s ube ice cream is simply delightful. It contains real ube purée and is super decadent yet light and airy at the same time. According to the tasting notes in the Fearless Flyer, “It’s creamy. It’s sweet. It’s nutty. Some liken it to a cross between vanilla and pistachio, with hints of coconut mixed in.”

It gets a little help in the purple color department from beet and grape juice extract — but there’s no food coloring to be found. And while there’s no coconut on the ingredient list, we definitely got coconut-y vibes after a few spoonfuls. This is definitely the kind of ice cream I could eat out of a giant soup bowl.

The ingredient has appeared in Filipino cookbooks for centuries, so what took so long for it to make its way into the frozen aisle in Trader Joe’s? We wish we could tell you, but we are so glad that it did. And so is Millie, our office dog. (We didn’t let her have any, but it got her sniffer so excited that she jumped up on of the coffee table, which is something she NEVER does!)

Have you tried it yet?