Baskin-Robbins Flavor of the Month review: Is Marigold Dreamsicle a floral iced dream?

Let’s get this out of the way: I’m well aware the month of April is almost over, meaning Baskin-Robbins’ Flavor of the Month, Marigold Dreamsicle, is about to disappear from stores in favor of May’s mystery flavor. However, for whatever reason, this flavor was impossible to find.

In fact, I went to six different Baskin-Robbins scoop shops in both Brooklyn and Manhattan and found exactly zero tubs of the flower-inspired flavor. One store did have a big sign up front advertising Marigold Dreamsicle, but when I asked the man behind the counter about it, he said, “Maybe we’ll get it next month.” Which sounds counterintuitive to this being the April Flavor of the Month, but whatever, it’s hard running any sort of food establishment let alone a franchise of a national chain, so I’m not going to judge too harshly.

It wasn’t until I ventured out to the wilds of Long Island this past weekend to visit the Zalben ancestral home that I stopped by a Baskin-Robbins that actually had the 31 flavors promised in the tagline. That includes Marigold Dreamsicle, so I grabbed a large cup to share with the whole family.

Versus your run-of-the-mill flavors like Cookie Dough or Mint Chip, Marigold Dreamsicle has an immediate advantage of intrigue, that could also be a hindrance. That’s because of the unusual nature of the flavor, particularly for a chain like Baskin-Robbins, which mixes marigold ice cream – the flowers naturally taste citrusy in nature – with vanilla, and an orange swirl, for something that should be reminiscent of a more floral creamsicle.

Upon hearing the name, every member of my tasting group perked up, intrigued – including my nephew, who has apparently been obsessed with the flavor since it was announced. However, with all this dining room hype, how does Marigold Dreamsicle actually stack up? Is this flower blooming, or is it dead on the vine? Are flowers on vines? How do plants work?

Turns out, it’s pretty delicious. There’s definitely citrus from the orange swirl, which is gel-like in nature. Vanilla bean is always pretty solid. But easily the best and brightest part of this is the marigold ice cream, which does confer a sense of the blossom without tasting like you’re chomping on potpourri.

In fact, I would say the part working most against this flavor is the orange, which I was surprised about. Part of the joy of a creamsicle is the mix of sherbert mixed with vanilla ice cream, so you get a refreshing, more icy taste mixed with the cream of the, well, ice cream. Here, it’s all ice cream and gel, so it ends up being a little stickier and less bright than perhaps I would want. Sweet fans will enjoy this, but if you’re looking for something fresh for your summer afternoon, this gets about 75% of the way there.

Point being, would I like to try an unfettered scoop of Marigold ice cream? Yes. Would that appeal to the general public heading to a Baskin-Robbins? Probably not. So without forcing an entire chain to cater to me personally, this flavor makes a certain amount of sense.

And hey, maybe I’ll get it next month again when it finally arrives at the store near me.

Baskin-Robbins provided a gift card to Guilty Eats to try this flavor.