Red Mango Philippines
People love creamy, smooth froyo, but adding a hard shell dip or drizzle adds texture, flavor, and visual appeal. Hard shell dips and hard shell drizzles—offer distinct experiences for both operators and customers.
Hard Shell Dips vs. Hard Shell Drizzles: What’s the Difference?
Both dips and drizzles harden quickly when applied to cold desserts, but they also have differences.
Application Method: Dips involve submerging the cone or frozen bar into a vat of liquid coating that hardens on contact. Drizzles are applied with a squeeze bottle or spout. Drizzles are more practical for frozen yogurt served in a cup.
Operational Considerations: Dips require a heated dipping well to maintain the right viscosity and temperature. Drizzles are often ready-to-use at room temperature and require less equipment.
A Recent Viral Trend
The butter-dipped soft serve craze traces back to Papa d’Amour, a bakery opened by James Beard Award-winning pastry chef Dominique Ansel in New York City last year. Known for his inventive desserts (like the Cronut), Ansel introduced a Hokkaido milk soft serve dipped in melted, “Isigny Ste. Mère butter from France and a sprinkle of fleur de sel, and a mochi surprise at the bottom of the waffle cone” in August 2025.
This indulgent twist quickly caught attention on TikTok. The concept blends Japanese dairy richness with French culinary flair, elevating soft serve into a gourmet experience. Stew Leonard’s, which calls itself the World’s Largest Dairy Store, just introduced butter dipped ice cream.
This type of gourmet dip or drizzle could easily be adapted for frozen yogurt. Some froyo shops like Eb & Bean in Portland, Thank You Cup in Thailand, and Red Mango Philippines already offer drizzles and dips. Eb & Bean’s magic shell offerings include dark chocolate, raspberry, peanut butter, Newtella, and cookie butter.
A butter shell could easily be infused with intriguing flavors like maple, hot honey, miso, or cinnamon. There are also many shells and drizzles that you could create, such as the following:
- Dark chocolate with sea salt
- White chocolate with matcha
- Milk chocolate with cinnamon
- Peanut butter
- Strawberry shortcake
How to Make It Work
- Use a small warmer to keep your dip at a safe, pourable temperature (around 100–120°F). Ensure food safety protocols are followed to avoid cross-contamination.
- Suggest pairings for froyo flavors, dips, drizzles, and toppings – and invite customers to suggest their own pairings
- Launch as a seasonal or weekend-only special to drive urgency and repeat visits.
- Combine dips with drizzles for a layered treat
