Michiana's Menu: Vanilla Bean Creamery brings 'homemade' flavor

ELKHART, Ind. -- I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Homemade ice cream that is…

And no place does ‘homemade’ quite like Vanilla Bean Creamery. The ice cream hub was established in 2019 by mother – daughter duo, Clara Miller and Krista Berkey.  The two set out on the passion project with one thing in mind…real ingredients.

“Yes, everything here is made from scratch,” says Miller. “I bake the cake, cut it in squares, then throw it in the ice cream machine with the cream and sugar. Then when it comes out, I will stir in extra pieces of cake and stir in icing, and just make it taste as much as cake as possible, so you can have ice cream and cake too.”

Every batch of joy from Vanilla Bean Creamery is hand crafted, creating a 100% homemade product.

And the ice cream expertise, came with training! Clara and her daughter attended ‘ice cream boot camp’ back in 2018 in Florida to first learn the ins and outs of the business. Still, the cake part came easy for Clara, she owned a cake business prior to taking on the new goal. Her background shows in her appreciation for quality flavor.

“The flavor, it is just common, everyday flavors that are different, I think they are different they are not flavorings, they are actual cake flavors, actual food flavors,” says Miller. “Powerful, yet mild, I cannot really explain how I make the flavors, but I like people to know what is in there, if you can tell what is in there, then it is good ice cream”

And these flavors are no joke! Vanilla bean offers 25 permanent flavors and 5 seasonal options for customers. And they really do come in all shapes and sizes, too! From ice cream cakes, to waffle cones, pints and even…flights!

The creamery really does it all! With two locations already in Elkhart and Granger, Miller and her daughter stay busy even offering catering for events. They say it’s the community that makes it all possible.

“We could not do this without them, I mean they have been amazing, they supported us through coronavirus thing, they kept coming back that’s what kept us open all that time, we have wonderful people in Elkhart in granger, amazing,” says Miller.  

Plan your visit here.