Baskin-Robbins Has Good News For Dairy-Free Fans

If you're dairy-free, this is your time to live. The mainstream move to alternative milk options only continues to grow, coming as a welcome change for those that avoid dairy products due to food allergies or sensitivities, or have a preference towards plant-based eating. Whereas soy milk used to be one of the only non-dairy milk alternatives, choices now include hazelnut, almond, pistachio, macadamia, coconut, rice, oat, and cashew milks. Beyond grocery stores, restaurants and fast food chains are also starting to pay attention.

Ice cream giant Baskin-Robbins has now announced they are debuting a dairy-free option as May's Flavor Of The Month. The sweet treat, named Non-Dairy Strawberry Streusel (via the brand website) is made with an oat milk base that also makes it vegan-friendly. Specifically, that means no milk, eggs, honey, or enzymes/rennet from animal products were used to make this new treat. The company does stress, though, that vegan and non-vegan treats are prepared in the same area of the store, so they cannot guarantee there will be no cross transfer of ingredients.

Baskin-Robbins claims to be the first large-scale national ice cream purveyor to offer an oat milk-based ice cream — coming two years after first launching other non-dairy flavors in 2019, according to the official website. The company says they were committed to creating a frozen dessert that kept the lush mouthfeel of milk-based ice cream while staying true to the naturally subtle flavor of oats. Baskin-Robbins further describes the Strawberry Streusel flavor as balanced with strawberries, cinnamon granola, and a bit of streusel topping thrown in for extra taste and texture.

"We're a brand that's all about creating new flavor experiences, and with so many people living plant-based or flexitarian lifestyles today, we couldn't be more excited to launch our new oat milk-based option," Shannon Blakely, VP of Marketing & Culinary at Baskin-Robbins said in a statement. "We're so passionate about this new base and Flavor of the Month as it's not just an evolution of our offerings, but a sign of our passion and commitment to creating what's 'next' in frozen desserts." The company also says there will be more oat milk-based flavors coming later in the year.