Hokey Pokey Ice Cream

Name: Hokey Pokey Ice Cream
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: New Zealand
Ingredients: 2 cups heavy cream; 1 cup sweetened condensed milk; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/2 cup sugar; 2 tbsp golden syrup; 1/2 tsp baking soda

8 servings20 min prep10 min cookMedium New Zealand

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Hokey Pokey Ice Cream

Story updated September 17, 2026

Hokey pokey ice cream, vanilla studded with chunks of honeycomb toffee, takes its name from an old British and Scottish term for that toffee candy. It became one of New Zealand's most iconic ice cream flavors over the 20th century and remains a distinctly Kiwi favorite today.

Ingredients

Scale:· 8 servings

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda

Instructions

1Make the honeycomb toffee first: melt sugar and golden syrup together in a saucepan over medium heat until amber.
2Remove from heat, quickly stir in the baking soda, and pour immediately onto parchment paper — it will foam and set hard.
3Once cooled, break the honeycomb into small shards.
4Whip the cream to soft peaks, then fold in the condensed milk and vanilla.
5Pour into a loaf pan, folding in most of the honeycomb shards, reserving some for topping.
6Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight, scattering the reserved honeycomb on top before serving.

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