I know I’m not alone when I say that my love of ice cream began at an early age. And I do mean love.

Some people are content to eat ice cream once a week—maybe even less—but not me. Oh, no. I think about the frozen goodness at least once a day.

Put it in a cup, a cone, a bar, a soup tureen. Heck, throw the toppings in a bowl and hand it over. I’m happy to eat ice cream anytime, anywhere—especially in Jefferson County.

As an ice cream aficionado, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting most of our local shops. I haven’t met a bad one, so it’s hard to pick favorites, but if you’re new to the area, you don’t want to miss Tanglefoot Creamery in Festus.

I didn’t know I needed rolled ice cream in my life until I found Tanglefoot. It took some experimentation, but these days, my go-to order is vanilla, cinnamon rolls, whipped cream, and caramel syrup, all mashed together and rolled into perfect spirals from heaven. I could eat it forever.

But the best reason to visit Tanglefoot? The owner is a 17-year-old entrepreneur who loves ice cream even more than I do (and I’m some tough competition!).

If you prefer your dessert scooped (hey, to each their own), head to Pine Mountain Country Coffee House & Mercantile. This is easily the best place for a cup of super-premium ice cream and a stroll down Main Street.

My favorite flavor is called “Exhausted Parent,” which not only describes me but provides the perfect pick-me-up when I’m feeling drained. The Pine Mountain team may be in the ice cream business, but they’re also in the sanity-saving business. One taste of this stuff, and all your problems just… melt away.

Okay, one more. (I can’t help it!) For options galore, your best bet is the S&J Snoball Custard Shop in Arnold. They offer shaved ice, custard, concretes, milkshakes, smoothies, and even a few options for your four-legged friends. Honestly, this place is what my heaven looks like.

S&J is also a nostalgic spot for me because my wife and I used to stop there on our way to St. Genevieve to visit her family. So, I’m a little biased, but if I could only visit one shop for the rest of my life, you would find me at S&J.

For the record, this isn’t a paid ad. I’m just a local realtor who genuinely loves these places, and I’m not being paid to say any of this. But like, real talk? If someone from Tanglefoot, Pine Mountain, or S&J happens to see this, I’ll trade marketing for ice cream. That’s a no-brainer. Have your people call my people.