[title]
If your sweet tooth also has a spicy streak, mark your calendar for July 19. Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream is teaming up with New Orleans legend Crystal Hot Sauce for a scorching summer sundae collab—and for two glorious days, they’re giving it away for free.
Introducing: The Crystal Brown Sugar, Chicken and Waffle Sundae, a limited-edition masterpiece that sounds like it was dreamed up during a fever dream in flavor heaven. The base is Morgenstern’s Brown Sugar Brown Butter Ice Cream (a.k.a. dessert royalty), topped with a golden homemade waffle, whipped cream, maple syrup and crispy fried chicken skin.
RECOMMENDED: 11 best ice cream shops in NYC include modern parlors and old frozen favorites
The kicker? A generous drizzle of Crystal Hot Sauce, the Louisiana staple beloved for its smoky-sweet balance of heat and tang. It’s the kind of combo that shouldn’t work, but somehow, absolutely does.
The sundae will be available for purchase at Morgenstern’s starting Saturday, July 19, for one week only. But if you’re smart (and punctual), you’ll snag it for free: The first 150 guests in line at noon on Saturday, July 19, and again on Sunday, July 20, will get the sundae gratis, along with a limited-edition Crystal x Morgenstern’s cap to complete the lewk.
This isn’t Morgenstern’s first foray into pushing the boundaries of what an ice cream sundae can be. Founder Nicholas Morgenstern—part mad scientist, part sundae historian—has long believed that dessert can be a full-on meal. From the brown banana-fueled “Apocalypse Sundae” to his sardine-and-hot-sauce snack hacks, he’s always been a flavor maximalist with a nostalgic streak. The Crystal collab feels right on brand.
As for Crystal, it’s not just another hot sauce. The nearly century-old condiment has its roots in New Orleans but a fan base that spans the globe. It’s a staple in kitchens from Metairie to Riyadh (popularized by oil rig workers from Louisiana), with a flavor profile that’s bolder than Tabasco but restrained enough to pair nicely with dessert.
If you show up, you’re getting sweet, spicy, crispy, creamy, and a hat, so line up early—and maybe leave the lactose-intolerant roommate at home.