I was wandering through T&T Asian Market doing what I do best—finding weird stuff to eat—when I spotted these Gugen Sweet Corn Ice Cream treats in the freezer. Sweet corn. In ice cream form. With actual corn kernels inside.
Obviously I had to buy them.
Even better, I decided to turn this into a blind taste test for Al. She had no idea what she was about to eat, and watching her face as she tried to figure it out was worth the price of admission alone.
The Blind Taste Test Setup
We’d just finished Taco Tuesday and the kitchen was a disaster, but I wasn’t waiting. I handed Al one of these frozen treats without showing her the package. “Are you nervous yet?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said, which was the correct response.
She took a bite. Paused. Took another bite. I’m sitting there trying not to laugh because I know exactly what’s happening in her brain right now—her taste buds are sending very confusing signals.
“I think… corn?” she finally said.
Nailed it.
What Gugen Sweet Corn Ice Cream Actually Tastes Like
Here’s the thing about this sweet corn ice cream: the base itself is fine. It’s a generically sweet cream flavor that could pass for vanilla if you weren’t paying attention. Nothing offensive about it. The texture is smooth, it’s cold, it’s creamy—all the things you want from ice cream.
But then you hit the corn kernels.
And that’s where this whole concept falls apart. Because suddenly you’re not eating ice cream anymore. You’re eating cold, chewy pieces of sweet corn suspended in frozen dairy. Your brain can’t decide if this is dessert or if someone accidentally dropped corn into your ice cream and you should be asking for a refund.
Al described it perfectly: “It’s not in the spirit of ice cream.”
The corn kernels are sweet, sure, but they’re also distinctly corn. They have that corn texture, that corn chew, that unmistakable corn-ness that makes you think you should be at a barbecue, not having dessert.
The Smell Test
I’ve got to be honest here—and this is where it gets weird—it smells kind of like the bait we used to use for fishing. Not rotten or bad, just that sweet corn smell that makes you think of lakes and tackle boxes, not sundaes and waffle cones.
Is that a deal-breaker? Not necessarily. But it’s definitely not helping the cause.
The Real Question: Is It Actually Bad?
No. And I think that’s what makes this so confusing.
If this sweet corn ice cream was straight-up terrible, we could just write it off as a failed experiment and move on. But it’s not bad. It’s edible. The ice cream base is decent. The corn isn’t gross or off-putting in a “spit it out immediately” kind of way.
It’s just that corn doesn’t belong in ice cream.
We’ve tried some genuinely questionable stuff from T&T—Al was quick to remind me that most of my weird finds come from the Asian market—but this isn’t one of those “how did this even get made” disasters. This is more of a “I understand what you were going for but I respectfully disagree with your entire philosophy” situation.
Would We Buy Gugen Sweet Corn Ice Cream Again?
Nope.
Both Al and I agreed on this one. We wouldn’t purchase it again. Not because it’s offensive or inedible, but because when you want ice cream, you want ice cream. You want something sweet and indulgent and dessert-like.
This is cold corn in cream form.
It’s technically ice cream, but it violates the spirit of what ice cream is supposed to be. Dessert should feel like a treat, not like someone played a practical joke on your taste buds.
The Verdict on Sweet Corn Ice Cream
Look, I respect the innovation. I appreciate that someone out there said “what if we put corn in ice cream?” and actually followed through. That takes guts. But just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
Gugen Sweet Corn Ice Cream gets points for being edible and for having a decent base flavor. It loses points for making me question whether I’m eating dessert or a side dish. The chewy corn kernels are the real problem here—they’re a texture and flavor that your brain just can’t reconcile with frozen treats.
If you see these at T&T Asian Market and you’re feeling adventurous, sure, grab one for the experience. But don’t expect to find your new favorite ice cream flavor.
Rating: 4/10
Interesting as a novelty, but corn should stay on the cob where it belongs.
Where to Buy: T&T Asian Market (freezer section)
Would We Buy Again: No
Al’s Take: “It’s not in the spirit of ice cream”
Cliff’s Take: “Edible, but no”
Have you tried sweet corn ice cream? Think we’re wrong about corn in desserts? Drop a comment below and tell us how this should’ve been a 10/10.
