GRALEY'S CREAMERY & CONFECTIONS
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★★
District: Papillion
Homemade Premium Ice Cream & Hand Pies
Perfect For: Baked Goods/Desserts; Casual Dining; Takeout; Lunch
Standout Dishes: Reuben Hand Pie; Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Ice Cream; Maple Bacon Ice Cream
If you’re anything like me, you’re going to experience several moments of legitimate surprise during your first trip to Graley’s Creamery & Confections.
The first comes when you step out of your car and your nostrils are assaulted with the intoxicating scent of fresh-baked waffle cones. That vanilla aroma beckons you inside, where the wooden counter, Victorian architecture, and even the staff’s uniforms transport you back to a soda fountain in the 1800s.
But the best surprise comes when you first taste the ice cream. Rich, sweet, and adorned with massive chunks of toppings, these dairy creations are delicious as they are unique. And with more than 100 flavors on the roster, there’s always something new to thrill your tastebuds.
Despite the number of standout ice cream shops in Omaha, Graley’s quickly became a place people were willing to venture to downtown Papillion for when it opened in 2017. The vibe alone is worth a visit. The atmosphere evokes a simpler time, as you’ll be tempted to scurry to Graley’s glass counter and survey your flavor choices just as you did as a child. Between the decor, old-time music, and unfailing friendliness of the employees, time seems to slow down here, and problems melt away much more quickly than the ice cream.
Speaking of the ice cream, there’s a reason it’s so craveable. Bryon Compton, the shop’s owner, has been making ice cream his entire life, and his years of research have created a premium, all-natural product that features local, seasonal ingredients whenever possible. With nearly 20 percent butterfat content, the ice cream is a heavy product with a smooth texture and velvety mouthfeel.
The creativity showcased in these creations seemingly has no end, as the Compton family draws inspiration from their travels around America and the world. They’ve developed more than 530 flavors, but just over 100 have passed the rigorous taste tests required to earn a hallowed spot in the shop’s display case. Most recipes take between 3 months and a year between ideation to the time the public sees them.
24 flavors can be found behind the counter on any given visit, and they constantly rotate in and out. They range from classic Vanilla Bean, Chocolate, and Cookies & Cream to the more exotic Key Lime Pie, Peanut Butter & Jelly, and Maple Bacon, which folds copious amounts of chocolate chunks and crisp bacon into a caramel-y base to form the ultimate salty, sweet treat.
Also unique is the WaffleCorn, a sweet corn-based creation flowing with pieces of broken chocolate-covered waffle cones. And then there’s Honeycomb, flowing with gooey hunks of honeycomb candy that practically erupt sweet nectar when you bite into them.
But the best of the bunch is the signature Ooey Gooey Butter Cake. Giant pieces of rich vanilla cake swim in a luscious cream cheese ice cream to create a flavor you’ll not soon forget.
And when it comes to fillings, Graley’s adheres to the Ben & Jerry’s philosophy: the bigger the chunks, the better. Each scoop is filled with massive bits of the promised filling. The sweet orbs in the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough could be used in a volleyball game.
Can’t decide which flavor you want? Graley’s offers ice cream flights, allowing diners to sample eight different mini scoops in one sitting. And, adhering to its old-fashioned philosophy, it also serves banana splits, sundaes, milkshakes, and malts.
And while the ice cream is great in a dish, it’s even better when enjoyed in one of Graley’s homemade waffle creations. The shop offers both waffle cones and bowls, all of which are created behind the counter in full view of customers. These crispy delivery devices add a pleasant vanilla flavor and chewy texture that takes the ice cream to the next level.
Graley’s would be worth visiting if it only served ice cream, but cold confections are far from its only calling card. During the winter, Graley’s can warm you up with homemade soups and savory and sweet hand pies. The hand pies are moon-shaped baked goods stuffed with delicious fillings. They’re warm and have a delightfully flaky, buttery exterior similar to puff pastry, but if your grandma took all day to make it.
The fillings change each week, but you should definitely try to visit on a Wednesday, when the Reuben Hand Pie is available. Imagine everything that’s wonderful about a Reuben—the salty, spicy corned beef to the tangy sauerkraut to the mild, nutty swiss cheese—and sub out the bread for a tender pie crust. A housemade 1000 island adds a creamy sweetness that just sets it over the top.
The Chicken Pot Pie Hand Pie is a tad dry, but it has all the comforting flavors of the homey classic. The zesty, tender chicken and pops of fresh vegetables balance the rich, melt-in-your-mouth crust.
Little about Graley’s, from the old-fashioned atmosphere to the top-of-the-line ice cream to the diet-breaking hand pies, is what you would expect to find in the typical ice cream shop. But Graley’s is anything but typical, and that’s what makes it worth seeking out.