Updated 2019! “I wish I could go out for a frozen yogurt,” were words that left my lips just a few days ago. Not a sorbet, a real creamy, soft serve frozen yogurt. It was a foreshadowing moment. Within 24 hours, I received word that TCBY had partnered with Silk to launch the nation’s first dairy-free frozen yogurt. I was online in seconds to find out if there was a TCBY in my local area, and there was!

Tony, Kylie, and I made the short trek and were all pleasantly surprised by this delicious chocolate almond milk treat. Kylie, who can have dairy and has very recent memories of dairy ice cream, couldn’t believe her taste buds. “I expected it to taste weird, but it is really, really good.”

Tony and I concurred, this fudgsicle-like dairy-free frozen yogurt is worth a return trip. As expected, it was lighter than ice cream, almost like a spoonable frosty, but still rich and luxurious. The spot-on chocolate soft serve flavor had notable hints of almond for a perfect compliment.

TCBY Dairy-Free Frozen Yogurt FAQ

The shop owners at our local Reno TCBY, Vince & Marlene, were actually onsite that day. They were extremely accommodating with all of our questions. Here are some of the details:

Is the TCBY dairy-free frozen yogurt also soy-free?

Yes! The new flavor is an almond milk-based chocolate, created by Silk. It is not only a dairy-free frozen yogurt, but also soy-free, gluten-free, and vegan. Dairy free also means lactose-free, so this is a great option for lactose intolerant frozen yogurt lovers.

What about the probiotics?

Like all TCBY flavors, the dairy-free frozen yogurt has 7 live and active cultures. Perhaps this was why my tummy still felt tame even after a monster-size serving (and we got smalls!).

Is it really dairy-free?

The equipment is thoroughly sanitized between batches, so you shouldn’t get any dairy-filled frozen yogurt in your sundae, unless there is one in the partner dispenser that you opt to have swirled in. Vince keeps the entire section dairy-free, with the option to swirl in a sorbet frozen yogurt.

Is it safe for severe milk allergies? What about cross-contamination?

Alas, TCBY does serve dairy frozen yogurt, and they don’t currently have plans for a dedicated dairy-free machine (request it!), so cross-contamination is a real possibility. As mentioned, they do fully clean the machines between batches, but the risk for trace amounts of dairy still exists, particularly if there is a dairy option in the neighboring flavor. Encourage your local TCBY to park their dairy-free sorbet next to the Silk Chocolate Almond. But be aware that it still may not be safe for severe, life-threatening milk allergies. Though I do have a casein (milk protein) allergy myself, I can tolerate trace amounts without concern. Neither Tony nor Kylie has a dairy issue, but their tummies still appreciate this dairy-free frozen yogurt.

Will it be available every day?

Since many shop owners have a limited number of machines (the Reno store could only dish up 6 different options at once), the Silk Chocolate Almond may rotate out of the line-up at times. Call ahead or check online (many of the stores post their current flavors) if you don’t want to chance a trip. That said, they will pack any leftovers into pints available in the cold case, and plan to feature the dairy-free frozen yogurt often.

Are there dairy-free toppings?

Toppings are up to your local TCBY, so they may vary by location. All should have a good selection of fruits, nuts, and candies. They do not keep a list of ingredients for toppings online, so inquire locally about which toppings are dairy-free, there may be a few surprises!

Will there be more dairy-free frozen yogurt flavors?

Yes! Vince said he is pushing for a vanilla, and it sounds like there may be some talk about additional flavors, if the demand is there. As you can see in the list below, they’ve already added a creamy coconut option and have several sorbet flavors. Vince also wants to see a hard-pack option. The Reno TCBY store, like many others, has a hard-pack section that costs just $1.49 per scoop. They do have a couple of sorbet scoops (details below).

2019 Update: After we announced the launch of the nation’s first dairy-free frozen yogurt, sales soared. Many of you raced to your local TCBY to get a taste of the chocolate almond goodness and show your support. Many shops enjoyed an 80% jump in overall sales and several locations actually sold out of the chocolate dairy-free frozen yogurt within one week! Stock was spotty for a while, after the inventories were licked up, but it looks like the creamy goodness is here to say. TCBY later added a dairy-free vanilla fro-yo, but it was succeeded by the coconut flavor below.

TCBY Dairy-Free Frozen Yogurt Flavors and Ingredients

Chocolate Almond (Soft Serve)

Ingredients: water, sugar, almonds, cocoa (processed with alkali), stabilizer and emulsifier (locust bean gum, guar gum, carrageenan), natural vanilla, natural flavor, contains the following live active cultures: s. thermophilis, b. lactis, l. acidophilus, l. lactis, l. casei, l. rhamnosus, l. bulgaricus.

Dairy Free Coconut (Soft Serve)

Ingredients: filtered water, tapioca maltodextrin, sugar, toasted coconut flavor (sugar, water, coconut, caramel, natural flavor), corn syrup, polydextrose, coconut cream (coconut extract, water, xanthan gum, carrageenan, guar gum), dextrose monohydrate, stabilizer (locust bean gum, guar gum, carrageenan, sucrose), sunflower lecithin, salt, calcium carbonate, contains the following live active cultures: s. thermophilis, b. lactis, l. acidophilus, l. lactis, l. casei, l. rhamnosus, l. bulgaricus.

Kiwi Strawberry Sorbet (Soft Serve)

Ingredients: water, sugar, corn syrup, strawberry base (strawberry puree, natural and artificial flavor, modified food starch, citric acid, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, red #40, blue #1), stabilizer & emulsifier (locust bean gum, guar gum, dextrose), fd&c red #40.

Mango Sorbet (Soft Serve)

Ingredients: water, sugar, corn syrup, mango puree, natural flavor, modified food starch, citric acid, potassium sorbate, stabilizer and emulsifier (locust bean gum, guar gum, dextrose), fd&c yellow #6.

Orange Sorbet (Soft Serve)

Ingredients: water, sugar, corn syrup, natural flavor (water, salt, citric acid, xanthan gum, sodium benzoate, span 60, polysorbate 60), stabilizer & emulsifier (locust bean gum, guar gum, dextrose), fd&c yellow #6.

Pink Lemonade Sorbet (Soft Serve)

Ingredients: water, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, sodium citrate, ascorbic acid, potassium sorbate, modified food starch, glycerol ester of wood rosin, matural and artificial flavors, brominated vegatable oil, red 40., corn syrup, maltodextrin, locust bean gum, guar gum, dextrose.

Ruby Red Grapefruit Sorbet (Soft Serve)

Ingredients: water, sugar, corn syrup, natural grapefruit flavor (ethyl alcohol, natural flavors)., citric acid, stabilizer and emulsifier (locust bean gum, guar gum, dextrose), natural lemon emulsion (natural flavor, water, xanthan gum, citric acid, gum arabic, sodium benzoate, bha), fd&c red 40, fd&c yellow 6.

Watermelon Sorbet (Soft Serve)

Ingredients: water, sugar, flavor base (water, cane sugar, pear juice concentrate, citric acid, natural & artificial flavors, sodium benzoate as a preservative, xanthan gum, yellow 5, blue 1), corn syrup, stabilizer & emulsifier (locust bean gum, guar gum, dextrose).

Psychedelic Sorbet (Hand Scooped)

Ingredients: water, sugar, corn syrup, maltodextrin, raspberry puree, raspberry juice, lemon juice, orange juice, lemon pulp, orange juice concentrate (water, concentrated orange juice, orange pulp, corn syrup, natural flavor), citric acid, yellow 5, stabilizer (carob bean gum, modified cellulose, guar gum), red 40, natural flavor.

Strawberry Sorbet (Hand Scooped)

Ingredients: water, sugar, strawberry puree (strawberries, sugar, citric acid, water, natural flavor, fruit and vegetable juice for color), corn syrup, maltodextrin, strawberry juice, natural flavor, stabilizer (carob bean gum, modified cellulose, guar gum), citric acid, red 40.

Where to Find TCBY

They have over 360 locations in the U.S. See their website below to find a store.

Website: www.tcby.com