Cookie Monster Sundae/The Danc’n Bean

My final dairy visit for June Dairy Month 2024 is a nice little place on the south side of Eau Claire. It’s sort of a combo ice cream/coffee shop, with an absolutely adorable name: The Danc’n Bean (the name related to it’s physical connection to and co-ownership with Infinity Dance Center in Hamilton Square. My daughter and I stopped by one afternoon, and “c” was definitely for cookie on this warm & humid day: I ordered the Cookie Monster Sundae:

Obviously, June Diary Month is a Wisconsin event, but there are a good number of dairy farms across the border to the west — in fact, my mom was raised on a dairy farm in southeastern Minnesota. Thus, I consider it completely acceptable to highlight a Chippewa Valley ice cream shop featuring Minnesota-based ice cream: at The Danc’n Bean, you’ll find Bridgeman’s, originated in Duluth and now headquartered in Woodbury, their ice cream being most exquisite. The Danc’n Bean puts their spin on the ice cream with numerous concoctions, particularly via sundae varieties.

For the Cookie Monster Sundae, you can choose any of the ice cream flavors to be scooped, but I went with the recommended flavor: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. They serve the ice cream in a glass boat, and top it with chocolate or hot fudge sauce (I chose the latter), plus whipped cream and a maraschino cherry, placed atop a chocolate chip cookie. I mean, dang, that’s a lot of chocolate chip cookie vibes.

The ice cream was classically creamy, the fudge thick and gooey. I gave my toddler daughter plenty of opportunities to partake, and while she did taste some cookie, she found herself drawn to the pieces of ice in the glass of water accompanying the dessert. Classic toddler move. Also, more for me.

More for you if you go there. Like I noted, they have plenty of coffee options, as well as baked goods from Bohemian Ovens. Whether June Diary Month or the middle of winter, you’ll do a little dance once you taste the tastiness of The Danc’n Bean.