With the proper technique, rolling ice cream isn’t difficult. For Lucy Genge, it’s fun and satisfying.
Each order is custom-made. The ice cream shop owner pours a liquid ice cream base on top of a cold plate that sits at minus 22 degrees. Then, she presses the cream down with two scrapers, spreading it super thin until frozen.
“It’s actually removing any of the air that’s in it,” Genge told the Sun. “So, once it’s rolled up, you get this extremely dense, really, really rich and creamy ice cream.”
Genge and her boyfriend, Peyton Krasner, have been preparing the unconventional frozen treat at their store in Santa Maria, Rolld Ice Cream, for six months. Their venture began in Santa Barbara, where the couple’s State Street outlet will celebrate its second birthday in February.
Roll ’em up
Rolld Ice Cream is open daily from 2 to 10 p.m. at 471 Betteravia Road in Santa Maria. Find the menu, request catering services, and learn about rolled ice cream by visiting rolldicecreamsb.com. See the sweet treats on Instagram @rolld_icecream.
Rolling ice cream is “a show within itself,” Genge explained. Everyone loves to watch it, especially wide-eyed kids.
“I think that concept of actually getting to see what you’re about to consume made right in front of you is a really cool thing,” Genge said.
After the ice cream is flattened, she peels up individual strips with the scraper and rolls them each in a tight scroll. Though it’s generally a smooth process, adding in toppings can get tricky. Each flavor presents its own obstacles.
“It’s just about really getting efficient and fast with different flavors because different ingredients chopped up and mixed into the ice cream are going to produce different results,” Krasner said.
Their house caramel sauce makes the process a little stickier, so the rolls are harder to perfect. Summer specials featuring fresh fruit demand a little more speed because the high water content in the fruit freezes quickly.
“Sometimes when it’s not rolling properly, it can kind of fold over onto itself and almost look like folded ice cream,” Genge said. “Keeping it really tight and even all around to where you can see all those layers is really what makes a good roll.”
Rolld offers four classic flavors that are always on the menu: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and cookies and cream. Each cup is topped with a hefty swirl of whipped cream and a dusting or drizzle of its namesake flavor.
Genge creates the four seasonal mixes that rotate every Saturday. Dubai chocolate pistachio has been featured for a while because it’s “a trend that seems to still be trending,” she said. Other flavors have included coffee, salted brown butter caramel, mango, and birthday cake.
“We’ll have a lot of seasonal stuff based on fall, like pumpkin. And [with] Halloween coming up, I know we have some cool stuff planned,” Genge said. “I love the holiday season for Christmastime flavors, like peppermint and sugar cookie. We really try to keep things fun and fresh.”
Krasner’s favorite is cereal milk, a selection from Rolld’s secret menu. He sprinkles Fruity Pebbles onto the cold plate with the traditional vanilla ice cream base.
“I haven’t tried one that we’ve put out that hasn’t been amazing,” Krasner said.
The pair grew up in Santa Maria and Orcutt. Krasner remembers seeing businesses come and go as a kid, and he’s proud to bring a new one to town as evidence of the area’s growth.
“It’s always a dream to be able to … provide something to the community that you’ve grown up in,” Krasner said. “It’s kind of a feeling unlike any other.”
Now that Rolld in Santa Barbara has been open for nearly two years, Krasner said he’s noticed repeat customers. He’s happy to provide a space for kids to gather with their friends and families.
“When you’re younger and you have core memories of going somewhere, and like, ‘Oh my gosh that ice cream shop,’ or ‘that doughnut shop,’ or ‘that restaurant that I always used to go to as a kid,’” Krasner said. “It’s crazy because we’re actively participating and being core memories for children and other people growing up in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria.”
The owner would see kids come in on a regular basis, but then they’d stop for a few months. They’d come back the next summer, Krasner said, and would’ve grown taller than him.
“This is one of those core memories that they’re not going to forget, that sticks with them forever. And maybe one day they’re going to want to bring their kids there, so it’s really cool to be a part of that,” he added.
A self-described foodie, Genge remembers patronizing coffee shops and other small businesses, envisioning herself running one someday. She said she’s always enjoyed baking and cooking, so it was no surprise that she broke into the industry.
“If you ask any of my family, they’re like, ‘Oh yeah. That’s so on brand for her,’” Genge said. “So, it’s definitely really nice to be able to have those people come in and see what we’ve created and actually try it and be like, ‘Wow. This is totally on par with everything you’ve ever made, and it’s so good.’ It’s just a really great feeling. I feel like I’ve really made them proud, and that makes me feel good.”
She and Krasner learned the ropes by catering events up and down the Central Coast with their pop-up tent. A friend of theirs owned a rolled ice cream shop in San Luis Obispo but closed it during the pandemic. The Orcutt couple bought the leftover equipment and started their own venture.
Eventually, they had enough savings to buy a trailer.
“It was a little bit easier to get to different events, and setting up was just a lot quicker, a lot easier as a trailer,” Krasner said. “After that, doing private events and gigs for a little while, saving up some money, we sold the trailer and the truck and then got our first location as a brick-and-mortar in downtown Santa Barbara.”
He said the “steady, organic growth” came from their consistent perseverance. Setting up shop in their hometown drew a warm welcome from the community, and though they’re still in the early days, the partners haven’t shown any signs of slowing their roll.
“We plan on, after the holidays, opening a third location in San Luis Obispo,” Krasner said, “so that’ll be the next step in the journey, which will be really, really fun.”
Staff Writer Madison White enjoyed the salted caramel masterpiece at Rolld. Send your suggestions to mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in October 29 – November 5, 2026.
