Courageous Bakery and Café is now selling New Zealand-style ice cream, which is vanilla ice cream with fruit blended into it, with vegan and gluten-free options, called “Courageous Cones” at its Oak Park location during the summer — and maybe beyond.
The new sweet treat can be purchased through a walk-up window on Oak Park Avenue. Customers have three key choices: Whether they want regular or non-dairy vanilla ice cream, which fruit they’d like mixed in and whether they want a vanilla or chocolate waffle cone.
Cups are available, too. For the fruit? Strawberry, blueberry pineapple, orange, plantain and cherry are the options.
“I would encourage — if you were going to come out and try the ice cream — try your favorite flavor and then maybe try something different,” said Laura Pekarik, the owner of Courageous Bakery.
The different fruit not only alters the taste, but the texture of the ice cream, Pekarik said. Her favorite, the plantain, makes the ice cream a more custard-like texture, she said. All of the flavors are blended to a soft-serve consistency.
Laura Pekarik, owner of Courageous Bakery and Café, creates a New Zealand-style ice cream cone April 25, 2024. Credit: Javier Govea 
Laura Pekarik hands Sally Tyc orange ice cream in a cup April 25, 2024. Credit: Javier Govea 
A New Zealand-style, non-dairy and cherry ice cream swirl on a chocolate cone is ready to be served April 25, 2024. Credit: Javier Govea
Courageous Bakery opened in Oak Park in 2017 at 736 Lake St. In 2010, Pekarik’s sister, Kathryn, was diagnosed with cancer. During a year off to help take care of her, Pekarik said she and Kathryn baked to keep their minds off it. After her sister was ready to go back to work, Pekarik decided to start a food truck. Cupcakes quickly became a popular menu item.
Oak Parkers also can enjoy a myriad of foods and drinks at Courageous Bakery including sandwiches, pastries, cupcakes and lattes. Pekarik said she’s received questions over the years about adding ice cream to the collection, but she wasn’t ready to consider it until recently.
“We can’t do everything,” she said.
But in January, she went on a trip to Hawaii, and discovered New Zealand-style ice cream.
“We couldn’t get it off of our minds,” she said.
Since Oberweis in Oak Park closed in December, Courageous Cones will help provide locals with a cold, sweet treat this summer. Pekarik said she hopes that will help boost sales and that the additional delicacy will draw in new customers, too.
“With the summertime months and the activities at the park, we hope to provide a treat that everyone can enjoy,” she said.
It’s been available for about two weeks, Pekarik said, and she plans to keep selling the ice cream throughout the summer. Depending on demand, Courageous Cones may continue indoors or be sold in packaged pint form for to-go orders, she said.
“We’ve got a little something for everybody now,” Pekarik said.
Pekarik said she is not yet intending to bring ice cream to the Elmhurst location.
Courageous Bakery in Oak Park is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Courageous Cones ice cream is sold from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. Hours may vary depending on weather conditions.
