We have found the treat of the summer at Sisters II Ice Cream in Downtown Benson!
Cheerwine milkshakes! Now, you’re likely picturing a Cheerwine float, which you have probably seen around North Carolina in various establishments. Someone pours a cup of Cheerwine and plops a scoop of ice cream into it. This is different.
But before we tell you about this delectable dessert, let’s first make sure that anyone not from NC understands what Cheerwine is. First, it does not have any alcohol in it. Cheerwine is a cherry-flavored soft drink that was created in Salisbury, North Carolina, in 1917 by L.D. Peeler. During World War I, sugar shortages led Peeler to experiment with new flavorings, resulting in the unique cherry soda recipe that became Cheerwine.
Known for its deep burgundy color and sweet, slightly spicy flavor, Cheerwine quickly gained a loyal following across the Carolinas. Still family-owned and operated by the Carolina Beverage Corporation, Cheerwine has grown into a regional icon and continues to expand its presence across the U.S. while maintaining its Southern roots. You’ll likely find Cheerwine on tap at most soda machines across North and South Carolina.
Deborah and Jim Davis, who own Sisters II Ice Cream, came up with the Cheerwine milkshake a few years ago and have been serving it out of their ice cream trailer at special events for just as long, though the drink isn’t a part of any official menu.
“We’ve been in Downtown Benson for four years now, but before that, we were running the trailers at shows and festivals all over the state,” says Deborah, “we have been doing floats with our ice cream and a variety of sodas since we started, but the milkshake idea happened organically a few years ago.”
It starts with a generous pour of Cheerwine, some Sisters II Vanilla Ice Cream, cherry syrup, and a few whole bright red cherries thrown in for good measure. That is all blended in a milkshake machine, poured into a cup, and topped with whipped cream.
The cold, creamy ice cream and the cherry flavor combine to create a tart, dessert-y mouthfeel, and the lingering fizz of the soda bubbles adds a pop to the milkshake. The little bits of real cherries in the mix make it even more delightful.
Deborah recently even caught the attention of Cheerwine, “We had the trailer at a horse show, and a teenager ordered a Cheerwine float because she loved Cheerwine, and I asked if she wanted a Cheerwine milkshake. She walked away very happy, and a little while later, a lady came up and asked if we were the ones making Cheerwine milkshakes. I said yes, and she said she was with Cheerwine.”
It was the company’s social media manager. Deborah was afraid that maybe they were in trouble. But the lady simply wanted to capture footage of them making a milkshake. Cheerwine has a very active Instagram account. Keep an eye out on the channel for a Sisters II feature post in the future.
Deborah is also looking to attend the Cheerwine Festival in 2026; it happens every May in Salisbury. But, great news, Cheerwine milkshakes are available year-round at Sisters II in Downtown Benson. They also have ice cream by the scoop and other fun ice cream treats. For the adventurous, Deborah always has at least 3-4 rotating flavors of the month. One of the more recent ones was Earl Grey Lemon - it has an odd but startlingly good flavor.
“That particular flavor came about from a Father’s Day partnership with Fainting Goat Brewing,” says Deborah. “We paired beer and ice cream together into a fun flight. It was so well received that we will be collaborating with the brewery again.”
Deborah and Jim purchased Sisters Cake & Ice Cream from Rose Allen when her sister and business partner, Kay Wood, passed away, and she didn’t want to go on by herself. Deborah kept the name as a homage to them and named her business Sisters II… as in, the second iteration.
“They were my friends before anything else, and Kay and I shared a love of horses. I purchased the trailers from Rose, and then we opened the brick-and-mortar location in Downtown Benson a few years ago. It was a labor of love between two sisters, and now it is a labor of love for us.”
You may have noticed that horses came up a few times in this blog. Deborah and Jim are both originally from the Syracuse, New York area. They moved to Benson in 1992 with their entire life, all their farm equipment, and their horses because they heard about Benson Mule Days and wanted to be somewhere that celebrated equestrian heritage and history.
“Benson was love at first sight for us, and we have loved being a part of the local, regional, and state equestrian community.”
Ice cream, mules, and an I Love Benson sign. Three things you’re likely to find in Downtown Benson, no matter when you visit. But the summer heat does make ice cream taste better somehow, right? And a milkshake is a convenient and mess-free way to get your dessert fix on a warm day. Take a trip to Sisters II Ice Cream to try a Cheerwine milkshake; we’re pretty confident we can promise it will be love at first sip for you too.
