Rarely does a weed strain break the grass ceiling and become a bonafide international cultural mainstay like Gelato. Our inaugural Strain of the Year back in 2018 has only become relevant, to the point that Gelato is no longer just a strain—it is a cannabis dynasty. Breeder Mario “Sherbinski” Guzman crossed Sunset Sherbet with Thin Mint Cookies over 10 years ago, and the world has hungered ever since, spawning hundreds of phenotypes and descendants.

Maybe you know them by their number names, or the more mouthwatering names. they earned. Gelato 47, for example, is Mochi Gelato, where Gelato 33 is the trailblazing Larry Bird. Bacio Gelato is Gelato 41, and Gelato 43 is Gello Gelato. This list goes on, and will continue to grow as long as Gelato keeps giving the people what they want.

Almost 2,500 reviewers have chimed in on Leafly to talk about their love for Gelato, giving it a 4.6 out of 5 star rating. Some call Gelato “my favorite flower for soothing my chronic pain,” producing “total euphoria and relaxation” that feels like “you just got a hug from a unicorn.”

Gelato now graces just about every dispensary menu nationwide, and probably lent its genetics to a cup winner or sesh favorite. Whether you’re a fan of number 47, 33, 41, 25, or the 43, smokers around the globe remain entranced by Gelato’s creamy gas terps and soothing euphoria.

Our 2024 list of strains to watch has Gelato written all over it, including Fig Farms’ Donut Shop (Holy Moly! x Gelato 41), Cookies’ Cheetah Piss, and Candy Rain. To honor a legend, here are 12 of the strongest branches from this famous family tree.

12. Bubblegum Gelato

Bubblegum Gelato, also called Bubblelato, is a strain made popular through the zeitgeist chasers Backpack Boyz. (There’s also a Bubblegum Bacio from Cannarado which is (Gelato 41 x (Indiana Bubblegum x Biscotti)) Bubbalato tastes like bubblegum-flavored cake frosting and when you light it up. Leafly reviews show people experiencing the giggles along with a super talkative feeling, but that smoking too much produced a too-high-to-go-to-the-store sensation. 

11. Biscotti

Named by Berner, created by Connected, and released by Cookies Fam genetics, this is one of those strains that blew up in the celebrity scene. The taste on Biscotti isn’t far off from its namesake, semisweet and earthy with a nutty, smokey finish that coats your entire mouth. A creeper strain that helps many people with feelings of anxiety and depression—and one of the first offshoots of the Gelato movement. This Bay Area staple smells like airline cookies and cheap cologne, but when you break inside of the nugs, fumes of rubber cement stick to your fingers.

10. Gelonade

California’s Connected Cannabis went into the proverbial lab and cooked up a Gelato cross that leans citrus and sativa. Gelonade stirs that classic, care-free cultivar Lemon Tree into a big bowl of Gelato 41. Humboldt’s Hendrx Nursery described this as “the second wave of cannabis craft masterpieces,” with “the flavor of a tropical snow cone.” Gelonade is the strain I’ve always reached for when I need to feel calm and collected. This also won best sativa flower at the 2018 High Times Cannabis Cup.

Compound Genetics gave us this amazing plant that smells like an auto shop. It also plays a big part building newer favorites like their popular Jokerz strain. We reached out to Compound to ask the exact lineage; the recipe includes Gelato 45 x (High Octane x Jet Fuel). Many Leafly users reported experiencing a jolt of energy at the onset. Sporting a fruity, herbal smell, Compound described the flavor as “combining the sweet dessert-like taste of Gelato with the diesel aroma of Jet Fuel.” 

The Bay Area is a Gelato hotbed. Grandiflora Genetics collaborations with with Cookies have released some killer varieties like E85, Project 4516, Red Velvet and Ya Hemi. This Grandi Guava is a double up of two different Gelatos, including Guava Gelato (pheno 25). Gasoline backed by berries and cheese—that’s how one Leafly reviewer described the pungent, enticing aroma of this flower. Sweet and tangy with those cheesy notes, the flavor has the profile of a guava cheese danish.

7. Dolato

Bred by PNW powerhouse Archive Genetics, Dolato, (also referred to as Dosilato) is what they call their classic formula for purple Gelato, or that “modern-day candy cannabis.” Skunky that blends with doughy creaminess, it has those visual flecks of lavender that drives consumers wild. Leafly suggests this heavy body high for relaxing at home or turning your brain off for the night.  

“Very easy to get comfy but doesn’t cause you to slip into a coma either. Motivated but only a little. Like, maybe I’ll make boxed brownies. But I definitely won’t make a cheesecake.”

Most people know this strain by its other name, (think a popular brand of fruit snacks with juicy centers), but for copyrights’ sake we’ll call it TK41. This follows so many others on this list with its own line of offshoots like Pink, Blue, Poison, and Tropical. Sour fruit, cookies, gasoline and cream is how many people choose to describe this strain’s aroma. This is a quick hitting strain that won’t overpower you, which is why Leafly reviews promote this for a daytime kind of smoke. 

5. Ice Cream Cake

Also part of our recent article on Wedding Cake, Ice Cream Cake does double duty as part of the Gelato dynasty and a major name in the Seed Junky crowd. A mixture of Gelato 33 x Wedding Cake, Ice Cream Cake has that vanilla and dough aroma. Over a thousand Leafly reviewers gave Ice Cream Cake a 4.6 out of 5 score and described vaping, dabbing, and smoking this strain as a heavy and relaxing high body high that comes with a major case of the munchies. 

Backpack Boyz are no strangers to Gelato. You can find Peanut Butter, Cherry, and Apple versions in their collection but, we all know the crown goes to Lemon Cherry Gelato. Fruity and citrusy with an edge, these boulder-like nugs ran hard out the gate until every brand seemed to grow their own variation or version of LCG. Backpack Boyz even partnered with Dutch seed bank Barney’s Farm this year to drop seeds to the European community.

3. Permanent Marker

Even though Permanent Marker isn’t a direct cross, this Gelato grandchild had a hand in two other choices from this list, and is Leafly’s current reigning strain of the year. Bred by Seed Junky Genetics and selected by Doja Pak, while some catch that telltale ink marker smell, others get more of a soapy, or floral thing mixed with sweet candy. Biscotti with a Sherb backcross that’s then crossed with Jealousy, this is a prime example of modern day good weed.

2. Jealousy

Could Seed Junky have known that taking a Sunset Sherbet backcross and mixing it with Gelato 41 would create a robust, highly floral strain that would make others jealous? Our 2022 Strain of the Year (and February HighLight), Jealousy, took off like a rocket and spawned its own set of valuable crosses like London Pound Cake and Banana Cream Pie. Known to beef up most anything it crosses with, Jealousy has a crisp, sweet, and sharp flavor that dominates most match ups.

1. Runtz

Runtz has spent the last 7 years spawning its own dynasty of different flavors and variations like Pink, Purple, Hawaiian, and Peach Cobbler. But at its core, it’s a Gelato crossed with Z. Sporting a shiny sugar coating and a candy flavor that’s sweeter than eating an entire candy necklace at once, Runtz is the vanguard of this list in terms of how prolific it’s become on the global cannabis stage. Like Gelato, Runtz is easy to find in some form on any preroll, vape, or flower menu.

Thanks for checking out our favorite Gelatos of all time. What’s yours? Leave a comment below.