Here’s how to make the frozen yogurt from The Good Place
By Erin Qualey
You don’t need your own personal Janet to snag the iconic frozen yogurt from The Good Place.
At the end of the first season of The Good Place, the show dropped a now-infamous plot bomb on viewers. Up was down, black was white, angels were demons, and the Good Place was actually the Bad Place the whole time! Many viewers were shocked to discover this new twist, but one of the hints that the show dropped along the way came in the form of frozen yogurt.
While the fro yo wasn’t a sweet treat on par with the far superior ice cream, we saw the humans partake in the many pun-tastic shoppes that lined the streets of good old Neighborhood 12358W. It became a frequent mainstay of the narrative, popping up throughout Season 1 and well into Season 2. However, ever since the show hopped back down to Earth, the frozen confection was nowhere to be found. And we missed it.
More from NBC
- It’s Thanksgiving Eve! Tune into the SNL Thanksgiving special to get into the spirit of the holiday
- Final season, release date set for La Brea season 3: Everything we know so far
- Law and Order: Organized Crime season 4 release date revealed!: Everything we know about the new season
- QUIZ: Finish these Friends quotes from “The One With All the Thanksgivings”
- Is Quantum Leap on tonight? (November 22, 2023)
On the eve of the Season 3 finale, we’re finally back in the old neighborhood. Feels like a big warm hug. And if The Good Place has taught us anything, it’s that the hallmark of any afterlife neighborhood is the wide availability of fro yo delights. Sure, frozen yogurt is not as good as ice cream, but why tinker with neighborhood perfection?
But we’ve got one more twist for you. That frozen yogurt that looks like such sweet perfection on screen? It’s actually mashed potatoes. Boom! Minds. Blown.
Ok, if you’re a regular listener to NBC’s The Good Place: The Podcast, you may have already known that fun fact. And in retrospect, it makes sense. That shirt melts like crazy! During multiple long takes under hot studio lights, real frozen yogurt just wouldn’t hold up. Fro yo barely holds up in the time it takes to actually eat it. Blame the low fat content. It’s not ice cream.
Want to whip up a batch of “frozen yogurt” from The Good Place on your own? Check out how below.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 – 2 packages instant mashed potatoes
- Butter
- Milk
- Wide piping tips
- Piping bags
- Cups
- Food coloring (optional)
First, cook the instant mashed potatoes according to package directions. I got Betty Crocker’s Yukon Gold potatoes, mostly because they were on sale, but also because I bet Betty was a pretty fun lady to hang with. Brownies and cakes all day long! Bortles!
Next, let the potatoes cool enough to handle. Feel free to whip up a margarita or other Shellstrop-approved beverage for yourself while you wait. If desired, portion out the potatoes into separate bowls and mix in a few drops of food coloring until you achieve your desired color. (This will also help the potatoes cool faster.) Spoon the mixture into a prepared piping bag with a wide tip. I ordered these tips from Amazon which, in retrospect, probably lost me some good person points, but it was worth it.
Slowly pipe out the potatoes into a bowl or cup in a circular motion. End with a festive twist on top and you’ve got yourself authentic frozen yogurt from The Good Place! Pair with shrimp, burritos, jalapeño poppers, and Peep-infused chili for maximum theme authenticity.
‘The Good Place’ is available for streaming on NBC.com (with a cable subscription). Seasons 1 and 2 are currently available for streaming on Netflix.