Outside Turkey, it typically refers specifically to mastic ice cream, which is believed to originate from the city and region of Kahramanmaraş and is known as maraş dondurma in Turkish.

Two qualities distinguish Turkish ice cream: hard texture and resistance to melting, brought about by inclusion of the thickening agents salep, a flour made from the root of the early purple orchid, and mastic, a resin that imparts chewiness.

[3] Dondurma is commonly sold from both street vendors' carts and store fronts, where the mixture is churned regularly with long-handled paddles to keep it workable.

[4][5] The popularity of salepli dondurma has caused a decline of wild orchids in the region and led to a ban on exports of salep.

[6] Α distinct variation of dondurma is also consumed in Greece, especially in the north of the country, where it is called "dudurmas" or "kaimaki".