Ice cream makers are paying more for dairy products and sugar, but with the economy dragging, many say they can't pass along the costs to customers.

While milk prices have spiked almost 40% in the past year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says the cost of ice cream is up just 7%. Milk prices have been driven up by factors such as overseas demand and a weak dollar.

Jim Capannari owns Capannari Ice Cream in the Chicago suburb of Mount Prospect. He raised the price of a cone by a dime early this year but won't go any higher.

Ice cream buyers like Lana Bradley of Champaign, Ill., say they're shopping for bargains. She says any increase would probably keep ice cream off her grocery list.