The 12 Best Ice Cream Flavors, as Tested and Affirmed by Editors
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Is there a best flavor of ice cream? Of course not. All ice cream is wonderful.
It's a food that you don't have to eat, so the only reason to eat it is because it brings joy. Even the strangest flavors out there have their defenders, and we love that.
If you're looking to try something new, there are so very many flavors to choose from. I mean, there are nearly 50 homemade ice cream recipes right here and that's just one page on our site! That's to say nothing of all the ice cream flavors you can find in the supermarket, or at ice cream shops large and small around the country.
Some of the tastiest, most inventive flavors, in are from local ice cream shops. But the big guys also have their place! And because everyone is different—is uniquely themselves—no matter who you are, there's an ice cream flavor just for you.
So, we're not here to yuck anyone's yum: whatever kind of ice cream you like, it's okay with us. But if you're in the mood to switch things up a little, maybe you want to try one of our favorite flavors!
So we asked our colleagues which pint or cone they loved best, to help you figure out what should be next on your list. You can see how everyone responded on our Tik Tok! Read on, for the flavors Country Living's editors love best:
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Trader Joe's Salted Maple Ice Cream
"Unfortunately this flavor is seasonal, but it quickly became my favorite last fall. It's sweet but not overpowering and oh so creamy!"
Bruster's Graham Central Station
"For me, ice cream is all about nostalgia. Graham Central Station takes me back to the wobbly days of high school where my five best friends would cram on red metal benches made for four at Bruster’s Ice Cream. We’d celebrate our joys and curse our enemies over graham-flavored ice cream that had the perfect, not-too-gritty graham cracker swirls with specs of chocolate covered candy. "
Kilwins Toasted Coconut
"I discovered this 'flavor of the summer' while on Mackinac Island last year, and I was delighted to discover that it became a menu mainstay. The creamy vanilla ice-cream base is elevated by bits (and bits!) of chocolate-covered toasted coconut. It's like a chocolate-dipped coconut macaroon in ice cream form, which is my idea of summertime dessert heaven!"
—Stephanie Lepore, Copy/Research Editor
Nestle's Drumstick
"It's the best of both worlds! This vanilla ice cream is packed with chocolate, peanuts, and even bits of cone for a nostalgic treat. It has all of the delicious flavors of the ice cream truck favorite in a less-messy form."
Mayfield Moose Tracks
"A spoonful of Mayfield Moose Tracks sends me back to warm summer nights in the small Georgia town where I grew up. My parents bought it on occasion when they felt a sweet tooth coming on and it quickly became my favorite treat. The peanut-butter cups mixed with creamy chocolate fudge offer the sweetest taste while the vanilla keeps it from being overly rich. I loved it then and I love it now!"
Jeni's Gooey Butter Cake
"I absolutely love Jeni's Gooey Butter Cake ice cream because it's so creamy and has these little pieces of Gooey Butter Cake throughout. The base is a cream cheese ice cream which is already amazing in my book, and then it's swirled with those buttery vanilla cake pieces and a caramel-butterscotch sauce. Every now and then when I have the urge to get a little treat at the grocery store, I always grab a pint of this."
Tillamook Waffle Cone Swirl
"Tillamook makes some of the creamiest ice cream I've ever had, and this particular flavor has the ideal ratio of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, with just the right amount of caramel, chocolate chunks, and waffle cone pieces added in. The waffle cone bits vary in texture (some are crispy, some are a little softer) in a very satisfying way. It's all the best parts of an ice cream cone combined in a carton!"
Pistachio Ice Cream
"I love a sweet treat like ice cream, but I typically don’t want something too sweet (yes, there’s such a thing!). That’s what I love about pistachio ice cream. It’s just the right amount of creamy sweetness for me, but with a nice nutty, almost buttery, flavor too. And the pieces of nuts mixed in creates a nice crunch. If you haven’t tried it, you should!"
Blue Bunny Super Fudge Brownie
"This flavor takes me back to childhood trips to the self-proclaimed 'Ice Cream Captial of the World' and Blue Bunny headquarters in Le Mars, Iowa. The sundaes at the end of the tour were massive! I'm not a big fan of nuts, so this is the amped-up version of chocolate ice cream I go for. Add a spoonful of raspberry jam to cut the sweet chocolate-on-chocolate, and you've got the perfect late night dessert."
Graeter's Chocolate Chip
"When it comes to ice cream, I have a rule: you have to get me at 'Vanilla.' Graeter’s French pot has gourmet bittersweet chocolate chips, more like chunks. It's ice cream bliss! "
—Becky Luigart-Stayner, Staff Photographer
So Delicious Dairy-Free Salted Caramel Cluster
"If you're lactose intolerant (like me) or stick to a plant-based diet, it's hard to find a great dairy-free ice cream. Most of the options available in supermarkets lack the rich taste and consistency of traditional full-fat ice cream. Many also have an unpleasant grainy or sand-like texture. So Delicious Dairy Free Cashew Milk Frozen Dessert has cracked the code to mimicking 'real' ice cream with an intense flavor base. It includes a pleasant balance of sweet and salty notes carried by ribbons of caramel, crushed cashews, and sea salt. Plus, it's available in pints or bars dipped in chocolate! I try other flavors occasionally but always return back to this one."
Raspberry Chocolate Chip
"When I was in high school I worked at an ice cream shop that had dozens of ingredients that could be 'blended in' to the ice cream, resulting in hundreds of available flavors. So I tried a lot of different combinations and the best, by far, was chocolate and raspberries. the flavor is so well balanced between tart and sweet, with just a touch of bitter, that it is hard to top. Talenti's gelato version comes closest."
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