Brands Of Cookie Dough Ice Cream Ranked Worst To Best

When it comes to cookie dough ice cream, there are cookie do's and cookie don'ts. A successful pint of cookie dough ice cream conjures the flavors and textures of an unbaked batch of chocolate chip cookies that, let's face it, is almost always better than the finished product. Cookie dough ice cream doesn't just feed you, it feeds your inner child, hungry for the immediate gratification that awaits an impatient mouth as the oven is still preheating.

A great cookie dough ice cream has big chunks of chewy, sugary, slightly grainy cookie dough couched in creamy, rich vanilla ice cream that's flecked with hearty pieces of chocolate chips. With all these elements it's easy to slip up; a flavorless vanilla ice cream or tiny, flavorless cookie dough pieces can jeopardize the spirit of cookie dough ice cream.

From fluffy cartons to dense, artisanal pints brimming with flavor, the ice cream aisle at the grocery store is packed with cookie dough ice cream brands, each one clamoring for your precious attention. How is one to choose? Lucky for you, a cookie dough connoisseur (me) has done the heavy lifting for you. I researched the most popular brands of cookie dough ice cream and tasted each one to give you the definitive list of brands that will give your sweet tooth a run for its money.

The cute illustration of a farm on the Turkey Hill ice cream packaging seems to promise an authentic, quality dairy product, but that couldn't be further from my experience. I knew I was being duped from the moment I picked up the carton and noticed how light it was. It's standard practice to blend some amount of air into ice cream to keep it smooth and creamy, but Turkey Hill whipped in so much air there was barely any ice cream left.

And the ice cream that was there was hardly the treat I was hoping for. The ice cream base was tasteless and lackluster, hardly worthy of the vanilla distinction. Scooping feels like a treasure hunt, only the treasure is a few measly nuggets of dough that, when found, are just ... fine. Not terrible, but certainly not worth the effort.

The ingredients list is also less than attractive, featuring names like mono and diglycerides and cellulose gel. While these may be perfectly safe ingredients to eat, I'd rather keep them in a chemistry lab and out of my ice cream. Turkey Hill has been churning out ice cream for decades, so you think it'd be an ice cream expert, but it seems it's just an expert in cutting corners.

With its retro-looking font and attractive signature light blue color, a carton of Friendly's looks like a classic American treat. But when it comes to chocolate chip cookie dough, Friendly's dropped the ball (of cookie dough).

The first issue was the vanilla ice cream. Some ice cream brands think they can get away with a flavorless vanilla base because the taste is carried by the stronger taste of chocolate and cookie dough, but this reviewer can't be fooled. The vanilla tasted like almost nothing save for a sweet, vaguely artificial flavor and there was so much air whipped into the ice cream that it didn't have much body.

And if they were hoping that the cookie dough would mask this shortcoming, then they should have put enough in there for me to notice it. It took me a few scoops before I even came across a chunk of this ice cream's namesake and once I did, I found the chunks too small and not flavorful enough. If you're a cookie dough enthusiast, I'd advise you to keep scooping elsewhere.

When I skimmed the packaging of Breyers chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, I noticed it wasn't labeled as ice cream, rather "frozen dairy dessert." So I asked myself: Is Breyers ice cream the real deal? It turns out that some flavors of Breyers (including its chocolate chip cookie dough) do not meet the requirements for what can legally be called "ice cream," which leads me to my next point: Ice cream should be delicious and this is not.

Cookie dough ice cream is supposed to be a journey of textures as well as flavors, with some bites full of big globs of sweet, cookie and other of pure, delicious vanilla ice cream, so the vanilla flavor needs to be able to stand alone. This vanilla base barely tastes like vanilla, and is just a vessel for the cookie dough chunks, which are few and far between. The cookie dough itself is not bad, but I wish there were more of it and I wish the chunks were bigger.

As far as the texture, Breyers has pumped so much air into this frozen dairy dessert that it's practically a frozen foam. While the price might seem like a bargain, you're paying for what feels like half ice cream, half empty space. Lift the carton, and you'll be struck by how light it feels (because it is).

Nondairy ice cream may sound like an oxymoron. And technically, the FDA says you can't call anything ice cream that doesn't contain milk, which is why So Delicious is designated a "frozen dessert." And I'm often a fan of such precisely named dairy-free treasures. While this flavor was perfectly acceptable, it fell short of some of its milky counterparts.

The biggest issue was the cookie dough itself. Texture wise, the chunks are not distinguished from the rest of the ice cream, so they just become a part of the larger whole instead of adding something different and interesting to a mouthful with a cookie dough chunk. Flavor-wise, they're also hard to distinguish from the rest of the ice cream.

I appreciate a diversity of ingredients in my frozen desserts, and I often appreciate the rich taste of coconut milk in my ice cream. Here, however, I found it a bit too strong and without an intense cookie dough element to balance it out, it was too overpowering. If you're a fan of coconut, this might work in your favor, but if you're expecting classic cookie dough, it feels like a detour.

With its sleek, monochrome packaging and its reputation for churning up some innovative, interesting flavors (Hidden Valley Ranch ice cream, I'm looking at you), I had high expectations when I took the lid off a pint of Van Leeuwen's Brown Sugar Cookie Dough Brownie ice cream. There are so many interesting flavors in this pint, but when it comes to perfecting a classic like cookie dough ice cream, less is more.

The biggest issue is the inclusion of pieces of brownie, which are found large and small throughout the body of the ice cream. They're delicious, but they're not cookie dough. When I finally found a cookie dough chunk, its flavor was eclipsed by the comparatively intense chocolatey fudge of the brownie, and I forgot I was even eating cookie dough ice cream.

But it wasn't all bad. The brown sugar ice cream base is flavorful and delicious. Van Leeuwen churns French-style pints, which include more egg yolks that the average American ice cream and makes the ice cream taste richer and more luxurious, which it certainly does. This was actually a delicious pint and I recommend it for curious ice cream connoisseurs, but it's not cookie dough.

Target is one of America's most popular big box retailers. The chain is known for its low prices and solid options of products from furniture to frozen treats. Favorite Day (one of Target's signature food brands) makes cookie dough ice cream that is affordable, decent, and reliable, but not mind-blowing.

While the vanilla ice cream base is satisfyingly scoopable, it's a bit too fluffy for my liking. The flavor, unfortunately, doesn't help its case: It's mild to the point of being forgettable, lacking the robust vanilla richness you'd hope for. The absence of "chocolate chip" in the ice cream's name feels telling, because there's not much chocolate flecked throughout the ice cream.

But the cookie dough chunks save this pint from complete mediocrity. There are a decent number of them, and they nail the flavor balance: buttery, sweet, with a hint of saltiness and just the right amount of gritty sugar texture. They feel like little rewards when you find them, though you might wish for a bit more variety on the journey there.

Say the words "Whole Foods Market" to a group of people and you're likely to get some strong reactions. The chain has a reputation for being overpriced and inaccessible to the average American shopper, but that's not always the case, especially when it comes to 365, the store's signature brand. A carton of 365 cookie dough ice cream was actually one of the least expensive cartons on this list.

And there were good things about this ice cream beyond the price. The cookie dough chunks were delicious, with a buttery, rich taste and a slightly grainy, sugary texture. The vanilla was just flavorful enough to stand alone, but not so intense that it overpowered the cookie dough chunks. It was also fluffy enough to be easily scoopable at a low temperature, but not so aerated that I felt like I the ice cream was cutting corners.

But the issue was that there was not nearly enough cookie dough. This carton had a hint of chocolate chip cookie dough, but not enough to earn the name. I only hit a cookie dough chunk every once in a blue moon, and when I did, it wasn't very substantial. The flavors were a win, but the balance was all wrong.

If you live in the Northeast, you know that Wegmans is one of America's most beloved grocery stores. At first, I couldn't quite put my finger on what was wrong with Wegmans' cookie dough ice cream. The vanilla ice cream itself is delicious and decadent, with a deep vanilla flavor that's rich and satisfying. The French ice cream base, boasting an impressive 16% butterfat, is luxuriously creamy, with a smooth, indulgent texture and a yolky, buttery flavor. Add in ample chocolate chips, and you'd think you have a winning pint on your hands.

But then there's the cookie dough. Or, more accurately, the issue with the cookie dough. The chunks are there, but they blend in far too much with the rest of the ice cream. Instead of standing out as chewy bursts of sweetness amidst the creamy base and chocolate chips, they fade into the background, almost indistinguishable from the vanilla, and it's a textural letdown. Cookie dough ice cream is all about the journey from creamy to chewy to crunchy, and this pint just doesn't get that.

From far-fetched flavors like peanuts and popcorn to cold classics like chocolate chip cookie dough, Ben & Jerry's is known for its commitment to quality flavor. I'm a huge fan of the brand, so I was expecting it to earn a spot in the top three, and it almost did.

The vanilla ice cream base is a true standout. It's floral, sweet, and beautifully balanced, with a creamy texture that enrobes the tongue in cold, creamy sweetness. It's the kind of vanilla that doesn't just act as a backdrop but shines on its own.

And the cookie dough chunks are everything you'd hope for: big, buttery, and packed with that iconic sweet-salty flavor. The gritty sugar texture and occasional chocolate chip make each bite a joy, offering a fantastic contrast to the smooth, velvety base. These chunks are the stars of the pint and deliver on all fronts ... when you find them. That's the only drawback: There just aren't enough cookie dough pieces to go around. A few more chunks and this pint would have been in the top spot.

Tillamook is a dairy company based in Oregon that offers everything from cheese to sour cream to (you guessed it) cookie dough ice cream. The vanilla ice cream base boasts notes of floral vanilla flavor and achieves that perfect fluffy texture, making it light enough to feel indulgent without crossing the line into overly aerated territory. Unlike some other brands, this isn't just frozen air in disguise; it's just fluffy enough to scoop easily and provide a textural contrast to the cookie dough chunks and a healthy smattering of chocolate chips, which are scattered generously throughout.

The cookie dough itself delivers just the right blend of gritty, sugary sweetness with a hint of salt that keeps you coming back for more. And while they taste amazing, they're on the smaller side and too few in number. It's a bit of a letdown when you find yourself digging through the pint like a desperate gold miner, hoping for just one more piece of that perfect treasure. Tillamook is a great ice cream at a fair price and with just a bit more cookie dough, it would be perfect.

Häagen-Dazs cookie dough ice cream is a pint close to godliness. A great pint of cookie dough ice cream is defined by balance, and Häagen-Dazs has the sweet coordination of a gold medal gymnast.

A variety of chocolate chip sizes dot the vanilla base like stars in a sugary constellation. Unlike some other ice creams where the chocolate pieces are hard and brittle, these delicately melt on the warmth of your tongue, releasing their heavenly chocolate flavor. And not only does the cookie dough in this pint hit all the right notes (sugary, buttery, just a hint of salt), but there's loads of it. Every time my spoon took a dive into this ice cream, it resurfaced with another doughy treasure.

And don't let the fancy European name fool you: This was among the least expensive pints on the list, not to mention one of the highest quality. Häagen-Dazs has a well-deserved reputation for quality, and I'm thrilled to see it brings that commitment to its cookie dough ice cream.

Graeter's may not have the fame enjoyed by some of the other frozen dessert giants on this list, but I'm hoping that changes when I hereby declare this the undisputed king of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. The race for first wasn't even close.

The first thing I noticed about Graeter's was the rich, velvety vanilla flavor of the ice cream itself. It is French style, which tastes fattier and more luxurious than most American ice creams, and the vanilla was floral and earthy, but subtle enough to play second fiddle to the chocolate chips, which were nothing short of perfection. The chocolate chips ranged in size from dainty to robust, and they melted swiftly in my mouth, blending perfectly with the ice cream.

The cookie dough itself was a gorgeous balance of gently gritty sugar crystals and buttery, comforting raw dough flavor. And the best thing is its ubiquitous presence throughout the pint. Virtually every spoonful had a chunk of cookie dough, a big chocolate chip, and a flavor profile that exhibited the best of what chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream has to offer. This was the most expensive pint on the list, but if you're going to drop a little extra coin on a quality cookie dough pint, you know which one to buy.

Cookie dough ice cream isn't just dessert, it's serious business, and tasting 12 brands of it demands a game plan. First, I did a bit of research to ascertain the most popular and best ranked flavors widely available to American consumers. Then, I headed to the grocery store with an insulated bag in hand and gathered my test subjects.

For each tasting, I started by assessing the vanilla ice cream base. Was it creamy? Sweet? Was it flavorful enough to stand alone, but subtle enough to play a supporting role to cookie dough ice cream's bolder flavors? And I was looking for an ice cream that was fluffy enough to scoop, but not so aerated that each bite deflated in my mouth.

Then came the cookie dough. Were the chunks big enough to make my inner child squeal with delight? Did they taste buttery, sweet, and a little salty with that telltale sugar grit? Bonus points if the bits of cookie dough were large and chunky, offering a textural contrast to the soft ice cream. And let's not forget the chocolate chips: I wanted melty morsels that were more than just decorative.