It’s the quintessential comfort food. This sweet and sinful dessert is a fool-proof way to turn a frown upside down. It comes in thousands of flavors, too, so there is literally something for everybody. Today, let’s talk about the best of the best. From the most well-loved flavors to the craziest of innovations, we’ve rounded up our favorites. Here’s the inside scoop on the most irresistible ice cream flavors!
1. Vanilla
Ah. The most iconic ice cream flavor known to man. Did you know that vanilla is actually the most popular flavor out there? Yup, the well-loved chocolate ice cream does not even come close! Over 90% of Americans prefer vanilla over chocolate or any other flavor. It’s not surprising, considering how versatile it is! Whether you eat it on its own or enjoy it on top of a pie, good old-fashioned vanilla ice cream will not disappoint. Here’s another fun fact. In Hawaii, there is a fruit that tastes just like vanilla ice cream. They call it the inga feuillei or ice cream bean, and it thrives only in tropical climates.
2. Chocolate
If you think that the vanilla ice cream started it all, think again. Chocolate ice cream, while only second to vanilla in popularity, actually came first. It’s the first ice cream flavor ever invented. Chocolate ice cream is already decadent on its own. But it has a myriad of sinful varieties, which are featured on this list as well. If you’re a chocoholic, you’d better stick around!
3. Chocolate Chip
Chocolate chip ice cream is another fan favorite, which is not surprising. It’s a combination of two well-loved classics. Just imagining sweet and crunchy chocolate chips in every bite of vanilla ice cream makes my taste buds tingle.
4. Butter Pecan
Another classic and a personal favorite of mine is butter pecan. Who can say no to vanilla ice cream mixed with crisp pecans roasted in butter? It’s the perfect combination of sweet, salty, buttery, and crunchy. Did you know that the pecan is Alabama’s state nut? As such, butter pecan is very popular there. Fellow butter pecan lovers, time to pack your bags, we’re off to Alabama.
5. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
As if good old chocolate chip ice cream isn’t good enough, ice cream makers upped the game even further. Adding chunks of sweet and chewy cookie dough to the classic, you get such an irresistible combination of flavors and textures. And come on, who here didn’t munch on leftover raw cookie dough as a kid? The chocolate chip cookie dough is a nostalgic flavor that will bring fond childhood memories, minus the risk of getting Salmonella! Here’s an interesting fact for you: this fantastic flavor was invented by none other than Ben and Jerry’s! It happened in 1984 when an anonymous person submitted the flavor on their flavor suggestion board. Too bad they didn’t name themselves!
6. Eggnog
Who doesn’t love some good old fashioned eggnog during the holidays? This seasonal flavor will warm your heart and give you some Christmas cheer. Do you know that eggnog ice cream is easy to make? It’s just a matter of mixing your favorite eggnog with heavy cream, condensed milk, and vanilla. Then you freeze it for several hours or until it reaches ice cream consistency, and you’re done!
7. Eskimo
The Akutaq (a-goo-duk) or Eskimo ice cream is an Alaskan flavor that’s made of whipped fat and berries, such as blueberries, cloudberries, and cranberries. It was invented by the Yupik people not as a dessert, but as a means to survive the extreme weather in Alaska. While it wasn’t meant to be ice cream, nowadays, some akutaqs are infused with cream and sugar to give it a sweet and creamy nature.
8. Strawberry
Going back to the basics, here’s another iconic flavor for you. Strawberry ice cream is pretty to look at and it’s so tasty! The combination of sweet and tart is just pure satisfaction. The exact origin of the flavor is unknown. But the first documented strawberry ice cream dates as far back as 1813, during the inauguration of James Madison, the fourth President of the United States.
9. Horchata
Horchata is a Mexican-inspired ice cream flavor made with the iconic horchata – a plant milk, tiger nut, or white rice-based beverage. It’s rich, creamy, and since it’s infused with cinnamon, has a nice hint of spice. While ice cream is not the most nutritious of treats out there, did you know that horchata is? While it has a lot of calories, it’s also packed with vitamins and minerals.
10. Lemon Custard
Lemon custard ice cream tastes exactly how you would imagine it. It’s smooth, creamy, and has that wonderful sweet and tangy combination going on. While it’s such a delight to eat, it’s not as popular since it does not go well with other flavors. You can’t exactly combine lemon custard and chocolate, can you? When having a scoop or two of lemon custard, be sure to enjoy its goodness all on its own. After all, it’s perfect as it is – no need to add anything more.
11. Cookies ‘N Cream
Cookies ‘n Cream is yet another well-loved flavor both by kids and the kids-at-heart. After all, who can say no to vanilla ice cream and chocolate sandwich cookies? Aside from the luscious flavor, the lovely contrast of crisp cookies and thick ice cream makes it so phenomenal. Cookies ‘n Cream is one of the top 5 best-selling ice cream flavors of all time, which is probably why several people claim to be its maker.
12. Mint Chocolate Chip
Mint chocolate chip: either you love it, or you hate it. It is perhaps the most polarizing flavor out there! You know who loves the flavor so much, though? The royal family! In fact, the flavor was invented for the royal family. In 1973, English culinary student Marilyn Ricketts submitted it in a competition for creating a new flavor for Princess Anne’s wedding. It’s original name? The Mint Royale. How very appropriate.
13. Moose Tracks
Moose Tracks. The name isn’t exactly appetizing! But this ice cream flavor is spectacular, to say the least. Moose Tracks is a trademarked flavor by the Denali Flavors company. It’s a combination of vanilla ice cream, mini-peanut butter cups, and chocolate fudge. Typing that sentence alone made me drool!
14. Neapolitan
Neapolitan is a combination of three ice cream flavors: vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. It’s the perfect trifecta! However, chocolate was not part of the original trio, which was vanilla, strawberry, and pistachio. The flavor was brought here back in the 19th century by Italian immigrants to honor their country’s flag.
15. Cotton Candy
Baskin Robbins’ Cotton Candy ice cream is a sweet and colorful concoction that every unicorn-lover adores. It might be way too sweet for some adults, but little kids will get a kick out of it!
16. Butterscotch
Ohhh how I love the combination of butter and sugar. Butterscotch is such a sweet and salty ice cream flavor that’s way too addictive! While this flavor is an old-time favorite, only a handful know the difference between butterscotch, caramel, and toffee. So, here’s the scoop: all of them are made with sugar, butter, vanilla, cream, and salt. But butterscotch is made with brown sugar, while caramel is made with white. Toffee is butterscotch that’s cooked much longer.
17. German Chocolate Cake
German chocolate cake is a chocolate cake with a coconut-pecan frosting. Its name is misleading because the cake isn’t German, but American. Originally called German’s chocolate cake, the cake was created by an English-American chocolate maker, Samuel German. In 1952, he invented a dark baking chocolate for the Baker’s Chocolate Company, which he then used to make the cake. And since the cake was a huge hit, it was turned into an ice cream flavor – a combination of chocolate ice cream, pecans, coconut, brownie, and caramel.
18. Matcha
Also called green tea ice cream, matcha is one of the newest food trends today. It has a unique powdery, grassy flavor that somehow makes an exceptional dessert! We’ve only known about this Asian green tea powder for a short while, but it’s been around for quite some time. In fact, matcha’s history dates as far back as the 12th century!
19. Teaberry
If you’re not familiar with teaberry ice cream, you’ve probably never been to New England. Yup, this flavor is native to New England only! It’s made from teaberry, a rather polarizing fruit. While teaberry undoubtedly has a lovely pink hue, its flavor is a different story. From its name, you’d think it tastes like berries, but it doesn’t. It doesn’t taste like tea, either! Teaberry has a sweet and slightly tart flavor, and tastes like wintergreen. While others like it, some people say it tastes like medicine – like Pepto-Bismol or Bengay!
20. Ube
Ube is a popular flavor in Hawaii, and it’s easy to understand why. Purple yam has a sweet distinct flavor, and when turned into ice cream? It’s incredible! And that gorgeous deep lavender color is just as irresistible, too.
21. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup
Breyers Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup ice cream is a flavor sent from heaven. It’s rich, creamy, sweet, salty, and just downright delectable. Peanut butter ice cream with chunks of peanut butter cups? It just doesn’t get better than that.
22. Cherry Garcia
Even if you have no idea who it’s named after, you probably still know about this stunning ice cream flavor. Cherry Garcia is one of the most iconic ice cream flavors of Ben and Jerry’s! Named after singer-songwriter Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, Cherry Garcia is a cherry vanilla ice cream with dark chocolate and cherry bits. And just like chocolate chip cookie dough, Cherry Garcia ice cream was also submitted by an anonymous customer to the shop’s suggestion board.
23. Rocky Road
Chocolate ice cream is even more addictive when you add bits of marshmallows and nuts in it. The crunchy and pillowy soft additions make the ice cream so phenomenal! Rocky Road ice cream has been around since the early 1900s, and we have William Dreyer (Dreyer’s co-founder) to thank. In 1929, Dreyer cut up marshmallows and walnuts using his wife’s scissors and mixed them into his chocolate ice cream. He named his creation the “Rocky Road,” which was meant to give people “something to smile about.”
24. Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream
Who doesn’t love some good old PB&J? While the sweet, salty, and tart duo started out as a sandwich filling, the lovely flavor combination has branched out into other foods as well. PB&J is such a classic comfort food, so it only makes sense to turn it into ice cream. Ben and Jerry’s have long discontinued their PB&J ice cream, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make your own! Just mix in a spoonful of your favorite peanut butter and jam into your vanilla ice cream, and you’re all set.
25. Mango
Mangoes are sweet and refreshing and taste wonderful when paired with milk or cream. That’s why it’s no surprise just how incredibly delicious mango ice cream is! You can enjoy it as it is, but I like using mine to make a super refreshing mango milkshake. Delicious.
26. Pralines ‘n Cream
Another Baskin Robbins’ invention is Pralines ‘n Cream, a heavenly treat with pecans, pralines, and caramel swirls. It has that drool-worthy combo of sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy! This flavor is so popular, it’s become one of Baskin Robbins’ top 5 selling flavors.
27. Chunky Monkey
Chunky Monkey is a unique Ben and Jerry’s flavor with a banana ice cream base, walnuts, and fudge chunks. It’s banana-y, nutty, and chocolate-y – it’s heaven in a tub! And once again, Chunky Monkey came from an anonymous customer’s suggestion. This just goes to show that it pays to listen to your customers!
28. Salted Caramel
Sure, it tastes a lot like butterscotch, which I’ve already featured earlier. But salted caramel is just so delicious and tempting! I love drizzling warm salted caramel over my vanilla ice cream – simple, yet it hits the spot.
29. Superman
Superman ice cream may have nothing to do with the superhero, but it sure is a crowd favorite, especially in Michigan. Not familiar with this flavor? It has bubble gum-like colors: a mixture of red, blue, and yellow. As for the flavor – it’s a little hazy. They say it’s a combination of cherry, lemon, and vanilla. If you ask me, though, it’s pure sweetness in every bite.
30. The Tonight Dough
Last but not least is Ben and Jerry’s Jimmy Fallon-inspired flavor. If you haven’t tried this flavor yet, do yourself a favor and go buy a pint! The Tonight Dough is a fusion of chocolate and caramel ice cream. It has mouthwatering chunks of chocolate chip and peanut butter cookie dough. All those flavors and textures in one bite? It’s like fireworks in your mouth! It’s definitely a must-try. Click on a star to rate it!
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