Midnight Snack (Graeter’s)

Graeter’s Review No. 4: A midnight snack for the average diurnal soul is quite different from what it is for a creature of the night such as myself. That’s more like dinnertime, but I get what they mean — that craving way too close to bed for something sweet and salty. Into the fray comes Graeter’s’ bid for a Ben & Jerry’s-inspired loaded pint. This brand is known for the quality of the ice cream itself, so I see why they don’t often go for a mix-in-heavy style that would distract from that lovely taste and dense texture. Their signature chocolate is usually the add-in of choice, but here we have brownies, mini peanut butter cups and chocolate-covered pretzels — a fun departure to enjoy, perhaps furtively, in the hushed light of the refrigerator door.

What I liked: The malt base. Ben & Jerry’s usually builds off its sweet cream, but this one is a unique twist. The flavor is light, but I still get that retro malted milk vibe, not too sweet so there’s room to breathe for the chocolate — PB cups are a contender for my favorite mix-in ever and these brownies are good and chewy. The pretzels are mainly here as crunch, but that crunch is amazing for something buried in ice cream; it’s a good reminder — that some brands should heed — to use chocolate coating to avoid soggy regrets. I first thought the airy little gems were malt balls … maybe toss some of those in, too. Why not?

What could be better: It feels like caramel would pull this whole pint together. Does Graeter’s ever do swirls? It doesn’t seem like it, but it would be the perfect little touch. This is just one item short of that ideal kitchen sink.

How it compares: I have trouble keeping track of which of the loaded Ben & Jerry’s pints I’ve tried. As has been mentioned on here, they tend to have a Mad Libs style with an interchangeable plain base and a plethora of sweet and salty treats. I know I’ve tried various iterations of caramel, brownies, fudge, pretzels, cookie dough, etc. They are always pretty good, but I can’t say which this most resembles. B&J used to have a Light Night Snack flavor, according to the internet. Does anyone remember this one with fudge-covered potato chip clusters and salty caramel for a “midnight munchie” effect? Looking at their flavor list, some comparisons might arise with Netflix & Chill’d, Peanut Butter Half Baked and Everything But The… One more I’d throw in is Jeni’s High Five Candy Bar, which has a base mimicking a honey-peanut nougat, caramel, swirl, pretzels and chocolate. Jeni’s mix-in quantities have been a little all over the place for me, but that one was pretty loaded.

Possible pairing: Graeter’s’ Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip would help build on the sweet-and-salty aura. 

Final thought: Midnight Snack feels like over a century of quality ice cream tradition meets modern tastes for over-the-top flavor combos. While Graeter’s doesn’t totally commit, that restraint isn’t a bad thing. For the biggest fans of Ben & Jerry’s tsunami of mix-ins, I’m not sure this one will hit the spot. But for those of us who enjoy a good ratio of mix-in to ice cream (and some flavor in the base itself), the balance is nice. It doesn’t become a gooey jumble as some packed pints can. Instead, you get the distinct chew of the brownies, the crunch of the pretzels and the delicious sweet-salty pop of the peanut butter cups — good enough to satisfy that midnight craving. 

Score: 9.2/10

Your thoughts: Anyone try this flavor? Does it meet your midnight cravings, or is there something better out there that hits that mood?