Key Takeaways
A good cookies and cream ice cream usually has a short ingredient list led by cream, milk, egg yolks, and real vanilla, with real cocoa-based cookie pieces and few artificial additives.
The best versions strike a balance between a rich, smooth vanilla base and plenty of cookie pieces, so each bite tastes creamy, chocolatey, and textured rather than just overly sweet.
All three chefs named Häagen-Dazs Cookies and Cream as the top pick because it delivers a dense, creamy base and soft, flavorful cookie chunks that taste fresher than many competing brands.
Cookies and ice cream are two popular treats—but why choose just one? With an ice cream flavor like cookies and cream, it’s possible to enjoy both in a single bite. There’s also something divine about the combo of crunchy cookies and creamy ice cream, which creates a satisfying contrast in textures.
However, not all cookies and cream ice creams are created equal, and some are better than others. You don’t have to buy every brand in the grocery store to figure it out, though. We asked chefs to share the signs of a quality cookies and cream ice cream, along with their top pick for the best brand to buy. Here’s what they had to say.
Meet Our Expert
Erin Clarke, chef, creator of Well Plated, and author of Well Plated Every Day: Recipes for Easier, Healthier, More Exciting Daily Meals
What to Look for When Buying Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
When shopping for cookies and cream ice cream, the ingredient list can tell you a lot about the quality, experts say.
First, the list of ingredients should be short and sweet, with cream, egg yolks, and real vanilla extract appearing near the top, notes chef and cookbook author Erin Clarke. “If you see artificial flavors or a long list of stabilizers, put it back,” Clarke explains. Isaac Bernal Carbajo, an executive chef, thinks similarly. He looks for cream and milk to appear among the first ingredients, rather than a formula dominated by water or vegetable oils. This is usually a good sign that the ice cream will have a rich, creamy texture, Carbajo points out.
As for the cookies? “To make sure the cookies have fresh flavor, look for real cocoa and a recognizable fat source like coconut oil,” says Clarke. While you’re at it, make sure the “cookies have a clear presence on the ingredient list, rather than simply appearing at the end among many other ingredients,” Carbajo says.
“[Also], if you’re reading the nutrition label, don’t get too hung up on calories alone,” says chef Dennis Littley. He goes on to add that he’s more interested in the quality of the ingredients and making sure the ice cream actually delivers on what it promises.
If you’ve already bought cookies and cream ice cream, there are several ways to determine if it’s a worthwhile purchase. It should have “a genuinely creamy base, enough cookie to provide texture, and a level of sweetness that doesn’t end up overpowering everything else,” Carbajo says. But of course, balance is key when it comes to the ratio of ice cream vs. cookie. “After several spoonfuls, I should still distinguish the flavor of the ice cream, the cocoa in the cookie, and the different textures,” adds Carbajo. “When everything tastes only of sugar, no matter how much cookie it has in it, it loses a large part of what makes it enjoyable,” he says.
The Best Grocery Store Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, According to Chefs
As fans of cookies and cream ice cream, we had to ask chefs for their opinions on the best brand. Among their responses, there was one common answer: Häagen-Dazs Cookies and Cream Ice Cream.
“When you want a classic, this is a great choice,” says Littley. “It has a rich dairy flavor, a creamy texture, and that familiar chocolate cookie flavor that makes cookies and cream such a classic,” he says.
For Carbajo, Häagen-Dazs Cookies and Cream is his first choice because the vanilla ice cream still has a leading role. “It’s creamy and has a fairly clean flavor, and then the pieces of chocolate cookie come through adding that slightly bitter contrast and texture,” Carbajo says.
Clarke, meanwhile, calls out the cookies in the product. She notes that many brands of cookies and cream ice cream lack quality in the cookie itself, with the cookie pieces tasting stale and flat—almost like chocolate cardboard. “Häagen-Dazs gets it right because the cookies stay soft and chunky, almost as if you crushed up cookies and added them yourself, and the vanilla base is dense and creamy without the icy or gummy texture you find in lower-quality brands,” she explains.
How to Use Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
When it comes to cookies and cream ice cream (or any ice cream, for that matter), you’re not limited to a bowl or cone. Here are some clever ideas that involve ice cream:
Make an ice cream sandwich. Layer the ice cream between warm brownies or chocolate chip cookies, suggests Littley.
Blend it into a milkshake. Add milk and a few scoops of ice cream to a blender, then blitz until combined.
Prepare an ice cream pie. “You can also make an easy ice cream pie by pressing crushed chocolate cookies into a pie crust, filling it with softened cookies and cream ice cream, and freezing it until firm,” Littley says.
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