13 Store-Bought Ice Cream Sandwiches, Ranked
From some old-school names like Hood and Klondike, to up-and-coming stars like Trader Joe's dairy-free option, this comprehensive taste test will help you decide which box to grab the next time you're in the freezer aisle. It seems not all ice cream sandwiches are created equal, so here are a few that are worth buying and a few you should leave at the store.
Read more: We Tasted And Ranked Every Single Flavor Of Pop-Tarts For You
Alden's
While I've seen an array of options in my grocery store travels over the years, I'd never heard of Alden's Organic ice cream sandwiches. Looking at the box, these babies are made in Oregon, and since my favorite mac & cheese is from that area, I had high hopes for this brand. Little did I know I'd be placing this one last.
I don't know if I got a bad box or if the flavors I tasted were legit, but Alden's became a hard no real quick. When I took the first bite, there was an instant flash of rich and creamy dairy vanilla. Unfortunately, the positives ended just as quickly. The aftertaste was so sour, as if the backend of the bite was filled with rotten milk. Between the cookie that had little to no flavor and the ice cream that tasted spoiled, I stopped eating and went to the next option. I suggest you do the same in the freezer aisle.
Favorite Day
Up next was Target's Favorite Day brand, offering 16 mini ice cream sammies that looked pretty darn good. These ones are a steal for the price. However, looks can be deceiving, as this one placed second to last for good reason.
Overall, this one tasted like chemicals. There was no depth to the vanilla ice cream — no rich dairy notes to be found — and the cookie had little-to-no chocolate flavor. It tasted like an over-processed cookie, with nothing fresh or chocolatey about it. There was nothing here that screamed summer. Instead, I was screaming for another option.
Since both aspects of the ice cream sandwich failed, Favorite Day had to stay at the back of the list. I'd suggest grabbing Target's Strawberry Angel Food Cake ice cream instead and heading home. Keep reading for some killer ice cream sandwich options, because this one isn't it.
Sundae Shoppe
Aldi's ice cream brand, Sundae Shoppe, arrived in the 11th place spot. I was pretty surprised at how low I ranked this one, knowing Aldi has some of the best snack food options on its shelves. However, its ice cream sammies didn't make the cut.
The list of positives is short. I did taste subtle notes of chocolate on the front end of the bite, from the cookie portion, but those rich notes quickly faded into something processed and chemical. What's worse, the ice cream flavoring was nonexistent — no vanilla or creamy dairy flavors to be found. The textures weren't bad, but without flavor, what's the point?
Honestly, I was pretty confused. It's hard to mess up vanilla ice cream, but I guess there's a first for everything. While I grab a lot of my snack foods from Aldi, this freezer aisle treat won't be one of them.
Fat Boy
I'd never seen or tried the Fat Boy brand before, but the name and marketing got me. It felt like they knew a thing or two about a solid ice cream sandwich, touting a premium vanilla ice cream and a larger-than-life bite. Upon my first bite, I did absolutely taste a higher-quality vanilla, but my love for the brand turned sour — literally.
This was another experience where the ice cream tasted sour, and to top it all off, there was no chocolatey cookie flavoring to help alleviate the spoiled milk. I'm not sure what went wrong here, but this was another fail. I enjoyed the smaller square option, and there was a massive amount of ice cream between the cookie pieces, but these are no Klondikes.
From cookie to ice cream, this one missed the mark. Just because a brand gives you more ice cream, doesn't mean it's worth eating.
Signature Select
I never know what I'm going to get with Signature Select. This store brand has had some high highs and even lower lows in my various taste tests in everything from frozen onion rings to frozen waffles. When it comes to ice cream sandwiches, these get a "meh" rating.
Unlike the other options thus far, there was nothing wholly wrong about this one. Signature Select's ice cream sandwiches tasted fairly classic. The traditional chocolate flavoring in the cookie that did lean a little bitter, but it paired well with the rich ice cream that leaned more French vanilla than a regular version, which I enjoyed. This one offered a decent bite.
What pushed it further down the list was the fact the cookie was a bit soggy, and there was a weird aftertaste that lingered a little too long. These weren't bad by any means, but there are way better options out there.
Friendly's
I'm part of the generation that grew up on Friendly's. From coloring on place mats and enjoying a stellar grilled cheese to my favorite mint chocolate chip ice cream with that fun cone hat and M&M eyes, I never left the restaurant unhappy. Which is all to say, I expected a little more from the brand's ice cream sandwiches.
Maybe my expectations were too high, but the ice cream in this option was just okay. Yes, there was vanilla flavor and no bad aftertaste, but it wasn't super rich or flavorful. It was creamy, but it was the cookie bar that pushed this one ahead. It had great chocolate flavoring and paired well with the vanilla.
At the end of the day, this was fine. It was nothing special, and it didn't scream Friendly's. Maybe their quality has gone downhill, or maybe you have to head to a restaurant for a proper experience.
Blue Bunny
I'd seen the Blue Bunny label around for a while now, with mixed reviews, depending on the product. While many hate on Blue Bunny's vanilla ice cream, the brand's Red Carpet Red Velvet is a discontinued ice cream flavor that many sorely miss. So where do we stand when it comes to the brand's ice cream sandwiches?
These ones placed middle-of-the-list as a middle-of-the-road option. The ice cream was pretty tasty, offering a rich and creamy bite each time. What I didn't love was the cookie, as the chocolate flavor was a little too bitter for my taste. However, the bite worked, and I can appreciate how another palate would enjoy this combo. I also think this sammie had the best textures thus far, from a rich and creamy ice cream base to a not-too-hard and not-too-mushy cookie shell. I don't care what people say about this one. It's pretty good — But not the best.
Great Value
I think everyone knows Walmart's Great Value brand is not typically my cup of tea. I didn't think their ice cream was anything special, so I was surprised to see the brand's ice cream sandwiches make it this high up my ranking. When it comes to Walmart, this option is middle-of-the-road, which at this point on the list is pretty good.
Overall, these had a traditional taste, offering a decent vanilla ice cream that wasn't too sweet, with a good cookie base. I'd categorize this one as "fine", offering up a classic ice cream sandwich experience. There were no bad aftertastes and no chemical smells or flavors to be found. These were simple and would get the job done on any hot summer day.
This is the dividing line that separates the bad and the average from the more elevated fare. If you're looking for simple and cheap, Great Value has you covered. If you're looking for the upper echelon, keep reading.
Trader Joe's
The top five brands are definitely elevated above the rest, offering richer flavors and more complex bites, for sure. Starting here, you won't find bad aftertastes or anything negative. These options truly are the best of the best. In fifth, we have Trader Joe's version of the ice cream sandwich, and this one is dairy-free! I assumed I would hate it, but oh boy, was I wrong.
I took my first bite expecting to spit it out, but I couldn't believe the flavors I tasted. It's sweet without being overpowering, and the coconut base stayed in the background without becoming a nuisance within the bite. However, the best part was the cookie. It tasted homemade and had deep chocolate notes. While this one was a little soggy in some parts and didn't have those classic ice cream flavors, these aspects didn't deter at all. Whether you're dairy-free or not, it's absolutely worth a try!
Whole Foods 365
After trying Whole Foods 365 brand ice cream and not loving it, I didn't have high hopes for its ice cream sandwiches. However, I was proven wrong yet again during this taste test, as the 365 brand regained some clout in the fourth place spot.
The vanilla ice cream here was solid, with notes of milk, sugar, and dairy goodness. While there was depth of flavor, the rich creamy notes didn't last. With no aftertaste, it passed the taste test. There were also no textural issues from the ice cream or the cookie, with the cookie's chocolate flavors offering a deeper and more bitter flavor profile. This richness made up for the ice cream's lack, offering a satisfying bite each time.
Overall, there were no bad bites here, as the flavors tasted elevated. These didn't taste artificial or packed with sugar, offering a true organic option in the realm of ice cream sammies.
Pop Tarts
I know what you're thinking — this isn't your grandma's ice cream sandwich. And you're right. This is Pop-Tart's version of the ice cream sammie, and I cannot get over how good these tasted! If you like Pop-Tarts, you have to try them. As someone who doesn't, I still really enjoyed each bite, which goes to show how great these really are.
With actual strawberry Pop-Tarts acting as the cookie shells, these had a delicious strawberry ice cream filling that was the perfect balance of sweet ice cream and tart strawberry. No bite was ever too much, sugar or otherwise. From the Pop Tart filling in the shells to the creamy ice cream, these were really tasty. Honestly, I'm still blown away at how much I liked this one.
Why didn't it make the top two? First, the Pop-Tarts were a little tough in some areas, as you'd normally warm them up to eat. Secondly, Pop Tart ice cream sandwiches aren't traditional, and while these were good, they're more of a novelty. The top two spots were reserved for the tried and true chocolate/vanilla greatness we all know and love.
Hood
While I'd found some decent options thus far, I wanted to be wowed. My top two picks did just that. Coming in second and owning that spot is Hood's ice cream sandwich.
Hood is a classic option for ice cream, milk, blimps, and the like, and its ice cream sandwiches wear the brand's name well. The cookie's chocolate notes were delicious, offering a rich and satisfying bite, and the ice cream was vanilla perfection. You can tell this ice cream is actually from Hood. Unlike some other brands, this ice cream matched the label's greatness.
I don't have many notes here, but I did think these weren't quite ready for the number one spot. While the cookie did break in a few places, there were no bad or weird aftertastes, which was a huge win in this competition. Overall, the first place option had a little more flavor depth, but if you're in need of a solid ice cream sandwich, you can't go wrong with Hood.
Klondike
I'm not sure what I'd do for a Klondike Bar at my age, but I would ask very nicely for the brand's version of an ice cream sandwich. I had no idea a better option than Hood existed, but one bite told me everything I needed to know in this taste test. Klondike is the king of the freezer aisle.
There was no contest. This one is as traditional as it gets, offering a cookie that sticks to your fingers, real chocolate notes throughout the bar, and a real ice cream base that's vanilla-forward, creamy, and delicious. No weird aftertastes and nothing different or unique. This brand did the original ice cream sandwich right.
From texture to taste, Klondike wins this battle. From here on out, they are my go-to for ice cream sandwiches. Don't believe me? Get to the store and prove me wrong! I think you'll be just as surprised as I was.
How I Ranked This List Of Ice Cream Sandwiches
For this taste test, I went to an array of grocery stores to find every single brand of ice cream sandwich my area had to offer. With 13 boxes in tow, I made my way home to see which one was the best. I taste-tested at random, learning what I liked by taste alone. If the bite had a weird aftertaste or leaned bland, it went to the back of the list. While I was looking for the best tried and true traditionals, if it tasted good and there were no weird textures, it ranked higher on the list.
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