I Tried 8 Vanilla Ice Creams and Ranked Them From Worst to Best
Vanilla ice cream is often considered to be a humdrum choice. It's no wonder, considering a real-life synonym for vanilla is "boring" or "nondescript". The ice cream brand Van Leeuwen even points out the insulting assumption that "if beige could yawn it would be vanilla".
But any true ice cream lover knows these accusations hold no truth whatsoever.
There's a reason why vanilla remains as one of America's top ice cream flavors year after year. Yes, this partly has to do with its versatility. You can top vanilla ice cream with syrups, fruit, nuts, sprinkles, chocolate chips, or even something salty like potato chips and still know with some certainty that it will turn out tasty. But when made well with fresh, quality ingredients, vanilla ice cream can even shine all on its own.
In order to suss out which store-bought offerings can stand alone and which are better left at the sundae bar, I recently dug into eight different brands. From Ben & Jerry's to Häagen-Dazs, let's get the scoop.
Edy's ½ Fat Slow Churned Classic Vanilla
This Edy's Classic Vanilla ice cream is a light spin-off, meaning it contains just half the fat and a third fewer calories compared to other options–a fact which I realized too late. So, into the taste test it went anyway, and I was actually excited to see how a lighter rendition stacks up.
The Edy's brand–prominent mostly in the eastern and Midwestern regions of the country–has been churning up goodness since 1928. In the case of this particular tub, its ice cream is made from a base of sugar, milk and cream from cows not treated with growth hormones, and no artificial colors or flavors. It does, however, include corn syrup, a few soluble fibers, and natural additives. The 1.5-quart container cost me $4.99.
The Look: It comes in a faint ivory color and a soft, scoopable texture–a very classic vanilla ice cream look.
The Taste: Let me start by saying, for a light ice cream, it's not bad at all. But against other full-fat offerings, it simply can't compete. The consistency is spot on, landing delicately between thick and airy. With much of the fat scooped out, though, the flavor falls flat before eventually signing off with an artificial-like, freezer-burnt tang.
Breyers Natural Vanilla
Found in nearly every major grocer, Breyers is a freezer aisle familiar face. It's standardly sold in skinny black tubs and comes in just about every standard flavor you could possibly think of. The brand even offers an entire slew of different vanillas, including the Natural Vanilla rendition I reached for. At a cost of $4.99, it's made with 100% real grade A milk and cream as well as sugar, water, tara gum, and natural flavor extracted from vanilla beans from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms.
The Look: The fairest of them all. It comes in a shade of pure white with tiny yet obvious vanilla bean specks.
The Taste: Right out of the freezer, it's more crumbly than creamy. Then, as it warms, it becomes light and fluffy–almost whipped-like. It has a hint of artificiality like Edy's, despite its all-natural ingredients. But the larger reason why it wasn't one of my favorites was the lack of strong vanilla flavor. This key piece becomes lost, and without it, each scoop resolves to plain frozen cream or milk rather than a decadent ice cream.
Talenti Madagascan Vanilla Bean
The Talenti brand exudes poshness. Its recipes follow traditional Argentine methods–despite the company's Dallas roots–and I for one always feel an air of fanciness as I unscrew one of the pints' brown lids. Talenti actually serves up "gelato" rather than ice cream. Typically, this means the product uses more milk and less cream, creating a denser, smoother texture. The brand's Madagascan Vanilla Bean variety also throws in vanilla extract, vanilla bean specks, and even lemon peel for flavor. The pint rang up at $5.49.
The Look: The vanilla bean-spotted gelato has almost a grey undertone rather than yellow. I could also tell it was going to be thick long before plunging my spoon beyond the surface.
The Taste: The overall flavor is understated. It's not overly rich or bean-y, but clearly made with quality vanilla and boasting a light buttery finish. I like that it's not too sweet and also not too heavy. But what threw me off was the consistency. As a gelato, I knew it would be distinct in this department. However, each spoonful is bouncy and sticky, almost like marshmallow fluff–a strange sensation that I didn't particularly prefer.
Ben & Jerry's Vanilla
I'm slightly ashamed to admit I didn't know Ben & Jerry's made a plain vanilla ice cream…anyone else? In the past, I have always been blinded by the brand's confection-blasted treats, so I barely skimmed the freezer section of cloudy blue pints on my vanilla ice cream hunt. But alas, there it was in all its simplified glory. The label promises that it's "more vanilla tasting than any vanilla you've ever tasted". Meanwhile, the ingredient list reveals its makeup of cream, skim milk, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla extract, and vanilla beans. The pint is priced at $5.49.
The Look: It displays more of a yellow tint than any of the previous options, but with black bean flecks. Each scoop looks undeniably polished and smooth.
The Taste: Velvety yet condensed with that familiar Ben & Jerry's flair. It's difficult to put that marked flavor into words, but anyone who's had a B&J pint knows what I'm talking about. Aside from this, though, the taste is on the muted side. Despite the flecks, I don't detect a vanilla bean essence, and it seems to give off a higher level of richness in the aftertaste than when the frozen dessert is sitting on your tongue. All in all, these qualities make the vanilla a top-tier base for all the brand's most iconic chunk and swirl-filled recipes, but just alright all by itself.
Turkey Hill
It seems like "Cow Hill" would be a more appropriate name for a dairy brand. But that hasn't stopped Turkey Hill from attracting loyal customers in nearly every corner of the country. The brand actually gets its name from the ridge on which its dairy farm is located, and it has been around for nearly a century. Like competitor Bryers, it offers a long list of flavors, including multiple vanilla alternatives. I set my sights on an old-fashioned Homemade Vanilla quart, which starts with a tried and true blend of farm-fresh milk, cream, and sugar, but also adds in some artificial flavors, corn syrup, and caramel colors. It cost $6.59.
The Look: The ice cream is free from vanilla bean pinpricks and shares a very similar color to that of Ben & Jerry's. I actually expected it to be a bit more yellowed–something about its "old-fashioned" style…
The Taste: A very stereotypical vanilla. It has an edge of nostalgia to it that takes me back to a childhood family sundae night. That quintessential creamy texture leads the charge, and then a light vanilla sweetness does the rest. It's classic and not worthy of any complaints. The fact that it does take longer to melt than other ice creams gives me a hint that something unnatural is going on, but we'll let that slide for now.
Häagen-Dazs Vanilla
Häagen-Dazs leans into luxury, much like Talenti. Ever since the beginning (circa 1960 in New York), the brand has boasted about its premium ingredients from France and the simple yet extraordinary flavors that result. It puts its money where its mouth is when it comes to its five-ingredient vanilla. Just cream, skim milk, cane sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla extract stand on the list. No frills. No additives. Just pure ice cream. But purity and luxury apparently come at a cost. Just one pint will run you $6.59.
The Look: More cream-colored than yellow and exceedingly smooth to the scoop.
The Taste: It has this incredibly velvety texture that seems to dissolve onto your tongue on contact. Such a shame since I wanted it to sit and stay awhile to truly savor its succulent taste. Deep flavors of fresh vanilla paired with this melt-in-your-mouth consistency reminded me of a milkshake. But not just your average, everyday fast-food milkshake. A gourmet one that blends the line between simplicity and indulgence.
Van Leeuwen Vanilla Bean
Based on the name alone, I wouldn't have guessed it, but the NYC-based brand Van Leeuwen actually churns out French-style ice cream. This breed of frozen confection is known for its custard-like texture, which it gets from the extra egg yolks blended into its base. In its own monochromatic, pastel pint, the brand's Vanilla Bean flavor also touts a simple foundation of cream, milk, cane sugar, vanilla extract, Tahitian vanilla beans, and sea salt. I just had to get a taste of le dessert and paid $6.49 for the small container.
The Look: The soft buttermilk color is a few tones lighter than the surrounding yellow pint, and vanilla bean bits freckle the entirety of the container.
The Taste: That typically unmistakable vanilla bean flavor is lost, but at no detriment to the sweet dessert. It continues to grow on you as you spoon your way through the pint, becoming more and more appealing. The egg yolk makes it complex, creamy, and extra rich. I would even describe it as buttery from start to finish with plenty of strong vanilla flavors. It's the crème de la crème–the kind of grown-up vanilla that makes you want to pass on chocolate syrup, sprinkles, or toppings of any variety.
Tillamook Old-Fashioned Vanilla
The Tillamook creamery has been an Oregon staple since 1909. But the reason many of us are just now familiarizing ourselves with the brand is because its national rollout didn't start until 2018, over a century later. Now, I can easily find its products–like its Old-Fashioned Vanilla ice cream–on grocery shelves here in Ohio. This particular ice cream is said to be born from a special blend of Tillamook's very best vanillas. It also reveals that its special sauce is to use extra cream in addition to skim milk, sugar, pasteurized egg yolks, vanilla extract, and natural flavor. The 1.5-quart tub cost me $7.99.
The Look: Again, I expected this old-fashioned vanilla to be more yellow in color. Instead, it's eggshell but visibly thick in consistency.
The Taste: Extra cream is right–ice cream doesn't get much creamier than this. It comes off more like a custard, thanks to the egg yolks, and coats your mouth with its condensed presence. Tillamook could have just stopped there, having already won the texture battle. But it takes it a step further with an irresistible taste. It's perhaps even richer and more buttery than Van Leeuwen's, and the vanilla sweetness is perfectly balanced. If Van Leeuwen's is the crème de la crème, then Tillamook's vanilla is the cream of the crop. Both ice creams are delicious in their own right, but today, I have to give Tillamook the edge.
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