The Washington Post blind taste-tested 13 popular vanilla ice creams. A local favorite was the best. (2024)

FAQs

What is the best vanilla ice cream on the market according to a blind taste test the Washington Post? ›

No, it doesn't have a wacky, memorable name. Or a plethora of sweet treats mixed in. But Ben & Jerry's vanilla ice cream is still pretty darn good — actually, the best, according to a panel of Washington Post taste-testers.

Winner: Häagen-Dazs

We were unanimous in our decision to bestow first place on this ice cream. Not only did it deliver on texture and creaminess, but it had the best vanilla flavor out of all of the brands. Plus, it was perfectly sweet, and we never got tired of tasting it.

1. Vanilla. Above all types of ice cream flavors, vanilla is America's favorite for a reason: it's simple and it goes with everything.

The Ice-Cream Sandwich Pick: Whole Foods 365 Vanilla

Others thought the vanilla notes were slightly artificial tasting, but not totally off putting. Combined with the soft, malleable texture, this would be “ideal for an ice cream sandwich,” said Dai.

The top pick among US adults is a classic: chocolate ice cream. Close to one in five (17%) Americans say this is their favorite flavor. Vanilla (15%) is also a popular choice, coming in ahead of strawberry (8%), mint chocolate chip (8%), butter pecan (8%), chocolate chip cookie dough (6%), and cookies n crème (6%).

Flavors. According to IDFA's 2024 Ice Cream & Frozen Novelty Trends Survey, Vanilla is America's flavor of choice in ice cream, followed by Chocolate and Strawberry. America's top 10 favorite ice cream flavors: Vanilla.

Madagascar is known for producing the highest quality vanilla. Not only is the aroma intense, the flavor profile goes well in food dishes, brewing or for beer, desserts, vanilla extract, and many other possibilities. Most recognize the Madagascar vanilla is the most popular due to these traits.

=1.

Birthday cake ice cream is an ice cream made with birthday cake batter and flavorings, including sprinkles. However, it comes in as the joint least favorite flavor for Americans, with only 2 percent choosing it as their top flavor.

A fifth-generation family business in Philadelphia, Bassetts Ice Cream is proudly known as America's oldest ice cream company.

Also a major dairy producer, it's not too surprising that the state's north coast is home to one of the largest ice cream producers in the western U.S. Founded in 1929 as an agricultural marketing cooperative, Humboldt Creamery has been making Kirkland Super Premium Vanilla Ice Cream since 2006.

Which ice cream uses real vanilla? ›

Breyers® Natural Vanilla is made with fresh cream, sugar, milk, and Rainforest Alliance Certified vanilla beans.

The official Walmart statement claims that 'ice cream with more cream will generally melt at a slower rate, which is the case with our Great Value ice cream sandwiches', which is generally true, but more to blame for the lack of a melty mess are the gum products added to the treat.

97% of Americans love or like ice cream. While traditional ice cream flavors still dominate IDFA's list, newer flavors like Butter Pecan and Cookie Dough are shaking up the top five. According to the survey, America's favorite flavor is Vanilla, while staff on Capitol Hill prefer Cookie Dough.

In May 2020, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Unilever for allegedly misleadingly marketing that the flavoring ingredient in Breyers Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream is vanilla when, according to plaintiffs, the ingredients list does not include a vanilla ingredient and reveals that the ice cream contains unspecified ...

The largest blind taste test consists of 1,486 participants and was achieved by Community and Service Committee at Alfaisal University (Saudi Arabia) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 30 November 2018. The record was attempted at an event called "Noor" which means light in Arabic.