When you need chocolate ice cream, no other frozen dessert will suffice. But which brand do you choose? There are so many chocolate treats in your frozen food aisle that you're likely to make the wrong choice if you haven't tried them all. After all, certain ice cream manufacturers have been known to cut corners to save money, either reducing the amount of cocoa in flavor of synthesized flavorings, cutting the butterfat levels, or otherwise trying to create a cheaper ice cream that still satisfies, at least somewhat. Fortunately, you don't have to settle. By our list's end, you'll know the best grocery chocolate ice cream to choose every time. These are 12 grocery store chocolate ice creams ranked from worst to best.
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00:00All chocolate ice cream is pretty good, right?
00:03Maybe so, but if your preferred brand is at the bottom of this list, you may want to expand
00:08your horizons beyond pretty good.
00:11Ah, store-brand ice cream.
00:13There are some really great store-brand chocolate ice creams out there, worthy of scooping into
00:18a crisp sugar cone or piling high with sundae toppings.
00:23Kroger Deluxe Chocolate Paradise is not one of them.
00:26Why does this affordable chocolate ice cream find itself at the tail end of our ranking?
00:31It's all about a natural flavor.
00:33Cocoa doesn't show up on this ice cream's ingredient list until five ingredients in.
00:38The first several ingredients, and predominant flavors, are milk, cream, sugar, and corn
00:43syrup.
00:44It's an intensely sweet scoop, with an artificial underlying flavor and very little real chocolate
00:51taste.
00:52Kroger's ice cream uses polysorbate 80, along with a host of other ingredients, as an emulsifier.
00:58According to Ice Cream Science, it's a highly effective emulsifier in ice cream, helping
01:03to create a smoother texture and prevent premature melting.
01:06Still, the overuse of polysorbate 80 can lead to an off-putting flavor in your ice cream
01:12when it's been stored for a while.
01:14You'd expect chocolate ice cream from a premium retailer like Whole Foods to rank high on
01:19the list.
01:20The general consensus for this flavor is that it's weak and lacks that rich, chocolatey
01:25oomph we all crave from chocolate ice cream.
01:28It's a disappointing scoop, and ultimately forgettable.
01:32Perhaps it's the organic dark chocolate base that fails to deliver.
01:36It's a combination of cane sugar, water, cocoa powder, natural flavor, citric acid, and salt.
01:42Natural flavors, like artificial flavors, are synthesized in a lab, then industrially
01:47manufactured at a production plant.
01:50The FDA doesn't require brands to print what's in their natural flavors on food labels unless
01:55they contain a common allergen, according to Bon Appetit.
01:59Interestingly, it's only the 365 Everyday Value chocolate ice cream that earns so much
02:04ire at Whole Foods.
02:05Their 365 by Whole Foods Market chocolate ice cream has a dedicated fan base.
02:11One reviewer on Amazon proclaimed,
02:12"...I don't know what kind of chocolate they use, but this is one of the most delicious
02:16chocolate ice creams I have ever had.
02:19The chocolate flavor was rich, and my kids adore it."
02:22So if you're craving chocolate ice cream at Whole Foods, skip the Everyday Value option
02:26and go for the 365 by Whole Foods Market line.
02:30"...it tastes good when days are hot, on a cone or in a dish, this would be my only wish,
02:36vanilla chocolate rocky road even with pie a la mode."
02:40A lighter option on this list, Halo Top is popular among people trying to make healthier
02:45choices.
02:46Sadly, it comes with some sacrifice.
02:49This chocolate ice cream just does not measure up to the classic sugar-laden varieties.
02:54Halo Top ice creams are known for their solid nutritional profile relative to traditional
02:59ice cream.
03:00You can enjoy a whole pint for only 280 to 380 calories, along with a healthy protein
03:06boost.
03:07The brand's chocolate pint clocks in at 300 calories and 19 grams of protein.
03:13While we can't knock those stats, this ice cream is, well, barely ice cream.
03:18It's icy, grainy, and totally lacks a robust chocolate flavor.
03:22If you're hoping to enjoy something smooth and creamy, this won't be it.
03:26One reviewer complained the texture is icy and watery.
03:29They explained on Halo Top's chocolate pint website that the ice cream is,
03:34"...a sad excuse for ice cream.
03:36It isn't creamy.
03:37It doesn't have a ton of flavor.
03:39This is probably the blandest chocolate flavor of ice cream I've ever had."
03:43And they're super expensive for essentially frozen flavored water.
03:47If you're hoping to enjoy a healthier chocolate dessert, there's better out there.
03:52When we're talking about chocolate ice cream, the better varieties will boast richer chocolate
03:57flavor.
03:58Blue Bunny has more of a milk chocolate flavor, meaning it's heavy on the sugar and low in
04:02the actual chocolate.
04:04When we say, heavy on the sugar, we mean a scoop of this ice cream will hit you with
04:08a saccharine punch.
04:09It's like candy.
04:10For that reason, children might love it, but if you're looking for real chocolate flavor,
04:15we'd head further down this list.
04:17It's fair to say you, like us, probably grew up enjoying Breyers chocolate ice cream here
04:22and there.
04:23It's a perfectly acceptable scoop, but it's just that — acceptable.
04:27Breyers does boast a relatively simple ingredients list, with ingredients like milk, cream, sugar,
04:34dutched cocoa, whey, and taro gum.
04:37It is infused with natural flavor.
04:39That's not to say Breyers is bad because it has natural flavors, it just tastes a bit
04:43more artificial than some of the top-ranking ice creams on this list.
04:48Some people also complain about Breyers chocolate ice cream texture, saying it doesn't freeze
04:53correctly and isn't a solid ice cream.
04:55One reviewer explained on the Breyers chocolate ice cream website,
04:59"...I used to love this ice cream and the hard, frozen texture, but the last three containers
05:04I have bought do not freeze.
05:06The texture is more like a whipped cream texture."
05:10Depending on where you live, you'll know this chocolate ice cream by the Edie's or
05:14Dreyer's name, which have been interchangeable since 1928.
05:18Whatever the name, it's a mediocre chocolate ice cream.
05:21It's the chocolate ice cream most likely to be served at kids' birthday parties and family
05:26gatherings, and we get it.
05:27It's sweet and creamy enough to qualify as ice cream.
05:30It's affordable.
05:31It's available on every grocery store freezer aisle.
05:35Nobody is going to be mad that they were served a scoop of Edie's Dreyer's chocolate ice cream
05:39alongside a sugary slice of birthday cake.
05:42They're just not likely to be very excited.
05:45Why?
05:46Edie's Dreyer's chocolate ice cream is overly sweet, with a passably creamy texture and
05:51very little complex chocolate flavor or characteristic bitterness.
05:55It might be a favorite among people with straightforward tastes, like kids and adults who enjoy milk
06:00chocolate over dark chocolate.
06:02While the Edie's Dreyer's chocolate ice cream website pulls mostly positive reviews, one
06:07reviewer did complain that the ice cream tastes artificial.
06:10They said,
06:11"...it lacks the rich heaviness of real whole milk ice cream.
06:15The additives used for thickening melt into froth and there is way too much sugar and
06:20not enough cocoa."
06:22This chocolate ice cream is strictly middle-of-the-road, with a pleasantly sweet flavor but not much
06:28richness.
06:29It is nice that it's a straightforward flavor with minimal ingredients, if you're looking
06:33for that.
06:34As an all-natural offering, you'll find easy-to-pronounce ingredients like cream, sugar, cocoa, honey,
06:40unsweetened Belgian chocolate, and more.
06:43The problem with this ice cream lies in that it's reasonably tasty, but not good enough
06:48to usurp our top five contenders.
06:51One reviewer at MassLive called the treat,
06:53"...soft and creamy, although not as rich as some of the gourmet, high-end ice cream
06:58pints I've sampled."
07:00She rates it favorably, but does note that a more dense formula would be better.
07:05So if you happen to purchase Turkey Hill all-natural Belgian-style chocolate, will you be a sad
07:10camper?
07:11Probably not, but you won't be super impressed, either.
07:14If you love the robust, slightly bitter flavor of dark chocolate, Trader Joe's Ultra Chocolate
07:19Ice Cream might be the one for you.
07:22It's the closest you can get to eating a dark chocolate bar in ice cream form.
07:26With so many unique creations on the freezer aisle of Trader Joe's, it's easy to look past
07:32the classic offerings.
07:33This chocolate ice cream is worth a buy, though, if you're at Trader Joe's and craving something
07:38simple and chocolatey.
07:40One reviewer at Freezer Meal Frenzy calls it, quote, "...astonishingly flavorful, with
07:45a rich, fudge-like profile."
07:47Trader Joe's recommends serving an indulgent scoop in a sweet sugar cone for textural contrast.
07:53If you'd like to jazz up your scoop, at Trader Joe's, look for the latest fun chocolate bar
07:58to crumble on top for extra richness, or pick up a carton of their shelf-stable whipping
08:03cream.
08:04Yeah, this chocolate ice cream goes incredibly well with some freshly made whipped cream.
08:10Häagen-Dazs offers the perfect little pint of chocolate ice cream when you're looking
08:14to indulge, with ice cream that's creamy and rich.
08:18That's because it's one of the few major ice cream brands to not use stabilizers like Guar
08:23Gum or Xanthan Gum.
08:25They only use eggs to stabilize their ice cream, creating a slow-melting ice cream with
08:29a silky mouthfeel.
08:31You can rest assured that a pint of Häagen-Dazs chocolate ice cream won't melt the moment
08:35your spoon makes contact.
08:38Eggs also help create a custard-like body in the ice cream, and they prolong its shelf
08:42life by inhibiting thawing and refreezing, according to Serious Eats.
08:47Häagen-Dazs chocolate ice cream only features five straightforward ingredients — cream,
08:52skim milk, cane sugar, cocoa, and egg yolks.
08:56You may associate Ben & Jerry's with all sorts of inventive flavors, but it turns out they
09:01do a simple chocolate ice cream really well.
09:04Still, their Chocolate Therapy pint does feature a few bells and whistles.
09:08It's a medley of classic chocolate ice cream, chocolate cookies, and chocolate pudding ice
09:13cream.
09:14Okay, I think I know what would help right now.
09:17What?
09:18Frozen Chocolata Gelato!
09:21As the name suggests, indulging in this seriously rich little pint of ice cream might just be
09:26as good as a therapy session.
09:28At least, it'll do in a pinch.
09:30We love how the dark chocolate flavor shines, with soft bits of chocolate cookie and pudding-based
09:36ice cream.
09:37We're not the only ones who love it.
09:38Some liken eating it to a sublime experience.
09:42One reviewer on the Ben & Jerry's website wrote,
09:44"'I go through three to four pints of this a week and find myself moaning while eating
09:49it.
09:50It's a spiritual experience for me.
09:51My favorite part of the day is the chemical release in my brain I get from this ice cream.
09:56I could write poetry about chocolate therapy."
09:58Not convinced?
09:59Ben & Jerry's offers the most detailed breakdown of just how their pints of ice cream come
10:04to be.
10:05If you're someone who likes knowing everything about what you eat, like how Ben & Jerry's
10:09sources their dairy or how they get those delicious chunks evenly dispersed in their
10:13ice cream, we encourage you to check them out.
10:16Blue Bell Ice Cream has a cult-like following in its home state of Texas, and people love
10:21the smooth flavor of their classic Dutch chocolate.
10:25Your familiarity with Blue Bell will depend on where you live.
10:28It's only available in 22 states with its main fan base and headquarters found in Texas.
10:34The brand, which started in 1907, is named for the native Texas Blue Bell wildflower.
10:40What we're saying is, it's an iconic Texas brand through and through.
10:44Their Dutch chocolate ice cream is so beloved, it's been sent to space.
10:48According to USA Today, cups of Blue Bell chocolate and vanilla ice cream were sent
10:54to astronauts at the International Space Station in 2006 to help out the crew's happiness quotient.
11:01A space shuttle had previously dropped off a freezer to the International Space Station
11:05to store research samples, but this also allowed ice cream to be enjoyed at the station for
11:11the first time ever.
11:12Blue Bell's chocolate and vanilla ice cream made the trek in an insulated bag.
11:16It was a massive upgrade to the typical food served in space, pre-cooked and eaten from
11:21a pouch.
11:22We love that Blue Bell's Dutch chocolate ice cream is made with rich, imported chocolate.
11:27You can enjoy Blue Bell Dutch chocolate ice cream in a full half-gallon or a pint if you're
11:32feeling virtuous.
11:34Tillamook Chocolate Ice Cream takes the top spot on this list.
11:38This simple recipe is richly flavored with cocoa, but it's the high cream content that
11:43puts this grocery store ice cream brand at the top.
11:46If you've ever thought ice cream from this Pacific Northwest dairy co-op tastes extra
11:52creamy, you're not wrong.
11:53Tillamook ice cream is made with extra cream and less air than the industry standard for
11:58ice cream, creating a velvety mouthfeel that can't be beaten.
12:02Well, I need more than chocolate, and for that matter, I need more than vanilla.
12:05I believe that we need freedom and choice when it comes to our ice cream."
12:09Plus, Tillamook is committed to producing the high-quality milk at the base of their
12:13incredibly rich chocolate ice cream.
12:15They're a cooperative made up of about 80 farmer-owners who care for their land and
12:20cows, so you reap delicious ice cream and cheese.
12:24Tillamook has great cheese in return.
12:27Tillamook's chocolate ice cream keeps it simple, with an ingredient profile that includes cream,
12:31milk, sugar, cocoa, and a handful of other easy-to-pronounce additions.
12:36One of those additions?
12:38Pasteurized egg yolks.
12:39This smart infusion makes for a custard-like base.
12:43Remember, this ice cream is really creamy.
12:46Tillamook chocolate ice cream is classic ice cream, with classic, high-quality ingredients.
12:52We couldn't ask for more.