The 10 Best Ben & Jerry’s Flavors, Vetted (& Debated Over) by Our Ice Cream-Loving Editors

This is a sleeper hit if there ever was one. The base tastes like Irish cream (take note, Baileys fans), but in case that’s not enticing enough, it’s also studded with chocolate-chocolate chip cookies and laced with coffee fudge swirls. “There was Irish coffee liqueur or something excellent,” PureWow SEO editor Marissa Wu recalls, “with a chocolate cookie swirl that was so delicate.” It was initially discontinued in 2007, but B&J revived it due to fan demand. Thanks, guys.

“As a lactose-intolerant gal, I LOVE the non-dairy Americone Dream!” PureWow assistant editor of branded content Madeline Merinuk raves. In case you haven’t had the pleasure, this staple Ben & Jerry’s flavor has a vanilla base, dappled with fudge-covered waffle cone pieces and a caramel swirl. “I love that it’s made with oat milk (there’s an almond milk iteration, too) but still has all of the deliciousness of the O.G. It doesn’t taste like a ~healthy alternative~ at all, which some dairy-free ice creams can lean towards.” P.S.: She also swears by the non-dairy Netflix & Chill’d.

Banana haters, sit this one out. No, it’s not subtle, and that’s what makes it downright delicious…you simply wouldn’t understand. The banana ice cream, teeming with toothsome chunks of fudge and walnuts, is a textural masterpiece in my book. That’s what makes it one of my favorites, and the same goes for PureWow executive editor Dara Katz. “I think of Chunky Monkey when I think of Ben & Jerry’s,” she says. “It was the first flavor I ever had at B&J’s, and it kind of became part of my personality! I call my kids chunky monkeys now. Nostalgia in a cone.”

I’d never heard of this one until PureWow VP of editorial Candace Davison put me on. “New York Super Fudge Chunk is great for people who are all about the mix-ins,” she explains. “The pecans, walnuts and fudge-covered almonds offer nice crunch, and the white and dark chocolate fudge bits offer a little snap and added richness. It really delivers on Ben & Jerry’s original mission to stand out in the N.Y. market with a flavor that was studded with more treats than any of its competitors.”

Full disclosure: I wanted Cheesecake Brownie here, due to its impeccable tang, rich consistency and generous hunks of brownie. But alas, the flavor has been retired. Luckily, the same exquisitely fudgy brownies can be found in this other favorite of mine, which launched in a larger format earlier this year as part of the new Scoop-apalooza line. The custardy, creamy vanilla base offers tasty contrast to the semi-salty, deeply chewy brownies that are both plentiful and sizeable.

Another vote for the brand’s vanilla ice cream? Don’t mind if I do. “Cookie dough forever,” Wu attests. “Ben and Jerry’s vanilla is the best base ever; so rich and not airy at all. The cookie dough chunks aren’t overly sugary or loaded with too much chocolate.” Here, simplicity and quality are what make this classic flavor a standout. (Fun fact: Ben & Jerry’s actually invented it back in 1984.)

If you’re feeling extra indulgent, you can’t go wrong with this cheeky Ben & Jerry’s flavor, which boasts both chocolate and vanilla ice creams, mixed with sizeable gobs of chocolate chip cookie dough and fudge brownies. I love the brownie plus the cookie dough,” PureWow VP of news and entertainment Philip Mutz says. “I don’t know who thought it up, but it’s so good that I can eat an entire pint in one sitting (without being baked).”

I’m not one of those PSL people. Heck, I’m not even a pumpkin person, really. But this seasonal gem gets me every damn fall. With a base of pumpkin cheesecake ice cream, complete with a gritty, salty graham cracker swirl, it’s an impeccable balance of sweet, salty and tangy. My favorite B&J’s cheesecake ice cream of all time was the Blueberry Cheesecake Greek-Style Frozen Yogurt (RIP, cutie)…but this will certainly do in its absence.

Did you know this Ben & Jerry’s flavor was not only dreamed up in part by members of the band Phish, but also that a portion of the proceeds go towards environmental efforts in Vermont’s Lake Champlain watershed? Multiple editors sing its praises. “I have a soft spot for Phish Food,” PureWow executive editor Alexia Dellner says. “The chocolate is cold and chunky, the marshmallow swirls are soft and sweet and who doesn’t love caramel?”

“Phish Food all the way,” Davison adds. “Marshmallow, caramel and fudgy fish are a winning combination.”

A flavor named after a member of Grateful Dead (HRH Jerry Garcia) is pretty much the most Ben & Jerry’s thing to ever happen. The cherry ice cream base is luscious, sweet and milky, and the fudge flakes are just the right thickness to impart a bittersweet edge without breaking your teeth or dominating the overall taste. But those cherry pieces! Their texture is incredible—tender yet chewy, a touch snappy, never icy or brain-freeze-inducingly cold.

Yes, this iconic flavor is hands-down my favorite of all time, but I’m not the only one. Just ask PureWow senior editor Dana Dickey. “The plentiful, juicy, large pieces of fruit are a tangy and syrupy counterpoint to the potent fudge chunks,” she explains. “These two big flavors go perfectly together, just like co-founder Ben Cohen and lefty Vermont politics!”