When I was a kid, I thought, when I’m an adult, I’m eating ice cream for dinner every day, and no one will stop me. I dreamed of bubble gum-flavored scoops with rainbow sprinkles, chocolate sauce, mini M&M’S, and whipped cream. A girl can dream.
My dream came true! As an adult, keeping a pint of ice cream in my freezer is standard policy. I eat it straight from the container whenever I want. Plus, I can’t think of a dessert that isn’t made better with a scoop of ice cream—grilled peaches, strawberry spoon cake, all the cobblers, you name it.
It’s safe to say that my tastes have grown, and my go-to is vanilla ice cream. Go ahead, call me “vanilla”—I’ll take it as a compliment! Vanilla ice cream is luxurious, subtle, and delicious. There’s no frozen treat as reliably delicious.
Since I buy ice cream so often, I tend to reach for what’s on sale. But should I? To find out, I asked professionally trained bakers and food editors to name their favorite brand of vanilla ice cream. They all gave me the same answer.
The Pro Bakers I Asked Asked
- Megan Ginsberg: Senior Editor for EatingWell and former pastry cook at Flour Bakery + Cafe
- Genevieve Yam: Culinary Editor for Serious Eats, formerly a cook at Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Per Se, and worked on the most recent edition of The Essential New York Times Cookbook
- Courtney Kassel: Editor for Allrecipes and formerly a professional cake decorator at Little Daisy Bake Shop
- Laurel Randolph: Senior Recipe Editor for Simply Recipes and award-winning baker
Simply Recipes / Ben & Jerry’s
The Best Vanilla Ice Cream, According to Pro Bakers and Food Editors
Laurel describes great vanilla ice cream as “creamy with real vanilla flavor.” It sounds simple, but surprisingly, not all vanilla ice creams are created equal. The unanimous vote for the best vanilla ice cream is Ben & Jerry’s. (According to Alexa Harrison, Public Relations Manager for Ben & Jerry’s, it’s so popular that it’s the only smooth flavor—without mix-ins—sold in a pint container.)
Laurel says, “Ben & Jerry’s vanilla is rich, creamy, and has the vanilla flavor I’m looking for—delicious alongside a dessert, in a sundae, or all on its own.” (Try a scoop on Laurel’s Peach and Raspberry Pandowdy!)
Genevieve, who taste-tested over 10 brands of vanilla ice cream for Serious Eats, says, “A lot of vanilla ice creams have an artificial aftertaste, but Ben & Jerry’s tastes like dairy that’s been infused with real vanilla. Of all the brands I tasted, it is the smoothest and creamiest. It also lacks the unpleasantly stretchy texture that some ice creams have because of all the stabilizers and gums manufacturers might add to manipulate an ice cream’s texture.
“I’m normally not one for vanilla ice cream—I much prefer strawberry or something with texture, like cookie dough—but Ben & Jerry’s is one I’d happily eat night after night,” she adds.
Megan says, “Ben & Jerry’s Vanilla Ice Cream is my go-to brand. I love how creamy it is and how it has a recognizable but not fake-tasting vanilla flavor.”
Courtney, who is lactose-intolerant, endorses Ben & Jerry’s reformulated vegan vanilla base for those who want a dairy-free alternative. “I was really impressed… It’s oat-based but neutral in flavor, which is hard to find in non-dairy ice cream, and has a shockingly creamy mouthfeel without being too rich.” Ben & Jerry’s does not carry a vanilla-only vegan ice cream but uses the base for several flavors with mix-ins.
I recently learned that Ben & Jerry’s employees can take home three pints of ice cream every day. I don’t know how I’d get any work done. My daily work checklist would include soaking in the sun, touching grass, and eating a pint of ice cream. A girl can dream.
