We Tried 9 Chocolate Ice Creams — These Are the 3 Worth Buying

Chocolate ice cream doesn’t get the hype it deserves. When done well, it can be as creamy as a mousse, as rich as ganache, or as decadent as lava cake. And unlike vanilla, it’s so bold it can’t hide behind toppings.

But with such a wide variety of pints and tubs to choose from, which ones deserve a permanent spot in your freezer? We tested nine of the most popular brands side by side to find out. 

How we determined the contenders

For this taste test, we selected nine of the most popular chocolate ice cream flavors available nationwide. We did not include any nondairy ice creams or “light ice cream” like Halo Top or Nick’s. We did, however, include Edy’s, which is technically not ice cream but a frozen dairy dessert (it doesn’t meet the FDA minimum of 10% dairy milk fat), since it is one of the most well-known brands.

We skipped any chocolate flavors that had mix-ins, such as fudge, chocolate chips, or brownies.

How we tested

We gathered a team of seven Food & Wine editors, all of whom were unaware of which brands we would be trying. We scooped the ice creams into paper bowls labeled by number and set them over ice to prevent them from melting quickly. Throughout the taste test, if we noticed an ice cream was getting too melty, we refreshed the bowl with more scoops. 

We asked editors to rate the ice creams based on flavor and texture. For flavor, we wanted ice creams with high-quality dairy balanced by sweetness, and strong, complex chocolate notes. For texture, we looked for ice creams that were smooth, creamy, and dense — nothing icy or grainy. We also gave each product an overall score based on our personal preferences and how likely we’d be to buy it again.

We averaged the scores to determine the three best chocolate ice creams on the market. 

Best overall: Van Leeuwen Chocolate French Ice Cream

This ice cream from New York City–based scoop shop Van Leeuwen is made with egg yolks, cocoa liquor, and high-quality cocoa powder from República del Cacao, and was the closest to restaurant-quality that we tasted. It was ultra-creamy, with a custardlike consistency and bold flavor.

“It leans savory in a good way,” said Melanie Hansche, editorial director of special projects. “Dark chocolate fans who don’t like their desserts overly sweet will like this one.”

This ice cream is so good, it doesn’t need toppings. Simply scoop it straight from the pint and enjoy its decadence.

Best budget ice cream: Friendly’s Forbidden Chocolate Premium Ice Cream

We were pleasantly surprised to find out that our runner-up ice cream was also one of the least expensive we tried, at only $7.50 for 1.5 quarts. Friendly’s Forbidden Chocolate ice cream was rich, creamy, and light, akin to chocolate mousse. “This tastes like a Fudgsicle,” said Social Media Editor Alexa Rockwell.

While some editors found this ice cream too sweet, we appreciated that the dark cocoa remained center stage. For the low price, it’s worth a try — especially as the base for a milkshake or an icebox cake.

Most reliable: Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Ice Cream

Häagen-Dazs dominated our vanilla ice cream taste test, and its chocolate ice cream had a strong showing as well. Made simply with cream, skim milk, cane sugar, cocoa, and egg yolks, this ice cream is an uncomplicated classic. 

We found its milk chocolate flavor to be simple but well balanced. “It straddles right in the middle in terms of intensity,” said Hansche. “It feels like this would be a dependable choice,” added Restaurant Editor Erika Adams. Thick and just creamy enough, this is the prototypical chocolate ice cream — exactly what you’d expect from your average scoop shop. 

The full list of contenders, from highest to lowest ranked

1. Van Leeuwen Chocolate French Ice Cream
2. Friendly’s Forbidden Chocolate Premium Ice Cream
3. Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Ice Cream
4. Jeni’s Darkest Chocolate Ice Cream
5. Jeni’s Milkiest Chocolate Ice Cream
6. Edy’s Chocolate Frozen Dessert
7. Turkey Hill Dutch Chocolate Ice Cream
8. Alden’s Organic Chocolate Ice Cream
9. Breyers Chocolate Ice Cream