With summer in full swing, few treats rival the nostalgic joy of an ice cream sandwich. To determine the best store-bought options, editors conducted a blind taste test of 16 widely available brands—11 classic chocolate wafer varieties and five cookie-based sandwiches. The results revealed two clear standouts: Crav’n and Trader Joe’s.
The Taste Test Methodology
To ensure fairness, each ice cream sandwich was evaluated without any brand identifiers. Editors sampled in randomized order to minimize palate fatigue, and each product was rated based on ice cream quality, wafer or cookie texture, and overall flavor balance.
Best Classic Wafer Sandwich: Crav’n
Crav’n’s vanilla ice cream sandwich earned top marks for its balanced flavor and nostalgic appeal. Tasters praised its creamy vanilla filling and chocolate-forward wafers that struck the right balance between firm and tender. The inclusion of buttermilk may have given it a more complex dairy flavor, distinguishing it from competitors.
Best Cookie Sandwich: Trader Joe’s Sublime Ice Cream Sandwich
Among cookie-based contenders, Trader Joe’s Sublime Ice Cream Sandwich impressed with its natural vanilla flavor and generous semisweet chocolate chunks. While some tasters found the sweetness on the high side, most agreed the chewy cookie and creamy ice cream made for an irresistible combination.
Runners-Up Worth Mentioning
Friendly’s Friendwich: Lauded for its rich chocolate wafers and creamy, traditional vanilla flavor.
Fatboy Premium Vanilla: Though polarizing due to its artificial notes, some tasters loved its buttery richness and sturdy texture.
365 by Whole Foods Market Milk & Cookies: A close second in the cookie sandwich category, praised for its tender cookie and balanced flavor.
Takeaways on Ice Cream Quality
Most sandwiches contained stabilizers to maintain their structure through shipping and storage cycles—a necessity for mass-market ice cream products. However, both winning brands avoided some of the more processed additives like mono- and diglycerides, relying instead on natural flavors and stabilizers such as guar gum and locust bean gum.
The Verdict
While taste preferences vary, Crav’n and Trader Joe’s emerged as crowd-pleasers with mass appeal. Whether you’re stocking up for a backyard gathering or looking to cool down with a nostalgic treat, these top picks offer the ideal mix of creamy ice cream, satisfying texture, and flavor-packed indulgence.
Their success also signals promising potential for ice cream franchise opportunities, showing that consumer demand for high-quality frozen treats remains strong, especially when classic comfort and clean flavors lead the way.
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