I first noticed Krazy Kookie Dough in a half-gallon at Wal-Mart, but didn't want to splurge over seven dollars on such a large container. Luckily, a bit of patience and looking around drew me to a pint of said flavor. For the most part, Blue Bell have maintained a solid reputation for enjoyable, quality ice cream. And though I had yet to try their traditional Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, I figured their "Cake Batter Ice Cream with Sugar Cookie Dough Pieces" would prove a tough combination for the cake lover in me to dislike.
Pulling the lid off reveals the bright yellow cake batter base, its color blending perfectly with the container. As you can imagine, it's quite freaky. Putting spoon to product tells me this is the usual consistency Blue Bell are known for, one that's soft, light and breaks away with little effort. That is, until I reach the first of many cookie dough pieces. Being a huge fan of Blue Bell's various vanilla bases, I assumed this would strike a similar level of excellence. And yet I can't help but feel there's something missing.
The first of two big surprises with Krazy Kookie Dough is just how plain the base seems, almost like a bland wedding cake. Over time, I grow used to the rather mild base, but I'm not ravenously scraping like I would an actual bowl of cake batter. The second surprise comes from the cookie dough pieces, and not just because of their highly saturated color. Blue Bell aren't exactly known for incorporating copious amounts of mix-ins, but before long, I'm looking at an overwhelming amount blue, green and pink. As for the taste and overall contribution, it does what you'd think sugar cookies would do when added to such a base. There's a sharper level of sweetness to go with them, but it's tough to not imagine myself eating pure sugar in the process.
I'll give Blue Bell props for packing so much inside a single pint, what with the birthday party-like color scheme going on. What's more is that, despite the artificial flavoring and 4 grams of trans fat, Krazy Kookie Dough avoids being overly sweet. Yet that's part of the problem I have with it. I don't seek cake flavored creations for a toned down experience, I seek it for that sweet, creamy indulgence such a flavor can bring in ice cream form. Where Ben & Jerry's Cake Batter had an incredible base but missed the mark by omitting any real mix-ins, Blue Bell falls short largely because of the unremarkable flavor combination. Normally I clear pints of Blue Bell so quickly, I feel like a crazed sugar hound. Krazy Kookie Dough, though far from unpleasant, proves to be unworthy of its proclamation.
Where Kenneth Found It: Winn-Dixie
Kenneth's Grade: C
