REVIEW: Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough has always been the gold standard for what cookie dough flavored ice cream is supposed to taste like. It wasn't until recently that I discovered not only had Ben & Jerry's set the bar, but they were also the originators of this now-classic concoction. Inspired by an anonymous note left on a suggestion board, Ben & Jerry's blended up the first batch of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream back in 1984. Following it's scoop shop success, they rolled this flavor into freezer aisles across the country in 1991. Putting the more perplexing pints off for a while, I'm ready to retry some proven favorites and lay some building blocks to the foundation of the blog.

I consider myself somewhat of a late addition to the long list of cookie dough ice cream lovers. Whenever I thought of cookies, they were always warm, gooey and falling apart when you picked them up; not cold and uncooked. Ben & Jerry's describes this classic as vanilla ice cream with gobs of chocolate chip cookie dough. With the lid removed to this 270 calorie per serving, super premium pint, the first layer looked innocent enough with only a few fudge chunks and a lone cookie dough ball pushing through the top. The vanilla base is slow-melting, has a dense consistency and, even though it's subtle, is able to keep my taste buds interested. It's smooth, creamy and mild enough to disappear at an alarming rate. It's an ideal canvas to not only advertise the virtues of their classic vanilla, but also to showcase the cookie dough mix-ins to come.

It wasn't until I dug a little deeper that the real fun began. Hiding under that layer of vanilla ice cream are those glorious gobs of chocolate chip cookie dough. As I began to uncover the piece after piece, the sweet smell tempted me to preheat my oven. They're certainly big enough to bake. Although some are bigger than others, they're great no matter what the size. They also tend to roam together in packs, so when you run across one you can be sure that more are following closely behind. Ben & Jerry's allows their fudge flakes to fill in the voids that the cookie dough manages to miss; even though they're included in the cookie dough balls as well.

After having a few full-sized pieces of cookie dough dripping in vanilla ice cream I can certainly see what all the fuss is about. These bundles of joy are jam-packed with flavor and the granulated, gritty texture is tremendous. The tiny chocolate chips finish off each bite and act as the perfect accompaniment to these bite-sized dough balls. These aren't made to be chomped on once and swallowed. These linger around much longer than the ice cream itself and take lots of chewing before they completely break down. It's a task I'm willing to take on time and time again.

Although I passed on this one for years, I'm certainly glad I decided to go back and brush up on my basics. Classics like this are easy to overlook when peering through the freezer. And don't miss out on a full pint for one of the personal servings either. The cookie dough dots in the small cups can't even compare to the ones in the larger cartons. Splurge for the full-size pint and enjoy all the cookie dough deliciousness Ben & Jerry's has to offer.

Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: B