After thoroughly enjoying both of the Cookie Creation flavors from Blue Bunny, Monster Cookie and White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie, I decided to check out their Peanut Butter Panic (which came recommended from a few fellow ice cream enthusiasts). This combination of powerful peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter and fudge sauces and overloaded with peanut butter cups looks impressive judging from the pictures on the outside of the carton, but I’ve been fooled before. While I’ve found most flavors to be hit or miss from Blue Bunny, most of their offerings still rank among my favorite for a lower-calorie, non-super premium ice cream. I also found out recently that one of my favorite new companies, 2nd St. Creamery, happens to be owned by Wells Enterprises, which also owns Blue Bunny.
Unlike many of their light options, this peanut butter based flavor balloons up to 200 calories per serving, which is approaching the same stats as a pint of super-premium. After unlocking the lid and pulling it back, the first layer is rather lacking aesthetically. The powerful peanut butter base shares the same color as their vanilla, but once I scrape off the first layer, the other ingredients are able to enhance the visuals of this flavor. Peanut Butter Panic uses the same base as Monster Cookie and provides the same sweet potency as I had remembered. The dense nature of the peanut butter gives this base a near–super-premium feel and would serve as a more-than-suitable foundation for the swirls and peanut butter cups to come, but don’t expect the same colossal cups as the ones used in some of the heavy hitters like Ben & Jerry’s Peanut Butter Cup.
Even though the ones included in Peanut Butter Panic are chopped up into much smaller pieces, they're still able to provide the same pleasant effect. While most swirls are petite when it comes to lower-calorie options, Peanut Butter Panic includes more than I had expected. While the fudge swirl is a little lacking in flavoring and texture, the peanut butter variety was thick and added the feel of authentic peanut butter. When both swirls were combined with a few peanut butter cup chunks and the peanut butter base, this was almost as good as the Cookie Creations I’d had prior. Although this can’t keep up with the super-premium peanut butter cup options, I’d definitely recommend Peanut Butter Panic if you're looking for a somewhat low-calorie, peanut butter fix.
Where I Found It: Walmart
Grade: B
