The world of peanut butter and chocolate ice cream creations is a competitive one to say the least. While I tend to shy away from Haagen Dazs due to their subtle use of mix-ins, their special edition Peanut Butter Pie seemed like a different take on a tried and true pairing. Described as “made with ribbons of smooth peanut butter and soft chocolate cookie pieces folded into creamy peanut butter ice cream”, it definitely seemed like a worthwhile pickup. Clocking in at 310 calories a serving, I rip off the seal to see what’s in store.
The surface is rather barren, but I know better than to judge a book by its cover. I delve into the light cream colored peanut butter ice cream. I have never had Haagen Dazs peanut butter base and it definitely caught me off guard. The sweet and slightly salty taste, combined with their well-known super silky consistency, is definitely a winner. The consistency is so smooth and fluffy that I immediately liken it to that of a peanut butter mouse. I’m not sure if my mind is just playing tricks on me, but the peanut butter base is eerily similar to the mouse like pudding found in that of a peanut butter pie. More than delighted with what I’ve already tried, I dig further to get to the mix-ins.
Once the first layer is gone the additions certainly shine. Chocolate cookies and peanut butter ribbons are seemingly endless. With the peanut butter base flavor already lingering in my mouth I first go for the chocolate cookies. The cookies are very soft, almost like that of an Oreo soaked in milk. The contrast with the base is spot on as expected. While I would prefer a more crunchy aspect to pair with the smooth base, the chewy cookies are definitely a unique mix-in that hit the spot.
Finally onto the peanut butter swirl. The peanut butter adds the crunchy mouthfeel much needed in an otherwise creamy creation such as this. The swirl adds the often overlooked salty aspect of peanut butter while going easy on the sweet side. Given that the base and the cookies offer plenty in the sweet notes department, the contrast provided by the swirl is perfect. There really isn’t much more to say here. A phenomenal base, two great mix-ins, contrasting textures and flavors make this arguably the best flavor Haagen Dazs has. All I can hope is this flavor never goes away.
Where Derek Found It: Giant Food
Derek's Grade: A
