REVIEW: Blue Bunny Super Chunky Cookie Dough

I recently ran across a flavor from Blue Bunny that I hadn’t had the opportunity to try yet. Taking the same strategy as 2nd St. Creamery did with their Can’t Tell Me No! Cookie Dough, Blue Bunny also opted for a cookie dough swirl in their carton of Super Chunky Cookie Dough.

This 180 calorie per serving premium ice cream has quite an impressive ingredient list which reads as cookie dough ice cream with chocolate chip cookie dough chunks, cookie dough batter ribbon and chocolate flakes. I always appreciate the fact that Blue Bunny tries to incorporate the theme of their flavors directly into the base ice cream instead of using a more traditional flavor.

In this instance, the cookie dough ice cream is a nice touch. It doesn’t differentiate that much from vanilla, but incorporates just enough cookie dough sweetness to let you know its intentions. The thick ribbon of batter is soft, spreads easily and really intensifies the cookie dough flavoring. Blue Bunny finishes this off with a large amount of marble-sized cookie dough bites.

Not only did they include chocolate chips in the cookie dough itself, but also in the surrounding cookie dough ice cream. The result is cookie dough overload, but one that I enjoyed. This doesn’t come close to being the best cookie dough on the market, but like most ice creams out there, was still worth trying once.

Where I Found It: Walmart
Grade: B

READER REVIEW: Bob's Review of Ben & Jerry's Half Baked

Chocolate and vanilla ice cream with gobs of chocolate chip cookie dough and fudge brownies is what this pint gives and with that it does deliver in regard to the cookie dough. The base is a good blend of chocolate/vanilla mixture that would remind you of a soft serve cone from Dairy Queen that melts in your mouth.

The key feature though are the chunks of cookie dough. Literally you are looking at 1" chunks of cookie dough at some points that aren't rock hard, but have a nice, rich and chewy texture. The fudge brownie pieces I found more towards the bottom of the pint, which were good and again not hard as rocks. I would still claim 2nd St. Creamery has better brownies in its Tons of Brownies pint, but overall this is a solid pint for a Cookie Dough/Brownie Lover. This is a reason why its a staple on the Ben & Jerry's line-up as a classic. It delivers.

Where Bob Found It: Winn-Dixie
Bob's Grade: A

Instagram: Blue Bell's Christmas Cookies Is Back!

As we reminded everyone earlier today via our Instagram feed, Blue Bell is currently offering their legendary Christmas Cookies flavor. Ranked in our top 5 Blue Bell flavors of all time, this one features your favorite holiday cookies - chocolate chip, snickerdoodle and sugar - combined in a tasty sugar cookie ice cream with red candy cane-shaped sprinkles and a green icing swirl throughout. A very merry flavor!

READER REVIEW: Kenneth's Review of Ben & Jerry's Half Baked

Here's another review of an old favorite from The Retail Judge:

Few Ben & Jerry's variants can be considered as quintessential as Half Baked. The premise is that two flavors (Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Chocolate Fudge Brownie) are combined for an even greater experience. Two simultaneous ice creams with brownies and cookie dough already sounds like a knockout. As such, my expectations are quite high.

Lid removed, the initial layer begins to remind me of a half moon cookie, something I think looks better than it tastes. Fortunately, my first scoop wipes such an association away. Even without help from the profuse mix-ins, the employed combination base matches Ben & Jerry's renowned density. Flavor-wise, the chocolate definitely stands out, it being the typical, near-dark type used in other flavors (Truffle Trifecta, Chocolate Peppermint Crunch).

Yet the time for Half Baked's base to stand alone is short-lived, at best. Loads of the thick, touted brownies and sharp, sweet cookie dough gobs keep popping up, even when scrapping the bottom of the pint. Thanks to the temperature and surrounding ice cream, the brownies prove to be both sticky and chewy. It's an immensely gratifying experience. Not to be outdone, the cookie dough works well with the vanilla ice cream, especially from a textural standpoint. Everything comes together to create a rich, sweet experience with breaks and sways in flavor and consistency. And because this pint is packed more than just about any milkshake, it means further enjoyment will come from the added chew factor.

I can't think of another variant in Ben & Jerry's line-up that truly shows why they've become such a popular, acclaimed brand. The strange thing about Half Baked and its popularity is that there aren't more flavors like it. Simply merging two complementary flavors can clearly produce some impressive results, so why haven't they offered more of these in pint form? It's a question we may never see answered. Regardless, Half Baked is one of the ultimate forces in Ben & Jerry's catalogue. If it isn't their best offering, it's quite possibly their best non-exclusive choice.

Where Kenneth Found It: Walgreens
Kenneth's Grade: A

REVIEW: PET Cookies N' Cream Extreme

Following a brief and somewhat mediocre introduction to PET ice cream through flavors like Nutty Buddy Cone Crunch, Banana Split and Moose Tracks, their recently released Cookies N’ Cream Extreme was enough to catch my attention. This combination of chocolate ice cream with chocolate sandwich cookie pieces swirled with chocolate cookie crumb ribbon sounded reminiscent of the Walgreens exclusive from Haagen Dazs, Midnight Cookies N’ Cream. I remembered how well PET had done the various swirls in the previous flavors I’d tried from them, so I was paying close attention to the chocolate cookie crumb ribbon to come.

My ice cream scoop didn’t make it far through this reasonably dense, 170 calorie per serving ice cream before running into some serious concentrations of chocolate. Once I managed to collect some sizable scoops in a bowl, I went in for my first bite and first taste of PET’s chocolate base. This premium ice cream, while rich, melts down quickly enough to avoid become overbearing, which is nice considering there’s no end in sight to this chocolate onslaught. PET was seemingly a little stingy with their chocolate sandwich cookie pieces and most of the pieces I came across were small in size. Regardless of their stature, just the base ice cream and the cookies were a successful combination.

The real crowning achievement of this Cookies N’ Cream Extreme comes from the mountains of chocolate cookie crumb swirl that slices its way throughout the entire carton. This swirl has the richness of fudge and the finishing gritty consistency of a crunchy chocolate cookie. When put together with the other components, an A rating is definitely in order.

Where I Found It: Walmart
Grade: A

READER REVIEW: Steve's Review of Blue Bell Christmas Cookies

When it comes to the holidays I'm old school, which in my book means that Christmas season doesn't start until Black Friday after Thanksgiving. But Blue Bell must think otherwise, because passing by my local Walmart freezer today I noticed their "Christmas Cookies" flavor staring back at me. Being a lover of Christmas and cookies, I just had to try this!

Blue Bell describes "Christmas Cookies", part of their Holiday Favorites lineup, as a sugar cookie flavored ice cream with chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, and sugar cookies with red candy cane shaped sprinkles and a green icing swirl. Peeling back the lid, I noticed the presence of just about all of these elements, especially the green icing swirl and the red candy sprinkles. Digging in, my spoon quickly encountered resistance as it collided with unknown cookie pieces and the feast was on!

A half-hour and an empty container later, I concluded that Christmas Cookies is a wonderful ice cream. The base itself is both a bit creamier than Blue Bell's vanilla and sweeter too, much like a good sugar cookie. The green icing is not a mint flavor, but more like a rich and creamy birthday cake icing, similar to the kind my mom would squeeze out of a tube onto her cookies, while the red candy sprinkles combine with the green icing to provide a cheerful Christmas-like aesthetic. Best of all, the three mix-ins are each delicious and are generously distributed throughout the container. I would say the snickerdoodle and sugar cookie mixes are more plentiful than the chocolate chip, but all three are in abundance, and we are not talking little pieces but rather nice size chunks of each! Also, this ice cream has great synergy. As good as the ingredients sound separately, they gel together even better. Once the ice cream starts to melt a little, the creamy base, swirling icing, and cookie chunks melt into one bodacious mass of ice cream flavor, and because you get three different types of cookies, different combinations of these chunks produce different flavors, so the taste-buds are continuously stimulated in different but always delicious ways.

I'm grateful that Blue Bell thinks the Christmas season starts in late October, because that means we get this great flavor now rather than later. I advise all ice cream lovers to get this while it lasts!

Where Steve Found It: Walmart

Steve's Grade: A

And here's my review of the exact same flavor they release in the Summer, which they call Christmas Cookies in July:

READER REVIEW: Arjun's Review of Turkey Hill Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

While missing out on excellent flavors available in other regions of the country such as Blue Bell, I am in the prime location for Turkey Hill. Turkey Hill does not challenge the limits of ice cream innovation or present unique flavors, but its combinations are tried and true.

Cookie dough is my go-to-flavor whenever I am trying a brand or parlor for the first time, so it is my barometer for that brand’s appeal and competence. Peeling off the elongated lid on the 12-serving, 6-cup container, the flavor reveals itself as an aesthetic delight hanging true with the description of brown sugar and molasses flavored ice cream swirled with chewy cookie dough and dark chocolate chips (from Turkey Hill’s website). The chocolate chips coyly pop up in the surface like shy kid hiding behind a door; you know that they are there but it will take effort to get them out. One of the two mix-ins are apparent, but the chocolate chips are only the opening act to the main event of the cookie dough pieces. The pieces are the perfect compact size: not too small to be characterized as flakes or shavings and not so large so as to fall off the precipice of your spoon. The three distinct colors of the chocolate chips, cookie dough, and vanilla ice cream provide a visually scrumptious mesh – the ideal spoonful is manipulating a cookie dough piece, some chip pieces, and enough ice cream to cover the mix-ins. You also know that you are in the realm of premium ice cream because the dessert does not melt into a repulsive soup while you are trying to enjoy it, a problem that I have experienced with other so- called premium ice creams.

The mix-ins are abundant, especially the star cookie dough. The ratio suits my liking, though I am sure that it certainly could not suffer through the addition of even more cookie dough pieces. I do not hoard cookie dough pieces in a corner and reserve them for a few glorious bites at the end, but you will have plenty of spoons full if you are so inclined to do so. Each serving contains many dispersed pieces, so you will not be disappointed if you only have a serving or two. The chocolate chips may leave something to be desired (perhaps I’m a little biased because I just had Graeter’s), as they are neither large nor particularly enriching, but they compliment the cookie dough and are spread out evenly throughout the carton. The pictures should convey the even distribution.

Turkey Hill knows what it is doing when it combines the tried and true flavors of the ice cream canon, like chocolate chip cookie dough. A swirl or additional mix-in could enhance this obviously, but if you are looking for a stable flavor with a delicious ice cream and one star mix-in, pick this carton up and enjoy. It lives up to the description, but you may want to add in your own mix-ins for a unique experience. Happy scooping.

Where Arjun Found It: Giant Eagle

Arjun's Grade: B

READER REVIEW: Bob's Review of Handel's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Upon getting this pint for my brother, I had to sneak in and grab an extra pint in my cooler to try out myself because he raved its the best chocolate chip and cookie dough he has had and trumps 2nd Street's Creamery which blew my mind. Handel's again makes everything homemade and they pack in THICK and dense chocolate chips that are close to Graeter's and cookie dough chunks that are like small golf balls in their mixture.

Upon my first bite it was clear that this was going to be a keeper. The vanilla base is more like a true cake batter flavoring with a rich vanilla aftertaste that is very refreshing. Now looking into the mix-ins they are everywhere. Its like spoonfuls in every bite, literally this was 50% mix in and 50% ice cream which made me excited because I am a mix-in junkie. The chocolate chips are dense and not hard as a rock like Ben & Jerry's, but are like a fresh Hershey's bar as far as texture and start to melt in your mouth which is incredible. The cookie dough pieces are like straight from a package you would grab at the grocery store but split into massive chunks instead of small flakes like in many ice creams you may come across.

As I dug down into the pint, it was evident that you are getting so many mix-ins and so much flavor from the base, chocolate chips and cookie dough pieces that its a true winner. This is hands down the best cookie dough I have had. If this had a swirl it may be the best ice cream mixture I ever had, but for not even having a swirl, this was just remarkable. Everything again goes hand in hand with each other and the amount of mix-ins is why I rate it so high. Don't get me wrong, the Graeter's I had was good, but this is a touch above as far as the base goes and the amount of mix-ins hence why I still give it an A rating. If this had a swirl, this would again may be the best I have ever come across since cookie dough is amazing.

Overall, for anyone who enjoys chocolate chips, a good vanilla base that has a cake batter flavoring, or cookie dough you must try this if you ever run across and Handel's in the Pennsylvania/Ohio areas. There are a few more outside of those states but that is where they dwell. This is something everyone should run across or try to visit if they are in the area!

Where Bob Found It: Handel's Ice Cream (Pittsburgh, PA)
Bob's Grade: A

READER REVIEW: Bob's Review of Graeter's Cookie Dough Chocolate Chip

It has been a while since I have ventured towards the Graeter’s line. I have no idea why besides variety, but after my trip to Columbus with fellow reviewer (Winston), it just reminded me truly how much I have missed the company and their products. Being an individual who thrives off mix-ins and a good base ice cream, Graeter's does nothing but meet those expectations to the best degree in my opinion (and very close to 2nd Street Creamery). Even though this pint (Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough) may seem boring and bland, it does nothing but deliver.

Upon cracking the lid, you are presented with a very fine, rich, and creamy vanilla base. The best part is that compared to a Ben & Jerry’s it has a small aftertaste of a cheesecake/cake batter vanilla base, which is divine. Its very good to be honest, and it is perhaps one of my favorite vanilla ice creams (2nd Street Creamery is very close with their Can’t Tell Me No! Cookie Dough). Also, if you know Graeter’s, they do not short change you with mix-ins and you can even see that on the initial layer. Most ice cream pints you buy you do not see what you are getting into until you dig into the pint for a few bites. Graeter’s on the other hand, from top to bottom, you are getting mix-in heaven. This is another reason why I truly love this brand.

The first bite was nothing short of great. A huge chocolate chip chunk (which Graeter’s thrive off of) and a good dose of a creamy and cake batter like vanilla base that has a very lasting aftertaste and acts as the perfect compliment to a chocolate chip piece. Now if you are new to Graeter’s, you may wonder how large and why these mix-ins are so large? Well that is how Graeter's’ is. Some of the chunks I have seen, like when I got a brownie Sundae at a Graeter’s Scoop Shop in Columbus, are as long as 1/2"-3/4" in diameter. It’s honestly like they took a Hershey bar and failed at breaking it up in their pints or their scoop shops. Don’t be surprised when you run into a very thick/dense mix-in. This is a normal sighting and my second piece of a chocolate chip was the exact same way (the one not on my spoon in the picture).

As I ventured my way through the pint, the mix-ins continued to get larger and larger and more profound which is pretty common in a Graeter’s Pint. The cookie dough balls are in every other bite, and the chocolate chips are in the bites in between, so every single bite you are leaving with a nice mix-in with a very good base ice cream. What is crazy, is that if you look at all the mix-ins, the pint is nearly 50% ice cream and 50% mix-in (and sometimes even more mix-in than ice cream). The cookie dough pieces are good, but not the best. I would rank 2nd Street's Can’t Tell Me No! Cookie Dough superior due to the cookie dough swirl it offers, but the chocolate chip pieces in this really makes Graeter’s a close call for my favorite cookie dough flavored ice cream in pint form. The cookie dough pieces are a nice size and remind me of the ones in Ben & Jerry pints like Half Baked and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (Graeter’s pints has a better base and better mix-ins than Ben & Jerry’s version in my opinion).

Overall though, it tastes like you wrapped some fresh cookie dough right into a small circle and threw it right into the fold. If you are looking for a divine swirl, look to 2nd Street Creamery. If chocolate chips in large masses were up your alley, this pint would be something to highly consider. Again, I would rank Graeter’s above Ben & Jerry’s base/mix-in wise, but this is very on par with 2nd Street’s Can’t Tell Me No! Cookie Dough.

Where Bob Found It: Giant Eagle

Bob's Grade: A

REVIEW: HT Trader's Cookie Dough & Brownies

Harris Teeter, a high-end supermarket chain spread across eight Southern states, recently opened up a new location in Asheville, so it was only appropriate to go check out their ice cream selection. I made the drive across town and fought with the terrible traffic flowing in and out of the parking lot, but I eventually made my way to the freezer aisle. Even though they offered products from 2nd St. Creamery and Graeter’s along with all the expected, nationwide companies, I struggled to find one flavor I hadn’t tried yet that peaked my interest (a growing problem). With all the top-tier creameries failing to grab my attention, I turned to Harris Teeter’s generic brand, HT Traders. They offered a handful of simple and straightforward flavors, but the most appealing came from their Cookie Dough & Brownies, a premium impersonation of Ben & Jerry’s super-premium Half Baked.

At only 200 calories per serving, this mix of chocolate chip cookie dough and fudge brownies swirled in ice cream is less dense than its inspiration. Just by holding the pint in my hand, HT Trader’s Cookie Dough & Brownies is noticeably lighter in weight than the exact same amount of servings from Ben & Jerry’s. Even though the description doesn’t specify what ice creams are used, once I take off the top, I see it’s the same combination of chocolate and vanilla I had been expecting. After sampling each of the bases by themselves, these are simple and uninspiring. The basic taste and light feel makes this duo pretty average in comparison to other chocolate and vanilla ice creams. As is often the case when dealing with a chocolate and vanilla combination, the chocolate seemingly overpowers the vanilla and gives the impression that there’s an uneven ratio of each, however once I scooped some into a bowl, it was obvious there wasn’t very much vanilla in this particular pint.

While Ben & Jerry’s spoils us with oversized brownies from Greyston Bakery and big balls of uncooked chocolate chip cookies, the mini mix-ins from HT Trader’s aren’t quite as impressive. Their versions are small cubes and even though the taste is great, the size severely impacts the experience. Despite their petite stature, the rich brownies and gritty cookie dough squares are still the perfect company for vanilla and chocolate ice creams. Unfortunately, when I’m looking for this particular combination, the proven favorite still has a considerable advantage over this version from Harris Teeter.

Where I Found It: Harris Teeter
Grade: C

READER REVIEW: Kenneth's Review of Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Here's yet another review from our friend over at The Retail Judge, Kenneth:

I won't deny feeling a bit odd reviewing Blue Bell's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough AFTER evaluating Krazy Kookie Dough. The disturbingly colorful pint certainly got crazy with the amount of sugar cookie dough included, but the actual flavor (and overall experience) was a different story. Before this, a recent re-scooping of Ben & Jerry's Half Baked reminded me just how great Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough can be. Combine this with my inclination towards Blue Bell and I decided to snag up their version of this common go-to flavor.

Visually, Blue Bell make a good first impression on the top layer. Plenty of small, individual chocolate chips and a few cookie dough gobs are already greeting my eyes. As expected, the employed base is one of Blue Bell's tasty vanilla offerings. The flavor is smooth, creamy and moderately indulgent. Here to accentuate the solid foundation is a helping of small, rounded cookie dough gobs. These taste as you'd like and expect, given Blue Bell's reputation. It literally mimics the taste and feel of those bake-in-the-oven cookies you buy in the dairy section. They're doughy, chocolatey and, combined with the separate chips, allow the ice cream to become even more enjoyable.

I will admit, however, to being spoiled by Krazy Kookie Dough because, in spite of its unremarkable flavor, the sheer frequency of the cookie dough elevated each scooping session. This more traditional version is the exact opposite. Just about everything here tastes great, but it's far easier to encounter scoops devoid of any cookie dough. And though I attest that Blue Bell's vanilla base can satisfy on its own, I won't deny being disappointed by the moderate-at-best mix-in presence.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is a tough flavor to get wrong, and Blue Bell are as good an example as any to prove this. While the ice cream doesn't win any awards for copious mix-ins, the end result is still very satisfying and easy to put away in one or two sittings.

Where Kenneth Found It: Walgreens
Kenneth's Grade: B

REVIEW: Kemps Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Frozen Yogurt

Over my ice cream eating career, I’ve found it useful to always keep a carton of something low calorie on hand for those times when you’re looking for quantity over quality. Remembering how much bang for my buck I got with Kemps Chocolate Caramel Brownie Frozen Yogurt back in December 2012, I once again looked to Kemps for my next frozen yogurt fix. For whatever reason, the only store in my area that carries Kemps products, solely stocks their frozen yogurts and none of their more interesting sounding actual ice creams like Mini-sota Donut and Throwback GooGoo Cluster. Instead of a chocolate based option like last time, this time I went with their Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Frozen Yogurt that Kemps describes as chunks of chocolate chip cookie dough blended with smooth and creamy vanilla frozen yogurt.

At only 140 calories per serving, and only 4 grams of fat (only 2 grams saturated), a substantial sized bowl should fit easily into anyone’s diet. Although I’ve only reviewed frozen yogurt a few times on this blog, I’m prepared for the fast melting base that more than likely makes up this flavor. With the top taken off, the first layer still holds the imprint of the machine that pumped the 1.5 quarts into this container. The first layer confirms that not only has Kemps put chocolate chips into the actual cookie dough, but they’ve also littered the vanilla frozen yogurt with broken bits. My first bite of the vanilla base is just as expected: light, fluffy, mild, but nothing to complain about considering the calories involved.

Despite the light nutrition facts, Kemps still manages to pack in a large amount of cookie dough. These marble sized pieces are smaller than most of the chunks from super-premium companies, but they still possess that same sweet, buttery taste and chewy, granulated texture. The tiny bits of chocolate inside the dough and in the ice cream contribute very little besides the occasional rich finish to bites where they manage to stick around longer than the other components. This ended up being exactly what I was expecting, which was excellent for a frozen yogurt, but pretty mediocre when compared to everything else. Regardless, it’s always good to have something low-calorie on hand and Kemps frozen yogurt flavors fit the bill nicely.

Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: C