REVIEW: Cold Stone Creamery Pumpkin Pie in the Sky

Cold Stone Creamery is somewhat uncharted territory for our blog. We've tried some of their prepackaged containers, all of which have scored well, but it wasn't until the release of their Fall signature creations that we stopped in to review something freshly prepared. Bypassing the Campfire Classic (marshmallow ice cream with graham cracker pie crust, chocolate shavings and fudge), we went straight for their Pumpkin Pie in the Sky. Bringing together pumpkin ice cream with graham cracker pie crust, whipped topping and caramel, we opted for the "Love It" sized cup (medium). At around 750 calories for the moderate sized portion, this isn't very much bang for your caloric buck and at close to $5.00 with tax, the signature creations aren't light on the wallet either. Unfortunately for us, our ice cream creator even managed to leave out one of the four ingredients we were paying for by stopping a step short of the caramel sauce drizzle seen on the advertisement.

After being pulverized with two large metal spatula looking ice cream scoops for a substantial amount of time, the combination was at the ideal consistency for immediate consumption. With such relentless mixing, the bits of graham cracker had penetrated practically every bit of the pumpkin base. This not only added some graham cracker taste to each bite, but also a terrific texture; a smart strategy considering the mediocrity of their pumpkin ice cream. We've had quite a few different variations from various manufacturers at this point and Cold Stone Creamery's pumpkin base was middle of the road at best. The whipped topping helped round out the pumpkin pie theme, but added little as far as overall performance goes. We'd suggest checking out some of our other top performing pumpkin flavors before heading into a Cold Stone Creamery for your Fall fix.

Where I Found It: Cold Stone Creamery
Grade: B

READER REVIEW: Bob's Review of Dairy Queen Pumpkin Pie Blizzard

Tis the season and at Dairy Queen this is the Blizzard of the Month for October. Now I have had Handel's Pumpkin, Cold Stone Creamery Pumpkin, Graeter's Pumpkin, and Ben & Jerry's Pumpkin Cheesecake, so I can rate all of these towards the end of the review with my top 5. Seeing most of them deal with pumpkin, graham crackers, and some with cinnamon/nutmeg these should all go hand in hand to give you the rundown on the best pumpkin ice creams you could try (based off my taste buds).

Upon grabbing the Pumpkin Pie Blizzard, it's their generic vanilla soft serve, Libby's Pumpkin, graham cracker pieces, nutmeg, and whipped cream combined together. When the lady was making my Blizzard, I don't know if she was a deer in headlights after she saw me tip her a few bucks, but she immediately filled my blizzard with multiple layers of graham cracker pieces, Libby's and soft serve that left for a very thick and creamy Blizzard. The overall texture is on the thin side due to it being a soft serve, but that is to be expected. The whipped cream is generic as expected, but the little touch of nutmeg brings out a bit of the pumpkin flavoring. The overall amount of graham cracker pieces really aided this pint due to the basic libby pumpkin and vanilla base which is good.

After a bite or two, it was pretty evident that mine was loaded with graham cracker pieces, which made it much more enjoyable. I am a mix-in die hard and the amount of crunch it offered with the dense pumpkin flavoring was great as a compliment, but still lacked a bit of cinnamon or a cinnamon swirl that you kind of taste in other pumpkin ice creams. Ben & Jerry's has a better overall hint of pumpkin, but the amount of graham cracker pieces in Dairy Queen's trumps the graham cracker taste you get in Ben & Jerry's Pumpkin Cheesecake. The overall flavoring I would say beats out Graeter's, which I thought was subpar, but does not top Cold Stone Creamery or Handel's, which is still the king in my opinion.

As you get down into the pint, you are literally scooping up flakes and chunks of graham cracker pieces that my have not been broken up from the Blizzard machine during the mixing process and you still get the soft pumpkin flavoring from the vanilla base and pumpkin mix-in. The amount of whipped cream is just about gone, and the nutmeg that is sprinkled on top is non-existent at this point, but if you are a die hard or enjoy pumpkin then you will still enjoy the ice cream, which i did. Now, do I think Dairy Queen is a good buy? Overall, I would have to place this right in the center of the pack for my overall pumpkin ratings.

Where Bob Found It: Dairy Queen
Bob's Grade: B

REVIEW: Graeter's Pumpkin

When Graeter's sent me a cooler full of goodies, there was no doubt which pint was going to be the first to go. Soon after discovering that this limited edition flavor was being released for the Fall season, as well as trying a few other pumpkin-inspired offerings, this had catapulted to the top of my most wanted list. Originally titling this flavor Pumpkin Pie, Graeter's decided to drop the last part of the name in favor of just Pumpkin considering this is a base only offering with no pie crust pieces or whipped cream swirls inside.

I was a bit disappointed to find out I wouldn't get to taste any of Graeter's amazing mix-ins, but the fact that they claim to use authentic pumpkin pie filling directly in their French pot churning technique has me hopeful this can compete with flavors packing a more complete list of ingredients. At only 270 calories per serving, this isn't anywhere near the top as far as high-fat flavors from Graeter's are concerned, but remains pretty heavy for just a straightforward base. Popping off the lid uncovers a first layer that looks similar to vanilla, with only the slight orange hue hinting at it's true identity.

Digging my spoon deep inside for my first bite, the denseness is unprecedented. Even though there aren't any colossal chocolate chips or a plethora of pie crust pieces to wade through, it still takes a decent amount of effort to pull an entire spoonful out of the pint. With hardly any air incorporated during the manufacturing process, along with the high butterfat content, Graeter's Pumpkin lingers much longer than others before breaking down. Once I've wrapped my head around the superior consistency, I can focus on the interesting approach they've taken with incorporating pumpkin into this Fall flavor. Leaving the more aggressive, overly spiced tastes of pumpkin to brands like Publix Premium and Turkey Hill, Graeter's has decided to utilize a more subtle method.

They don't rely on cinnamon and sugar to mask the flavors of the actual pumpkin, but instead blend together just the right amount of sweetness and spices to help compliment the existing natural flavors of real pumpkins. By taking this simple technique, Graeter's allows the inside of the orange gourd to be the star of the dish, instead of being overpowered. Not only does the simplicity of the creation allow full concentration on the centerpiece of the flavor, but also allows appreciation of the French pot process along the way. The result is a smooth, velvety ice cream that others just aren't able to impersonate.

Taking some advice from Graeter's website that reminds us, "Don’t forget the whipped cream!" I tried a bit with some fresh whipped cream I had been looking for an excuse to use. The combination left me imagining the possibilities if they had decided to include whipped cream and pie crust, but simplicity is appreciated on this blog, and Graeter's approaches this flavor with a purist mindset. When you're at the top of the ice cream consistency charts, as Graeter's is, even simple offerings like this one end up with a high ranking.

Where I Found It: Graeter's Online Store
Grade: B

REVIEW: Blue Bell Century Sundae

The end of the month is usually pretty unexciting in the world of ice cream. Most new releases tend to come out near the beginning of a month, so finding interesting flavors to blog about can become pretty difficult at this point. Luckily, I ran across a Blue Bell flavor that I’d been dying to get my hands on: Century Sundae. This carton celebrates the 100 year anniversary of Blue Bell (established back in 1907) and includes the company’s all-time best seller, Homemade Vanilla. To accompany one of the best vanilla ice creams on the market, they’ve also included swirls of caramel and chocolate, whipped topping and maraschino cherries.

The ability of Blue Bell to keep these incredible creations under 200 calories per serving is always appreciated and they’ve managed to keep this one at 180 calories per serving. Unlike other companies, it doesn’t seem like they have to compromise taste or creativity to keep the nutrition facts in check either. They’ve found a happy medium between calories and overall experience that is unlike any other company I’ve found. The first layer of this particular flavor looks similar to many banana split offerings I’ve seen in the past, but became considerably better looking once a few scoops were taken out of the top.

Blue Bell’s Homemade Vanilla was impressive enough to secure a B back when I reviewed it by itself, so it came as no surprise that with the addition of a thick chocolate and caramel sauce, Century Sundae had enough to make the leap to the next level. The gaudy swirls flow throughout the entire carton and are included in high enough amounts that they force themselves into nearly every bite. While the cherries don’t add much aside from an authentic sundae feel, they don’t do any damage either. Seeing how well their Homemade Vanilla plays with others in Century Sundae, I’m surprised they don’t incorporate it into some of their more intricate flavors.

Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: A

REVIEW: High Road Strawberry Shortbread (Private Reserve)

After stumbling upon Peanut Butter Brittle and discovering how heavenly High Road ice cream could be with mix-ins involved, I jumped at the opportunity to review this Private Reserve pint of Strawberry Shortbread. I've yet to find a really well-executed version of anything involving strawberries, but I have high hopes considering High Road is at the helm.

The description above makes this strawberry-based flavor actually sounds alluring. Blue Bunny's Strawberries are Forever Shortcake and Blue Bell's Summer Strawberry Pie had both fallen well below this blog's standards, but after reading words like macerate, slow reduction and jammy syrup I think High Road may have this figured out. Pulling off the lid allows the slightly-sweet smell of strawberries and cream to escape. At first glance this looks like your standard vanilla, but the remnants of strawberry seeds in the base give away it's true identity. Scooping out my first bite, I'm immediately impressed with the quality and taste of this super-sweet strawberry ice cream.

Although not disclosed in the description, I assume High Road has mixed their macerated strawberry reduction with their incredible sweet cream mix to produce the ice cream packed in this pint, much like they did in Peanut Butter Brittle. The majority of the strawberry slivers were the ideal size. These barely-there bits of berry were few and far between, and because of their small stature, lacked the ice-cube consistency of larger pieces found in other flavors. Complex enough to keep me interested, the combination of ice cream and bits of strawberry have created a capable base to show off this shortbread.

The first few fragments I scooped out secured this flavor's fate. This is exactly how a high-grade strawberry shortbread ice cream should taste. These chunks of cookie cover all the textural aspects this ice cream had previously been missing. Adding a slight grit, as well as an initial crunch, these pieces of shortbread break down into chewy morsels that add some serious sweetness. Just when I thought I had reached the peak of this pint, I unearthed this mammoth of a mix-in.

Nearly spanning across the diameter of the container, this colossal chunk was almost too big to fit in one bite. Unhinging my jaw, this singular bite of shortbread, dripping in sweet, slightly-fruity ice cream ended up being one of the the best strawberry experiences I've ever had.

Where I Found It: Whole Foods Market
Grade: B

REVIEW: Dairy Queen Pumpkin Pie Blizzard (October 2013 Blizzard of the Month)

I’ve been a little preoccupied all month, hence the lack of reviews, but I found some free time on the first day of the month to check out Dairy Queen’s Blizzard of the month for October: Pumpkin Pie. This combination of pumpkin pie pieces blended in creamy vanilla soft serve crowned with whipped topping and nutmeg sounded like the perfect way to reward myself after a strenuous leg workout with plenty of heavy squats and lunges. Since starting this blog last year, I’ve been waiting for someone to churn out a product that does the pumpkin pie ice cream concept justice. Turkey Hill’s version with a cinnamon graham cracker swirl was the best I’d had, but I'd still seen plenty of room for improvement. After driving down the street to my local Dairy Queen and seeing the picture on the drive-thru sign, I went ahead and splurged for the medium.

I paid my $3.69 plus tax and pulled around to await my 770-calorie introduction to the fall season. The cup handed to me by the attendant was by far the best-looking Blizzard I’d received to date. It even looked better than the one on the advertisement; something that rarely happens. All the components were easily identifiable and had been left thick and chunky. The whipped topping dusted with orange nutmeg made this one of the most aesthetically pleasing ice creams I’ve photographed. Perhaps the most surprising part of all were the large concentrations of actual pumpkin pie filling. This also happened to be one of those cups that made it practically impossible to taste the vanilla base by itself. My best option was to just dig right in the way Dairy Queen had intended and that's what I did.

As expected, there was no lack of texture in this one. The pumpkin-infused, vanilla soft serve envelopes the light whipped topping, thick pumpkin pie puree and the same crunchy pie crust pieces that we’ve seen in their Lemon Meringue Pie and Banana Cream Pie Blizzards. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what component contributes the most, but they result is an easy A. My Dairy Queen always seems to impress with the amount of mix-ins they include in my cups, but this one was just outrageous. I would be willing to say the ratio of soft serve to pumpkin pie pieces was close to even. This also managed to come off as the most authentic pumpkin pie flavored ice cream I’ve had; largely because it’s mostly made up of pumpkin puree and pie crust squares. Hopefully, like the S’mores Blizzard from summer, Dairy Queen will keep this one around all season instead of just this month. With that said, it would still be nice to see this same concept and over-the-top mix-ins used by a super-premium ice cream company.

Where I Found It: Dairy Queen
Grade: A

REVIEW: Publix Premium Pumpkin Pie (Limited Edition)

With October fast approaching, creameries across the country have wasted no time in churning out their Fall-inspired flavors. I tend to choose a straightforward selection when introducing myself to a new brand, but after my eyes landed on this, there was no way I could opt for anything else. Donning a hearty piece of pie and a dollop of whipped cream, the fact that this was a generic brand made no difference to me. As I went through check out with my half gallon of Publix Premium Pumpkin Pie, the cashier complimented my purchase. She also informed me that the limited edition tagline shouldn't be taken lightly and that I should feel lucky that I was able to capture a carton considering how quickly they sell out.

Prior to this, the only pumpkin-infused flavor I had been able to procure was Pumpkin Cheesecake from Ben & Jerry's, which sold it's main ingredient a little short. Reincarnating one of my all-time favorite desserts in ice cream, Publix describes this as, "Pumpkin Pie flavored ice cream with swirls of whipped cream ribbon and bountiful buttery pie crust pieces throughout." Pulling off the top and tearing off the plastic protective film revealed a pastel-orange first layer with pieces of pie crust poking through the top.

As I overflow my bowl with scoop after scoop, the swirls of whipped cream and buttery pie crust pieces inside the velvety pumpkin pie ice cream have me salivating worse than one of Pavlov's dogs. I load my spoon full and prepare to see how Publix Premium stacks up against the competition. The pale orange ice cream was light and fluffy, lacking the heaviness of other higher calorie options. But for 170 calories per serving, the consistency was above average. The slight gummy texture was still present, but not nearly as bad as some other brands. As soon as this pumpkin pie flavored ice cream hits your tongue it becomes crystal clear what you're eating.

The taste is pretty spot on, bursting with notes of pumpkin pie spices, especially cinnamon and nutmeg. Intertwined with the base ice cream are some thick ribbons of whipped cream. Adding a textural difference, the whipped cream stays light and stringy, as well as bringing some additional sugar to the flavor. Unfortunately, because the pumpkin pie spices are so strong, the swirl just isn't that noticeable unless you're looking for it. Getting off to a solid start, the fate of this ice cream depend on the pie pieces. Utilizing power in numbers, Publix has packed this carton full of sizeable hunks of crust. After my pleasant experience with Private Selection Southern Recipe Banana Cream Pie, I had been on the lookout for more generic flavors employing pie crust and this fits the bill nicely.

These were actually better than I had anticipated. Although they weren't quite as big as the ones from Private Selection, they still had the same great texture. Depending on the bite, the pie crust pieces could be soft and chewy, or crunchy and flaky. The differing textures made each bite a new experience. Everything about this flavor was top-notch for a company that doesn't specialize in ice cream. I would love to see this concept put to use by other, super-premium brands that could execute with more precision. Either way, I'm excited for the bevy of Fall-inspired products to come.

Where I Found It: Publix Super Markets
Grade: C

REVIEW: Sam's Review of Dairy Queen's Pumpkin Pie Blizzard

Here's another review from a lucky recipient of our Dairy Queen Free Blizzard Giveaway:

I chose the pumpkin pie blizzard and was pleasantly surprised. As a summer baby, I love the hot weather and with fall approaching I have a lot of mixed feeling. The Pumpkin Pie Blizzard is the perfect transition into fall. I'm all about texture and prominent favors. This blizzard had both, the graham cracker pieces added just the right amount of crunch and the pumpkin flavor was both prominent but balanced. I was completely satisfied by the end. The service at our local DQ was also pleasant. Overall great experience!

Where Sam Found It: Dairy Queen

Grade: A

READER REVIEW: Mo's Review of Perry's Pumpkin Pie

There’s just something about the start of cool, crisp fall weather that makes me long for all things pumpkin. Whether it’s in the form of baked goods, a latte, or even a hearty stew, pumpkin is the one thing that’s pretty much guaranteed to make my taste buds very, very happy. So it made perfect sense that I found myself craving a bowl of pumpkin ice cream yesterday, and thankfully, I had wisely stashed a carton of Perry’s Pumpkin Pie in my deep freezer back when I stocking up during the summer.

This flavor is described as "pumpkin ice cream with swirls of whipped cream flavored ice cream and pie crust pieces.” Since I'm a fan of ice cream with contrast and crunch, I was really excited at the notion of getting some nice crust action mixed in with my ice cream. And the whipped cream swirl most certainly had me intrigued.

When I first popped open the lid, I was pleased to see the swirl already peeking through. And although I couldn’t immediately see any pie pieces, I wasn’t very worried since Perry’s is usually pretty solid when it comes to mix-ins.

I decided to try a taste of the base by itself before sampling it with the other components at play. The pumpkin flavor on its own definitely lived up to my expectations, which meant we were off to a good start. I then took a giant spoonful of ice cream that included the base’s accompaniments, and once again, I was by no means disappointed.

This flavor is essentially awesome pumpkin pie in a bowl. I was worried that the whipped cream swirl would wind up tasting artificial, but that isn’t the case at all. This flavor strikes the perfect balance of fall spice and sweetness. If I were to knock it at all, I’d say the one thing I would’ve wanted is a stronger pie piece presence. It’s not that Perry’s was stingy with the mix-ins; it’s just that the pie pieces are very heavily integrated into the base, which makes for a less obvious degree of contrast. But while the pie pieces aren't as prominent as those you'll find in Turkey Hill's Pumpkin Pie (one of my all-time favorites because of that pumpkin pie swirl alone), they still do a nice job of building up the flavor.

All in all, this is a really solid fall offering, and it sports the richness and creaminess that Perry’s is known for. In fact, now that I’ve had some, I’m suddenly motivated to go bake a pumpkin pie for the sole purpose of being able to top it with a scoop of this delightful concoction.

Where Mo Found It: Wegmans
Mo's Grade: A

REVIEW: Blue Bell Summer Strawberry Pie

I adore sampling seasonal selections during the sizzling, Summer months. Blue Bell has put in some real effort to shove out a serious amount of these cool, heat-beating creations. Their Key Lime Pie was disappointing, but their Southern Blackberry Cobbler was a step in the right direction. So what would this July rotational flavor hold in store for me?

This pink pint looks like something you'd decorate a newborn girl's nursery with. I have no idea what Summer Strawberry Pie is, but Blue Bell boasts that this salmon-colored selection is, "A luscious strawberry ice cream combined with sweetened strawberries, flaky pie crust pieces and a whipped topping swirl." I haven't had any of Blue Bell's strawberry ice cream, but I was hoping it was as delicious as their homemade vanilla. With the lid removed, a colorful first layer of that luscious strawberry ice cream and wide stripes of whipped topping swirl are put on display.

Getting a nice gob of the strawberry ice cream first, I'm pretty impressed. I don't typically consider myself a supporter of strawberry, but this stuff is suitable for the job. Completing my navigation through Blue Bell's basis for their neapolitan, they certainly have a firm foundation. Their homemade vanilla, chocolate and strawberry are all strong, even when solo. The weightless whipped topping is heavily whirled about the entire pint, taking up only slightly less room than the strawberry ice cream itself. It's identical to frozen cool whip and lacks that overly sugared sensation of marshmallow found in pints of other manufacturers.

Off to a good start, my previous experiences with these remaining mix-ins mean this may have already reached it's ceiling. Crossing paths with my first piece of pie crust I already know what to expect. The saying goes, insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, but these particles of pie crust must be driving me mad. I keep expecting these to live up to their true potential, but once again, they end up insufficient.

But I'd take these tolerable chunks of pie crust over the icy, distracting segments of frozen strawberries. Ice cream topped with fresh, cool cuts of fruit can be refreshing, but just isn't cool when frozen rock solid and shoved down into containers. Luckily there were only six or seven of these solid chunks of strawberries strewn throughout.

Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: D