Author: Sean

After being a pivotal part of the Ben & Jerry’s European scene for years, the pre-packed Sundae has finally arrived in the States. Like 2021’s Topped lineup, these new flavors bring a plussed-up-pint experience to your home freezer. Ben & Jerry’s Sundaes combine all the usual chunks and swirls of B&J’s classics adorned with a new whipping topping and extra chunks. Interestingly, the first significant drop from the company this year saw the ice cream containers getting larger with Scoop-apalooza, and these new Sundaes are the first time I can recall seeing a 14.4-ounce package as opposed to the standard 16-ounce pint.

The newly added whipped topping has a texture very similar to Cool Whip. It doesn’t deflate like a proper whipped cream, but it also tempers quicker and is softer than your average ice cream base. However, it is devoid of an off-putting artificial taste. It’s firm enough to hold up some light chunks and swirls, but it’s a notable contrast to Ben & Jerry’s dense, full-fat ice cream. Now, onto the individual flavors:

Cookie Vermont-ster

Vanilla ice cream with chocolate chip cookies and chocolate cookie swirls topped with a fudge-swirled whipped topping and fudge chips.

This packaged ode to the epic Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop sundae experience is essentially a slight deviation from the classic Milk & Cookies pint, and it delivers just as much satisfaction as that lineup staple. Here we have fudge chips instead of chocolate chocolate chip cookies and a fluffy whipped topping that elevates the creaminess of the already smooth and delightful vanilla ice cream.

The biggest addition by subtraction to this flavor profile is the lack of double chocolate cookies, allowing the chocolate chip cookies to take center stage as the lone non-swirl mix-in. This brings a defined brown sugar flavor and excellent chewy cookie texture to nearly every bite. The fudge chips’ crunch is a welcome addition, but chocolate is definitely a complimentary taste amongst all the sweet vanilla and buttery cookie bliss.

Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup, 130g) 370 calories, 21 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 55 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 43 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 35 grams of total sugars, and 5 grams of protein.

Dulce De-lish!

Salted caramel ice cream with pecan toffee pieces and caramel swirls topped with caramel-swirled whipped topping and sea salt fudge chunks.

This is, as the name implies, absolutely delicious. The salted caramel ice cream is smooth and buttery, perfectly accented by the caramel swirls, which bring a solid, sticky sweetness to the rich, dense base. The whipped topping works seamlessly with the ice cream, accentuating the creaminess without particularly standing out, and the pecan toffee pieces bring a pleasant little crunch against all of the smoothness in the pint.

The only way this could be better is if the sea salt fudge chunks were also filled with caramel, but there’s so much caramel up and down this flavor that it’s much less of a need and more of a (selfish, caramel-loving) want.

Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup, 137g) 370 calories,18 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, 230 milligrams of sodium, 47 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 36 grams of total sugars, and 4 grams of protein.

Turtle Sundae

Buttery ice cream with fudge-covered almonds and pretzel swirls topped with a caramel-swirled whipped topping and fudge-covered pretzel pieces.

The buttery ice cream base is a lot like a sweet cream in that it provides a relatively blank flavor canvas but leans into the rich, buttery notes over the creamier, dairy-laden ones. It is exceptionally smooth and decadent and plays well with the fluffy caramel-laced whipped topping for a balanced, satisfying experience.

I don’t get quite as much pretzel swirl as I would like, but the ample amount of fudge-covered almonds and pretzel pieces bring more than enough crunchy saltiness to deliver on the turtle concept. I usually associate turtles with pecans, and while there are none here, I get some nutty, earthy pecan nuance from the pretzel pieces that tie the whole flavor together well. Fun fact: this is the only one of the initial four launch Sundae flavors to be new and exclusive to the US, which is a fitting homage to the turtle’s Midwest Chicago roots.

Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup, 134g) 400 calories, 23 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 55 milligrams of cholesterol, 300 milligrams of sodium, 42 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 30 grams of total sugars, and 5 grams of protein.

Choco-lotta Cheesecake

Chocolate cheesecake ice cream with chocolate cookies and chocolate cookie swirls topped with fudge-swirled whipped topping and sea salt fudge chunks.

I’m not sure I would ever guess “cheesecake” while digging into this sundae, but despite that, I think this is DIVINE. The chocolate cheesecake base doesn’t have a notable tang or anything I would immediately associate with Philly’s finest. But it has a very rich and decadent chocolate flavor that is more refined than the normal chocolate from Ben & Jerry’s. There’s a hint of cheesecake flavor there, but it is predominantly an incredibly deep and luscious chocolate flavor that only gets deeper with the double whammy of chocolate cookies and cookie swirls.

The cookies mixed in throughout the base make the flavor eat like a rich brownie batter with little pockets of gritty saltiness akin to a chocolate pie crust, and it is wonderful. Once again, the whipped topping is a great addition to the profile and the sea salt fudge chunks stand out more notably than in any other flavor, adding a nice pop of saltiness when they find their way onto my spoon. While some cheesecake pieces may have driven the concept all the way home, this is an undeniable creation that simply works and will deliver satisfaction for bonafide choco-lovers like myself.

Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup, 125g) 380 calories, 20 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 55 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 46 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 33 grams of total sugars, and 5 grams of protein.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free product samples from Ben & Jerry’s. Doing so did not influence my review.

Kicking off the new year in XL style, Ben & Jerry’s is bringing the shareable scoop party to your home freezer with a new line of bigger ice cream containers in four new flavors dubbed Scoop-apalooza. The traditional Ben & Jerry’s pint has three 2/3 Cup servings and the new Scoop-apalooza 28-ounce jumbo-pints have five. The new flavors are designed to be simpler, more crowd-pleasing combinations that appeal to the broadest of palates.

In short, these Scoop-apalooza lack the usual mix-in variety and textural contrast associated with the B&J’s experience. If you’re a big fan of the brand like myself, this could initially be to the detriment of your expectations. But, if you’re a dad looking to serve something top-tier at your child’s birthday party, or a coffee freak looking to one-up your affogato profile, this is your moment.

Chocolate & Fudge Swirl

Chocolate with swirls of fudge.

I went into this scoop without much excitement, and boy, was I proved wrong. I enjoy Ben & Jerry’s straightforward bittersweet chocolate base but find it to be the most interesting when amplified by something else in the flavor’s composition, usually something salty. It is best in pints like Glampfire Trail Mix and Impretzively Fudged, and I was worried the bare-bones components here would let me down, which is not the case.

While there may not be any salt or crunch, the fudge swirl really came to play, big time. It is thick, rich, and ooey gooey, tasting like a premium jarred fudge from the grocery store. This simple but decadent double chocolate throwdown is perfect for scooping into a cone or topping with your favorite crunchy candy, nut, or sprinkle.

Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup, 129g) 330 calories, 18 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 80 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 33 grams of total sugars, and 6 grams of protein.

Strawberries & Cream

Sweet cream ice cream with tasty strawberry swirls.

This is the flavor that most resembles something you would find at a kid’s birthday party or in the back of your grandma’s freezer in a giant sleeve of small individually portioned cups. It’s a sweet and creamy base with a swirl of strawberry. No doubt the simplest ice cream I have ever scooped from Ben & Jerry’s (other than straight Vanilla, of course). It scratches that nostalgia itch but doesn’t do much else (although I’m not sure it needs to).

It’s tasty because it’s good ice cream, and the swirl, while a bit thin, isn’t icy in the slightest, which brings a respectable fruity flavor throughout most bites. As a little review bonus, January is my birthday month, and I had this alongside my double chocolate birthday cake. It was a fantastic combination, so I see the simplified palooza flavor vision.

Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup, 129g) 280 calories, 13 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, 55 milligrams of sodium, 35 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 35 grams of total sugars, and 4 grams of protein.

Vanilla & Fudge Brownie

Creamy vanilla ice cream with rich chunks of fudge brownie.

This is the flavor that I was the most excited for, and it delivered exactly what I had hoped it would. A great smooth and creamy vanilla base with lots of chewy, bittersweet brownie pieces. This is the classic Chocolate Fudge Brownie pint with a vanilla base, which allows for more contrast — simple but effective.

Ben & Jerry’s brownies are among my favorite mix-ins and letting them shine here does exactly what I want from a flavor as barebones but delicious as this. Even without the brownie chunks, the vanilla ice cream is the strongest of the four bases in this lineup and is one I can keep going back to with ease. Would it be even better with a salted caramel swirl? Sure! But that’s not the mission statement here, and I have no problem hitting a scoop of this with a nice caramel-y drizzle of my own at home.

Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup, 122g) 290 calories, 15 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 31 grams of total sugars, and 5 grams of protein.

Coffee & Fudge Chip

Coffee ice cream loaded with coffee fudge chips.

Ben & Jerry’s use the word “loaded” in the description and, yeah, no lies detected. This is a simple coffee-ified spin on a chocolate chip ice cream, and both flavors are prominent and strong. The base, made with BLK & Bold coffee, has an excellent, bitterly potent but sweet coffee flavor that plays seamlessly with the high-quality dairy. The texture is a bit less smooth and creamy than the others, possibly from all the coffee used, but I don’t mind it after a proper patient tempering session.

There are abundant coffee fudge chips in every spoonful, which taste like great, crunchy, semisweet chocolate, and the pairing is about as classic as it comes. This is another scoop that would be perfect in a cone but with a slightly elevated touch for the adults in the (party) room.

Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup, 127g) 330 calories, 20 grams of fat, 14 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 60 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 30 grams of total sugars, and 6 grams of protein.

DISCLOSURE: I received complimentary product samples from Ben & Jerry’s. Doing so did not influence my review.

Turning out to vote this November is very important. Also very important? Trying every new flavor that Ben & Jerry’s churns up. It is my duty to hunt the freezer aisle for any new chunky concoction the boys in Vermont grace the shelves with. Don’t you feel left out when a new one doesn’t quickly pop up in your local Target or grocery store? I know I do. It kind of makes me wish this pint came with an “I Scooped” sticker to showcase how proud I am that I have a new Limited Batch Ben & Jerry’s pint.

Anyway…

Churn Out the Vote is vanilla ice cream with pretzel swirls, fudge chips, and swirls of chocolate mousse.

The vanilla ice cream is your standard slightly floral, sweet, and creamy base that you’ve had a dozen times, yet it largely gets transformed by the presence of the chocolate mousse swirls. A good amount of it bleeds into the base, creating a lighter chocolate flavor with little pockets of pure vanilla. Initially, I was a little disappointed, but as I kept digging, I found more pockets where the mousse stayed more intact, bringing a gooey chocolate texture and richer fudge-like flavor to the profile. It’s a fun, albeit very predictable (classic?) flavor pairing that, when joined with the gently crunchy and melty fudge chips, tastes about as vintage-scoop-shop as can be.

What makes this pint stand out beyond a straight 40s-style throwback are the pretzel swirls. I am a big fan of Ben & Jerry’s pretzel swirl. It’s a key component in one of my all-time favorites, Glampfire Trail Mix, as well as this year’s simple yet impressive Impretzively Fudged. I believe this is the first time the swirl has been used in a vanilla base, and it helps elevate the flavor to something more unique yet still pretty classic.

The swirls don’t pop as much as in Glampfire Trail Mix but are sprinkled throughout the pint. Their presence brings a salty depth and gritty texture to the experience that, when taken all in one spoonful, starts to taste like another old school parlor staple — a chocolate malt. Something about the lighter chocolate, in tandem with the molasses-adjacent pretzel taste and touch of salt, comes together like a throwback funky malt, making the whole scooping experience much more dynamic than I anticipated going into it.

Ultimately, this is a flavor that tastes as traditionally button-down as the act of voting itself. While it may not be the most inventive or the most satisfying for gob-loving mix-in hounds like myself, it’s inescapably tasty and salty enough to avoid being too basic.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free product sample from Ben & Jerry’s. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: One Pint
Purchased at: Received from Ben & Jerry’s
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup, 138g) 390 calories, 23 grams of fat, 14 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 32 grams of total sugars, and 6 grams of protein.