REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Exclusive Flavor Berry Sweet Mascarpone Ice Cream

Ben  Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Berry Sweet Mascarpone Ice Cream

What is Ben & Jerry’s Berry Sweet Mascarpone Ice Cream?

While it’s commonplace for Target, Walmart, Safeway, and even 7-Eleven to have their own exclusive Ben & Jerry’s flavors, the now Amazon-owned Whole Foods enter spring 2020 with its first special pint. Berry Sweet Mascarpone combines blackberry and mascarpone ice creams with shortbread cookies and fudge-covered almonds.

How is it?

Ben  Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Berry Sweet Mascarpone Ice Cream Top

I love blackberry ice cream, and sadly, this one really misses the mark. I get virtually no berry flavor at all from the pleasantly light purple base, and its blandness completely confuses my mind while I eat. It looks so pretty but tastes like nothing. On the plus side, the mascarpone ice cream is the same one used in the recently revived Cannoli, and it has a solid creamy and cheesy flavor with a sweet frosting finish.

Ben  Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Berry Sweet Mascarpone Ice Cream Spoon 2

The mix-ins here are good but not good enough to offset the bland berry base. The shortbread is soft and sweet with a vanilla flavor and a texture that reminds me more of cake than cookies, akin to a madeleine soaked in milk. Tasty.

Ben  Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Berry Sweet Mascarpone Ice Cream Spoon 1

I love chocolate covered nuts in ice cream, and these are the same almonds that absolutely sing in Target’s exclusive Glampfire Trail Mix. But here, without any salty component to balance out their crunch, they aren’t nearly as good and generally feel out of place.

Anything else you need to know?

As is the case with most Ben & Jerry’s pints, if there isn’t a gooey swirl of some sort to tie things together, I always wish there was. And this is no exception. Something sweeter or saltier than the other elements could elevate this mishmash of flavors. But as it stands, it just feels flat.

Conclusion:

While it’s far from inedible and far from the floppiest of Ben & Jerry’s flops, this springy pint is lacking the tart berry punch I had hoped for and is simply a franken-flavor that just doesn’t deliver.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Whole Foods (Exclusive Flavor)
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 350 calories, 22 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 27 grams of sugar, and 7 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Limited Botch Chip Happens Ice Cream

Ben  Jerry s Limited Botch Chip Happens Ice Cream

Way back in 2011, before The Tonight Dough, Ben & Jerry’s and Jimmy Fallon collaborated for Late Night Snack, which threw clusters of chocolate-covered potato chips into vanilla bean ice cream with swirls of salted caramel. It was a great flavor that I regrettably only scooped once until it disappeared in 2015.

In 2020, appearing right around the annual 4/20 festivities, Ben & Jerry’s has a new collaboration with another TV giant, streaming content king Netflix, that also also features potato chips.

Chip Happens, inspired by the baking competition show Nailed It, combines “a cold mess of chocolate ice cream with fudge chips & crunchy potato chip swirls.”

Ben  Jerry s Limited Botch Chip Happens Ice Cream Pint

The chocolate ice cream isn’t listed on the container as anything unique or new for B&J’s, but it looks lighter in color than what I’m used to in classics like Phish Food.

The initial flavor also tastes slightly different. It’s milkier and lighter with an almost malty undertone. It has a lightness to it that reminds me of vintage malt cups, but in the best possible way. Is this an altered base, or has the salty swirl seeped so much into the chocolate that it modifies it by accident? Either way, it works well as a base for this flavor.

Ben  Jerry s Limited Botch Chip Happens Ice Cream Spoon

The fudge chips are nothing to write home about, just a smaller, more palatable version of B&J’s oft-used fudge flakes. Even though they’re unremarkable in flavor, I appreciate their smaller size, which leads to a softer texture. Not like actual fudge or ganache, but meltier and darker than the milk chocolate-leaning base.

Where this pint shines, and no doubt had to shine to be anything close to a stand out scoop, is the potato chip swirl. It’s thick, crunchy, and salty in a way that I can’t really wrap my head around.

The only times chips, pretzels, or cereals have been successful in ice cream is when they’re coated in chocolate or a thick glaze, and as far as I can tell, this is pure chip. It tastes like someone took a handful of Lay’s and tossed them right on top of the ice cream, maintaining all of the texture and fried potato flavor like they came straight from the bag.

I’ll admit I wasn’t too excited when I found this limited release Netflix flavor at Target before the first one, Netflix & Chill’d. It’s chocolate chocolate chip ice cream with some potato chips. How good could it be?! Turns out a lot better than I thought, and oddly addictive.

If this also had a caramel swirl, it would’ve ranked among my favorite Ben & Jerry’s of all time. But even without it, if you’re a fan of sweet and salty or not-too-sweet chocolate indulgences, this one’s for you. A simple textural treat that I will be happily buying again.

Purchased Price: $5.49
Size: One Pint
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 390 calories, 24 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 80 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 31 grams of total sugars, 6 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream

Ben  Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream

What is Ben & Jerry’s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream?

This exclusive flavor that can only be purchased from the Albertsons family of grocery stores features chocolate and banana ice creams with mini peanut butter cups.

How is it?

Ben  Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream Top

It has the creaminess that should be expected with any Ben & Jerry’s ice cream product. True to the name, all three flavors make an appearance but don’t share the stage equally. When I first opened the lid, I noticed the predominant brown (i.e., chocolate) ice cream. I love chocolate, but I’m also a banana fan, so I definitely wanted the “split” represented.

Thankfully, the ice cream distribution quickly evens itself out as you dig in, and you taste both chocolate and banana. Chocolate is, in general, a stronger flavor and was also more present with the peanut butter cups, so I would have been open to slightly more banana ice cream.

Ben  Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream PB Cups

Now you might be wondering about the peanut butter part – don’t worry, there’s an ample supply of mini peanut butter cups! Unlike other ice creams where you have to dig around for the mix-ins, that’s thankfully not the case here.

Is there anything else you need to know?

The description on the pint is pretty accurate: “We’ve loaded our banana and chocolate ice creams with a chocolatey lot of bite-size PB surprises, so if you find your chocolate-covered, peanut-buttered banana fantasies aren’t fulfilled in every spoonful, we suggest a bigger spoon.”

Ben  Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream Spoon

Nearly every spoonful (or maybe it was every spoonful) did have peanut butter cups. But, my fantasy may have a little more banana in it.

Conclusion:

Overall, it’s worth a try if you like chocolate, peanut butter, and banana…which I do!

Purchased Price: $3.50
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Albertsons (Exclusive)
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 390 calories, 24 grams of fat, 15 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, 85 milligrams of sodium, 38 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 35 grams of total sugars, 29 grams of added sugars, 7 grams of protein

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert made with Sunflower Butter

Ben  Jerry s Non Dairy Frozen Dessert made with Sunflower Butter

When I look back at the 2010s, I think of the abundance of two food products — Oreo cookie varieties and products made with nuts, seeds, and grains that I didn’t know could be made with nuts, seeds, and grains.

I’m talking about milks made with almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, peanuts, oats, hemp, peas, flax, and walnuts. I’m also talking about butters made with almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.

Perhaps the most popular has been almond milk, which Ben & Jerry’s has been using it in its non-dairy varieties so far. But the company’s newest line of non-dairy pints uses the seldom seen sunflower butter, making Ben & Jerry’s the first national brand to offer frozen dessert made with the seed butter.

There are three flavors available: “Milk” & Cookies (vanilla non-dairy frozen dessert with chocolate chip cookies, chocolate sandwich cookies, and chocolate cookie swirls), Mint Chocolate Cookie (mint non-diary frozen dessert with chocolate sandwich cookies), and Creme Brûlée Cookie (burnt caramel non-dairy frozen dessert with brown sugar cookies, and salted caramel swirls).

If you’re a regular peruser of the Ben & Jerry’s section at your local grocery, you’d know two of these are non-dairy versions of standard flavors — Milk & Cookies and Mint Chocolate Cookie. As for Creme Brûlée Cookie, sadly, it isn’t a vegan version of the flavor that sits in Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Graveyard.

With “Milk” & Cookies and Creme Brûlée Cookie, I got a hint that I was eating something created with sunflower seeds. But if I told you these were made with almond milk, you might believe me because they have the same not-quite-as-creamy-as-ice-cream texture, and the flavor from the seeds could be confused for almond milk’s nuttiness.

“Milk” & Cookies and Mint Chocolate Cookie are great non-dairy versions of the popular varieties. Both are loaded with mix-ins. Mint Chocolate Cookie tastes like Thin Mints, but less chocolatey and minty, and only if your spoonful has a nice chunk of the soft cookies.

Ben  Jerry s Milk  Cookies Non Dairy Frozen Dessert made with Sunflower Butter

The photo above of “Milk” & Cookies doesn’t show the mix-in riches I discovered as I excavated more from the container, which I forgot to take a picture of because as soon as I saw it, I was like a gold rush prospector and dug up everything. The sunflower butter is most noticeable in this, which I’m okay with, but most of the time it gets overwhelmed by the chocolate from all the cookies and/or the brown sugar flavor from the chocolate chip cookies.

Ben  Jerry s Mint Chocolate Cookie Non Dairy Frozen Dessert made with Sunflower Butter

While both are good and I have no problems recommending them, I’m partial to “Milk” & Cookies because the original version is one of my top 10 favorite Ben & Jerry’s flavors.

Ben  Jerry s Creme Brulee Cookie Non Dairy Frozen Dessert made with Sunflower Butter

Creme Brûlée Cookie was the one I was most excited about, but it’s also the one I ended up have the most concerns about. It tastes more like a blondie brownie than a creme brûlée, which, I’ll be honest, might be a delicious nonissue to many. But with all the components’ flavors being from the same sweet family tree, this pint is a bit one-note to me. Also, I wish there was something in it to replicate the crunch of hardened caramelized sugar, which is THE BEST thing about creme brûlée. Actually, I wish all three pints has something to add some texture.

I’m a fan of most Ben & Jerry’s non-dairy almond milk frozen desserts. Heck, I even wrote that I preferred the non-dairy version over the dairy version of one of its recent flavors. So it’s not surprising to me that I found these pints to be enjoyable.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free samples from Ben & Jerry’s (Thanks, you awesome Vermonters). Getting them did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Received from Ben & Jerry’s
Rating: 8 out of 10 (“Milk” & Cookies), 7 out of 10 (Mint Chocolate Cookie), 6 out of 10 (Creme Brulee)
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) “Milk” & Cookies – 350 calories, 18 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 125 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 29 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein. Mint Chocolate Cookie – 300 calories, 14 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 27 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Creme Brûlée Cookie – 310 calories 14 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 mg 160 milligrams of sodium, 46 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 28 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Netflix & Chilll’d Ice Cream and Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert

Ben  Jerry s Netflix  Chilll d Ice Cream

Pretzels seem like an odd inclusion in Ben & Jerry’s new Netflix & Chilll’d Ice Cream. Is it popular among Netflix subscribers and password sharers? Maybe it’s just me, but popcorn and potato chips are probably munched on more during a binge-watching.

Is there something in Netflix’s algorithm that not only knows we might like Interior Design Masters because we’ve watched Queer Eye, but also what we like to eat while we watch Tan France turn folks from Le Eek to Le Chic? Or maybe Netflix’s algorithm watches us through the cameras in our phones, tablets, and compu…

(Knock at the door)

Hi. Who are you guys? Hey, nice red suits. Wait. W-w-what are you doing? Let me go! LET ME GO! HELP! HELP!

Oh, hello. I’m back. Forget that whole thing about Netflix’s algorithm binge watches our lives through our cameras. Netflix’s algorithm is definitely not watching us right now or threatening me with revealing the amount of high school romance anime I watch.

Ben  Jerry s Netflix  Chilll d Non Dairy Frozen Dessert

Just like Netflix has something for everyone in the family, Ben & Jerry’s is offering Netflix & Chilll’d in varieties that will satisfy everyone’s deal with dairy. The regular version features peanut butter ice cream with sweet and salty pretzel swirls and fudge brownies. The non-dairy one has peanut butter-flavored frozen dessert made with almond milk, sweet and salty pretzel swirls, and fudge brownies.

After trying both, I have to say I prefer the non-dairy one.

Ben  Jerry s Netflix  Chilll d Ice Cream Closeup

The combination of the peanut butter frozen dessert with the saltiness and flavor from the pretzel swirl tastes something like a Nutter Butter cookie to me, which is something I haven’t experienced with ice cream (or frozen dessert). Also, the PB flavor in the non-dairy one is more prominent than the dairy version. Maybe the almond milk used in the base makes it a little nuttier. The peanut butter ice cream in the regular Netflix & Chilll’d is fine, but the frozen dessert stands out a bit more.

Ben  Jerry s Netflix  Chilll d Non Dairy Frozen Dessert Closeup

The pretzel swirls in both pints add a welcomed saltiness that contrast and enhance the sweet components. The swirl in the non-dairy one also gives off toffee notes. I feel the flavor is more prominent in the regular one, but that might be because the peanut butter ice cream doesn’t have as strong a flavor as the frozen dessert. Also, although “pretzel” is in both descriptions, the swirls don’t provide any crunch, which is disappointing.

Unlike the pretzels and their lack of texture, the fudge brownies bring the expected chewiness to each spoonful. And, like we’ve seen hundreds of times with peanut butter and chocolate, combining it with the peanut butter ice cream/frozen dessert results in sweet tooth satisfaction. Actually, the fudge brownies help make the regular version taste similar to a peanut butter cup.

I know. The previous sentence makes it hard to believe I prefer the non-dairy and non-peanut-butter-cup-tasting one.

Chill  Netflix

Both Netflix & Chilll’d pints are NOT binge-worthy. Well, they are, but I don’t want to encourage anyone to eat entire pints in one sitting. Again, I prefer the non-dairy one, but I feel you can’t go wrong with either.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Received from Ben & Jerry’s
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Non-Dairy), 7 out of 10 (Regular)
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) Regular – 390 calories, 24 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 80 milligrams of cholesterol, 290 milligrams of sodium, 38 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 29 grams of sugar, 7 grams of protein. Non-Dairy – 380 calories, 22 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 27 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free samples of the product from Ben & Jerry’s (thanks Ben & Jerry’s!). Doing so did not influence my review in any way. Although, with ratings like that, you might think it did. But I assure you it did not.