We Tasted 9 Store-Bought Vanilla Ice Creams To Find Our Favorite This taste test proves that vanilla is anything but boring. By Cameron Beall Cameron Beall Cameron Beall is a writer, marketer, photographer, and creative with over a year of experience with Southern Living in the realm of homes and home building. She was infatuated by home design from a young age, credit to her mother and grandmother. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on April 25, 2025 In This Article View All In This Article How We Tested Brands We Tried How The Contenders Scored The Best Vanilla Ice Cream Close Credit: Corinne Mucha/Dotdash Meredith Be it peach cobbler or blueberry galettes in the summer, an apple pie in the winter, or an anytime birthday cake, vanilla ice cream is the go-to flavor you'll always reach for. And who are we kidding? No excuse is even needed for a scoop. There are many nuances to the vanilla flavor, and as with anything, everyone has their own opinions (and brands they will ride or die for), so some of these results might surprise you—especially for you Southerners who claim Blue Bell as the cream of the crop. Never Lose A Favorite Recipe Again With MyRecipes, your personal recipe box, you can save and organize your Southern Living favorites and thousands more in one place. Credit: Photograher: Greg DuPree Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey How We Tested Ten of our editors participated in a taste test and tried nine different store-bought vanilla ice creams to determine which brand was best. I pre-scooped the ice cream to ensure no one was biased after seeing the container. With the playing field leveled, they tasted and recorded their comments about each brand, ranked each 1 to 5, and picked an overall favorite. Brands We Tried Talenti Organic Oak-Aged Vanilla GelatoEdy's Slow Churned Classic VanillaBlue Bell Homemade VanillaMayfield Vanilla BeanWalmart Great Value VanillaBen & Jerry's VanillaBreyer's Extra Creamy VanillaHäagen-Dazs Vanilla BeanPublix Premium Vanilla How The Contenders Scored So, how did the popular grocery store brands score? Did the more gourmet brands come out ahead, or was a discount brand the best? We ranked them from least favored to the top vote-getter, and you may be surprised by the results. Talenti Organic Oak-Aged Vanilla Gelato This pint boasts of bourbon vanilla and hints of oak that left some of our tasters with herbal, fall-flavor, and almost spicy notes on their palates. This option was marked as a favorite by one tester but ranked last compared to the other vanillas. In my humble opinion, Talenti didn't get a fair trial due to its uniqueness of flavor—perhaps it's too different to be classified as vanilla. Edy's Slow Churned Classic Vanilla Edy's was chosen as a top favorite by two editors but ranked second to last overall. Many testers claimed the vanilla flavor did not taste authentic or that it was too creamy and fluffy for their liking; however, one taster remarked, "It is a good vanilla for not a vanilla person." Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ah, the ever-faithful Blue Bell. Where would we be without you? The true fans were put to the test in this blind tasting. As it turns out, the beloved Southern brand wasn't most treasured by anyone, ranking sixth overall. "I know this is Blue Bell from the color, and honestly it's not my favorite," elaborated one editor. Most testers noted it tasted classic with good vanilla flavor and color (but almost too yellow), while one commented, "It is very creamy leaning towards a custard flavor." Mayfield Vanilla Bean "This one tastes like what I grew up eating," claimed the taster who boasted Mayfield Vanilla as their favorite. It is fluffy and studded with vanilla specks making it attractive upon first glance, yet it lacks the pure vanilla flavor, making it a neutral option. Walmart Great Value Vanilla Almost tying for fourth (and preferred by one editor), the Walmart brand was affirmed to be good on a pie due to its mild flavor and thicker texture. One taster claimed, "It tastes like the base of cookies & cream," which sounds good to me! It's a great option for those who don't like their vanilla too sweet, but still want a creamy texture. Ben & Jerry's Vanilla Visually, this ice cream is the purest white, extra creamy, and still touts visible vanilla bean flecks. Coming in fourth, Ben & Jerry's earned remarks that had a more savory than sweet flavor and reminded tasters of soft serve (in a good way). "It tastes like a good summer afternoon," wrote one. This classic done right would be great in a float, topping a slice of pie, or all on its own. Breyer's Extra Creamy Vanilla Breyer's is about as classic as it gets. It earned high marks as third (and most popular for one tester), although it didn't secure the title of the favorite vanilla. Testers rated this as a good creaminess with a subtle and standard vanilla that has less vanilla flavor than Breyer's Natural Vanilla but is one they'd eat all day. Also, we noted that Breyer's stayed a good consistency when other brands started to melt, making it a great choice if the tub will be sitting out for a while. Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Bean Testers ranked Häagen-Dazs second overall with two editors claiming it as their favorite. One tester noted, "The yellowish, creamier color makes it seem more natural," while another claimed that though it has good vanilla flavor, it is not strong enough. The consistency is smooth and tastes old-fashioned. The Best Vanilla Ice Cream Publix Premium Vanilla Credit: Publix Many testers were shocked when I revealed that Publix Premium Vanilla was ranked as a favorite by half of the crew. With visible flecks of vanilla, "It is the perfect complement to any cake," one editor noted while another claimed, "Spot on vanilla flavor with the perfect texture." Not to mention, for a half-gallon tub, it's quite a good deal. We Taste-Tested Boxed White Cake Mixes, And We Have a Winner Explore more: Food and Recipes Desserts Ice Cream Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit