From ice-cream sandwiches to uniquely flavored cartons, Trader Joe's sells an array of frozen desserts.
Step into Trader Joe's, and you'll find an impressive selection of ice cream year-round. Plastic Lid
So I tried as many of the chain's frozen treats as I could get my hands on to figure out which ones are worth buying.
Here's how each treat stacked up.
Like true horchata, this ice cream derives its flavor from a sweet-rice and cinnamon base.
Though the beverage traditionally doesn't contain any dairy, so this dessert had a creamier flavor.
The horchata ice cream reminded me of leftover cereal milk with cinnamon, and I was absolutely here for it. It was sweet and tasty, yet incredibly light on the tongue.
There were also tiny pieces of horchata-flavored cookies mixed in throughout that added a pop of cinnamon.
VERDICT: This was a perfect 10. I hope Trader Joe's keeps it around so I can buy it again and again.
It may seem silly to review vanilla ice cream, especially when Trader Joe's has so many inspired flavors, but this one deserves a shout-out.
I was impressed by the quality right off the bat.
The authentic vanilla flavor struck the right balance of sweet and creamy without being overwhelming.
This would be great with baked goods or other sweet toppings, like chocolate or caramel sauce.
VERDICT: I don't usually reach for vanilla ice cream, but this will be my go-to for birthday parties and other gatherings.
This ice cream felt high quality — it didn't rely on sugar or extracts for flavor. The overall texture was as smooth as gelato.
There was even finely ground espresso mixed in for an artisan flair.
This ice cream tasted more like coffee than the average, java-flavored carton — which was a good thing.
It was incredible on its own, but if you wanted to elevate the dessert, pile it on one of Trader Joe's chocolate lava cakes.
VERDICT: This delicious ice cream sported just the right balance of roasted-coffee flavor and sweetness.
These sandwiches have a lot going for them. They're portable, sport a tasty center of coffee ice cream, and use brownies in place of wafers.
Plus the chocolate chips on top made every bite satisfyingly chewy.
Even though the texture was on point, the chocolaty flavor of the brownies was underwhelming.
The brownie crisps might've been better mixed into ice cream, but they didn't impress as the star of the show.
That said, I probably wouldn't have noticed or cared so much if the coffee ice cream wasn't so good. The difference was stark.
VERDICT: These were still pretty tasty, if not for the coffee ice cream alone, but I wouldn't choose them over the chocolate-chip-cookie sandwiches.
Every once in a while, I try to limit my dairy intake for personal reasons.
And these chocolate-fudge oat bars satisfied my craving for a sweet, chocolaty treat that didn't leave me feeling heavy.
The oat base offered a smooth mouthfeel and subtle sweetness without an obvious aftertaste.
The chocolaty flavor wasn't as bold as a traditional Fudgsicle and tasted slightly less sweet, but for a dairy-free option, it still satisfied.
To take these to the next level, I'd dip them in a vegan chocolate shell made of melted chocolate chips and coconut oil.
VERDICT: I'd definitely buy these again and recommend them to anyone looking for a chocolaty, vegan treat.
Ube is a purple yam native to the Philippines. The flavor was extracted into a puree for this ice cream and gives the treat its gorgeous lilac color.
There's been so much buzz around this flavor ever since it dropped in 2019. For over a week, I checked my Trader Joe's to find a carton, and when I finally did, this was the last one.
This ice cream offered such a unique flavor experience. It tasted like a cross between pistachio and toasted coconut, with notes of white chocolate. It was absolutely delicious.
I particularly liked that the sweetness was quite mellow, which allowed the flavor to seem more nutty than sugary.
VERDICT: Two thumbs up from me.
This wouldn't be a Trader Joe's roundup without something featuring cookie butter.
This ice cream was packed with semi-solidified chunks of actual cookie butter, so every bite was caramelly and buttery, with the inviting hint of cinnamon and ginger spice.
As expected, this flavor was unmistakably sweet and tasty.
Though some of the cookie-butter pieces had a slightly waxy texture that left an odd taste on the sides of my mouth.
This wasn't off-putting enough to ruin the whole thing, but it definitely kept me from wanting more than a scoop or two at a time.
VERDICT: If you're like me and obsess over the Speculoos cookie butter, this would be right up your alley.
I'm always intrigued by unique, vegan treats.
Made with a base of coconut milk, this frozen dessert was flavored like cold brew and sported the small tapioca pearls you can find at some beverage shops.
This had more of a sweet, milky taste, like a latte, rather than an intense coffee flavor of a cold brew, but it was still quite yummy.
I wasn't sold on the texture, which was more icy than creamy. Granted, this isn't technically ice cream, just a frozen dessert.
There were plenty of chewy tapioca pearls, which would be great for boba fans, but folks who've never had bubble tea may find them a bit overwhelming.
VERDICT: I wouldn't reach for this again, but it was a decent vegan option.
Between the fresh berry purée, sweet-cream ice cream, and cheesecake pieces, every spoonful of this carton screamed perfection.
It appeared delightfully decadent, yet bright and inviting.
The blueberries and raspberries added a brightness that really popped against the rich ice cream.
And even though the cheesecake pieces were quite small, they made each bite all the more exciting.
VERDICT: This ice cream doesn't need toppings to be worth your while. I wish it came by the gallon, but for my sake, it's best that it doesn't.
I haven't eaten a creamsicle in about 20 years, so seeing these ice pops brought me back.
Instead of a traditional orange-sherbet coating, this used a tangerine shell, so the color was more of a natural yellow, like fresh-squeezed juice.
This pop was more tart than I anticipated, but this made the sweet vanilla ice cream at the center all the more satisfying.
VERDICT: I'd gladly buy these every summer, just for the nostalgic taste.
This dessert had an oat-milk base and almond-brittle chunks.
I'm not vegan, but I still thank my lucky stars there are plant-based frozen desserts that don't have an off-putting aftertaste.
The texture was light and fluffy, almost mousse-like. The strawberry flavor reminded me of yogurt, with a candied sweetness that was mellow enough to not be cloying.
However, the advertised almond brittle was more like candied nuts. I appreciated the attempt to cut through the fruity sweetness and add some dimension, but its overall presence seemed unnecessary.
Not all ice creams need texture, and the brittle makes this product unfriendly to many people with nut allergies.
VERDICT: I'm not rushing to buy this again, but I wouldn't turn it away if I was offered some.
With punny-named, multidimensional flavors, Trader Joe's may be in its Ben and Jerry's era, and I'm not mad about it.
If you love the chain's dark-chocolate peanut-butter cups, this ice cream was made for you.
It had a super-rich, chocolate ice-cream base with ribbons of actual peanut butter and soft pieces of peanut-butter Joe-Joe's.
The iconic flavor combo hit again.
However, the mix-ins seemed inconsistent. Some bites tasted like pure peanut butter, which caught me off-guard.
It also could've used more Joe-Joe's chunks.
VERDICT: On the whole, this was passable — just not something I'm in a hurry to buy again.
In college, I'd buy cookie ice-cream sandwiches from a parlor for $3 a pop, so this $4.99 box of four caught my eye.
Even better, they tasted just as yummy as the "fresh" ones.
The chocolate-chip cookies were soft and chewy, like they were freshly baked, but stayed intact through every bite without crumbling or getting soggy.
The chocolate chips lining the outside of each sandwich added some texture that made this fun to eat. And, of course, the vanilla ice cream was the perfect complement to the notes of brown sugar.
VERDICT: I enjoyed these even more than the brownie-crisp sandwiches.
Like a regular bonbon, these featured a great-tasting chocolate shell that gave way to a vanilla center.
I was worried the coconut "ice cream" would make these taste like a frozen Mounds bar, but Trader Joe's expertly masked that flavor.
Despite this treat's impressive taste, the mixed-in cookie bits didn't offer much besides a vaguely chocolaty nuance, so it didn't quite achieve the cookies-and-creme flavor advertised on the box.
That wasn't a deal breaker, though. For a vegan ice-cream snack, these hit the spot.
Plus each bonbon was a multi-bite treat, so one was more than enough to satisfy me.
VERDICT: I'd definitely buy these again for weeks when I want to limit my dairy intake.
Ice Cream Containers With Lids Click to keep reading other Trader Joe's taste tests in this series.