The Best Vanilla Ice Cream Might Be Costco’s Own

We’ve been thinking about vanilla ice cream a lot. I’m not just saying that: Last week, I wrote about how vanilla is still America’s favorite ice cream by a wide margin, according to Instagram’s 2026 Ice Cream Report, which examined buying habits for the dessert and which found that people are purchasing this flavor more than any other. And honestly, I get it. It’s the simplicity of it. The smoothness of it. The versatility of it. The understated luxury of a good vanilla is not to be sniffed at.

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And you might not have to spend top dollar to get one of the best there is. You just have to go to Costco. 

Costco’s Vanilla Ice Cream: A Customer Favorite

Costco’s Kirkland Signature Super Premium Vanilla Ice Cream has long been one of the store’s best products, according to its customers – and a recent Reddit thread, which got over 500 comments in two days, reaffirmed this. “I’ve seen many comments here of people recommending the Kirkland vanilla ice cream. I assumed it was overhyped,” said the original poster, before saying that they decided to give it a go. “This ice cream was not overhyped. It was SO good … I have finally found a vanilla ice cream that I will eagerly buy again.”

This introduction of a discussion on Costco’s vanilla ice cream initiated a flood of responses, with virtually all of them in agreement with how good it is. “I bought it once after everyone raved about it and I can’t buy it again because it’s too good and I have no self control lol,” said another person, with others saying that it converted them to vanilla ice cream for good. One of the only criticisms of the ice cream from customers is its texture: It can be a little tough when it comes out of the freezer, and needs a bit of thawing before it’s ready to go. But once it’s softened slightly? Heaven. Heaven in a bowl. 

So, Why Is It So Good?

It’s all about what’s in it. Costco’s Kirkland Signature Super Premium Vanilla Ice Cream is made with just five main ingredients: Fresh cream, skim milk, sugar, pasteurized egg yolks, and vanilla extract. It also has guar and carob bean gum, which act as thickening agents – and the presence of these is a slight annoyance for customers who wish that it was even simpler. When it comes to flavor, though, this one’s hard to beat. It might be slightly more expensive than other ice creams out there, but it’s worth it.