The best peppermint ice cream is sweet, refreshing, and minty. That being said, it can’t be too minty or too refreshing because then it tastes like toothpaste. Peppermint ice cream has to strike a perfect balance—and when it does, this seasonal ice cream is perfect on its own, covered in hot fudge, or blended into a milkshake.
And it’s not just about taste! I believe that the best peppermint ice cream should also have texture. Whether it is creamy, dense pieces of chocolate or crunchy bits of peppermint candy, I want something to bite into in my ice cream.
The pints of peppermint ice cream, peppermint stick ice cream, and peppermint bark ice cream listed below have all the flavor and texture you could ever want when it comes to store bought peppermint ice cream. Go buy them before the season is over!
- Alden’s Peppermint Twist
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Alden’s Peppermint Twist Ice Cream is perfect for anyone who wants ice cream that is totally smooth and creamy. This is the best peppermint ice cream for mix-in haters. Anyone who hates chunks will scarf down this pint in moments. The base is so velvety and the peppermint flavor is minty without being too minty. Because there’s no chunk-age, I would definitely use this in a peppermint ice cream sundae with some whipped cream, hot fudge, and pieces of peppermint bark.
Credit: Liv Averett / Vons
- Signature Select Light Peppermint Ice Cream
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Signature Select’s Light Peppermint Ice Cream alerted me to the fact that peppermint ice cream needs little crunchy bits. The little crunchy pieces of peppermint in this ice cream are such a wonderful addition to the luxuriously smooth base. We went to town on this ice cream before realizing that it’s a light ice cream. Shocking! “Light” products normally taste completely flavorless or chock-full of chemicals. Thispeppermint stick ice cream is one of the few light products I’d actually buy in real life.
Credit: Liv Averett / Albertsons
- Tillamook Peppermint Bark Ice Cream
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If you’re looking for peppermint bark ice cream, this is the ice cream to buy. It tastes exactly like peppermint bark. It’s white chocolatey and lightly pepperminty and super creamy. If you are a fan of the iconic William Sonoma peppermint bark, you will also be a fan of this. My only note is that it needs more regular chocolate. In my opinion, you should coat a couple scoops of this in chocolate shell for an optimal peppermint bark ice cream experience. It will literally be a Christmas miracle in your mouth.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Trader Joe’s Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s Ice Cream
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I already love every iteration of Trader Joe’s Joe-Joe’s, so it’s no surprise that I love this Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s Ice Cream. This ice cream has a swirl of peppermint and vanilla ice creams, a ribbon of chocolate fudge, and big chunks of Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s Cookies. Honestly, It’s perfect! Go buy this peppermint ice cream before Trader Joe’s rips it away from us until next year.
Credit: Liv Averett
- Favorite Day Peppermint Bark Ice Cream
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Favorite Day is stepping up their game. This peppermint bark ice cream is unparalleled. As promised, It tastes like peppermint bark in ice cream form. It’s like mint chip ice cream 2.0. The base is so creamy, the pieces of bark are plentiful, and the mint flavor is just right. I would 100% buy this again for any holiday celebration. The only way it could get better is if you topped it with more pieces of peppermint bark, which you can easily do at home. This is definitely the best peppermint ice cream and, in fact, the best seasonal ice cream to ever exist.
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
Best Creamy
Best Light
Best Quality
Best Personal Pint
Best of the Best
Other Products We Tried: McConnell’s, Kroger Deluxe, Jeni’s, Van Leeuwen, Blue Bunny
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!