Ariana Losch
The best Trader Joe’s ice cream is inventive and undeniably yummy. Even if the flavor is unconventional, it can become an instant classic. TJ’s loves to take a traditional ice cream flavor and add their own signature flair: a unique ingredient here, an offbeat flavor combo there. It’s always a risk, and sometimes it really pays off—and hey, sometimes it doesn’t. That’s okay!
How we conducted our Trader Joe’s ice cream taste tests
This is our second taste test of the best Trader Joe’s ice cream, and guess what? We filmed the whole thing for your viewing pleasure. (Please see below.) The second time around, we bought all the pints and quarts we loved in our previous taste test and tried them against any new Trader Joe’s ice cream flavors on offer. Personally, I love ranking and shopping for “all the best so-and-so from Trader Joe’s,” because the poor TJ’s cashiers never know what to say. You can tell they want to ask why I’m buying 15 flavors of ice cream…and nothing else. Is it rude to mention it? Is it rude…not to mention it? No one accounted for Sporked writers in the TJ’s employee handbook, let me tell you.
What we looked for in the best Trader Joe’s ice cream flavors
As much as we prize creativity, for this taste test, we were grading on flavor and flavor alone. Could we imagine trying these for the first time at an artisan ice cream parlor, paying $7 per scoop, and leaving satisfied? If not, they don’t belong on this list. And to clarify, we didn’t include sundae cones, mochi, or ice cream sandwiches here; we stuck to ice cream you can spoon straight out of the tub. By the end of it, seven flavors stood out from the rest. From traditional classics to more imaginative concepts (like Trader Joe’s cookie butter ice cream and Trader Joe’s banana pudding ice cream) these were best Trader Joe’s ice creams that really hit the sweet spot.
- Trader Joe’s Ube Ice Cream
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From ube mochi to ube pancake mix, Trader Joe’s was having an ube moment in 2024 (and not for the first time). I had high hopes for their ube ice cream, and it didn’t disappoint! While you can’t escape the starchiness of ube-flavored desserts, the texture here is still pretty creamy. The ube itself is sweet, earthy, and nutty (almost pistachio ice cream-like), with notes of coconut and vanilla. It’s a risky flavor trend that actually works well in this format, and that’s what we’re looking for in the best Trader Joe’s ice cream—but we know they can do even better.
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Italian Pistachio & Fior di Latte Gelato Style Frozen Dessert
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TJ’s is getting fancy on us, folks. When you take the lid off this Italian-inspired tub of ice cream, you’ll find twirls of green pistachio ice cream and off-white fior di latte gelato—which translates to “flower of milk” in Italian and tastes, essentially, like a milky, soft cream. The savory pistachio and lightly sweet fior di latte is a popular flavor pairing in Italy, and Trader Joe’s does a pretty good job replicating it here (though they go a little heavy on the coconut oil). Plenty of people might find it strange. But if you’re curious and trying expand your repertoire of desserts, definitely give it a shot!
Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s
- Trader Joe’s Banana Pudding Ice Cream
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Trader Joe’s Banana Pudding ice cream is pretty remarkable. A bite with all of the ice cream’s components—the banana, the sea salt caramel swirl, the soft vanilla wafer pieces—totally transports you. Suddenly you’re in a Southern granny’s kitchen eating a bowl of sweet, creamy banana pudding with lots of Nilla Wafers. It’s unique and tantalizing. Our main gripe with it, though, is that the banana tastes a little fake (my colleague Jordan Myrick said it almost tastes like banana marshmallow candies). You may not notice it at first, but the more you eat, the more apparent it becomes. If you’re sensitive to artificial fruit flavors, this might not be the best Trader Joe’s ice cream flavor for you. But we highly recommend everyone try it! The elements harmonize beautifully.
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Trader Joe’s Ultra Chocolate Ice Cream
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I’m going to go out on a limb and say TJ’s may have tweaked their Ultra Chocolate ice cream recipe since the last time we tried it. Or maybe our taste buds have evolved, because while we skipped it in our chocolate ice cream ranking and didn’t recommend it in our first TJ’s ice cream taste test, we really jived with it this time. Per my colleague Jordan Myrick, it tastes like a fudgesicle in pint form. It’s icy, not creamy, but almost in a yummy and interesting way. The flavor is boldly chocolate, and while that might not be for everyone, we completely understand this being a fridge staple for many TJ’s shoppers.
Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s
- Trader Joe’s Mint Chip
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FYI, Trader Joe’s Mint Chip is currently our #3 best mint chip ice cream you can buy. One of the perks is the price—it’s way cheaper than most other brands. But when we’re comparing it to other Trader Joe’s ice creams, cost doesn’t really factor in since everything is pretty affordable. Still, it’s a total classic. The mint flavor is clean and balanced, and the chocolate chip mix-ins are plentiful without being overwhelming. It only lands lower on the list because it can’t stand out against flavors like speculooos cookie butter or passion fruit sorbet. It’s unapologetically simple, and it hits every. single. time.
Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s
- Trader Joe’s Horchata Ice Cream
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This is peak Trader Joe’s. It’s something you can’t easily find anywhere else—and it’s f*cking delicious. The base is so thick, creamy, and ever-so-slightly gritty in the best way thanks to the ground rice flour. There are small, sugary pieces of horchata-flavored cookie mixed in, too, which makes the texture even better. If you told me this came from Salt & Straw or a specialty stall at a farmer’s market, I wouldn’t question it. That milky horchata flavor is definitely on the sweeter side, but the cinnamon brings the perfect balance. It’s lovely.
Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s
- Trader Joe’s Passion Fruit Sorbet
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Wow. Talk about a flavor you’ll never forget. Not everyone will be able to tolerate this—one small taste will have you scrunching up your face. That’s how tangy, tart, and sweet it is. But my god, it’s delicious. It takes the pureed fruit texture of a typical sorbet to the next level, giving it the stretch and creaminess of a gelato. It looks glossy and tastes very ripe. If you can’t tell, I’m pretty obsessed with it. (But if you typically avoid fruity desserts, this is not the best Trader Joe’s ice cream to pick up.)
Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s
- Trader Joe’s Coffee Bean Blast Ice Cream
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Do you order bold, extra roasted, carefully sourced coffee from a hippie shop—and then drink it black? If so, buy this, immediately. The coffee bean flavor here is intense, rich, and robust. The makers of this ice cream didn’t stop with flavor—they went one step further and mixed bits of finely ground French Roast Colombian coffee beans into it. You can taste the literal coffee grounds in every spoonful. No one else seemed to mind, but in my opinion the coffee grounds contribute a little bit of a burnt aftertaste. If you’re sensitive to overroasted coffee, you might not like this. That’s just my warning! Don’t let it give you the wrong idea. As one of the best Trader Joe’s ice creams, Coffee Bean Blast completely wowed us! We were java jumpin’ with joy.
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Trader Joe’s Fudgy Cookie Dough Ice Cream
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With its vanilla ice cream base riddled with chocolate chips and chocolate chip cookie dough, Trader Joe’s Fudgy Cookie Dough ice cream is an absolute yin-yang chocolate-vanilla dream. But what about the fudge, you ask? Fantastic question. The special touch here is a swirl of sea salt fudge that ties the whole thing together—and makes it one of the best ice creams at Trader Joe’s by a mile. The cookie dough pieces have a granulated sugar texture that makes them so yummy and addictive. The sea salt fudge is quite salty, which, for salt queens like myself, balances the sweet elements beautifully. We’ve got to update our cookie dough ice cream ranking soon, because this little TJ’s ice cream absolutely deserves a spot.
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Trader Joe’s Dulce de Leche Ice Cream
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The worst thing about Trader Joe’s extra sweet, buttery smooth Dulce de Leche ice cream is that it won’t stick around forever. Too many TJ’s shoppers will go their whole lives without ever trying this limited edition flavor, and that depresses me. In their product description, TJ’s notes how simple the ingredients are (milk, sugar, butter, egg yolks), which is quite surprising, because this ice cream has incredible depth. The caramel-cream blend feels intricate and layered. It’s the most decadent, rich, and handmade-tasting flavor on this list, in my opinion. Sporked team member Liv Averett said that this would be the best Trader Joe’s ice cream to eat with salty pretzels—a comment that changed the trajectory of my life forever. Thanks, Liv. Thanks, Trader Joe’s. I finally know what love feels like.
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Trader Joe’s French Vanilla Ice Cream
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Trader Joe’s French Vanilla ice cream might not be the best store bought vanilla ice cream you’ve ever had, but it comes pretty close. It’s extra churned and creamy, with a custard-like texture. The strong vanilla bean flavor actually tastes authentic and not artificial. Personally, I’m the weirdo on the Sporked team who prefers vanilla ice cream to pretty much any other flavor, so I have to nitpick. I wish it was a tad sweeter and contained visible flecks of vanilla bean. But it’s still obviously one of Trader Joe’s best ice creams. In the sea of unique and offbeat dessert flavors, I’m happy to report they still know how to make a tried-and-true classic taste good.
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie Butter Ice Cream
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Listen to me: I’m not a Trader Joe’s superfan. It’s not even in my top three grocery stores, to be totally transparent with you, reader. But TJ’s has done something truly ingenious here, and I mean ingenious. Trader Joe’s cookie butter ice cream is a work of ice cream art. It has huge, crisp yet crumbly pieces of Speculoos cookies, aka spiced Belgian gingerbread cookies. The ginger balances the sweetness of the ice cream so well. It’s inventive. Scrumptious. Heavenly. Dulce de Leche made me believe in love, but this? This is true love’s kiss. And the best ice cream at Trader Joe’s!
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
Best TJ’s Ice Cream!
Best TJ’s Ice Cream!
Best TJ’s Ice Cream!
Best TJ’s Ice Cream!
Best TJ’s Ice Cream!
Best TJ’s Ice Cream!
Best TJ’s Ice Cream!
Best TJ’s Ice Cream!
Best TJ’s Ice Cream!
Best TJ’s Ice Cream!
Runner Up
Best of the Best
Other Trader Joe’s ice cream flavors we tried:
Vanilla Bean Oat Non Dairy
Non Dairy Chocolate
Jordan Myrick
Vinz Karl
Matt Crowley
