The best vanilla ice cream is creamy, rich, and actually tastes like vanilla. Real vanilla. It shouldn’t have the mild alcohol taste of vanilla extract. It shouldn’t taste like cake batter. It should taste like milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla beans. That’s it!
Vanilla ice cream gets a bad rap. Most people think it’s boring. The argument goes something like this: Why would you have vanilla ice cream when you could have chocolate ice cream or fruit ice cream or ice cream with a bunch of stuff in it, like nuts, marshmallow creme, and caramel swirls? I mean, now that I’ve typed it out, it is a pretty convincing argument, but vanilla ice cream is much more complex than it gets credit for being. The best vanilla ice cream is proof.
To find the best vanilla ice cream, we sat down for three separate taste tests, tasting and re-tasting the best vanilla ice cream brands. We were looking for sweetness, rich creaminess, and genuine vanilla flavor, whether or not it’s accompanied by those pleasing little speckles.
It can be hard to put a finger on exactly what makes good vanilla ice cream the best vanilla ice cream, but you know it when you taste it. Trust us—we’ve tasted a lot of the stuff. Here’s the best tasting vanilla ice cream at the grocery store, including the best French vanilla ice cream, the best light vanilla ice cream, and the best vanilla ice cream brand of them all (it’s a classic for a reason).
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- Market Pantry Light Vanilla Ice Cream
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We stumbled on this light vanilla ice cream when we were seeking out the best low cal ice cream. So much light ice cream is airy and icy rather than creamy, and because it’s often made with artificial and alternative sweeteners, it can (literally) leave a bad taste in your mouth. This budget light vanilla ice cream from Target was a pleasant surprise. It’s super creamy and has a richness that low fat/low calorie ice creams can’t typically muster. This is a perfect sneaky swap—serve this with cake at your next birthday party and no one will know the difference. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Blue Bunny Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
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I’m not sure how they get away with calling this “homemade” because it literally is not, but that doesn’t really have anything to do with the fact that this ice cream is pretty great for very-much-factory-made vanilla ice cream (or “frozen dairy dessert,” as it were). It’s soft and easy to scoop, and the flavor is unique. Yes, it’s vanilla, but it also has marshmallowy notes. My one warning would be that this ice cream is sweet. Like, really, really sweet. I have no issues with that whatsoever because I’m all about sugary ice cream, but it might not be the best vanilla ice cream to douse with caramel sauce or to pair with a super sugary pie. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Favorite Day Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
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I know I said good vanilla ice cream shouldn’t taste like cake, but I’m making an exception here. This Favorite Day Homemade Vanilla tastes like really good vanilla cake with vanilla frosting. I know it’s supposed to be vanilla ice cream and not vanilla cake ice cream, but it’s just so good I had to put it on the list. I’m sorry!
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Turkey Hill Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
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Turkey Hill Vanilla Bean Ice Cream’s subtle flavor and creamy texture make it the best vanilla ice cream for an at-home ice cream sundae. I want to load up a bowl of this vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce, sprinkles, and a handful of maraschino cherries. It’s tasty enough to hold its own if you drench it with hot fudge and whipped cream, but it also doesn’t pull too much focus. It’s an ice cream that’s good on its own but even better when it has some friends. Also, 10/10 for texture because it is so luxuriously smooth. Turkey Hill makes great ice cream, and this is some of the best vanilla bean ice cream you can buy. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- McConnell’s Fine Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
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McConnell’s Vanilla Bean Ice Cream is the type of ice cream you buy when you’re making your significant other a fancy anniversary dinner and want to splurge on ingredients. It’s the type of ice cream you gently scoop onto a mixed berry clafoutis you spent hours making because the recipe wasn’t as simple as your favorite food blogger suggested. This vanilla ice cream has a soft, scoopable texture, creamy mouthfeel, and natural vanilla flavor. I’m still thinking about this vanilla ice cream, and you can’t say that about a lot of vanilla ice cream. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Tillamook French Vanilla Ice Cream
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Tillamook makes three different varieties of vanilla ice cream: French Vanilla, Vanilla Bean, and Old-Fashioned Vanilla. We tasted them all—alongside every other Tillamook flavor we could find—and literally all of them are good. But their French vanilla ice cream is really special. It tastes decadent, like a fancy custard. It’s eggy and rich and deeply, deeply creamy. The image on the carton is just so damn pleasing, too. This is the best vanilla ice cream Tillamook makes, but if your store doesn’t stock this, hot tip, the Vanilla Bean is almost as good. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Alden’s Organic Vanilla Bean
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Sometimes organic desserts worry me. I’m not upset that they’re organic; it’s just that occasionally it can feel like they are trying to pitch me a pseudo-healthy sweet treat. I’m sorry, but I am not interested in an organic, non-GMO, whatever-other-greenwashed-word ice cream. Alden’s Organic Vanilla Bean, however, is extremely tasty. They are not trying to serve me health food ice cream. They are just providing 100% delicious vanilla flavor. And the vanilla flavor is deep. And it really is a proper vanilla bean ice cream. Besides vanilla, you can taste the woodsy flavor of the pod itself. It’s the best vanilla ice cream for real vanilla purists. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
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Ta-da! The best vanilla ice cream brand is Haagen-Dazs. Yes, the same ol’ Haagen-Dazs you thought would be eclipsed by all the newer, fancier brands. But hear us out: This is the most perfect and most delicious vanilla ice cream you can imagine. The texture is ideal. Vanilla beans speckle the beautiful cream-colored base. It’s sweet without being too sweet. This would be great with sprinkles and hot fudge, dolloped onto a piece of warm apple pie, or eaten completely alone in a cup. The best vanilla ice cream doesn’t need bells and whistles—just milk, cream, eggs, and sugar, and that’s what you get from Haagen-Dazs. —Jordan Myrick
Related: All the Haagen-Dazs Flavors We Could Find, Ranked
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
Best Light Vanilla Ice Cream
Best Sugary
Best for Vanilla Haters
Best for Sundaes
Best Splurge
Best French Vanilla Ice Cream
Best Organic
Best of the Best
Other Products We Tried: Ben & Jerry’s, Belmont, Great Value, Aldi, Breyers, Signature Kitchen, Edy’s/Dreyer’s, Kroger, Private Selection, Simple Truth, Graeter’s, Trader Joe’s, Favorite Day Vanilla Bean
I know it’s regional, but Publix’s store brand vanilla is awesome!
I’ve never seen Mövenpick included in an ice cream taste test. It’s on the expensive side, but tastes waaay better than even Haagen Dazs. Also, in New York State, Byrne Dairy makes a phenomenal “Homemade” French Vanilla ice cream.
I agree with your #1. It’s my favorite , too
Alden’s is really good (especially the Orange Cream) but its sooooo expensive. Literally 2x the price? Yikes. For 99% of people Turkey Hill and Friendly’s are the best Icecream you can buy at your local grocery store. Hands Down.
I now need to know what the best vanilla is for the ultimate root beer float! I’m
I was searching on Google to find the best vanilla ice cream, but it seems that I’ll have to try each one that catch my attention. Because the first place in your article is the one that I think is the worst. Blue Bunny is super artificial and watery, it’s not creamy at all. In a few days inside the freezer it’s the only one that appears ice in it. I bought once because it’s big and cheap. But it’s the worse that I ever tried. Maybe this ranking can mislead people.
Maybe you looked at the list backwards? They definitely don’t have Blue Bunny as the best, it’s towards the bottom and is just the best for super sugary vanilla it says.
Does anyone edit this page for grammatical errors? I came here from Mythical Kitchen but I am just … annoyed.
The notes on the Blue Bunny and the Favorite Day are the same review. I want to know which one has a marshmallow after-taste!
Blue Bunny and Favorite Day are the exact same review…whoops!
Thank you for your reviews, I love this site!
Blue Bunny must be made with different ingredients in different areas, because in PA its probably the worst Icecream brand you can get. Its awful. It has such a strange artificial aftertaste. Turkey Hill is always a good choice though.
Agreed! Blue Bunny is so awful tasting imo and full of junk! I’m really surprised it made the list when there are so many better options but then everyone’s tastes aren’t the same lol. I do enjoy Turkey Hill but am trying to completely cut HFCS from my diet, and unfortunately it’s in there. I don’t know if they already have but I wish they’d do one of these with just all natural/organic vanillas.
I’m surprised Costco’s Kirkland Signature super Premium vanilla didn’t make it in this list. I believe it’s best of the best.
Agree. I am not a huge vanilla fan and I even ate their vanilla plain in a bowl.
I recently picked up a pint of the Strauss Organic Vanilla and really loved it. I wonder where it would fall in the rankings with both the Chocolate flavor and Mint Chip being so highly rated.
Did you try Kirkland super premium vanilla ice cream??!? It’s hands down the best and a great value.
I haven’t tried most of these, but my personal favorite is Tillamook french vanilla
really suggest you guys try the Costco Vanilla ice cream, its the best vanillia ive ever had
I wish there were more Tahitian Vanilla Bean Ice Creams available. They are so good.
You guys ever try Blue Bell Ice Creams? Feel like Blue Bell is consistently left off the ice cream lists.
Try Trader Joe’s vanilla ice cream! It’s the smoothest and creamiest! We keep it in the freezer at all times and add whatever mix ins to it or eat it on its own. The absolute best.
Jenni’s Honey Vanilla Bean is hands down the best vanilla when compared to Haagen-Dazs. It’s sooooo good!
Yes! It’s delicious. If you go to a Jeni’s location instead of getting the pints at the store, you have to try their honey vanilla whipped cream. It’s to die for.
You guys are missing so much contenders sadly due to location. East coast has Turkey Hill, Hood, Tilamook, and Friendly’s.
We tried some of these!
I bet Friendly’s you haven’t
Likely not hood or Friendly’s
This video needs to get redone with the blue bell homemade vanilla. Nothing is better than that.