The best dairy free ice cream is rich, creamy, and extremely scoopable. It doesn’t compromise decadence just because it’s vegan. The flavors should be vibrant and harmonious, on par with an artisanal scoop from your favorite local ice cream parlor—seriously, if it’s anything less than sublime, we’re simply not recommending it.
Non dairy ice cream has come such a long way over the years. Our theory? There’s been an unseen alliance forming between animal rights activists and sensitive tummy girlies since the early 2010s, and it’s finally paying dividends. So going into our second taste test of the best vegan ice cream, we predicted the Sporked freezer would quickly fill up with new non dairy brands and flavors we hadn’t tried before—and we were right. Whether you’re searching for the best vegan vanilla ice cream, the best dairy free chocolate ice cream, or anything and everything in between, grab your little plastic sample spoons and dig into this list of the best dairy free ice cream.
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- 365 Berry Chantilly Cake Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert
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If you’re a fruity, light, vanilla-y dessert person, this is some of the best non dairy ice cream. The 365 by Whole Foods Berry Chantilly Cake Almondmilk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert is like the most beautiful bakery cake you’ve ever tasted in ice cream form. I don’t even like fruity desserts (chocolate or death, imo), but I thought this was spectacular. It tastes exactly like berry chantilly cake! And even though it’s cake themed, it’s gluten-free! This is also some of the best vegan ice cream if you prefer an almond milk base to oat or coconut milk. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Planet Oat Blueberry Oat Crumble Oatmilk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert
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Planet Oat Blueberry Oat Crumble Oatmilk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert is such a nice surprise! I’m not even that into fruit and I was obsessed with this non dairy ice cream. There are big pieces of oat streusel in the mix that make this taste like an actual blueberry crumble, and, as we’ve said, the best dairy free ice cream nails its inspiration. The oat milk base pairs well with the flavor of the crumble—you get more than just the flavor of oats. I ended up bringing this pint of ice cream home and snacking on it for the rest of the week. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Bettergoods Plant-Based Mint Chocolate Chip Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert
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I tried a couple of different vegan mint chip ice creams for this taste test, and let me tell ya, that’s a hard flavor to get right without dairy. Most of them were way too icy, with a texture and flavor that screamed “frozen toothpaste.” But Bettergoods swooped in and saved the day. The non dairy ice cream is soft, creamy, and highly scoopable, with an oat milk base that you can barely taste as a substitute. The mint is a bit one-note, but overall, this is the best vegan ice cream for mint chip lovers. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- WildGood Caramelized Fig Frozen Dessert
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WildGood Caramelized Fig Frozen Dessert tastes exactly like fresh figs sauteed with brown sugar and butter poured over creamy vanilla ice cream. It’s such an elevated ice cream flavor that makes you feel sophisticated when you eat it. It might not be for everyone because the texture is a little chewy, much like a fig. But I love figs and I loved this vegan ice cream. This is the best dairy free ice cream if you’re in the mood for something unconventional. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Merc / Wildgood
- So Delicious Dairy Free Chocolate Cookies ‘n’ Cream Frozen Dessert
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So Delicious makes some of the best vegan ice cream out there (dairy-based brands included). This Chocolate Cookies ‘n’ Cream flavor is so perfectly chocolatey. The cookies are soft but not too soft. The chocolatey base makes me wonder why I haven’t been dipping my Oreos in chocolate milk instead of regular milk my entire life. This is the best non dairy ice cream if you needed a reminder that we should all be consuming more chocolate milk. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Merc / Target
- Sprouts Italian Pistachio Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert
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The magic combo of cashew milk and pistachio ice cream should probably be studied by science. This extra nutty, potently pistachio-flavored vegan ice cream, packed with whole roasted pistachios, is a flavor bomb with every spoonful. It has a stronger authentic pistachio flavor than most of the pistachio ice creams we tried in our actual pistachio ice cream taste test. Now, all that being said, this b*tch is salty. It’s an incredibly savory flavor that I personally adore, but will not be for everyone. Also, the color is frightening. Don’t let it scare you off because this is the best dairy free ice cream for people with a modest sweet tooth. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Sprouts
- Mauna Loa Strawberry Guava Macadamia Milk Frozen Dessert
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This strawberry ice cream from Mauna Loa really surprised us. First, you have to look past what you may expect from a traditional strawberry ice cream. While it’s a great choice for strawberry lovers, the notes of guava and citrus give it a tropical edge. The texture is more icy than creamy, like a sorbet. It’s super addictive—in large part thanks to the unique blend of fresh fruit flavors. It may be a little unconventional, but honestly? It would be a crime not to name this the best vegan strawberry ice cream of the bunch. It’s truly sublime. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Sprouts
- Gelato Boy Dairy Free Coffee Fudge Swirl Gelato
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Gelato Boy, where have you been all of my life? This pint of coffee fudge swirl ice cream is complex. It tastes like a traditional coffee ice cream, but with a rich chocolate undertone hidden in that hypnotic fudge swirl. The oat milk and coconut milk pair beautifully, and a subtle hint of coconut flavor adds even more depth to this non-dairy ice cream. If you’re searching for the best vegan coffee ice cream—or if an oat milk mocha latte is your go-to Starbucks drink—this is the best dairy free ice cream for you. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Sprouts
- So Delicious Dairy Free Peanut Butter Brownie Cashewmilk Frozen Dessert
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First things first, I don’t know what freaky food science is going on with So Delicious ice cream, but despite having a cashew milk and coconut base, neither of those flavors are present in this vegan ice cream. It’s all smooth, creamy, lightly sweet ice cream, dreamy peanut butter (that PB flavor is so good, y’all), and thick hunks of chocolate brownie. And look, full transparency, the team was divided on the brownie chunks. Some thought they were too grainy, others didn’t mind the taste or texture. But the standout flavor here—and the reason it’s one of the best vegan ice creams we tried—is that creamy peanut butter. If you’re a PB lover, buy this. —Ariana Losch
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- Ben & Jerry’s Non Dairy Cherry Garcia
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We love Ben & Jerry’s regular dairy Cherry Garcia, so we’re very happy to report that this non-dairy version is similarly incredible. The ice cream base tastes like sweet maraschino cherries with bits of dark chocolate mixed in. The oat milk substitute blends neatly in—unless you’re doing a side-by-side comparison of both flavors, you can barely tell this is vegan. My one wish would be to have more pieces of dark chocolate throughout (it’s a bit sparse), but with such a lovely cherry flavor like that, I really can’t complain. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Target
- So Delicious Dairy Free Snickerdoodle Cashewmilk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert
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This vegan snickerdoodle ice cream is a revelation, you guys. It’s a soft snickerdoodle cookie in ice cream form… with huge chunks of crumbly, warmly spiced, slightly salty cookie pieces mixed in. The texture of the ice cream is so lovely, rich, and soft. It has a bold, spicy cinnamon flavor that masks any noticeable flavor of cashew milk; honestly, we’ve never had a vegan ice cream flavor quite like this. So Delicious, you’ve outdone yourself here. It’s the best dairy free ice cream if you love snickerdoodles as much as I do. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Whole Foods
- Van Leeuwen Peanut Butter Brownie Honeycomb Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert
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I’m going to be so real with you: I wish I could rank this higher. Van Leeuwen has a real talent for making smooth, creamy, super scoopable vegan ice cream. One taste of their Peanut Butter Brownie Honeycomb frozen dessert will instantly brighten your day. It carries a lovely note of fresh-from-the-comb honey that lightly sweetens the mild peanut butter and brownie flavor blend. But there are some seriously hot contenders for the best vegan ice cream on this list, and if this one falls short of anything, it’s an identity. Is it the best vegan peanut butter ice cream? The best honeycomb? We settled on the best vegan brownie ice cream, because honestly, the brownie hunks have a nice texture and light cocoa flavor (and were much better than others we tried). —Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- So Delicious Dairy Free Salted Caramel Cluster Frozen Dessert
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So Delicious makes such good vegan ice cream products and I recommend trying every single one of them. Their cashew milk-based Salted Caramel Cluster tops my list, though. The light coconut flavor pairs wonderfully with the caramel and cashew. But it’s not so coconutty that it overpowers the other flavors in the mix. It’s sweet, but not too sweet. It’s crazy creamy. This is such a balanced vegan ice cream and a real palate pleaser. Get this and thank me later! —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Merc / Target
- Craig’s Non-Dairy Killa’ Vanilla Frozen Dessert
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Craig’s ice cream is an L.A.-based vegan ice cream shop that’s churning out some of the best dairy free ice cream you can find in grocery stores nationwide. Their Killa’ Vanilla flavor did, in fact, come in with the kill, unseating our previous pick for “best vegan vanilla ice cream.” It excelled in every way—its texture is creamy, almost buttery, the flavor is bold, and it even has aesthetic appeal, thanks to specks of vanilla bean. If you’re looking for something gourmet to ladle with hot fudge or serve with a slice of pie, this is the best vegan ice cream for you. —Ariana Losch
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- Cado Deep Dark Chocolate Non-Dairy Avocado Frozen Dessert
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This chocolate ice cream is truly deep and dark, just like the name promises. It’s smooth, creamy, and rich. It tastes like it’s made with full-fat dairy and there’s no weird aftertaste. It’s just 100% pure chocolate deliciousness. Some of Cado’s other flavors were not good, but they knocked it out of the park with Deep Dark Chocolate. Who knew chocolate avocado ice cream could be so good? If you don’t do dairy, this is the best vegan chocolate ice cream you can buy. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Ben & Jerry’s Non Dairy Milk & Cookies
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For the first time in years, Ben & Jerry’s Milk & Cookies really gave Phish food (our #1) a run for its money. This glorious tub mixes chocolate chip cookies, chocolate sandwich cookies, and chocolate cookie swirls into a textural paradise where mix-ins become the focal point of every bite. That’s part of why you can’t tell it’s vegan—the ice cream base is pretty secondary. This is everything you love about dunking an Oreo in milk, just frozen and way less messy. “To get a piece of cookie that big is truly euphoric,” says my colleague Jordan Myrick, noting the huge chunks that jut out like tasty cookie geodes. Trust us: You will love this. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert
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If you’re looking for a vegan ice cream that could fool even the biggest dairy lovers, look no further than Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy Phish Food Frozen Dessert. This tastes so shockingly similar to Ben & Jerry’s regular Phish Food that I was shaken to my core. It’s creamy and chocolatey and there are plenty of mix-ins. In all honesty, this ice cream has no flaws and I wouldn’t change a thing. Good job, Ben and Jerry! You made the best vegan ice cream of them all. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Merc / Instacart
Best Fancy
Best Unique
Best Mint
Best Elevated
Best Cookies & Cream
Best Pistachio
Best Strawberry
Best Coffee
Best Peanut Butter
Best Cherry
Best Snickerdoodle
Best Brownie
Best Mix-Ins
Best Vanilla
Best Chocolate
Runner Up
Best of the Best
Other Products We Tried: So Delicious Dairy Free Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert, Chocolate; So Delicious Dairy Free Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert; Oatly Vanilla Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert; Oatly Chocolate Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert; Must Love Bananas Cashew Cookie Dough Frozen Dessert; Wildgood Pistachio Frozen Dessert; Mauna Loa Rocky Road To Hana Macadamia Milk Frozen Dessert; Cosmic Bliss Organic Dark Chocolate Frozen Dessert 365 by Whole Foods Market Non-dairy Frozen Dessert, Almondmilk – Mint Chocolate Chip; 365 by Whole Foods Market Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert, Almondmilk – Vanilla Bean; 365 by Whole Foods Market Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert, Almondmilk – Berry Chantilly Cake; Forager Project Organic Vanilla Bean Dairy Free Cashewmilk Frozen Dessert; NadaMoo! Pistachio Nut Frozen Dessert NadaMoo!; Organic Mint Chip Dairy-Free Frozen Dessert; NadaMoo! Organic Cookies & Cream Dairy-Free Frozen Dessert; Cado Non-Dairy Avocado Frozen Dessert Mint Chocolate Chip; Van Leeuwen Sicilian Pistachio Non Dairy Frozen Dessert; Van Leeuwen Oat Milk Brown Sugar Chunk with Cookie Dough Brownies & Candied Oat Clusters Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert; Breyers Non-Dairy Cookies & Crème Frozen Dessert; Trader Joe’s Strawberry Non-Dairy Oat Frozen Dessert; NadaMoo! Organic Vanilla Bean Dairy-Free Frozen Dessert, Oatly Mint Chip Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert, Cosmic Bliss Organic Chocolate Peanut Butter Frozen Dessert, Holi Scoops Peanut Butter Bliss Dairy-Free Frozen Dessert, Open Nature Frozen Peanut Butter Chocolaty Chip, Open Nature Frozen Dessert Chocolaty Peanut Butter Pretzel, Wicked Kitchen Vanilla Ice Dream Ice Cream, Cosmic Bliss Plant-Based Madagascan Vanilla Bean, Sprouts Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk, Nadamoo! Dairy Free Vanilla Bean Frozen Dessert, Ben & Jerry’s Non-dairy Peanut Butter & Cookies Frozen Dessert, Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert, Fronen Madagascar Vanilla Dairy Free Frozen Dessert, Fronen Mint Chip Dairy Free Frozen Dessert, Sprouts Butter Pecan Cashew Milk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert, Sprouts Peanut Butter Chocolate Cashew Milk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert, Fronen Salted Caramel Swirl Dairy Free Frozen Dessert, Oatly Frozen Dessert Non-Dairy Strawberry
