The Van Leeuwen limited edition flavors for winter of 2023 are here—and, yes, that includes the now-internet-famous pickle ice cream. But are any of these Walmart exclusive ice creams worth braving the aisles this holiday season? We tasted six of them to find out.
- Dill Pickle
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There are people out there who have always wanted pickle ice cream (I guess?) and now they finally have it!
Pros: Well, it really, really does taste like dill pickle ice cream! You get a lot of dill up front but then there is a definite tanginess—like a Claussen’s full-sour tanginess rather than a Grillo’s half-sour style tanginess. And then there’s the sweetness and the creaminess—because it’s ice cream, after all.
Cons: It’s very interesting, but I’m not sure what craving this would satisfy. If this was served to me at a restaurant as a tiny scoop in the center of some smoked salmon arranged to look like a rose, I’d be impressed. But you’re not eating a scoop of this alone at home. Or maybe you are. Who am I to judge? I’m certainly not eating a single scoop of ice cream at home.
Credit: Liv Averett / Van Leeuwen
- Kettle Corn
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Much like Van Leeuwen’s pickle flavored ice cream, their kettle corn flavored ice cream really does taste as advertised.
Pros: It is extremely buttery and carmelly—more buttery than most caramel corn is, in my experience. It almost tastes like if you doused caramel corn in some movie theater butter—but also a lot of sugar thanks to the little pockets of gooey caramel. I do love the corny quality of it. I would definitely eat corn ice cream, if anyone at Van Leeuwen is wondering.
Cons: It’s too sweet for me, but if you have a real sweet tooth, you’ll like it. I also think it could use some contrasting texture. Where are the crunchy bits of caramel?
Credit: Liv Averett
- Peppermint Stick
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After I tried this bright pint peppermint stick ice cream, I felt like I had just brushed my teeth. It doesn’t just taste like toothpaste, it feels like toothpaste.
Pros: It makes your mouth tingle with the mintiness. If you are the type of person who does not associate mint with toothpaste immediately, this is a very good peppermint ice cream for the holidays.
Cons: If you do, however, associate mint with toothpaste and you do not want to eat toothpaste, you’re better off avoiding.
Credit: Liv Averett
- Caramel Sticky Bun
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This ice cream is as warm and cozy as ice cream can be. For me, this is Christmas morning ice cream.
Pros: There are BIG chunks of actual sticky bun in this caramel sticky bun ice cream. And the sticky bun is good. It’s tender and chewy and yeasty. And there are lots of chunks! They do not skimp on the sticky bun. Sure, there’s a caramel swirl as well, but it’s not about that. It’s about the sticky bun. The actual ice cream is creamy and cinnamony.
Cons: No notes. I loved it.
Credit: Liv Averett
- Holiday Cookies & Cream
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Here’s how this Van Leeuwen limited edition flavor is described on the pint: “Festive red ice cream with dark chocolate cookies and a rich cream filling topped off with swirls of jolly green frosting.” That’s not quite what you get.
Pros: The flavor is good, technically. You just can’t look at the ice cream while you’re eating it. The chocolate cookie pieces are really dark chocolate. These aren’t just Oreo cookies, they’re like the dark chocolate wafers you use to make icebox cake. And they’re soft pieces and there are lots of them.
Cons: The ice cream is not red—it’s pink. It’s like a faded pair of Nantucket red shorts. And the swirls of green are like matcha latte green. And it all comes together to make an unsettling swirl. The flavor is good, but I cannot stomach the colors.
Credit: Liv Averett
- Peanut Butter Fudge Pretzel
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You do not see enough peanut butter ice cream in the freezer section, so I am very happy to see it now.
Pros: Hooray for peanut butter ice cream! It’s really, really creamy and peanut buttery and good. I would happily eat a pint of just this peanut butter ice cream. There’s not a ton of fudge in the mix, but when you do get a bite it’s a nice, dark chocolatey flavor.
Cons: The pretzel pieces are few and far between and when you get one, it’s soft. Not like soft pretzel soft, but like a hard pretzel rod that’s been hanging out in liquid. Just give me my peanut butter ice cream.
Credit: Liv Averett
New Van Leeuwen Flavor!
Rating:
8/10
Sporks
New Van Leeuwen Flavor!
Rating:
7.5/10
Sporks
New Van Leeuwen Flavor!
Rating:
7/10
Sporks
New Van Leeuwen Flavor!
Rating:
9.5/10
Sporks
New Van Leeuwen Flavor!
Rating:
5/10
Sporks
New Van Leeuwen Flavor!
Rating:
6.5/10
Sporks
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!