14 Breyers Ice Cream Flavors, Ranked From Worst To Best

Walk into just about any grocery or convenience store that sells ice cream in the U.S., and the odds of finding Breyers ice cream in the freezer are very high. Given that Breyers has been around for roughly 160 years, it's no surprise that it is one of the most recognizable and widely consumed ice cream brands in the country. Founded in Philadelphia by William A. Breyer and his hand-cranked ice cream machine in 1866, Breyers is now part of the Magnum Ice Cream Company — the largest ice cream company in the world — which owns several other popular brands, including Ben & Jerry's, Talenti, and Klondike.

There are dozens of flavors in the Breyers lineup, as well as special collaborations and non-dairy, lactose-free, gluten-free, low sugar, and no sugar added options. With so much variety, we chose to focus on some of the most popular ice cream flavors — many of which are from the Classics collection — for the most consistent taste of what the ice cream brand has to offer. For more information on how we chose and tasted each frozen dessert, please see the methodology section at the end of this review. From worst to best, here's how 14 Breyers ice cream flavors ranked.

One look at the ribbons of bright pink swirled into Breyers New York Style Cheesecake ice cream, studded with little bits of graham cracker, and you can't help but get excited for what you're about to taste. That shocking pink color is strawberry-flavored, and I assumed the white ice cream would be cheesecake-flavored. What I can say with full confidence is that it's all very sweet and tastes nothing like cheesecake. Instead, it tastes like synthetic vanilla and strawberry candies.

Once you finally find one of the graham-covered cheesecake pieces, which actually do taste like little bits of cheesecake, you might have a small, fleeting bite of satisfaction. The tiny pieces have that recognizable cream cheese cheesecake taste to them, which I was hoping to taste more of in the ice cream itself. Unfortunately, the graham-covered cheesecake pieces are too few and far between to really consider this a "cheesecake" ice cream, and the base itself is so sweet that it ends up clashing with the tangy, slightly salty pieces in the mix. There are much better strawberry options from Breyers, and better cheesecake ice cream options elsewhere.

I'll admit that coffee is one of my favorite ice cream flavors, so it's entirely possible that my expectations were higher when tasting Breyers Coffee ice cream. If you also happen to love coffee ice cream, this one probably shouldn't be your first choice. The packaging says the ice cream is made with Colombian coffee, which is celebrated for its versatile range when roasting and an appealing flavor profile that strikes the perfect balance of sweetness, acidity, and background flavors. The ingredients list only specifically mentions coffee extract, which can absolutely be made with Colombian coffee beans and is a perfectly normal way to add or boost coffee flavor in ice cream.

Regardless of how the coffee was actually incorporated into this frozen treat, the flavor is incredibly intense in an altogether unappealing way. It's as if a pot of over-roasted, burnt coffee had been condensed for maximum flavor and then churned into this ice cream. Neither sweetness nor creaminess can mask the bold, burnt coffee flavor, and all the subtle and complex flavors of Colombian coffee have vanished.

An ice cream that tastes like ... an ice cream bar? Sure, it may seem a little redundant, but far be it from me to deny the strawberry shortcake ice cream bar lovers of the world their chance to enjoy the beloved flavor by the bowlful. But before you swap your sticks for a tub of Breyers Strawberry Shortcake, there are a few things you should know first.

Yes, the ice cream itself tastes like what you'd expect from a Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake bar. Assuming you're familiar with the original, the candy-like strawberry flavor won't be all that surprising, although, for what it's worth, Breyers lists real strawberries in the ingredients. It's even got the signature Good Humor Cake Crunch mixed into the ice cream for an extra hit of nostalgia.

The issue here is the ratio of the cake crumbles to ice cream and how integral that ratio is to your personal satisfaction. The original Strawberry Shortcake bar is completely crusted in those pinkish-red and beige cake crumbles, whereas the ice cream version has more of a sprinkling of the crumbs mixed in. For me, the shortcake crunch on the outside of the bar makes the experience, and Breyers' rendition just doesn't hit the same.

There are (very generally speaking) two kinds of pistachio ice cream in the world. The first is made with real pistachio paste, which tends to have a muddier green-brown color and a more roasted, woody, and nutty flavor to it. It can also be on the more expensive side. The second is made with pistachio extract, which is a flavoring that sometimes doesn't even include pistachio and can be boosted with orange and vanilla flavors among others. It's usually a brighter minty green color and doesn't cost nearly as much as the real thing. This ice cream is definitely the latter.

The bright green pistachio ice cream in Breyers Pistachio Almond frozen dessert showcases that fake-but-somehow-likeable flavor, with a generous amount of real and crunchy roasted almond pieces mixed in. If you close your eyes before taking your first bite, this ice cream could easily be confused with cherry or even almond extract, but it's a far cry from real pistachio. With that said, if you're a fan of spumoni gelato, this might be exactly what you're looking for.

What is there to possibly dislike about cookies and cream ice cream? Chocolate sandwich cookies crumbled into a milky vanilla ice cream — it's not fancy, but it's usually very easy to like. Breyers Cookies & Cream has a pleasing amount of cookie pieces in it, both larger chunks and smaller crumbles throughout the vanilla-flavored ice cream.

But there's something a little off about this particular choice. The sweetness isn't too strong, but it's got a slightly fruity or synthetic sweetness to it that's hard to place and not entirely pleasing. It's hard to tell whether it comes from the cookies or the ice cream, but it overshadows the creamier milky flavors that you'd expect from this option.

Breyers also makes a non-dairy version of its Cookies & Cream ice cream made with oat milk. And for those who can't say no to a cookies and cream dessert and still want to see what Breyers has to offer, try to lay your hands on its Double Cookie Crumble flavor, which boasts more cookies in a sweet cream ice cream with a chocolate cookie swirl.

While you'll find chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream from plenty of different brands, we all have Ben & Jerry's to thank for actually tossing the first gobs of chocolate chip cookie dough (CCCD) into vanilla ice cream back in 1984 and bringing this iconic flavor to life. I've never had a version that I didn't like, and the Breyers Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is no exception to that. Even so, it's hard not to compare this one to many of the others out there.

This version contains both cookie dough and chocolate chunks adrift in a sea of vanilla-flavored ice cream (much like Ben & Jerry's version). There are plenty of chocolate chips in the mix and a satisfactory amount of cookie dough pieces, although I'd be happy with either more or larger gobs of dough. Ben & Jerry's tastes so good because it's premium ice cream, whereas Breyers is not quite as rich and is actually labeled "frozen dairy dessert." Nevertheless, this CCCD is still plenty satisfying, even if it isn't mind-blowing.

At this point in the ranking, it's safe to say that there are no wrong choices. Aside from preference, I'd gladly pick up a carton of most of the remaining flavors again, although some do more justice to their namesakes than others. Take Breyers Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream, for example. It might not look like there's much in the way of peanut butter here, but it's got just enough to complement the chocolate.

It's definitely a chocolate-first dessert, with thin ripples of peanut butter veins throughout the ice cream. The peanut butter itself shatters when you bite into it, making for a pleasing little crunch that you might not ordinarily expect. The chocolate ice cream is made with real Dutched cocoa powder but isn't especially dark or heavy. For those looking for a more intense peanut butter flavor, Breyers currently makes two ice creams in collaboration with Reese's. That lineup includes a peanut butter ice cream with chunks of Reese's cups and a peanut butter swirl, and a chocolate ice cream also with chunks of Reese's and a peanut butter swirl.

The most controversial thing about butter pecan ice cream is whether it's pronounced "pee-can," "puh-cawn," or another one of the endless variations of the word. No matter how you pronounce it or everything else you should know about pecans, Americans are rightfully fond of the humble nut as it's the only native tree nut to grow in North America (and yes, that's why we eat pecan pie at Thanksgiving).

Breyers Butter Pecan ice cream keeps it simple. Large roasted pecan pieces are studded into a vanilla-flavored ice cream that's not very sweet and just a touch on the buttery side. Where some butter pecan ice creams may lean into the woodsier nut flavors or add caramel for sweetness and color, this is more of a straightforward rendition, with a pale, buttery yellow and milky ice cream that lets the butter-toasted pecans shine. Technically, this is another one of Breyers' "Frozen Dairy Desserts," but unlike some of the others that taste fluffier or lighter, this particular flavor is satisfyingly creamy. Don't be afraid to dress it up with warm chocolate or toffee sauce and maybe even a little sprinkle of flaky sea salt for something extra special.

Upon opening the container of Breyers Cherry Vanilla ice cream, I was pleasantly surprised to find a dessert that looks and tastes like actual cherries. Even as someone who would never think to choose cherry when picking up an ice cream, this one managed to impress me with its large halves of real cherries mixed into a vanilla ice cream that's been stained with dark cherry juice. Instead of a bright, candy-colored cherry red, the frozen treat is more of a realistic purplish-dusty rose color.

Flavorwise, Breyers Cherry Vanilla ice cream is understated, which is perhaps why I liked it so much. The cherry halves have been lightly candied (poached just until tender in a simple syrup), which keeps them tender enough to bite into and helps prevent iciness in the freezer. The gently poached cherries have a nice little pop of sweetness to accompany the creamy vanilla. Even if cherries aren't your thing, this ice cream is still worth a try.

Even though I'm a chocolate lover through and through, a plain scoop of chocolate ice cream doesn't always hit the spot. But it doesn't take much to turn a simple chocolate ice cream into something a little more indulgent, and Breyers Chocolate Truffle is a great example of that. Dark chocolate ice cream made with Dutched cocoa is studded with crunchy pieces of what the tub calls chocolate truffles. These aren't exactly the kind of truffles you'd imagine getting from Godiva or in a luxury box of chocolate bonbons, but instead they're small bits of dark chocolate that shatter into the ice cream the way a chocolate shell would shatter around a truffle filling when you bite into it.

The ice cream itself is light, fluffy, and not overwhelmingly sweet. The truffle pieces provide little pops of chocolatey sweetness, but overall the frozen treat is balanced and lightly indulgent. If you'd prefer your chocolate ice cream without the extra crunch, Breyers also makes a classic chocolate and an Extra Creamy Chocolate ice cream, both of which are made with Dutched cocoa.

Breyers Natural Strawberry ice cream is such an incredible departure from the other candy-like, strawberry-flavored ice creams previously mentioned in this roundup that it's almost hard to believe it's from the same company. The barely pink color of this frozen dessert is all natural, unlike the hot pink stripes in the New York Style Cheesecake and Strawberry Shortcake options. The lightly sweet strawberry ice cream is made with California strawberries mixed in that taste perfectly ripe and provide little pops of sweetness in every bite.

A delicious choice for strawberries and cream lovers, it's also worth noting that this choice is actually classified as an ice cream, not a frozen dairy dessert like many of the others Breyers makes. The ingredient list is short and sweet, including only milk, strawberries, sugar, cream, whey, and tara gum (a natural stabilizer that helps prevent ice crystals from developing in your ice cream).

For the unacquainted, rocky road ice cream is essentially made with a chocolate ice cream base and filled with marshmallows and almonds. The means by which these ingredients are combined depends entirely on who makes it. Breyers Rocky Road has a sweet and creamy swirl of marshmallow throughout the chocolate ice cream, rather than mini marshmallows like you'll find in other versions. Instead of regular roasted almonds, the Breyers version has chocolate-covered almonds, which take the whole thing to the next level. As a whole, it's sweeter than the other chocolate ice cream options, but also has more texture and flavors to enjoy.

As delicious as Breyers Rocky Road is, I can't help but compare it to one of Ben & Jerry's most popular flavors — and one of my favorite ice creams — Phish Food. Phish Food also has a chocolate ice cream base swirled with sweet marshmallow rivers. Instead of chocolate-covered almonds, it's got chocolate fish swimming through it, along with an indulgent swirl of caramel sauce. If you're also a fan of the combination of chocolate ice cream with marshmallows and crunchy almonds, but are looking for a lighter option instead of a richer one, Breyers also makes a lower-carbohydrate CarbSmart Rocky Road.

Even though it's a classic and one of the most popular flavors in the Breyers lineup, mint chocolate chip is an ice cream flavor that people tend to either love or hate. I'm a staunch mint chocolate chip lover, and Breyers' version didn't disappoint. Unlike the minty green version you'll find at Baskin-Robbins, this mint ice cream is a clean white, studded with chocolate chunks. At first glance, it looks a lot like Breyers Chocolate Chip option, although the mint version is made with a white mint base rather than a vanilla ice cream base.

Breyers Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream is minty enough to satisfy those who really enjoy a mint chip without tasting like toothpaste or overwhelming you with so much spearmint that you can feel it in your lungs. It's also one of the flavors fully classified as an ice cream on this list, as opposed to a frozen dairy dessert. While all of Breyers ice creams are made with real milk and cream, the actual ice creams have less air and tend to taste ever so slightly creamier than their frozen dairy dessert counterparts.

It might not seem like the most thrilling flavor to some, but real vanilla lovers know that it's far from "plain." The truth about vanilla, after all, is that it is the second most expensive spice in the world after saffron. In fact, vanilla is so popular that Breyers makes four different flavors: Homemade Vanilla, Natural Vanilla, French Vanilla, and Extra Creamy Vanilla. Additionally, the brand also offers the flavor in lactose-free, CarbSmart, non-dairy, and no sugar added options.

I picked up a carton of Breyers French Vanilla ice cream because it's got the one thing I truly love in a rich and creamy vanilla ice cream — egg yolks. Traditional French custard-style ice creams have a richer, creamier flavor and a silky smoothness that make them downright irresistible. One bite of Breyers French Vanilla ice cream, made with Rainforest Alliance Certified 100% sustainable vanilla, and you could easily be convinced that you're enjoying a vanilla ice cream that costs several times more.

If you're looking for a silky smooth vanilla frozen treat made with egg yolks but a little fluffier in texture, try the Breyers Homemade Vanilla instead. But no matter what you do, never call vanilla ice cream "plain."

Having spent nearly two decades as a pastry chef, I've made more ice cream, gelato, and sorbet than I could possibly count. It's been one of my favorite desserts to make because it's also one of my favorite desserts to eat, and no flavor is off limits. So the prospect of tasting 14 ice creams was a welcome challenge.

Breyers, of course, offers far more than 14 flavors, available in cartons, pops, pints, and more. Flavors span the classics and branch into cookie- and candy-inspired desserts, along with Better For You options for those with special dietary considerations. For this tasting, I chose flavors primarily from the Breyers classic lineup, which are the most widely available and likely to stay in production for the long haul.

When tasting each flavor, I considered how well it lived up to its description, its authenticity, the overall sweetness, texture, and creaminess of the ice cream, and any standout ingredients. Like everyone, I have strong personal preferences, but I also considered the general popularity of flavors other than my favorites and based my opinions of those on how well each presented itself, regardless of whether I'd choose it for my next bowl.