Every Tillamook Ice Cream Flavor, Ranked

For people living in the Pacific Northwest, Tillamook ice cream is the creme de la creme (dairy pun intended) of ice creams. If you have any idea how serious people from Texas are about Blue Bell ice cream, people from Oregon are the same about Tillamook. For one, the ice cream is legitimately delicious. It's creamy and smooth and just about everything you want in ice cream. Furthermore, the Tillamook factory in Tillamook, Oregon is one of Oregon's true claims to fame, while the brand offers region-specific flavors that really help solidify its distinct voice.

Ultimately, it's easy to say that all of the ice creams from Tillamook is good for at least some people. Yes, even the "bad" flavors. So if you're a diehard fan of rocky road (not our favorite, admittedly), you'll probably love Tillamook's version. We highly suggest you do your own taste test and decide for yourself, but, if you'd like some guidance, these are all of the currently available Tillamook ice cream flavors ranked worst to best. 

It pains us somewhat to put Tillamook's Birthday Cake ice cream so low on this list. We certainly love some rainbow sprinkles, and this ice cream has just that scattered all through the cake batter ice cream. But aside from the colorful confetti of sprinkles, the flavor of cake batter ice cream with pieces of yellow cake tucked inside just doesn't do it, with a flavor reminiscent of the forbidden treat of raw cake batter (though, of course, Tillamook's version is safe to eat). So, the flavor of ice cream made to taste like cake? Not exactly a favorite. 

But, it's certainly sweet and fun to serve and look at. Birthday cake ice cream would make an excellent birthday treat for the younger ice cream fans in your household. And who knows? Maybe birthday cake ice cream served alongside some actual birthday cake would make a difference in the experience.

All three of Tillamook's vanilla ice creams are simply put, above average. It's hard to go wrong with a solid, sweet, vanilla ice cream. And Tillamook's French Vanilla provides the smooth, custard flavor that some people love. But, for many people, the reputation of this flavor precedes itself, and not in a good way. All too often, vanilla is well, just too vanilla.  If you're going to eat a bowl of ice cream, you probably want something truly decadent with an array of fillings and mix-ins, right? 

This means that plain old vanilla is a tough sell for someone's first choice of ice cream. But if you love the thick, creamy custard flavor of French Vanilla ice cream, try pairing this variety with other bold flavors, like pecan pie and a cup of black coffee. The soft, creamy flavor of the vanilla could work in its favor there, balancing out the bold notes of other ingredients.

Banana split ice cream sounds like it should be great. And really, with the walnuts, the fudge ripple, and the cherries thrown in, it's not bad. But it's not fantastic, either. There's something about the strawberry banana ice cream that just makes the whole thing a little too sweet (you know, the sugar, probably). And, if you're not a fan of maraschino cherries — and not everyone is, given the fruit's intense, sometimes artificial sweetness and rather alarming bright red color — you're going to be digging around those little pieces to avoid them. Who wants their ice cream to involve actual work?

That said, as far as fruit-flavored ice creams go, the balance of nuts and chocolate at least makes it a little more interesting than some of the other Tillamook flavors. And for that, it at least ranks a little higher than the plain strawberry, vanillla, or peaches and cream flavors from Tillamook.

While plain old vanilla may never be our favorite flavor, it does have its place. It's perfectly good perched on top of a slice of warm apple pie or thrown into a glass with a root beer. And if you're looking for a solid option, it's hard to go wrong with Tillamook's Old-Fashioned Vanilla. It's creamy and is a classic for a good reason. In fact, it may even make you recall memories of old-time ice cream shops enjoyed on vacation. Nostalgia's got to count for something, right?

This variety of vanilla is light and creamy, making it a simple and unassuming flavor that's at least better than many competing brands. You just may not find yourself excited to enjoy a scoop of the stuff unaccompanied. But the next time you need a scoop of vanilla to enjoy with a slice of chocolate cake, consider adding this flavor to your grocery list.

By now, you might be a bit surprised to find a fruit-flavored ice cream creeping up this list of Tillamook ice creams. But you might also be a bit surprised to find huckleberry-flavored ice cream. And it's exactly that surprise factor that won this Tillamook flavor a few extra points. 

If you're unfamiliar with huckleberries, they're largely found in the Pacific Northwest, which makes this flavor particularly Oregonian and something you're unlikely to find from any other national ice cream brand. This Mountain Huckleberry ice cream starts with a creamy vanilla base and delivers a combination of sweetness and tartness with the huckleberry swirl. We appreciate the unique flavor and the bright, acidic notes the huckleberries bring to an otherwise super sweet vanilla base (this is still sugary ice cream, after all). If you are still dedicated to fruity ice cream flavors, then be sure to give this type a try.

We're now entering the middle-ground for Tillamook's ice cream flavors. And, nestled rather safely in the center of the pack, Caramel Butter Pecan is a solid flavor choice, especially if you're a big-time caramel fan. This features caramel ice cream with extra caramel swirled through and roasted butter pecans thrown in for good measure. 

That's what makes it different from most butter pecan ice creams on the market, given that most competing versions stop at butter pecan and don't add the caramel. But the extra smooth sweetness of the caramel packs a punch that may make this your favorite flavor. And for those of us who aren't huge caramel fans? The roasted butter pecans help balance out the caramel sweetness, making it more enjoyable to eat than the plainer stuff. That said, there are a few more caramel-focused flavors from Tillamook that beat this particular one out.

Tillamook's final vanilla flavor comes in exactly in the middle of the pack. When it comes to vanillas, we believe that vanilla bean is really way to go. It just has a lighter, almost crisp flavor to it that's imparted by the little flakes of vanilla bean in the mix. And while we will almost never eat a scoop of vanilla ice cream plain, if you serve us a scoop of Tillamook's Vanilla Bean, we might just go back for seconds. 

This flavor is also the perfect option for making next-level ice cream sundaes or for setting up an ice cream bar at your next party. Just grab a couple of containers of vanilla bean and set them up alongside a table filled with sprinkles, chocolate chips, berries, crushed Oreos, popular candies (if you're looking for suggestions, M&M's and chopped up Butterfingers work great), and sauces. You're practically guaranteed to have a hit on your hands.

If you've never had a monster cookie, well, you need to remedy this oversight, stat. Monster cookies are essentially what happens when you throw every delicious thing from all types of different cookies into a single recipe. Does it have chocolate chips? Yes. M&M's? Yes. Oatmeal? Yes. Peanut butter? Yes. And Tillamook's Monster Cookie ice cream is exactly what it sounds like, given that it's the ice cream version of this cookie. 

It starts with the brand's Cookie Dough ice cream, a salted peanut butter swirl, crispy oats, "chocolaty flakes," and pieces of candy. It's fully loaded with all these tasty fillings. So, why isn't it higher on the list? Well, for starters, there are simply ice creams that are better. But aside from that, we could do without the crispy oats in my ice cream, which is a bit odd and can still get a tad mushy. You may prefer your ice cream to be a bit more simple, too.

Yes, another caramel ice cream from Tillamook — but stay with us here. The Oregon Hazelnut & Salted Caramel ice cream is different from the other caramel flavors for a few reasons. First, it starts with a hazelnut ice cream base, which has a rich and subtle flavor that helps offset the sugary sweetness of the caramel. Second, that caramel is salted, which helps tone down the sweetness and adds complexity. 

Finally, there are actual pieces of Oregon hazelnuts thrown in, making for an experience that incorporates cold ice cream, a smooth ribbon of caramel, and the crunch of the nuts. The complementary flavors and textures make a nice treat where you can really sit back and indulge yourself. Give it a try, and maybe serve it next to a scoop of plain vanilla bean or chocolate if you're still craving a little extra flavor.

When you go to the Tillamook Cheese Factory in Tillamook, Oregon and stop by their on-site store (where you can buy what seems like every type of cheese and ice cream known to man), you can get their ice creams served up in a waffle cone. We highly recommend the experience. But if you can't make it to this far northwest corner of Oregon's Pacific Coast, then you should at least try the brand's Waffle Cone Swirl ice cream. 

Here, you get both chocolate and vanilla ice cream bases, a swirl of caramel, and chunks of real waffle cone that have been dipped in chocolate. Admittedly, not all the waffle cone pieces are very crunchy. Some are, sure, but others are a bit soft. The whole point of eating a waffle cone is to get that crunch to counterbalance the smooth ice cream, so this flavor loses a few points.

Think of the Malted Moo Shake as a fancy version of the chocolate chip flavor. To be clear, the taste is pretty distinct, as the malted vanilla ice cream ends up having a rich, almost toasty flavor. If you've ever eaten a malted milk ball, it's something along those lines. But then you have the chocolate fudge chips added in to offset the malted vanilla. And here, they're seriously fudgy chips, not just straight chocolate. This means that they impart a sweeter, creamier sensation than traditional chocolate chips. 

So, here you have some upgraded vanilla ice cream and similarly upgraded chocolate chips coming together to make the Malted Moo Shake ice cream. It is, essentially, a fancy version of basic chocolate chip ice cream. The overall taste is sweeter, and really, it's a toss-up as to which flavor could be considered "better". However, surely you agree that this flavor gets great kudos for originality.

Mint chocolate chip ice cream has been a favorite flavor of ice cream since many of us were little kids. There's something about that fresh mint flavor paired with chocolate chips that will send quite a few of us back for seconds and thirds almost every time. And, without a doubt, Tillamook is one of our all-time favorite brands of Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream. The thing is, it's completely possible to get mint ice cream wrong. But Tillamook gets the flavor right. It's creamy, smooth, and fresh, with just enough of the chunks of chocolate chips to give you that nice sweet (but not overly sweet) counterbalance.

While some people will go gaga over this flavor, we must admit that mint can be a divisive dessert flavor when you ask around. For some, it's just right. For others, it's more like eating some toothpaste with sugar and chocolate mixed in. It all depends on your personal preference.

For those of you who have been paying attention, it might come as a surprise to see a fruit-flavored ice cream ranking quite so high on this list of Tillamook ice creams. We're the first to admit that fruity ice creams usually aren't total favorites, but the Marionberry Pie from Tillamook is the exception to the rule. 

If you're unfamiliar with marionberries, they're another Oregon-specific berry. In fact, according to Food & Wine, they were developed back in 1948 in Corvallis, Oregon by Dr. George Waldo. All told, they're very similar to blackberries. The berries tend to have a sweet and tart flavor, and when served up in ice cream with pieces of pie crust mixed in? It's a real treat. And for us, it's a bowl of ice cream that delivers on flavor and nostalgia, making it one of those ice creams we'll always buy when it's available. 

Drumroll, please! The top Tillamook ice cream to round out this ranking is, hands down, Tillamook Mudslide. First, it's simply not a flavor combination that you're going to find in every other brand. Second, the name "mudslide" is a direct reference to the not-so-fun natural disaster that often occurs in Oregon when the rains put entirely too much stress on the hills and mountainsides, so it has a certain local feel. And third, it's just downright delicious. 

If you like chocolate, you're going to love this flavor. The chocolate ice cream base is enhanced with a ribbon of sweet fudge and finished off with chunky but not overly sweet chocolate chips. Like some of the other rich Tillamook flavors, this isn't one for the faint of heart, and might not be one you want to eat every day. Still, it's definitely a flavor that will satisfy your sweet tooth and leave you wanting more.