15 Cold Stone Creamery Flavors Ranked Worst To Best
You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream. Especially for a scoop of Cold Stone Creamery's decadent, delicious ice cream. This national chain is a crowd favorite, known for its classic flavors and furthermore, its signature creations. While the toppings are an integral part of the Cold Stone experience, it's our belief that the true star of the show should be the ice cream itself.
With that being said, we understand that when it comes down to choosing an ice cream flavor, choice paralysis can get the best of us. Luckily for you, we've done the heavy lifting. We visited a local Cold Stone Creamery and sampled its flavors, including classic flavors as well as a few seasonal favorites. Many flavors (and a minor stomach ache) later, we're bringing you a definitive guide to the worst and best Cold Stone flavors for the next time you need to satisfy that sweet tooth.
How we rated the ice cream flavors
This list of Cold Stone flavors is based on the selection from a local Cold Stone Creamery in Boston, and, as such, the flavors may vary by location. We asked the staff to scoop us their most popular flavors, in addition to the three seasonal flavors you'll find listed below.
With that in mind, we tasted each of the 15 flavors individually in order to determine which we liked based on personal preference while keeping in mind that these flavors are some of the most-ordered flavors at Cold Stone. The biggest factor that we considered while ranking these was how they tasted as standalone flavors. Cold Stone is well known for its Signature Creations, which often include a number of mix-ins and toppings in addition to the ice cream. To give each flavor a fair rating, we thought it best to rank them based on how we thought they tasted without the added boost of toppings. This of course was considered in addition to general taste and flavor, texture, and creaminess overall. It is called Cold Stone Creamery, after all.
Silk Chocolate Almond Milk
To all of our dairy-free folks out there, this bottom ranking is not personal. Cold Stone's almond milk-based chocolate ice cream is certainly a great option for those with dietary restrictions and allergies. Made with Silk almond milk, this ice cream is on the lighter side. The chocolate still comes through but is noticeably less rich than the classic chocolate flavor.
Unfortunately, the creamy factor takes a hit without the staple addition of the dairy to give it the classic taste and texture of ice cream. While there are certainly lots of delicious dairy-free and vegan ice creams out there, this one was not one of our favorites.
Not all hope is lost, however, as there are certainly ways to elevate this dairy-free option. One way to elevate this ice cream would be to add any number of Cold Stone's delicious toppings. For more flavor, a chocolate or peanut butter sauce would be a great choice. To distract from the lack of creamy texture, adding mix-ins might also boost this otherwise lackluster flavor.
Boo Batter
Next up is one of Cold Stone's fall flavors and a Halloween special, Boo Batter. The name is a bit ambiguous, but upon further investigating, we found that this flavor is actually just Cold Stone's classic Cake Batter with some black food coloring. The disappointment on that front was similar to that of discovering that red velvet is just a different hue from cacao powder.
Admittedly, there is something about the ink-black color of this ice cream that makes it less appealing than most, which played into its lower ranking. As a standalone, there's nothing significant about this flavor other than it being a remix of one of Cold Stone's most popular flavors. However, what makes Boo Batter iconic is the signature creation, which includes a variety of Halloween candies that get mixed into the black gooeyness. We aren't saying this flavor was bad, rather it didn't blow our minds for being one of the seasonal selections.
Caramel Apple
Caramel Apple was another Cold Stone seasonal flavor that we had our hopes up for. Nothing sounds more fall, and more delicious, than a caramel apple-flavored ice cream. Sadly, we found that this flavor also came up a bit short of our expectations.
If we could give Cold Stone some notes, we would say that it could be stronger on the flavor front for this one. The ice cream was lacking in the salty, rich flavors of a typical caramel. While the ice cream was certainly sweet and delicious, it was missing those notes of caramel that make it so decadent. There's nothing more satisfying than the crisp crunch of a perfectly tart apple, and this ice cream didn't quite do the flavor justice.
If the flavor is seasonal, it's our belief that it should possess some quality that makes it a must-have when that time of year comes around. Perhaps this popular fall treat is best left in its original form, or perhaps we should consider sticking to the safer flavors.
Mint
There are two types of people: Those whose favorite flavor of ice cream is mint chocolate chip, and those who think mint ice cream tastes like toothpaste. While we won't go as far as to say that Cold Stone's Mint ice cream falls into the latter category, it certainly didn't make the top of our list of flavors.
Appealing in its light green color, we would be selling it short if we didn't say that this ice cream flavor is quite refreshing. However, when it comes to ice cream, you want to be able to say a little more about your favorite flavor other than that it was a nice palate cleanser.
There's a reason why chocolate chips are tossed into the mix to make a mint chocolate chip ice cream, and this flavor is the perfect example of that. The sweetness of the chocolate chips helps to balance out the more minty flavor of the ice cream, giving you the complete package.
Cheesecake
This ranking may be up for debate, as Cold Stone's Cheesecake ice cream is the fifth most popular flavor ordered, according to the Cold Stone website. However, this flavor was not a game-changer for us. If anything, it came out a little too strong on the cheese and less so on the cake flavor.
This is one of those flavors where we had to sit with the bite for a brief minute, trying to pinpoint if the aftertaste we were getting was a good or a bad thing. A cheesecake fanatic may hold a different opinion, but this ice cream was just a bit too funky for us. One or two bites of this were manageable, but a whole scoop might have been just enough to upset the stomach. We're certainly all for richness here, but some things are better left as is, and cheesecake may just be one of those things as a dessert already notorious for its decadence.
Sweet Cream
There's not a whole lot to say about Cold Stone's Sweet Cream ice cream — for better or for worse. If you're a vanilla ice cream person, think of this as a slight offshoot from the classic flavor. Aside from the off-white color which makes it slightly more discernible, the texture of this ice cream is what can only be described as pillowy. Where the French Vanilla maintained a harder consistency, the Sweet Cream ice cream melts almost instantly upon hitting the tongue.
Light in flavor, this ice cream is about as straightforward as it gets. Although it leans slightly towards the too-sweet side for our preferences, some may argue that isn't a terrible quality for an indulgent dessert to possess. While it may not rank the highest out of this list of flavors, we don't have a bad word to say against Sweet Cream, though it was not much to write home about, coming in the No. 10 spot.
Watermelon Sorbet
To break up the creaminess, we had to try Cold Stone's Watermelon Sorbet, the only one of its kind on this location's menu. If you want to talk about a palate cleanser, this sorbet was light, fluffy, and deliciously fruity.
We get that sorbet isn't for everyone, but sometimes it just hits the spot. This flavor in particular tasted just like a warm summer's day and was refreshing in all the right ways. The watermelon flavor was perfect, and not too sweet.
Our only complaint about this flavor was that it felt more like drinking a slushy toward the end than eating a hearty scoop of ice cream. The texture of the sorbet tended to be a bit icier than a typical ice cream, which was only amplified by its melting. If you're looking for something that's dairy-free, and more on the fruity side, this might just be the flavor for you.
French Vanilla
For anyone who subscribes to the belief that vanilla ice cream is a boring flavor, Cold Stone Creamery's French Vanilla ice cream is here to prove you wrong. While it certainly isn't the boldest, most stand-out flavor, there's something to be said for a solid vanilla ice cream.
Sometimes, there doesn't need to be anything fancy about an ice cream to make it good. That's the case with this French Vanilla, which is just as sweet and delicious as it is simple. We do have to say, it could have been more creamy, as the scoop was on the firmer side. However, this smooth ice cream perfectly coated our mouths and definitely left us wanting more.
The best part about a simple French Vanilla, especially at Cold Stone, is that you can dress it up however you'd like. Think of this flavor as a blank canvas — a vessel for more delicious toppings that are just as good as a standalone.
Chocolate
For all of our chocolate lovers in the house, you won't be disappointed with this chocolate ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery. This particular ice cream is favorable for milk chocolate fans, as it is on the lighter side and has less of a deep cocoa flavor. The creamy chocolate was just rich enough for us but may be underwhelming for others. Like most of the flavors before it on this list, we wouldn't go out of our way for Cold Stone's chocolate ice cream — but it definitely will not let you down.
Although there wasn't an extreme amount of depth to this chocolate flavor, it was just enough to satisfy a chocoholic's cravings. If you're big on a richer ice cream, we would recommend dressing this flavor up with a few toppings. A drizzle of chocolate syrup on top, or a sprinkle of chocolate chips may give this flavor the bit of extra pizazz that it needs to skyrocket to the top of this list.
Strawberry
You can't go wrong with a classic strawberry ice cream, and Cold Stone's Strawberry is yet another one of this popular chain's best flavors. Sitting among the top 10 flavors at Cold Stone, this strawberry ice cream is perfectly delicate and sweet without being sickeningly sugary. There's nothing more inviting than a scoop of baby-pink ice cream that is beautifully smooth and balanced with its fruity flavor.
Especially for those folks out there who tend towards the more fruity ice cream flavors, this is a great option. As just a scoop of ice cream without any toppings, this flavor certainly held its own and definitely didn't need any dressing-up. We will say that the only thing missing from this ice cream are chunks of the fruit itself, as some of the best strawberry ice creams often include bits of strawberry. At this point, though, we're just being nit-picky as we get closer to the higher end of this guide.
Pumpkin Bread Batter
The third and final seasonal flavor we tried was Cold Stone's Pumpkin Bread Batter. Let us just say that this ice cream redeemed the other two seasonal flavors that previously let us down. The first bite was equivalent to the joy that the sip of the first pumpkin spice latte of the season brings, filling us with every bit of joy and fall vibes.
You could see the specks of pumpkin spice in the scoop itself, and the pumpkin flavor was just as strong as we wanted it to be. The only thing that would've made this ice cream better would have been the addition of actual pumpkin bread chunks, but the ice cream alone was like eating a creamier version of the popular fall dessert.
Obviously, if you aren't a fan of pumpkin (who isn't?) this flavor isn't for you, but we're certainly putting this on our list of fall favorites. All in favor of keeping Pumpkin Bread Batter year-round, us.
Classic Cookie Dough
It's a tight race as we get to the top of our list, but the Cold Stone Classic Cookie Dough is an absolute staple on this menu for a reason. We're all in agreement that cookie dough tastes better when you know that you aren't supposed to be eating it raw, and this ice cream embodies that enthralling flavor. With the chunks of fresh, gooey cookie dough mixed into a salty vanilla ice cream, how can we possibly resist putting this down as one of the best flavors in this establishment?
There's no need for add-ons when the best addition is part of the ice cream flavor, so you're truly getting the best of both worlds with this cookie dough ice cream. The chunks are just the right size, so you still get to enjoy the creaminess of the ice cream. Honestly, we don't see anything wrong with this absolute classic, ranking in fourth place.
Cake Batter
Can we get a drum roll for the No. 1 most popular flavor that is ordered at Cold Stones across the country? Cake Batter ice cream from Cold Stone is bringing you all the joy a dessert could provide in a single scoop of ice cream, and we're here to confirm that it is worth the hype.
Think of a classic birthday cake, filled with sweet buttercream and rainbow confetti, packed into an ice cream flavor. Truly, this flavor is No. 1 for a reason. Every day will feel like your birthday when you're having a scoop of this cake batter, which is the creamiest flavor that we tasted by far.
We can't think of anything that could make this flavor better, though fans of Cold Stone know its popular creation to be the Cake Batter Batter, which adds only chunks of cookie dough to elevate the Cake Batter ice cream. While it might not be number one on our list, it is certainly up there.
Fudge Brownie
The chocolate flavor that we've all been waiting for... Cold Stone's Fudge Brownie ice cream. It may not look different but this flavor takes the cake when it comes down to comparing the three chocolate flavors we tried, boosting it to nearly the top of our list. While you can't mess with a classic chocolate, you can definitely dress it up. And what could be a better addition to a chocolate ice cream than more chocolate?
Our complaint with the classic chocolate flavor was its lack of richness. This Fudge Brownie heard us, and it listened. The ultra-rich flavor knocks it out of the park, and the addition of a deep fudgy flavor gives the ice cream the extra boost of flavor that was missing in the classic chocolate.
This fudge brownie ice cream is so rich, you may need a sip of water between bites when you're eating this scoop, but it's definitely worth the slight toothache. We can say for certain that there's no need to add toppings to this already-decadent ice cream.
Coffee
The flavor to top all flavors is Cold Stone's Coffee ice cream. In our books, there is nothing better than a rich, punchy coffee ice cream that not only satisfies your sweet tooth but wakes you up in the process.
Made with real coffee, this ice cream was unlike any other ice cream that we've tried before. While there are many store-bought brands that have coffee flavors, we're inclined to say that none compare to a fresh scoop from Cold Stone.
The strong notes of coffee helped to balance out the sweeter notes from the creaminess of the ice cream, making for a smooth and rich taste overall. There was not a hint of bitterness, and the texture was so perfect that it almost brought a tear to our eye. Though we're not saying that you have to order this flavor next time you find yourself at Cold Stone, we are saying that you should.