The Smart Reason All Of Ben & Jerry's Chunks Are Covered In Fudge

There are basically infinite reasons to love Ben & Jerry's ice cream. From the impressive variety of flavors to the ways in which the company's founders stand up for their beliefs, Ben & Jerry's has proven over and over again that it deserves our entire frozen treat budget. But the brand isn't just committed to social causes; it's also determined to provide the chunkiest, most satisfying-to-eat ice cream out there. And there's a reason many of those chunks have a chocolate fudge coating — it all comes down to texture. Not only is the presence of sizable chunks an absolute must for co-founder Ben Cohen, but the texture of those chunks has to be preserved. That's where the fudge coating comes in. 

Ben & Jerry's is so proud of its chunky ice cream that it has an entire page on its website entitled, "10 Fun Facts About Our Funky Chunks." And No. 7 on that list is the "secret reason" many of its chunks are covered in fudge. "For one, fudge is muy delicioso," the website reads. "For two, a layer of fudge keeps the chunk — like a pretzel or almond — from sucking up the moisture in the ice cream and getting soggy." The fudge layer preserves the crunch from the pretzels or nuts that makes Ben & Jerry's ice cream so iconic and delicious. We knew these guys were ice cream experts, but this is really next-level innovation that Ben and Jerry were more than happy to share with the world.

Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Phish Food, Half Baked, Chunky Monkey; no matter the Ben & Jerry's flavor, you know it's going to bring delectable morsels of chewy, crunchy, chunky goodness spread out in a perfect ratio throughout your pint. But if you're looking for the chunkiest of all chunky flavors, that would be New York Super Fudge Chunk, which lives up to its chunky name with a whopping five different types of chunks. It's a chocolate ice cream base with white fudge chunks, dark fudge chunks, pecans, walnuts, and fudge-covered almonds. As such, it's probably safe to say that no other ice cream brand is as overtly committed to chunks as Ben & Jerry's. 

In addition to different types of nuts, brownies, cookie dough, waffle cones, cheesecake, and more, the company's website specifies that it has three distinct types of fudge chunks. The biggest are regular fudge chunks, like the ones you find in Chunky Monkey. Then, there are fudge flakes, which are more delicate and lighter. And lastly, there are the tried and true chocolate chips, which can be found in flavors like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. The right chunk for the pint is up to Ben and Jerry's Flavor Gurus, professional recipe developers and "mad scientists," per the website. 

The reason Ben & Jerry's has such big chunks in its flavors to begin with is as bittersweet as its chocolate-covered chunks. Co-founder Ben Cohen has little to no sense of smell and taste, meaning the texture of ice cream is everything to him. As a result, chunks gradually became what Ben & Jerry's is known for, and honestly, we couldn't be happier.