18 Bubbies Mochi Ice Cream Flavors, Ranked

Is the Bubbies mochi ice cream brand on your radar? No? Well, it definitely should be. I don't know why mochi ice cream isn't a booming product on the market right now — the only mochi ice cream I'd tried prior to this tasting came from Trader Joe's (though I know My/Mochi's flavors are pretty well-known). After trying Bubbies' full lineup of mochi ice cream flavors, though, I won't be able to look past the handheld snack-slash-dessert when I see it. They were all just too good. 

It would be an understatement to say that ranking these was difficult. How does one compare a very good product to another very good product? Therefore, while my personal opinion played a big role in choosing between the top and bottom contenders, I needed another criterion to help me order these. I chose to focus on which flavors surprised me, or seemed to be unique offerings in the genre. Here's what I will say: If you pick up a box of Bubbies mochi ice cream at the grocery store thinking, "Wow, I typically love that flavor!," chances are you won't be disappointed. Each mochi was incredibly true to what it claimed to be, a feat in itself. 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

If you like milk tea, you'll love Bubbies' Milk Tea Mochi Ice Cream. If, like me, you've never developed a fondness for the beverage, you probably won't find this one growing on you, either. I've had enough milk tea to reliably report that this treat captures the flavor very well; however, it's just not my cup of, well, tea. 

I did find the strength of the tea flavor in this one to be impressive, and I admire the company for diving headfirst into the milk tea profile. It's sweet, as expected, with a strong flavor of milky black tea. If that sounds like your jam, don't shy away from this box. 

I have a very tenuous relationship with salted caramel. Sometimes, it hits the spot — Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons will forever be my favorite of Salt & Straw's classic flavors. Sometimes, though, it's just too sweet for my taste. I'm a savory girl first and foremost, and while I certainly enjoy sweet treats (I am doing this ranking, after all), if a profile can lean either sweet or savory, I tend to prefer it leaning savory.

That said, if you prefer your salted caramel products to taste like a sugar bomb, you'll probably like this one. Admittedly, I did like the slight crunch given by the caramel drizzle topping, and there is an obvious caramel flavor present. I didn't get much salt, though. On the whole, it was too sweet for me, thus its ranking toward the bottom of this list. 

Though mochi ice cream wasn't invented in Japan, this particular flavor is most definitely Japanese-inspired. Matcha can have a divisive profile. It's typically very earthy and grassy, which just wholly turns some people off to the drink. I like matcha (in fact, I just did a round-up piece of ceremonial-grade matchas that really grew my love for the drink), but I do have a very particular drink order: unsweetened iced matcha with oat milk. I specifically don't like my matcha to be sweet, which is why this ice cream got such a low spot.

On the plus side, it's incredibly true to what a sweet matcha drink would taste like. But because I prefer my matcha robust and earthy, this didn't quite position itself as a potential favorite from the get-go. Moreover, matcha's typically earthy notes are somewhat muted when it's turned into an ice cream. The result is a really gorgeous little bite if you're a fan of the flavor profile; I'm just not.

To give a disclaimer: I've never been much of a chocolate peppermint gal. Don't ask me why — it's just a flavor profile that I've never been endeared to. Now that we have that out of the way, fans of the chocolate-peppermint flavor combination will really like this mochi ice cream. It has a very distinct holiday appeal, and I did appreciate that the chocolate didn't overwhelm, as it's just present in the drizzle on top.

Peppermint, obviously, is the predominant flavor profile, and this mochi really did deliver there. I sometimes find alcohol notes present in peppermint-flavored things, but that wasn't at all the case here; rather, it tasted very pure. I may have ranked this higher had it just tasted of peppermint, but I realize I'm probably the outlier there, and the average consumer will really enjoy this one.

If you thought Bubbies' churro mochi ice cream would just taste like cinnamon, think again — or, better yet, buy a box for yourself and prepare to be floored. There was only one reason this didn't rank higher than spot 14 (again, the competition was very stiff), and that's because it was too saccharine for my liking. For some, I acknowledge that will hardly be a bad thing. 

Other than that personal beef, I was pretty surprised at how well this captured the essence of a churro. Sure, it's obviously cinnamon-sugar flavored, but that's not all it had going for it — it also had that distinct buttery, fried appeal that you get with freshly-made churros. I found this flavor to be pretty impressive, even if a little too sweet for me. 

Vanilla, when experienced in all its punchy fullness, is definitely a flavor that deserves to be the star rather than just having a supporting role. Bubbies' Madagascar Vanilla mochi ice cream is a great example of what it looks like to honor vanilla. And yet, because it was still "just vanilla," I couldn't justify giving it a higher spot.

One thing in particular stood out to me about this mochi ice cream, and it wasn't the flavor. Rather, its texture really took me by surprise. The ice cream interior was very light and fluffy — you can tell even just by comparing the above photo with others on this list. Beyond its enviable texture, it definitely boasted Madagascar vanilla, and anyone who likes that flavor will enjoy this. 

I love me some cookies and cream ice cream. That said, it's one of the most prolific ice cream flavors on the market. Is that a bad thing? Not in the slightest, but it did mean that this mochi didn't really surprise me, and the "wow" factor particularly comes into play with all the remaining flavors on this list.

Still, cookies and cream fans will really enjoy this one. It does take the flavor a minute to hit, but once you get it, it's instantly familiar and easy to love. Surprisingly, I didn't get much textural contrast, even though you can see little cookie crumbles throughout the mochi ball. I hardly minded, though. Need a safe, comforting go-to after a hard day? This flavor is a surefire contender. 

Again, due to my "wow factor" criterion, Bubbies' Triple Chocolate flavor was another that, though delicious, couldn't justify getting a higher spot on this list. Still, did I finish the whole mochi? Absolutely, and it did have a couple of qualities that put it above vanilla and cookies and cream.

First, unlike the previous flavor, this one did boast some textural contrast with its inclusion of chocolate chips. They were small, but each gave a nice crunch when you came across it. Even though I didn't necessarily taste any dark chocolate here (which is my preferred type of chocolate), I'd still call this a decadent dessert. It's very rich and has a hot chocolate appeal to it, in that it's sweet, comforting, and tastes strongly of cocoa. 

Listen, I know strawberry is also technically a pretty typical ice cream flavor, but not all strawberry ice creams are created equal. If you've ever taken the time to compare different strawberry ice creams, you'll know what I mean. Some are merely strawberry flavored, which is to say, they're sweet and somewhat fruity but don't ooze the essence of real strawberries. When you've had a really good strawberry ice cream, everything else is permanently ruined.

That's what this mochi ice cream reminded me of — a really, really good strawberry ice cream. I've had some great versions of the treat and some not-so-great, and this definitely ranks among the former. That's the reason it made number 10 on my list. Ultimately, crafting a strawberry ice cream doesn't seem too difficult, but crafting a really good one is a more impressive feat. 

Buckle your seatbelts, guys and gals — from here on out, things get really interesting, and which you'll prefer just depends on how wild of an ice cream adventure you want to go on. We'll start with the Alphonso Mango flavor. Alphonso mangoes (which I wasn't familiar with prior to this tasting) are known for being particularly sweet, smooth, and flavorful. They're harder to acquire than other mangoes because of their limited harvesting time, which makes it an impressive varietal to see in an ice cream.

To put it bluntly, anyone with a fondness for mangoes will be endeared to this ice cream. It's unabashedly mango-flavored but also boasts a certain floral, savory depth to it that I didn't expect to taste in a mango ice cream. There's almost an earthy appeal which, combined with the floral element, is somewhat reminiscent of a fruit tea. I don't really know how else to describe this one except to call it very good, and I urge you to try it. 

Cheesecake is by far and away my favorite dessert of all time, so I wasn't very surprised to really enjoy Bubbies' Raspberry Cheesecake mochi ice cream. That said, I don't think those who stay away from cheesecake will dislike this — it didn't have that tangy flavor typical of cheesecakes, but it did still have a creaminess and a smooth mouthfeel that brought the fullness of its cheesecake appeal. 

This mochi is bright, fruity, and playful, while retaining the indulgent character you'd expect to find in anything branding itself with the "cheesecake" descriptor. Personally, I could have done with a little more cream cheese flavor (if it had, I may have ranked it higher), but I still really appreciated this for what it was — a decadent and luxurious raspberry ice cream treat that exuded the warm tones you'd expect from a nice slice of the good stuff. This one has my vote. 

If you're reading this piece outside of the limited availability window of Bubbies' Pumpkin Spice mochi ice cream, I'm terribly sorry. I'm not even a PSL girl, and I really didn't expect to enjoy this flavor as much as I did, but it took me by surprise. Bubbies made what's typically an overrated seasonal profile into something with beautiful, savory depth in this handheld treat, and I applaud the company for it.

Rather than tasting overwhelmingly of the various spices that spruce up a pumpkin pie, I got some ample pumpkin flavor in this mochi ice cream, which I quite liked. Spices are present behind the pumpkin-y ice cream. This certainly doesn't go for subtlety in any capacity, and it makes for a great seasonal treat should you discover it in time. At the end of the day, though, I was more impressed by the remaining six flavors. 

Are you surprised to see another raspberry flavor in my top 10 picks? Perhaps not, but I certainly was, mostly because this mochi ice cream also contains one of my least favorite flavors ever: white chocolate. I loathe white chocolate in all its forms, and I consider it very impressive that a mochi ice cream was the thing to turn me on to the profile.

That said, white chocolate was subtle here, which I'm sure played into my fondness for this flavor. A big problem I tend to have with white chocolate is its saccharinity, but that was hardly the case with this mochi. Instead, raspberry definitely took over as the dominant flavor here, and it was scrumptious — very punchy, fruity, and potent. Even if you share my opinion on white chocolate, don't shy away from this box. 

I know, ube everything is the rage right now, but I've just never found any reason to go out of my way to try it. It's seemed (to me, anyway) to be more of a fad than anything with staying power. After trying Bubbies' Ube Purple Yam flavor, though, I have to admit I was wrong. I understand the hype, and I promise, I'll do better from now on. 

I don't fully know how to describe the flavor of ube. If you've had it, you'll know what it tastes like; if you haven't, it's a little hard to conceptualize (which probably also plays into why I haven't sought it out before now). It's earthy and sweet, very creamy, and clearly amenable to all manner of confections. Not to mention, it boasts a gorgeous purple hue that's hard to find naturally in foods. Ube fans will love this, and those who have never tried it will probably become converts after eating these. 

I've had passion fruit in varying capacities before, but I honestly can't say I've ever had the flavor on its own. Pure, unadulterated passion fruit just isn't a profile that crosses my path very often, or perhaps I just don't take notice when it does. I can't let that continue to be the case after trying this passion fruit mochi ice cream, and I now find it criminal that the flavor isn't featured more on its own. 

Bright and tangy are the two words that came to mind when I first bit into this mochi. It had a zinginess to it that I absolutely adored, and it tasted clearly of passion fruit — I even think I'd probably have been able to identify it as such if doing this taste test blind. This mochi is both tropical and indulgent, and I'd like to thank Bubbies for giving passion fruit the spotlight it deserves. 

Alas, though I gushed over the passion fruit mochi ice cream, it still couldn't usurp blood orange. Now, I have to admit, I was pretty visually stunned by this one — it was even more gorgeous than the above picture suggests, and I couldn't get over the bright pink interior contrasted with the orange mochi wrapping. I'd be tempted to coordinate my outfit with this ice cream and eat the whole pack in one go. (I won't, though. Probably.)

Again, wow — the flavors here couldn't have been more potent and punchy if they tried. The bright tang of citrus is almost overwhelming, and I very much mean that in a good way. The sweetness of the mochi coating balanced out the somewhat sharp interior, and it definitely has that rich blood orange flavor that anyone familiar with the fruit knows well.

If you don't like the pistachio flavor profile, this ice cream could turn you. Seriously. I wasn't super keen on the flavor before my tenure at a DC-based gelato company that occasionally made pistachio gelato. That gelato floored me — it was rich, buttery, sweet and earthy and nutty all at the same time, and from then on I knew I'd be a fan of pistachio desserts. And, I'd like to thank Bubbies for not using this opportunity to dive into the Dubai chocolate craze. This pistachio mochi ice cream is perfectly good on its own, sans chocolate and kataifi. 

I've had more than a couple of these since trying it for the first time. It tastes very pure and bold, and if you're even remotely fond of the nut, this is absolutely your ideal treat. It tastes decadent, and eating it reminded me of the pistachio ice cream I had while walking the streets of Italy a decade ago. I can't get enough. 

I simply had to give the top spot to Bubbies' Dragon Fruit Lemonade mochi ice cream. This checked every box for me — it took me on a flavor journey, blended a few profiles together seamlessly, definitely had that "wow" factor that I was looking for, and boasted flavors you don't typically find in a frozen treat. 

The interior of this ice cream was very sharp and even a little sour, but because it was also a sweet ice cream, I found it to be particularly well-balanced. Both dragon fruit and lemon came through clearly, making for a really flavorful bite that I couldn't get enough of. Plus, biting into it reveals yellow ribbons among the pink ice cream, which I just adored from a visual standpoint. It's a unique flavor that's also instantly familiar (who doesn't love a sweet, fruity lemonade?) and comforting, and for that, it was a shoo-in for the number one spot. 

Well, this ranking was admittedly really difficult to finalize, as none of the mochi under-delivered in any capacity. The flavors you favor will largely depend on your own preferences. That's why I couldn't possibly take a "worst to best" approach with this piece — each mochi was wildly different and very good, and I have no doubt that some consumers adore my personal bottom choices. 

That said, the above ranking is largely based on my own preferences. When applicable, I also took into account how novel and impressive a flavor was. Triple chocolate, though delicious, is a pretty obvious ice cream flavor — dragon fruit lemonade, on the other hand, is not. I encourage you to read through my descriptions before deciding which box to buy, and pick your purchase based on which flavor profiles you typically enjoy.