I Tried 6 GoodPop Dairy-Free Treats And Ranked Them Worst To Best

Dairy-free ice cream has experienced a revolution over the past decade or so. As early as the 19th century, nut-based ice cream began to pop up in home kitchens, and soy-based ice cream followed soon after. Thankfully, we are no longer restricted to Tofutti, which is quite possibly the worst vegan ice cream brand. Today's plant-based ice cream alternatives often feature bases made from almonds, oats, cashews, and even avocado. Not only can you get plant-based ice cream from the grocery store, but you can also find vegan scoops in some of the nation's most popular ice cream chains.

Options for plant-based ice cream novelties — such as popsicles, cones, and ice cream sandwiches — are somewhat more limited, but they do exist. Some of my favorite products come from GoodPop, a brand dedicated to using wholesome, allergen-friendly ingredients and real sugar only as needed. Not all GoodPop products are vegan, but only two dairy-based products are listed on the website. Those are made with organic, grass-fed dairy, further underscoring this brand's commitment to health and sustainability. GoodPop also sells a wide range of fruit pops with flavors like watermelon, blue lemonade, and green apple.

Although I would have loved to try every single GoodPop product, I set out to test six of the brand's most popular dairy-free treats that mimic ice cream classics. I ranked them according to flavor and texture, and while I didn't dislike any of these desserts, I certainly had a few favorites. I've provided more information on methodology at the end of this article.

While I liked these Mint n' Fudge Chip pops, they didn't blow their competition out of the water. I appreciated that the peppermint flavor, which is derived from brewed peppermint extract, was not overwhelming and lent a pleasant aftertaste. The bits of fudge were the highlight of these pops, but since the other GoodPop products excelled in the fudge department, too, this characteristic did not give them a leg up. 

What made me relegate these pops to last place was a striking and off-putting flavor that I could detect in the background. I'm not sure which ingredient was responsible, though it could have been the turmeric or spirulina extract used for color. Even my husband, who devoured these pops, agreed that they possessed a strange background flavor he typically doesn't notice in other mint ice creams. Plus, while all the dairy-free GoodPop treats I tried had a marginally icy texture, it was especially noticeable in the Mint n' Fudge Chip pops because no layer of chocolate fudge enrobed the oat milk ice cream.

Mint chocolate chip ice cream is typically one of my favorite flavors, so while I wouldn't say no to one of these pops on an everyday basis, I would opt for a scoop from a different brand (such as Oatly) when I want to indulge on a special occasion. After all, mint chocolate chip ice cream has royal origins, so it should be done full justice every once in a while.

If you can't decide between fruit pops or ice cream, these Orange n' Cream pops might be just what you are looking for. They were bright and citrusy, and their texture was icier than all the other products on this list. Therefore, while some of the other products can be bitten into, this one is better off licked and savored slowly.

I love creamsicles not so much because I'm a big fan of the orange and ice cream combination, but because they have a nostalgic punch. Forget rose-colored glasses; each lick of a Creamsicle makes me feel like I'm donning the orange-tinted sunglasses my dad always wore when I was a kid. However, while these Orange n' Cream pops were likable, they didn't quite nail the texture of the Creamsicles that I ate in my youth. Although I appreciated that they didn't melt very quickly, they were still too icy. In other words, there wasn't enough emphasis on the cream part of "Orange n' Cream."

Nevertheless, the flavor of these pops was outstanding. The citrus had zing, and the pops were undeniably refreshing. Real orange juice concentrate and orange extract made sure of that. Furthermore, I was pleased to see that no artificial dyes are used to color these pops, and carrot juice is listed instead. I would reach for these Orange n' Cream pops more often in the summer than in the winter. If you like Dreamsicles more than Creamsicles (two distinct variations of the same beloved dessert), you might enjoy this product more than I did.

Some folks assume that I have an admirably refined palate because I work in the food world, but the truth is, I'm just like the rest of us: I often crave the cardboard-like flavor of mass-produced ice cream sandwiches. Even so, I do love finding a brand that takes matters into its own hands and produces an ice cream sandwich with elevated flavors and nourishing ingredients.

The cookie part of GoodPop's Chocolate Vanilla Sandwiches is gluten-free and made with buckwheat, rice, and oat flours instead of the wheat and corn flours favored by brands like FatBoy and Nestlé. The cookies were slightly grainy and not as smooth as expected, but I was impressed with their gently wholesome flavor profile. Meanwhile, I was satisfied with the flavor of the oat milk ice cream, but I wish it had been denser and creamier.

I appreciated the manageable size of these desserts. The ratio of cookie to ice cream was spot on, making each morsel fulfilling. If you only want one or two bites, though, you can easily cut off a chunk and store the rest in the freezer for later. This product has some tough competition; So Delicious Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Sandwiches are some of the best ice cream sandwiches on the market, vegan or non-vegan. Having sampled and enjoyed both, I recommend trying each product for yourself.

These will be the pops that I give my toddler in a few years when she starts eating ice cream. They are reasonably sized and not packed with artificial ingredients, and they will certainly appeal to kids who can't get enough of Disney and Mickey Mouse. I, too, appreciated the unique shape of these pops and the little joy of eating the ears first before diving into the center.

The Mickey Mouse pops' chocolate fudge shell captured my attention more than anything else. It was thin, but not too thin, and as it melted in my mouth, it unleashed a nostalgic, yet high-quality chocolate flavor that paired beautifully with the oat milk ice cream. Although I am typically more of a dark chocolate fan, I was enamored by this chocolate that leaned more toward the lighter side. Underneath, the ice cream was smooth and refreshing. It was not glaringly obvious that the ice cream was vegan, though I could detect a slight iciness.

These pops do contain natural flavors, a term that is difficult to comprehend. That said, nothing tasted fake to me. While the Mickey Mouse pops easily secured one of the top three spots on this list, they couldn't quite compete with the bold texture of my second-favorite product or the knock-out flavor of my top choice.

One final note: Although I couldn't source them myself, I imagine GoodPop's Fudge n' Vanilla Squares would taste and feel much like the Disney Mickey Mouse pops. Reminiscent of Klondike bars, these treats have received stellar reviews from customers.

As a kid, I adored Drumsticks for their texture. The peanuts that topped each cone were not only crunchy, but they also added an extra layer of flavor. Similarly, I loved Crunch bars, which are laden with crisped rice. These Fudge n' Vanilla Crunch pops rely on something else entirely: cacao nibs. I can't get enough of cacao nibs and often eat them by the handful, if not in a bowl of yogurt or atop peanut butter toast. They help keep these pops gluten-free and allergen-friendly, and they were soft enough not to distract me from other elements of the pops: for instance, the fudge shell that melted in my mouth or the invigorating vanilla oat milk ice cream underneath.

Like the Mickey Mouse pops, I was impressed by the rich chocolate flavor here. Sadly, the fudge layer was broken and falling off each pop, so I needed to keep a plate on hand while eating them. That did little to detract from how much I enjoyed this product, though, and I would buy them again in a heartbeat. Judging from customer reviews online, the pops don't usually have this problem.

I was so enthralled by these pops that I'm going to keep a careful eye out for the Fudge n' Caramel Crunch pops. They are not currently available at a store near me, and other customers have similarly found them out of stock, so consider this our formal plea to bring them back!

When I was a kid, I always brought my lunch to school, but I had a $5 allowance to spend on special occasions whenever I was craving a treat. Frequently, that money went toward buying chocolate or strawberry milk. The moment I bit into one of these Neapolitan pops, memories of unfolding and pinching open those paperboard cartons came rushing back.

Despite one being a dessert and the other a beverage for children, these Neapolitan pops are, on the whole, more nourishing than those sugary milk cartons of my youth. However, I didn't miss the superfluous sugar. The strawberry flavor was exquisite and complemented by the chocolate fudge shell that covered the top third of each pop. This was another one of those products featuring natural flavors, but again, it wasn't dramatically obvious.

You'll need to be a fan of strawberry ice cream to love these pops as much as I did. The strawberry flavor infused the whole oat milk pop, even the bottom layer of vanilla. Plus, rather than chocolate ice cream taking up real estate at the top of each pop, it's strawberry ice cream with a crisp coating of chocolate fudge covering it. Real strawberry puree and strawberry juice concentrate are used to flavor these pops, while vegetable juice is responsible for their rosy pink hue. Refreshing, yet rich from the fudge, these pops are an excellent way to end a meal.

For this experiment, I tested six GoodPop dairy-free treats that were available in my region. Each of these treats is a spin on classic ice cream desserts, so I was often able to compare them to other versions that I have eaten in the past.

Flavor and texture were the primary factors by which I judged each product. While each of these ice creams possessed a somewhat icy texture, it was more noticeable in some pops than others. Those products received lower rankings as a result. I especially judged the chocolate sandwiches by the texture of the cookie layers. In terms of flavor, I expected fruity ice creams to be refreshing and not cloying. Meanwhile, I looked for richness in the chocolate fudge, and I wanted it to both melt in my mouth and stand in a good ratio to the ice cream underneath.