11 Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

Whether you love it or hate it, we all have to accept the reality that mint chocolate chip ice cream isn't going anywhere anytime soon. It's become quite the classic, up there with cookies and cream, butter pecan, and Rocky Road, and its staying power makes more sense when you consider its regal beginnings.

Mint chocolate chip ice cream was popularized in 1973 by an English culinary student named Marilyn Ricketts. But she didn't just create it on a whim. She entered it into a competition to create a dessert for the wedding of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips. That's why she originally dubbed it "Mint Royale." And guess what? She won. With a royal endorsement from the start, the flavor was poised for success.

Since it has become such a mainstay, some version of mint chip is now on nearly every ice cream shop's menu and every major creamery's radar. And where there's variety and options in the ice cream aisle, a taste test beckons. Personally, I'm a big fan of this controversial flavor. So, I was more than happy to take on the challenge. I scooped up several different mint chocolate chip tubs and pints from some of the most prominent ice cream brands, with a plan to rank them all from worst to best based on quality of ingredients, taste, and number of rich chocolatey chips.

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

Talenti churns out gelato rather than classic ice cream, and I think that's precisely where the Mediterranean Mint pint goes wrong. It has all the makings of a delicious frozen dessert. You can just tell care is put into a product when a brand says it steeps the mint leaves for 45 minutes and adds star anise for an enhanced flavor. So the taste comes out mildly minty, backed by the slightest hint of a warm earthiness. It's the consistency that trips me up.

It's fluffier than I would have expected and is both gummy and a touch icy. In some ways, that's just gelato. But it felt off, especially in this mint-forward setting. I think the creaminess and the higher fat content of ice cream are important in offsetting that cool flavor. Gelato, on the other hand, is built for nutty or roasted flavors like pistachio or coffee that can shine without the extra cream. And then there are the chips. They appear sporadically in condensed little bricks that are quite hard, especially after being submerged in frozen gelato. It's certainly not my favorite chip format, and with that, Talenti tumbled to the bottom of the rankings.

Van Leeuwen has some seriously good pints in its frozen arsenal. Its flavor combinations are bananas (take Caramelized Banana Honeycomb, for instance, or Mango Sticky Rice), and there's something about that egg yolk-based French ice cream that makes me swoon. Unfortunately, though, Mint Chip is not the brand's finest work.

Again, it has a textural problem. There's a strange powderiness that distracts from what's usually a very velvety and custard-like kind of ice cream. This chalkiness also takes away from the flavor, which isn't half bad. Organic peppermint extract (from real peppermint leaves) combines with a hint of vanilla to create a clean, refreshing taste — just the kind you would want from a mint chip ice cream. The chocolate was scattered more finely than in the Talenti pint, and its softer bite was a welcome change.

Taste and texture aside, I can't deny the appeal of this vibrant Kelly-green hue. This is actually a more recent upgrade to the pint, made possible thanks to a bit of spirulina and turmeric. It helps to separate it from a sea of more muted colors — at least visually.

Yes, the light ice cream movement is still alive and well. Personally, I don't often buy it. If I'm craving a sweet treat, I usually go all in on a full-fat, full-sugar ice cream, but that's not to say I don't appreciate the work that brands like Halo Top do.

Take this Mint Chip flavor, for example. It's a perfectly decent alternative to the real deal, if you're into that sort of thing. It's light and airy, just as expected, and the bolder taste of peppermint oil helps to mask that stevia aftertaste that sometimes follows a spoonful of Halo Top. With no glaring issues, the pint, which has 330 calories and 16 grams of protein, even jumps more problematic brands like Van Leeuwen's and Talenti. It does almost trick you into thinking it's a traditional ice cream. Keyword: almost.

Beyond its simple inability to compete in the big leagues here, I also have smaller gripes ... literally. I don't love the teeny-tiny chips. They're almost too small to get any kind of chocolatey flavor out of, so they're really just there for the crunch factor. I found them to be more irksome than anything else.

If mediocre were a mint chocolate chip ice cream, it would be this one. I have nothing bad to say about the Breyers recipe. There's just nothing spectacular or particularly noteworthy about it. Each component is just aggressively average, starting with the basic white color itself. I know it's a good sign that there's no artificial coloring. But part of the fun of mint ice cream is seeing that mesmerizing shade of green staring back at you as you go in for a lick, and the color also helps to differentiate it from a much more boring flavor of plain chocolate chip.

The brand opts for real mint extract over peppermint oil to achieve its base flavor, resulting in a satisfying yet subtle minty taste. Breyers' entire schtick is using 100% Grade A cream and milk, which results in a consistency that lands somewhere between fluffy and densely creamy. Embedded into this frosty blend, you'll also find a generous number of rectangular-shaped chocolate bits with a good flavor and semi-hard texture. It all adds up to a classic ice cream. While it's not necessarily disappointing, it might leave you wanting something more.

There's that glorious color I associate with this breed of ice cream! Too bad it's a byproduct of Yellow 5 and Blue 1. I'll let that slide, though, because Edy's does have some good things going for it beyond its cartoonishly green shade. There's more than meets the eye here, if you will.

This is actually a lower-fat ice cream. The tub claims to contain just half the fat and ⅓ fewer calories compared to other brands. You'd never be able to tell, though. It still has plenty of body, and the velvety consistency allows it to melt on your tongue in the best way. It must be that slow-churn preparation method hard at work. Where it could improve is its mint flavor. It just doesn't pop like it should or like other brands do. It's extra sweet, but lacking that full, herbaceous finish. I was also hoping the chips would be more abundant. The small chocolate shards are indulgent enough, but missing in some spoonfuls. So the ice cream is sometimes left out in the cold, all by itself.

This feels like odd placement for a Jeni's pint. She's used to being on top when it comes to many of her flavors. I mean, have you tried the Gooey Butter Cake or Brambleberry Crisp? But when it comes to a classic like mint chip (without all the feathers and fuss), she's got some steep competition.

Sweet cream ice cream is at the heart of this flavor, which is mixed with a natural peppermint essential oil and even a touch of honey. So what you end up with is a deeply minty taste that's balanced out with a good amount of honeyed sweetness. In other words, it never goes full toothpaste-level mint. There are plenty of bittersweet chips in large chunks, too. I just wish they were a little less crunchy. The good news, though, is that you can always count on Jeni's ice cream to be extra creamy and dense — what the brand calls a "buttercream body."

It's good ice cream. It's just not as good as a few others I came across, especially the ones that feel more novel. So, this mermaid-like teal pint (a color that comes from spirulina, pumpkin extract, and apple extract) gets lost in a sea of other brands.

Friendly's is known for its nostalgic, true American-style ice cream. It always tastes better served at one of its cozy diners. But I'll settle for its store-bought tubs, especially when they bring something a little different to the table, like this mint chocolate chip.

There's a unique flavor happening here that isn't like any other mint chip I tried and that can't be ignored. The taste of mint itself isn't that over the top, but it's followed up with a surprisingly rich, buttery finish. It's not something I expect from an ice cream, which is usually defined by its crisp, fresh notes, and I don't hate it at all. The combination even reminds me of the butter mints sold at places like Cracker Barrel's Old Country Store, which I happen to love.

The flavor was enough to make me forget about the use of Blue 1 and corn syrup, and enough to jump Jeni's pint as well. Throw a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips in the mix, and it easily landed closer to the top of the rankings. It was only surpassed by a few more premium-style picks.

Just the name Häagen-Dazs comes with the expectation of luxury and indulgence. It just sounds refined slipping out of your mouth, and the product should live up to that feeling. Luckily, the brand's mint chip flavor does ... at least, for the most part.

It's another one of those mints in disguise, hiding underneath an all-white shade. Sweet cream ice cream makes up the base, and this is where most of the magic is. It's ultra-thick and silky with a flavor that's just about as rich as it comes. There are just enough chocolate chips, which offer the perfect texture – little blocks of bittersweet bliss just waiting to be dug up.

It may not look it, but the pint is also minty to the max. It's almost too sharply minty, which is one of my few complaints. The other is that it does use some ingredients that I wouldn't expect from a higher-end ice cream brand. Alongside components you would want, like cream, sugar, and egg yolks, there are a few you might not, like butter oil and corn syrup. It's a small detail, but along with the intense mint, it does put Häagen-Dazs behind a few other picks.

Tillamook wasn't joking around when it said "extra cream." This pint had one of the most luxurious mouthfeels of the entire taste test, and seeing as this is far from the only Tillamook flavor I've ever tasted, I know this isn't just a fluke. This ridiculously decadent texture is what sets it apart from other brands, and it shows up in every single tub.

Judging fromn this consistency alone, I still would have placed it high in the rankings. But it also follows it up with a smooth taste and pliant bits of chocolate. They're more fudgy than chip-like and feel as though they could be pieces broken off of a fancy chocolate bar. Better yet, they come in a good size and quantity. You never feel like you have to go digging for one.

At its core, the ice cream itself tastes almost like a blend between a true mint and a rich vanilla. The natural peppermint flavor is present, but it isn't nearly as strong as it was in the Häagen-Dazs pint, making it far more approachable. It's hard to believe, and it was a tight race, but there were two other flavors I liked even more. Trust me, you'll see why.

Okay, okay, I might be a bit biased, seeing as I grew up on this Cincinnati-based brand. My grandma always had it stocked in her freezer. I may have also had it for breakfast at her house more times than I care to say. But even after trying it alongside the others, I still stand by its delectability.

I think what makes it so good is its unique use of chocolate chips. I'm not sure you could even call them chips. They're more like tiny chocolate flakes that are scattered throughout it. It means not a single square inch of ice cream has to go without, and the balance of flavors and textures is superb. Sometimes you may even come across a dense amalgamation of chocolate, and that's when you really hit the jackpot.

As for the ice cream itself, it's light but still creamy, and the mint flavor is just right — not too dull and not too overpowering. Similar to Häagen-Dazs, there are some less appealing ingredients included. Plus, that green tea color isn't natural. For these reasons, it's beaten out by one other brand. But it's still a 10 out of 10 when it comes to a true, homestyle taste. If you ever see it, you should try it. And definitely pick up a tub of the brand's Peanut Butter 'N Chip while you're at it. You won't regret it.

Another Cincinnati ice cream maker, another scrumptious mint ice cream. When it comes down to it, though, this one takes the cake.

Graeter's is well-known for both its century-and-a-half-old French pot batch process and its iconic chocolate chunks, both of which are on full display in this pint. The mint ice cream couldn't possibly be denser or smoother. You think other brands fall into this category until you try this one and realize the competition isn't even close. Add in a healthy dose of pure peppermint oil, and you have a flavor that's both refreshing and authentic.

Of course, the higher level of focus on the chocolate here is what really sets it apart. While many brands treat the chips as an afterthought or last-minute add-in, Graeter's puts them front and center. I unearthed some of the largest chocolate chunks I've ever seen in this container. They were rich icebergs I had to chip away at with each spoonful, but they also had the softest bite and an obviously premium flavor. This is quality chocolate. And paired with an obviously quality glob of minty ice cream, it was a shoo-in for my top spot.

Since it is such a core flavor now (much to my delight), a tub or pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream is never too far from reach. I was able to find most of these options at my local Giant Eagle, and then I made a special trip to Kroger to pick up the Homemade brand's mint chocolate chip; it deserved a spot in this taste test, even if it's more of a regional find. I brought them all home and served myself a generous scoop of each. 

Getting the mint flavor just right is half the battle with this ice cream flavor. You don't want something so minty that it tips into toothpaste territory or tastes artificial. But you still want the refreshing and crisp mint to be front and center, blended perfectly into the ice cream. The ice cream's consistency usually helps with this as well. The smoother and creamier the ice cream, the better the flavor tends to taste. Then, of course, there are the chips. Having an abundant number of chocolate chips is key to balancing the mint, and it can't just be any old chocolate; it needs to be high quality and not so crunchy that it hurts your teeth.

Something that ended up being more important to me than I originally thought was the ingredients themselves. An ice cream just tastes better when it's made from ingredients like cream, eggs, and sugar. It was also a plus when brands took the time to color their ice creams with natural ingredients rather than artificial dyes. It shows that more care goes into the process, and it pays off.