The Popular Chocolate And Vanilla Ben & Jerry's Flavor That Beats Cherry Garcia In Taste, Texture, And Mix-Ins
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Cherry Garcia has consistently been one of the most popular signature Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavors since its debut in 1987. But when it comes to a broader scope of chocolate-forward pints, Ben & Jerry's Half Baked tested higher in Tasting Table's ranked list of 11 Ben & Jerry's flavors. Our reviewer appreciated the 9th-ranking Cherry Garcia for its natural-tasting cherry flavor, but said, "For the more chocolate-inclined amongst us, there are better options to explore in the Ben & Jerry's lineup."
The review ranked Half Baked at No. 5 on the list, and not just for the intensely rich chocolate half of the chocolate/vanilla mixed ice cream. "The cookie dough pieces offer a chewier and grainier texture," our reviewer said. "The fudge brownies are almost fluffy, lightening up the density of the ice cream itself," they added. For those who turn to Ben & Jerry's for its chunks and swirls, the ice cream ranking found Half Baked to be a top choice for texture.
Worldwide ice cream rankings and passionate debate
Tasting Table's Ben & Jerry's ranking isn't alone in preferring Half Baked to Cherry Garcia. Ben & Jerry's posted its own list of 2025's top-selling flavors on its Instagram page. Cherry Garcia came in at No. 2, and Half Baked clinched the top spot, which it's done every year since 2000. Safe to say, its tombstone won't appear in Ben & Jerry's Flavor Graveyard anytime soon.
The preference for Half Baked over Cherry Garcia isn't universal, though. Ben and Jerry's has a passionate fan base across the internet, and in one conversation on Reddit, a commenter declared, "Half-Baked is the most overrated ice cream going." They found the texture inconsistent and failed to recreate the experience of a true brownie ice cream sundae. Another Reddit post warned not to sleep on Cherry Garcia. "It tastes like eating cherry cordials in ice cream form and it is amazing," they said. Not bad for an ice cream flavor born from an anonymous beginning.