I’d scream, you’d scream—heck, we’d all scream for the very best ice cream. That is why I made it my mission to test five popular ice cream sandwich brands and get the scoop on which is the best. The classic vanilla ice cream, chocolate-cake wafer sandwich is a nostalgic summertime staple that’s enjoyed by all—young, young at heart, and everyone in between. You may think every brand would taste pretty similar, but my findings revealed how different they truly are. What did I learn? One brand unanimously stood out above the rest.
How I Chose the Ice Cream Sandwiches
Although there’s a tasty variety of traditional ice cream sandwiches—like the Chipwich and Oreo—it was important to compare one type of treat and stick with the classic vanilla ice cream, chocolate-cake wafer sandwich we all know and love. My selection for comparison included cult-favorites and popular store brands that are well-known and easily accessible nationwide.
How I Tested the Ice Cream Sandwiches
I set up a masked taste test for myself and a panel of three fellow ice cream lovers. Each sandwich was unwrapped and on its own numbered plate to taste and rate. We focused on the flavor, texture, and overall messiness factor. The most important question: Which one would we actually buy again?
The Best Ice Cream Sandwiches, Ranked
5th Place: Target Favorite Day Vanilla-Flavored Ice Cream Sandwich
As a passionate Target shopper, I was quite surprised that this brand ended up being the least favorite of the bunch. It’s a basic ice cream sandwich that’s pretty underwhelming. The cake wafer was too hard—so much so that the ice cream slid out of the back end with every bite, which is a major faux pas for ice cream enthusiasts. As for the filling, it seemed more like vanilla-flavored whipped cream rather than a rich, creamy, delicious-tasting ice cream.
4th Place: Walmart Great Value Vanilla Flavored Ice Cream Sandwich
Although we all agreed this cake wafer offered a very rich, chocolatey flavor, the common complaint was the soft and mushy texture of the sandwich itself. Additionally, the ice cream seemed to melt faster than the other sandwiches, making it very messy to eat. One taster described the Walmart-brand ice cream sandwich as an “uneventful experience” and the vanilla flavor as just “meh.”
3rd Place: Friendly’s Ice Cream Sandwich
The group agreed that this pick is decent when there’s no other competition in sight. When pinned against others, however, Friendly’s ice cream sandwich didn’t have enough oomph to leave a lasting impression. The chocolate was slightly overpowering in this cake wafer, while the vanilla ice cream was simply “plain Jane.” Overall, it lacked luster.
Aside from the taste, this product came in white paper packaging that stuck to the sandwich in spots, taking away from its appeal. That said, it gets some brownie points for being neat to eat after unwrapped.
2nd Place: Klondike Ice Cream Sandwich
Nobody expected sandwich thickness to be a total game-changer, but it received a major thumbs up —especially when compared to the other thin ‘wiches. It makes the Klondike treat one you can really sink your teeth into. The vanilla ice cream is sweet and hits the mark just right. Although it’s less creamy than our top choice, the sandwich held together well from beginning to end.
Don’t let second place fool you, though. This brand is one of our favorites for life. Unlike the iconic white paper packaging that was found in the bottom three contenders, we loved the Klondike plastic wrapping. It made the product seem all-around fresher and more protected.
1st Place: Fatboy Premium Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich
We were completely in awe at the very first bite of the winner. FatBoy’s vanilla ice cream tasted creamy and not overwhelmingly sweet. Dare I say, it was pretty darn close to farm-fresh or homemade. In addition, the chocolate wafer tasted just right and not too overpowering, albeit a tad sticky to the fingers—but in this case, finger-licking-worthy.
This is the ideal ice cream sandwich that had all of us coming back for more. In fact, after having a thick FatBoy, we don’t think we’d want our ice cream sandwich any other way.
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