Coffee is one of the most delicious ways to jump-start a sleepy brain. Its bitter notes blend perfectly with tempting ingredients like cream, sugar, and a variety of sweet and nutty flavorings. It’s no small wonder coffee-infused ice cream is such a popular way to indulge in that smooth, rich flavor, even when you’re not looking for a caffeine boost. That’s why Chowhound taste-tested and ranked store-bought coffee ice creams to determine the best and worst offerings in terms of price, texture, and flavor.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, the winner was Talenti’s Coffee Cookie Crumble, which combines the flavor of coffee with another popular ice cream feature: cookie pieces. Technically Talenti makes Italian gelato, and while there are differences between gelato and ice cream, gelato still has everything it needs to satisfy that craving for a sweet, frozen treat. The Coffee Cookie Crumble is a five-layer concoction consisting of Italian amaretti cookies topped with Madagascar vanilla bean gelato. The next layer is a rich chocolate espresso sauce followed by chocolate flakes and a layer of cold-brew gelato. While some of the ice creams in Chowhound’s ranking won out over close contenders because of their simplicity, Talenti went all-out in terms of creative ingredients, and it paid off.
Although Talenti’s Coffee Cookie Crumble was one of the pricier options on the list — almost $7 per pint — the quality of the experience ensured its place as the winner. Two other expensive options, Planet Based Foods Dairy-Free Coffee Chip Frozen Dessert and Whoa Momma! Espresso Chocolate Protein Gelato (both over $7 per pint) were ranked at the low end of the list because their flavor just didn’t justify the expense.
Talenti’s thoughtful approach to flavor pushed it over the top
In the case of the Coffee Cookie Crumble, Talenti aimed to mimic the experience of drinking an affogato — espresso-topped ice cream. It sounds fancy, but you can technically hack an affogato at McDonald’s with a shot of espresso and soft serve.
Of course, not every consumer appreciates Talenti’s layered approach to mix-ins. Since the cookie pieces are all the way at the bottom of the carton, it can be difficult to get a bite incorporating all five layers, detracting from the intended experience. To do so, you pretty much have to move the entire carton to a separate bowl to either mix or selectively enjoy. That’s inconvenient if you don’t typically finish an entire pint in one sitting. Another complaint is that the gelato-to-add-ins ratio is off. But for everyone who longs for more gelato in the carton, there’s someone else who’s perfectly happy with so much flavorful texture.
But if you’re someone who craves a more cohesive ice cream experience, Talenti also makes a dairy-free cold-brew coffee sorbetto with no mix-ins and a coffee chocolate chip gelato with the chips incorporated throughout.
