We Tried 8 Popular Ice Cream Sandwich Brands, and You’d Never Expect the “Delicious” Winner
Table of Contents
The Best Ice Cream Sandwiches at-a-Glance
Winner
Runner-Up
More Brands We Liked
How We Tested
Why You Should Trust Us
Few treats spark as much nostalgia like the almighty ice cream sandwich. Even now, whenever we hear the melodic siren of an ice cream truck in the distance, we’re instantly transported back to childhood — frantically searching our drawers after school, eager to wrangle up enough quarters to buy one of those delightful treats: a boxy block of creamy vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two soft chocolate wafers.
With countless options at the grocery store, we made it our mission to suss out which ones are the best (and taste just as such from childhood). In our quest for the ultimate ice cream sandwich, we tested eight popular brands — head-to-head — to determine which one delivers the perfect blend of creamy vanilla goodness and soft, chewy chocolate wafers.
The Best Ice Cream Sandwiches at-a-Glance
Best Ice Cream Sandwich: FatBoy Premium Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches
Runner-Up: 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Ice Cream Sandwiches
Honorable Mention: Nestle Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches
Best Budget Buy: Aldi Sundae Shoppe Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches
Worth the Splurge: Nightingale The Classic Ice Cream Sandwiches
The world of ice cream sandwiches is vast. Anything can be described as an ice cream sandwich if you put enough heart into it these days (we’re looking at you, Lotte). But for the purposes of this test, we kept it simple, examining the OG classic ice cream sandwiches — vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two chocolate wafers — available on shelves today.
We sourced a variety of name- and store-brand ice cream sandwiches based on availability and price. We also requested input from our editorial team to round out a list of eight contenders. The brands ranged in price (from $3 to $12, though most were around $6 at the time of this tasting) and quantity (from six to 12 sandwiches per box, including one that was individually sold).
As our team of eight tasters quickly discovered, almost all of the ice cream sandwiches looked nearly identical once unwrapped. Of course, there were some slight differences in the ice cream-to-wafer ratio, but their similarities had us wondering if we’d find a distinct winner. (Spoiler: We did!)
In the end, one sandwich stood out, with its creamy vanilla ice cream (where you can actually taste the vanilla flavor) nestled between two ultrasoft chocolate wafers.
Best Ice Cream Sandwich: FatBoy Premium Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches
If you’re looking for a quintessential option to add to your weekly grocery list, let it be FatBoy. We’re not entirely surprised, because the company has been making these ice cream sandwiches for the better part of the past century. In “one word: CLASSIC,” says Sarah, our associate editor. “The cookie sticks to your fingers a little bit — very nostalgic, reminds me of pool snacks and birthday parties.” Many folks in the group agreed.
To get a bit more into the nitty-gritty of this impressive sandwich, it’s all in the construction. The chocolate wafer cookie balances the vanilla ice cream nicely, with neither outshining or bringing down the other (which is crucial in any food with just two components). But what really sets this ice cream sandwich apart from the rest is its distinct vanilla flavor, which gives it a complex profile and rivals even the best vanilla ice creams. It’s just as enjoyable now as it was during our school days.
What’s So Great
Rich, creamy, vanilla-y ice cream
Great ice cream-to-cookie wafer balance
“A good traditional choice”
Good to Know
N/A
Buy: FatBoy Premium Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches, $7.14 for 6 ice cream sandwiches at Instacart
Runner-Up: 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Ice Cream Sandwiches
Just a few points behind FatBoy, the 365 by Whole Foods Market ice cream sandwiches snagged the runner-up spot. The deep chocolatey flavor beautifully rounds out the vanilla ice cream — a few of our tasters even declared this sandwich as their top choice!
Whether it’s the organic ice cream or the rich chocolate-flavored wafers (maybe with notes of dark chocolate?), more than half of us agreed that these ice cream sandwiches look, taste, and remind us of what a great ice cream sandwich should be. Vixon, our video producer, especially loves the flavors of this “classic ice cream and wafer combo” (no artificial taste here). “Soft, chewy, and absolutely delicious,” adds Ali, our associate groceries editor.
What’s So Great
USDA-Organic certified ingredients
“This is what I want in my freezer!”
Good to Know
Available at Whole Foods (in-store) and Amazon (online)
Buy: 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Ice Cream Sandwiches, $5.99 for 6 ice cream sandwiches at Amazon
Honorable Mention: Nestle Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches
Tasters were split on Nestle’s Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches, but those who loved them strongly feel they deserve an honorable mention. The “fudgy taste” and the soft cookie (that endearingly sticks to your fingers) had Sarah convinced she was indulging in a fancy, gourmet pick, despite its very average price tag.
Where the sandwich fell a bit short? Texture. Some found the vanilla ice cream filling to be on the foamier-side and the cookie just a smidge too soft (which is why it may have stuck to our fingers). A great ice cream sandwich hinges on a soft chocolate wafer, but when it veers a little too far it jeopardizes the structure (and integrity) of the entire sandwich. Despite this, it still placed pretty high among the ranks and deserves a shout-out for its creamy-fudge taste.
What’s So Great
Fudgey-like chocolate wafer
Subtle vanilla flavor
Tastes way more $$$
Good to Know
Chocolate wafer is on softer side
Buy: Nestle Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches, $5.99 for 6 ice cream sandwiches at Instacart
Best Budget: Aldi Sundae Shoppe Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches
Don’t let the price tag fool you. Aldi Sundae Shoppe Vanilla ice cream sandwiches exude a decadence that punches well above its weight — and price. You get a dozen (yes, 12!) of these frozen sandwiches for just $3.15. And we can’t be too surprised, Aldi has time and time again proved that its store-brand products outperform plenty of other groceries in its category. Eh hem, Greek yogurt.
Mara, our senior groceries editor, even compared the ice cream to a “soft serve” at Carvel. Even though it didn’t place as the winner, a few of our testers declared this sandwich as their top choice. It “checks all the boxes” in terms of flavor, texture, and look, says Eric, our chief financial officer.
What’s So Great
“Rich wafer and good texture”
Strong vanilla flavor
Budget buy
Good to Know
Vanilla has soft-serve vibes
Buy: Aldi Sundae Shoppe Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches, $3.15 for 12 ice cream sandwiches at Instacart
Worth the Splurge: Nightingale Ice Cream Sandwich
If you’re looking for a luxe version of a classic ice cream sandwich, consider this lavishly large Nightingale Ice Cream Sandwich. At just over 5 ounces (compared to the 3-ounce average of other bars we tried), this dessert sandwich features two generous chocolate brownie-like cookies with vanilla ice cream (that’s made with actual vanilla beans!). It doesn’t evoke the same cherished taste of youth, but still thoroughly impressed a few of our editors. Mara especially “loved the chips in the cookie for some added texture.”
If you’re worried about the sandwich being on the thicker side, so were many of us. But! In the end, “that’s what made it so splurgy-feeling,” Eric says. It’s the type of ice cream sandwich that “feels special,” he adds. So while $4 for one sandwich is on the more expensive side, it’s still absolutely worth the splurge.
What’s So Great
Brownie-like cookie
Decadent
“Thick and tall”
Good to Know
More $$$ than others
Buy: Nightingale Ice Cream Sandwiches, The Classic, $4.39 for one individually packaged ice cream sandwich at Instacart
How We Tested Ice Cream Sandwich Brands
We recruited eight of our talented ice-cream loving staff members to randomly taste eight classic ice cream sandwiches on grocery shelves right now. Ice cream sandwiches were cut into two-bite-size squares and set out on paper plates by Ola, our culinary assistant. Each one was assigned a letter — from A through H — to conceal the brands’ identities.
Tasters were handed a prepped plate of cut-up sandwiches straight from the freezer and instructed to sample them in random order (to avoid giving any one preferential treatment, of course). We also had water on hand for palate cleansing.
Tasters rated each ice cream sandwich on a scale of one to five (1 = No, thanks; 2 = Meh; 3 = Pretty good; 4 = Really like; 5 = Yes, Please!) across four criteria — look, smell, texture, and flavor — and included any specific observations, tasting notes, and general opinions worth mentioning. They were also asked to answer, arguably, the most important question of all: Would you buy these ice cream sandwiches?
Why You Should Trust Us
To determine which ice cream sandwiches are worth keeping in your freezer, we organized a blind taste test. We recruited eight on-staff testers (including a mix of culinary professionals and self-described ice cream sandwich lovers who work at Apartment Therapy Media, our parent company) to evaluate eight different ice cream sandwiches based on texture, look, smell, eagerness to purchase again, and of course, taste. All participated voluntarily, and we greatly appreciate them for their meaningful insights. After all, spending the afternoon tasting ice cream sandwiches is a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it!
During the test, our testers had no knowledge of which ice cream sandwich brands would be involved in the test and sampled each one randomly (as to not give any one particular brand an advantage). Each taster independently filled out a score sheet, to score and rank each dessert without any larger discussion or influence from the group. It was only after all evaluations were completed that we tallied the scores to reveal the winners.
Did your favorite ice cream sandwich brand make the list? Tell us about it in the comments below.
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