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We tried 20+ dairy free ice creams—here are the winners

Calling all vegan and lactose-intolerant ice cream lovers.

Pints of dairy free ice cream stacked on top of each other. Credit: Reviewed / Tim Renzi

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Nothing hits the spot in the summertime (or, let's be real, the middle of winter) like your favorite flavor of ice cream. But not everyone can indulge in traditional dairy-filled options, whether that be for allergy, intolerance, or plant-based lifestyle reasons.

Luckily—just like with vegan milk and cheese—there are plenty of dairy free ice cream options. And with more and more being added to shelves seemingly every day, some might even argue there are too many options.

That's why we decided to put our ice cream tasting skills to good use and rank some of the most popular dairy free ice cream brands on grocery shelves.

How we tested

Three people enjoying dairy free ice cream with spoons.
Credit: Reviewed / Tim Renzi

We had 12 Reviewed staffers test (a lot) of dairy-free ice cream to crown the winner.

As you might guess, this process involved a lot of painstaking research (AKA eating).

We gathered a dozen Reviewed staffers together to sample 21 flavors of non-dairy ice cream from 11 different brands. As we sampled, tasters filled out a questionnaire ranking each flavor—based on texture and taste—on a scale of one to five. We then averaged the results to see which brand came out on top.

While tasting, we took into consideration how creamy the texture was, how much we enjoyed the flavor, and whether there were any overpowering aftertastes (we're looking at you, coconut milk). Testers also added comments and feelings about the samples to provide more well-rounded feedback.

The winner: Jeni's Ice Cream

Pints of dairy free ice cream stacked on top of each other.
Credit: Jeni's / Reviewed

Jeni's dairy-free ice creams were some of the creamiest and tastiest we tried.

Base: Coconut cream

If you're a big ice cream lover, we probably don't have to tell you about the magic of Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream. But if you've been hesitant about trying out the brand's non-dairy options, this is your sign to place an order.

We tested four dairy free Jeni's Ice Cream flavors: Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns, Texas Sheet Cake, Lemon Bar, and Cold Brew With Coconut Cream—all made from coconut cream.

I'll be completely transparent here: I really don't like coconut. I generally don't think coconut milk has any place in ice cream, because its strong aftertaste typically negates any flavor advertised on the label.

So you can imagine my surprise when I tested each of Jeni's coconut-based ice cream flavors and found myself going back for more. (My fellow tasters echoed similar sentiments.)

Aside from the obvious Cold Brew With Coconut Cream, there's no overpowering coconut aftertaste in any of Jeni's dairy free ice creams. The Texas Sheet Cake is indulgently chocolatey, the Lemon Bar is reminiscent of a tangy lemon meringue, and the Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns isn't overwhelmingly sweet as I anticipated. All flavors are balanced, clear of any unwanted coconut flavor, and delicious.

Jeni's dairy free ice creams are also some of the creamiest we tested, with textures almost identical to the real thing. The base of coconut cream provides that unique level of unctuousness that doesn't compare to alternatives like nut or rice milk. And without any obvious coconut flavor, we think these could win over any dairy ice cream lover.

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Other non-dairy ice creams we tested, ranked best to least best:

2. Oatly

Two pints of dairy free ice cream from Oatly side by side.
Credit: Oatly / Reviewed

The oat base in Oatly allows for a creamy, dairy-like texture.

Base: Oat milk

A very close second to Jeni's, Oatly ice cream is satisfyingly creamy, has a decadent flavor, and won over most of the Reviewed staff during testing.

Aside from a mild oat-like aftertaste reported by some, there were very few complaints about Oatly's ice creams—even from self-proclaimed dairy lovers. We tried the chocolate and coffee varieties, and both blew us away. Thanks to the oat milk base, they had a creamy mouthfeel and satisfying flavor that was on-par with the traditional ice creams we're used to.

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3. Van Leeuwen

Two side-by-side shots of Van Leeuwen vegan ice cream, with scoops visible from the pint, on an orange background
Credit: Van Leeuwen / Reviewed

These flavors were tasty, but the textures fell somewhat short.

Base: Oat milk/Cashew milk

Originally started as an ice cream truck in New York City, Van Leeuwen is now a specialty ice cream shop with locations around the country and pints in grocery stores everywhere. The brand is especially known for its extensive vegan offerings, so we knew we had to give it a try.

The Chocolate Oat Milk Cookie Dough Chunk features wholesome, recognizable ingredients like oat milk, coconut cream, honeycomb, and cocoa butter. We found that the flavor was totally delicious—but the texture of the ice cream was a bit off, with a grainy mouthfeel that wasn't as creamy as others.

Similarly, the Cookies & Cream Caramel Swirl is made with easy-to-read ingredients like raw cashews, virgin coconut oil, and cocoa butter. But although the caramel and cookie flavors were delicious, the texture was icy and not comparable to traditional ice cream.

Shop Van Leeuwen at Walmart

4. McConnell's Fine Ice Creams

Left: scoop of fruity ice cream on a scoop Right: Pint of McConnell's passion fruit lemon swirl ice cream
Credit: Reviewed / McConnell's Fine Ice Creams

This California-based creamery has been churning out old fashioned ice cream since 1949—and now it offers dairy-free alternatives.

Base: Oat milk

This historic creamery has been producing fan-favorite ice cream in Central California for over 70 years. And luckily for all the folks who want to indulge in old-school ice cream sans dairy, McConnell's has several options to accommodate.

We tried the Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch and Passion Fruit Lemon Swirl. Both flavors are delicious and offer a decently creamy mouthfeel thanks to the oat milk base. The peanut butter flavor suffers from minor textural issues (thanks to the gluten-free cookie that was less-crunch more-stale). But the passion fruit pint is indulgently creamy with a pleasant tanginess from the lemon swirl that kept us going back for more.

Shop Dairy-Free at McConnell's

5. Ben & Jerry's

Two pints of dairy free ice cream from Ben & Jerry's side by side.
Credit: Ben & Jerry's / Reviewed

Unfortunately, Ben & Jerry's non-dairy options don't compare to the originals.

Base: Almond milk/Sunflower milk

Since Ben & Jerry's is such a fan favorite, known for iconic flavors like Cherry Garcia and Half Baked, we had high hopes for its dairy free flavors.

Unfortunately, the flavors we tested—Phish Food and "Milk" and Cookies—fell short of our expectations. Several testers agreed that the texture was much more icy and grainy than traditional Ben & Jerry's. The flavors were also much sweeter than their dairy counterparts (and not in a good way).

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6. Favorite Day

Two pints of dairy free ice cream from Favorite Day side by side.
Credit: Target / Reviewed

This Target brand has a wide range of dairy-free ice cream varieties.

Base: Almond milk

Target's line of dairy free ice cream was recommended by one of Reviewed's dairy free staffers, who swears by the Strawberry & Fudge flavor (which she can't resist on a Target run).

We tested both the Strawberry & Fudge and the Vanilla Cake & Cookie Dough flavors, and had some mixed reviews from testers. Some claimed that both flavors were off-puttingly sweet, while others appreciated that the sweetness was offset by a salty dark chocolate flavor.

When it came to texture, Favorite Day's almond milk base was a bit thinner than others, resembling an under-churned ice cream that's slightly icier than we would've hoped for.

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7. Magnum Non-Dairy Classic

Magnum Non-Dairy Classic box on pink background
Credit: Magnum / Reviewed

Magnum's Non-Dairy ice cream bars had some key differences to the traditional alternatives.

Base: Coconut oil

We had to try at least one ice cream bar in our hunt for dairy free desserts. And given Magnum's glowing reputation, it seemed like an obvious choice.

This classic vanilla-on-the-inside, chocolate-on-the-outside ice cream bar looks like any classic Magnum treat after opening. But after taking a first bite, the difference was evident. The ice cream—which is made from a blend of coconut oil, pea protein, and sweeteners—had no flavor of its own and lacked an inherent creaminess.

The saving factor, though, was the external chocolate coating. It had an obvious, authentic cocoa flavor that made each bite go down much easier.

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8. Cado

Two pints of dairy free ice cream from Cado side by side.
Credit: Cado / Reviewed

We found that an avocado base doesn't provide the creamiest ice cream results.

Base: Avocado

Does eating fruit as a substitute for ice cream sound too good to be true? Well, it kind of is. We found that the avocado base in Cado results in an odd coating on the tongue, with an unpleasant aftertaste that's unique from other options.

Both flavors we sampled, Java Chip and Vanilla, were oddly sweet with artificial-like flavor profiles—possibly to make up for the inherently savory quality of avocado.

Cado might be a healthier alternative to other options—thanks to its fruit base and organic ingredients—but it wouldn't be our first pick.

Shop Cado at Instacart

9. So Delicious

Two pints of dairy free ice cream from So Delicious side by side.
Credit: So Delicious / Reviewed

So Delicious hits the creaminess mark, but fell short on flavor.

Base: Cashew/coconut milk

This grocery store staple offers ice cream options in bases ranging from soy milk and coconut milk to almond milk and cashew milk. It also features a wide range of flavors that most other brands don't offer.

We tried the Salted Caramel Cluster, which is made from cashew milk, and the Vanilla Bean, which is made from coconut milk. Both varieties actually provided a satisfyingly creamy texture that was comparable to real dairy, but flavor is where they fell short.

The former had an aggressive taste of both sweetness and saltiness that was (literally) hard to swallow, while the latter tasted more like artificially flavored coconut ice cream than vanilla. As a result, very few (if any) of our testers actually finished their small samples, so both flavors received low marks.

Shop So Delicious at Target

10. CoolHaus

Pint of dairy free ice cream from Cool Haus.
Credit: Coolhaus / Reviewed

This rice milk-based ice cream resulted in some of the thinnest texture.

Base: Rice milk

CoolHaus is another popular brand among ice cream lovers, but unfortunately its non-dairy sample didn't measure up during testing.

We tried the Best of Both Worlds Vanilla, which blends the flavors of Tahitian and Madagascar vanilla beans in a rice milk-based dessert. The result, though, was another ice cream that was far too sweet to enjoy.

And unsurprisingly—much like rice milk itself—the texture of this ice cream was very thin. It was simultaneously icy and grainy, and lacked any level of creaminess. It’s sufficient to say that this was our first and last time trying out rice-based ice cream.

Shop Coolhaus Dairy-Free

11. NadaMoo

Two pints of dairy free ice cream from NadaMoo side by side.
Credit: Reviewed / Tim Renzi

NadaMoo ice creams had some unpleasant aftertastes and textures.

Base: Coconut milk

Coming in at the bottom of the pack, NadaMoo is a line of coconut-based dairy free ice cream that, unfortunately, tastes more of coconut than anything else.

We tried NadaMoo's popular Cookies & Crème and Organic Vanilla Bean flavors. Both tasted strongly of an unpleasant coconut flavor, with almost no trace of their nominal descriptors. There was also an off-putting aftertaste that was slightly sour and somewhat chemical-like in these ice creams.

The plus-side to using coconut milk as an ice cream base is the creamy texture, which NadaMoo does somewhat benefit from. But there was a lingering slimy and gummy component to the texture, too. And when considering that coconut-based options from other brands, like Jeni's, can accomplish a much better texture and flavor, NadaMoo didn't stand a chance in our ranking.

Shop NadaMoo at Target

The bottom line

Three people eating dairy free ice cream in front of a countertop.
Credit: Reviewed / Tim Renzi

There might be countless dairy-free ice creams to choose from, but only a select few are worth buying.

One thing this testing experience taught is that, like most things in life, dairy free ice cream can either be really great…or really disappointing.

The key is to look out for the ingredients: Steer clear of bases like rice milk and avocado, which won't provide that creamy, dairy-like richness. Look out for any questionable ingredients that might result in an off-putting mouthfeel (like the several "gums" in NadaMoo). And be wary that the large majority of coconut-based varieties—except for Jeni's, of course—will likely have a strong coconut flavor.

Our biggest piece of advice? Next time you have a hankering for some dairy free ice cream, go ahead and treat yourself to a pint of Jeni's—you won't regret it.

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