The backstory behind Ben & Jerry’s Special Stash Marshmallow Moon Ice Cream is that it was one of the options to replace Late Night Snack when Jimmy Fallon moved over The Tonight Show. But it lost to The Tonight Dough.
After trying Marshmallow Moon and realizing it’s the superior flavor, I began to wonder if The Tonight Dough becoming the official flavor of The Tonight Show was a conspiracy.
So I put on my tin foil hat and took deep dives into ice cream dark forums; watched on YouTube the unveiling of The Tonight Dough in slow motion, sped up, and in reverse; and talked to cows. And the conclusion I’ve come to is that Marshmallow Moon wasn’t selected because it didn’t rhyme well with The Tonight Dough.
Sure, The Mallow Moon-ight Show might’ve worked, but not as well.
Tin foil hat removed and, I’m sure Ben & Jerry’s would appreciate this, recycled.
But now we can all enjoy Marshmallow Moon. Although it’s a limited edition flavor that’s only available at Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops and the brand’s online store for three or four more dollars than one should pay for a pint.
The ice cream is influenced by the iconic MoonPie and does it without having to mention MoonPie or pay a royalty fee to use the MoonPie trademark. It features vanilla ice cream, marshmallow and graham cracker swirls, and fudge chunks.
I’ve mentioned in previous reviews how much I love Ben & Jerry’s squishy marshmallow swirl and gritty graham cracker swirl. You could say I’m over the moon with them. Sorry. That’s the only lunar reference I’ll make.
It’s nice to be able to experience both of them with vanilla ice cream, which allows their flavors to shine more than they would with another ice cream base. The marshmallow swirl has a vanilla sweetness that’s different than the ice cream and the graham cracker swirl has a bit of honey flavor. They’re wonderful together and I’m glad my pint has a lot of them.
The fudge chunks, while necessary to complete the whole MoonPie homage, are annoying. Like chaperones at a school dance, I understand why they’re there, but wish they weren’t. Their chocolate flavor overwhelms the other components. I ended up shoving them to the side so I could experience a ménage a quad with the ice cream and swirls.
Ben & Jerry’s Special Stash Marshmallow Moon has the elements of a MoonPie, but since it’s been so long since I’ve had one, I can’t say tastes like it. But it’s a great flavor if you avoid the fudge chunks. With that said, as much as I enjoyed it, I wouldn’t spend $7 to buy it again. But if it becomes a regular flavor I can buy from a grocery store, I’d buy it again.
(Nutrition Facts – 1/2 cup – 290 calories, 140 calories from fat, 16 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 55 milligrams of cholesterol, 105 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 26 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.)
Purchased Price: $6.99
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Ben & Jerry’s online store
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Graham cracker and marshmallow swirls. Better than The Tonight Dough which is too much of a hodgepodge of ingredients. Looking forward to future Special Stash flavors.
Cons: Fudge chunks gets in the way of the swirls. Only available from Scoop Shops and Ben & Jerry’s online store.