I’m going to make this intro short because Ben & Jerry’s new Topped line has SEVEN flavors, and I cover ALL OF THEM below. Here they are in no particular order:
Strawberry Topped Tart
“Sweet cream ice cream with strawberry swirls & pie crust pieces topped with white chocolatey ganache & candy sprinkles.”
Pulling back the lid reveals the prettiest start to a Ben & Jerry’s pint EVER. The red and green candy sprinkles on the white ganache look like gems on snow. It’s a shame I had to destroy it.
Even though those candy sprinkles are basically sugar clots, they’re the pint’s highlight. I can’t get their crunch out of my mind. It’s at a level that I’ve never experienced with a Ben & Jerry’s pint. These need to be in other varieties. They don’t add any real flavor, but I love how their texture contrasts the creamy ice cream.
While the candy sprinkles sparkle in numerous ways, the pie crust pieces are this flavor’s lowlight because they’re really dry. It’s at a level that I’ve never experienced with a Ben & Jerry’s pint. (Yes, I stole the line from the previous paragraph.) They do add a bit of flavor, but it doesn’t enhance the other ingredients.
The strawberry swirls are plentiful and potent enough that I kept thinking this was made with strawberry ice cream instead of sweet cream. The white chocolatey ganache’s flavor reminds me of white chocolate M&M’s. So all the non-pie crust components combined taste like strawberry-flavored white chocolate M&M’s, and the candy sprinkles provide a crunch similar to an M&M’s candy shell.
I want to give this a higher score because I love the flavor and sprinkles’ texture, but the pie crust pieces were a real downer.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 350 calories, 19 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, 80 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 36 grams of sugar (including 31 grams of added sugar), and 5 grams of protein.
Thick Mint
“Mint ice cream with chocolate cookie swirls and mint chocolate cookie balls topped with chocolate cookies and chocolatey ganache.”
“OHHHHHHHHH!!! I get it now. It’s somehow a play on Thin Mints,” is what I said out loud after wondering how this flavor got its name for a duration of time I will never admit. My wife followed that up with a “Duh.”
I’m obviously thick in the head.
Do the kids still say that?
If you’re someone who stores Girl Scout Thin Mints in the freezer, then Thick Mint is a flavor you might want to place right next to those frozen minty chocolate cookies. The mint ice cream and mint chocolate cookie balls are roughly the same mintiness as the iconic cookie. The cookie balls’ crispiness is about the same as the popular cookie. Even the ganache will have you thinking about Thin Mints’ chocolatey coating. It takes everything that’s great about Thin Mints and expands it into a pint of ice cream. OHHHHHHHHH!!!! I get it even more now…Thick Mint.
Look, I know Girl Scout Thin Mints have been recreated in frozen treat form numerous times, most notable by Breyers. But, because I avoid Breyers products like I avoid admitting it took me several days to realize it’s a play on Thin Mints (DAMMIT!), I can’t compare this with that. But, because it’s Breyers, I’m pretty sure Thick Mint is a gajillion times better.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 420 calories, 26 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, 100 milligrams of sodium, 43 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 36 grams of sugar (including 31 grams of added sugar), and 5 grams of protein.
Chocolate Caramel Cookie Dough
“Chocolate ice cream with caramel swirls & gobs of chocolate chip cookie dough topped with caramel cups & chocolatey ganache.”
I can’t help but look at the words “Chocolate Caramel Cookie Dough” on the container and think their font sizes don’t represent the individual components’ impact. Because caramel plays a small role in the flavor, while the chocolate is a choco-lot.
Of course, the font sizes are just font sizes, unless Ben & Jerry’s graphics department wants to say otherwise. But I needed some way to make this review seem longer than it really should be because I can sum up this flavor with the following statement: Chocolate Caramel Cookie Dough mostly tastes like what I imagine a Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream would taste like.
Actually, with the ganache layer, it’s more like Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream.
I know what you’re thinking, “But there are caramel swirls and cups.” Oh, the caramel cups on top the ganache are like mini Rolo. I can taste and feel their sweet, buttery innards ooze out when I crack them open with my teeth. But as you can see in the photo above, I didn’t get many. As for the swirls, I see and feel them, but don’t notice any caramel flavor when I’m scooping out anything below the ganache layer into my mouth.
To be honest, I’m happy with having a pint with chocolate ice cream and chocolate chip cookie dough. But I wish the caramel stood out more. Although, not as much as the number of times the word “chocolate” appears in this review.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 420 calories, 26 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, 100 milligrams of sodium, 43 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 36 grams of sugar (including 31 grams of added sugar), and 5 grams of protein.
Salted Caramel Brownie
“Vanilla ice cream with salted caramel swirls & fudge brownies topped with caramel cups & chocolatey ganache.”
If you’re looking at the Chocolate Caramel Cookie Dough one at a store, but think, “I’d like a version of that, except the chocolate ice cream and cookie dough are replaced with vanilla ice cream and brownies,” then shift your eyes a few degrees because there’s a good chance you’ll see this flavor that meets your sweet needs.
The carton describes it as a “sundae in a pint,” and I agree. With the chocolate ganache, fudge brownies, and vanilla ice cream being the most notable components, it reminds me of a hot fudge sundae. The brownies provide a nice fudgy flavor and chewy texture.
Oh, but what about the caramel, you ask?
My experience with it in this pint is almost the same as Chocolate Caramel Cookie Dough. Although this time, the ganache was topped with more caramel cups. But I couldn’t detect the sweet and salty swirls, even though they were in the milder tasting vanilla ice cream.
I hate to give this a 6 out of 10 because I’d eat this 10 out of 10 times if this was the only Topped variety. But it’s not, and out of all of them, this one was the least exciting.
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 370 calories, 19 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 45 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 37 grams of sugar (including 32 grams of added sugar), and 5 grams of protein.
Tiramisu
“Mascarpone ice cream with fudge swirls & shortbread pieces topped with espresso fudge chunks & chocolatey ganache.”
Full disclosure: You’re not going to get a full cross-section of this flavor like with the previous pints because I ate it with reckless abandon. After the first bite, I decided I was gonna tear-mi-sum tiramisu ice cream. And I did. And I went overboard. And now you have to look at a partially eaten cross-section of my gluttony below. But I guess it also shows how much I love this.
It has the Italian dessert’s flavors — coffee, mascarpone, and cocoa. I also notice something that I think could be liquor, but I might be confusing it with the espresso. Although it tastes like the dessert, the coffee isn’t as potent as an actual tiramisu.
You might think once the espresso fudge chunks are gone, then the coffee flavors goes away. Oh no, that’s not the case, my coffee-loving friend. According to the container, there’s “captivating coffee character” in the fudge swirls, and my taste buds do notice it. And my taste buds don’t lie, even though they’re a part of my mouth, which does a lot of lying. But I’m telling the truth when I say this is my favorite of the bunch.
Almost a decade ago, Ben & Jerry’s offered another tiramisu-flavored variety, the Target-exclusive, Volun-tiramisu. It had a simpler combination of coffee mascarpone ice cream with cocoa dusted coffee rum lady finger pieces. But if you tira-miss-su that, this Topped version is an excellent replacement.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 370 calories, 21 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, 110 milligrams of sodium, 43 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 37 grams of sugar (including 31 grams of added sugar), and 5 grams of protein.
Whiskey Biz
“Brown butter bourbon ice cream with blonde brownies & whiskey caramel swirls topped with white chocolatey ganache & white fudge chunks.”
WhistlePig whiskey. WhistlePig whiskey. WhistlePig phiskey. Whistlepistol wuskey. WhasslePss whassy. Sorry, I was trying to say WhistlePig phiskey, I mean, WhistlePig whiskey ten times really fast. What is WhistlePig whiskey? It’s what’s mixed in with the caramel swirls in this pint.
I could give you the long story about who WhistlePig is. But instead, I’ll just tell you it’s a distillery, and it’s located in Vermont. Oh, hey, that’s where Ben & Jerry’s is.
According to the ice cream company, the whiskey used is called PiggyBack Rye, which, according to WhistlePig’s website, has cocoa, cardamom, and cured leather flavors. It also finishes with spices, vanilla, and hints of citrus. I got none of that while eating the caramel swirls, but they taste boozier than what I remember previous whiskey caramel swirls were like. Although that’s might be because it’s combined with the brown butter bourbon base. Oh, I should clarify there’s no alcohol content, so you can’t get tipsy from Whiskey Biz.
The blonde brownies add a slight brown sugary kick and a chewy texture. As for the white chocolatey ganache and white fudge chunks, as lovely as they are, I kind of wish they were omitted. I really love the flavor combination of the ice cream base, brownies, and whiskey caramel swirls, but the toppings, which again reminds me of white chocolate M&M’s, mutes that boozy combo. So I found myself putting the top layer aside and eating it separately.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 410 calories, 23 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 46 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 38 grams of sugar (including 32 grams of added sugar), and 5 grams of protein.
PB Over the Top
“Chocolate ice cream with peanut butter swirls & peanut butter cups topped with mini peanut butter cups & chocolatey ganache.”
If you look at this flavor, you might think this pint is misnamed because it appears there’s a lot more chocolate than peanut butter. But I assure you peanut butter lovers that, while your eyes see a sea of chocolate, your taste buds will, um, still get a sea of chocolate, but waves of peanut butter will crash into them.
Yes, there’s a lot of chocolate here, but the peanut butter swirls, peanut butter cups on top, and peanut butter cups in the ice cream bring a triple flavor punch. What also helps is that the peanut butter is a bit saltier than what you might taste in a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup or any big brand peanut butter, so it stand out a bit more.
There are seven Topped varieties, but this is the only one with the topping on the ganache and in the ice cream itself. This is something I wish occurred in other pints, especially with those candy sprinkles found on the Strawberry Topped Tart one and the caramel cups on top the Salted Caramel Brownie and Chocolate Caramel Cookie Dough varieties.
While I love this flavor, I do wish there was a gooeyness to the peanut butter swirl. But overall, if you’re craving the peanut butter and chocolate combo, this will satisfy you.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 410 calories, 23 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 46 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 38 grams of sugar (including 32 grams of added sugar), and 5 grams of protein.
DISCLOSURE: I received a free product samples from Ben & Jerry’s. Doing so did not influence my review.
I got the strawberry one and i agree about the magical candy beads and dry pie pieces. The strawberry + sweet cream flavour initially had me swooning cause it reminded me so much of the 1990’s strawberry NesQuik i was recently lamenting, but by my second serving it didn’t seem so special. really enjoyed the pint but wouldn’t be likely to buy a second one.
def going to have to pick up the tiramisu one this week. the whiskey one seems like it might be similar to Haagen-Dazs sticky toffee pudding.
I’m not trying to be negative here and I *do* like B&J ice cream, but the photos of the tops of the pints makes the flavors look less appealing than they likely are . . . .
If I don’t like alcohol tasting things, then I won’t like the Whiskey Biz one right or was it not too alcohol tasting because of the add ins? I ordered all of them to try, but I am debating on whether or not to just give that one away. Hopefully, someone could let me know how boozy it really is. Thanks
Not boozy!! I liked the more noticeable booze factor in the Haagen Dazs Spirits line more, so if you’ve tried any of those, know that this isn’t that strong. If you’ve had B&J’s recent Punch Line flavor, this one seems pretty subtle along those lines… almost undetectable. Still good though! My gripe was the white chocolate top— way too sweet and just overpowered the (much better) flavors of the rest.
I tried the Salted Caramel Brownie and wasn’t impressed at all. The top layer is just too much. It’s hard as a rock and honestly just kinda gets in the way. My husband tried the Whiskey Biz and he threw the top layer away. It was just a huge disk of chocolate.
For those who don’t enjoy thick chocolate layers, this line isn’t likely the right choice for you. These sound amazing although super indulgent.
Great review!
B&J missed an opportunity with the PB one. They should have used a peanut butter ganache to give more meaning to the name “PB Over The Top”.
Thick Mint was fine but a little disappointing. The “top” is good and reminds me of the girl scout cookie, but the rest is a slightly above average mint cookie: I hoped that “thick” meant the mint might stand out a little more.
Unlike the reviewer, who spent three sentences bashing a flavor he hadn’t tried from a brand he disliked, I don’t think this was a gajillion times better than the Breyers frozen dairy version, particularly factoring in the price/value and expectations for the respective brands as well as how much more fat (4x as much for B&J, 26g to 6g) and sugar (31g to 18-19g) B&J has.
I would assume most people would connect the ‘thick’ to a play on words for the girl scout cookies – I’m from the Uk and that’s certainly how I took it – rather than a reflection on the flavour. Very jealous we don’t get this here.
Those cross-section photos are great. How did you get such a clean cut through the ice cream?
Thanks! By the time I decided to do these shots, I had already dug into all of the pints. As you can see, I dug into some more than others. The way I ate these pints was to dig down. Usually, I’m a scrape from the top ice cream eater, but these make that impossible to do. Anyhoo, at some point, I realized I could probably pry out the rest of the ice cream, cut the excess off with the sharpest knife I have in the kitchen. I just had to make sure the pints were as frozen as possible. I did have an issue with one of the pieces not being able to stand straight. So I just let the bottom melt a little bit and then squashed it down until it could stand on its own. Folks have been doing the cross-section photos of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for a few years now. I think ever since the Core pints came out. But they would cut through the container too in order to get the shot. So I was influenced by that.
Strawberry Topped Tart – I bought because of the word Tart – I like tart as in tart Kefir and Sweet Tarts – which is what I was hoping the sprinkles on top were.
After I bought it I promptly forgot what I might have read of the pint description (ganache), pulled off the lid* and licked the top, then stabbed the top with a fork (my ice cream eating utensil). The top was not melty – how could that be after the delay of getting it home? I found the top altogether nasty. The green and red bits – Xmasy, and the ganache was weird – sweet, greasy, salty?
The swirled ice cream below was tart, but the pie crust bits fell short of the shortbread I imagined I would find.
*P.S. Before I pulled off the lid, the pint rattled if shaken (the green and red Xmas excesses).
I am not sure I want to try any of these!
Ben & Jerry’s come on now bring back Confetti Cake please.