Chocolate ice cream is personal. Some want richness, while others want crunch. A few chase nostalgia. This list goes beyond popularity to spotlight the brands doing something exceptional. Loyalists and explorers alike will find something here worth dipping into next.
Haagen-Dazs
For over 60 years, Haagen-Dazs has defined what premium ice cream should taste like. Its Belgian Chocolate is a study in restraint and balance that blends fine cocoa with dense, silky cream. No fillers, no fuss. Just a consistent, timeless flavor that delivers every time.
Ben & Jerry’s
Chocolate Therapy lives up to its name with a wild swirl of pudding and fudge. This flavor doesn’t hold back, and neither does the brand. Ben & Jerry’s has long championed indulgence with a cause to create chunky, joy-filled pints that turn dessert into a full-blown experience.
Straus Family Creamery
This California-based creamery sticks to organic principles, which use milk from pasture-raised cows and top-quality Dutch cocoa. The result is a smooth, slightly earthy chocolate that tastes like integrity in a spoon. For label readers and sustainability fans, Straus delivers both conscience and creamy satisfaction.
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
Darkest Chocolate is made to stand out and to overwhelm. Jeni’s packs in triple the usual cocoa for a dense flavor that borders on ganache. Crafted in small batches with creative flair, this pint helped usher in the modern era of small-batch, chef-driven ice cream.
Talenti
Talenti’s Double Dark Chocolate is rich but never loud. The gelato’s slow-churned texture carries a darker, bittersweet cocoa note that feels elegant rather than indulgent. With less air and more depth, it’s a spoonful of subtle luxury that leans toward European sensibilities.
Tillamook
Udderly Chocolate blends milk and white chocolate into a smooth and universally pleasing pint. Tillamook’s farmer-owned co-op, rooted in the Pacific Northwest, is at the heart of it all. That rich, clean cream reflects the unique flavor and tells a story that generations have helped shape.
Van Leeuwen
Chocolate Fudge Brownie packs chewy brownie bites into a creamy, indulgent base that defines Van Leeuwen’s appeal. It’s the go-to pint for younger fans craving craft quality in every spoonful. Built on bold flavors and dense textures, this brand thrives on delivering modern decadence.
Blue Bell
In many Southern homes, Blue Bell’s Dutch Chocolate is part of everyday life in the South. The flavor is smooth and quietly addictive. Blue Bell remains beloved despite modern competition for its reliability and nostalgic charm. It’s the point that reminds you where you came from.
Graeter’s
Graeter’s still uses the 150-year-old French Pot process to make just two gallons at a time. That means denser ice cream and those signature thick chocolate chunks, not chips. It’s quirky and full of rich surprises that no factory-made pint can copy.
McConnell’s
Dark Chocolate Paso Brittle delivers refined crunch and smooth richness from its 70% dark chocolate blend and house-made almond toffee. The result is distinctly Californian. McConnell’s uses local cream and a focused approach to texture and flavor that defines its signature pint-making precision.
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