Ice cream is probably my favorite dessert of all time. And luckily, a lot of ice cream is naturally gluten-free. But then there’s those flavors that you just can never find gluten-free, and I know you know which ones I mean: cookies and cream, birthday cake, cookie dough…some of the very best ones. Cookies and cream was my favorite flavor before I went gluten-free, so I’ve been on the hunt for a GF version of it and others for years. Today I’m rounding up all of my greatest ice-cream discoveries, the hard-to-find flavors that I have finally found. So if you’re as passionate about your ice cream pints as me, you’re going to want to keep reading.
(While I am not dairy-free, some of these are dairy-free ice creams because often products are free of multiple allergens.)
Disclaimer: Make sure to read the label of any product you purchase to ensure it is safe for you to consume. Not all of these ice-cream products are certified gluten-free by the GFCO, so use your own discretion when consuming.)
1. Nadamoo (aka MY FAVORITE!)
Nadamoo has become my all-time favorite ice cream, not just because of the flavors, but because it is just so creamy for dairy-free ice cream! All of their pints are made with coconut milk as a base, and they not only have hard to find flavors, but they have such fun and innovative combos. My favorite is the cookies and cream, but I love the birthday cake cookie dough too. They have a flavor called caramel cold brew and cookies…like that is the ice cream flavor of my DREAMS and I’m dying to get my hands on it! A few other notable mentions are cookie dough fudge, marshmallow stardust, banana caramel crunch, and peppermint bark (seasonal). The best thing about Nadamoo is that EVERY FLAVOR IS GLUTEN-FREE! Unlike some of the other brands listed here, all of their products are certified GF…so go crazy!
2. Wegman’s
I know that not every has access to a Wegman’s in their region, but they are truly the best about labeling the Wegman’s branded products as GF, including their ice creams. They have amazing flavors in the ice cream gallons, but the pints are where the magic lies. They have a line of speciality ice cream flavors that only come in pints, and many (but not all!) are labeled GF. My favorite one is called “Under the Boardwalk” is described as “caramel ice cream with sea salt caramel swirls and sea salt caramel truffles.” So…yeah, heaven in a scoop? I think so! There’s also ‘Banan-a-Peelin’ (banana flavored ice cream with marshmallow swirls, fudge ribbons and peanut butter cups), mint chocolate chip, and java almond fudge. If you live near a Wegman’s, run don’t walk to try these pints out.
3. Ben & Jerry’s
2020 was rough for a lot of reasons, but one good thing that came out of it was Ben & Jerry’s getting many of their flavors to be certified gluten-free. I have personally yet to try any of them, but I am most excited about Phish Food. I mean who doesn’t love the combination of fudge, marshmallow and and caramel?? Some other notable flavors include: Coffee, Buzz, Buzz!, Cherry Garcia, Chunky Monkey, Vanilla Caramel Fudge, Karamel Sutra Core and New York Super Fudge Chunk. As a college student, I’m excited to finally partake in the late-night runs for a pint of Ben and Jerry’s with my roommates.
4. Coolhaus
This brand is the epitome of ‘cool’ in my opinion. From their packaging to their flavor combos, I’m obsessed with everything they make. Not all of their flavors are gluten-free, but there are a few stand-outs that are GF and usually hard to find. I have two favorites: the banana fosters and the chocolate molten cake. Both are super rich and creamy, and the perfect decadent treat. “Aunt Glady’s Yellow Cake Batter” is also gluten-free, and sounds super delicious to me. Make sure to check that any pint you pick up from them says gluten-free, since most of their flavors do contain gluten. But trust me, the chocolate molten cake and bananas foster are worth it.
5. Jeni’s
Jeni’s is a new discovery for me, but it has truly wowed me. I went out searching for the flavor “Gooey Butter Cake”, which yes, is gluten-free! My expectations were exceeded with a delicious homemade ice-cream with tons of cake pieces mixed throughout. They also have a GF cookies and cream that I need to get my hands on, as well as a flavor called “Brown Butter Almond Brittle”…yes please! I really love the company’s mission and how it feels like a small-town ice-cream shop, but the pints are definitely not cheap. Not all of their flavors are gluten-free, but a lot are and it is definitely worth a try.
6. Whole Foods
I was shopping at my local Whole Foods one day when I just stumbled upon one of the greatest GF ice cream discoveries I’ve ever made – GF/DF cookie dough ice cream! The 365 By Whole Foods brand has been stepping up their GF game, and this ice cream proves that. I bought this pint SO QUICK and tried it upon arriving home. While I loved the cookie dough bites, I have to say that you could definitely tell it was dairy-free. Nothing against DF ice cream, but the texture is definitely a little less creamy. But this ice cream is still delicious and a great option if you do need to be dairy-free! (The only photo I have of the packaging was when I shared on my Instagram story, so please enjoy my intense excitement in this photo!)
Honorable Mentions…
So Delicious
I have also heard a ton about the So Delicious brand, which makes a huge assortment of GF and DF ice cream in rare flavors like cookie dough and cookies and cream. I have purchased their pints once or twice, but again, I’m not a huge DF ice cream person (with the exception of Nadamoo) so I don’t usually go for this one. But I know a lot of people love it, and if you are dairy-free it’s truly the perfect brand.
Bubbies Ice Cream Bites
These aren’t necessarily ice-cream, but they contain ice-cream so I’m including them in this post. The Bubbies Ice Cream bites are like if mochi, cookies, and ice-cream had a baby…in the best way possible. They are little balls of ice cream wrapped in dough, coming in four flavors: birthday cake, cookie dough, brownie batter, and sugar cookie. The are the perfect bite-sized sweet treat at the end of the night. When I tell you I’m obsessed with these, I mean it. Obsessed.
If you try any of these flavors, make sure to post and tag me @celiactivist on Instagram! And, if I’m missing any, reach out and let me know! I’m always on the hunt for more delicious GF ice cream flavors to try…
