Top-Quality Grocery Store Ice Creams That Are Worth The Splurge

The ice cream aisle can be overwhelming with row after row of cartons and pints promising creamy indulgence, not to mention some posers that aren't really ice cream at all. But anyone who's ever cracked open a bargain tub knows that not all ice cream is created equal. Some brands rely on shortcuts by using extra air, stabilizers, and artificial flavorings, leaving you with something closer to sweetened fluff than the rich, satisfying scoop you were craving.

But then there are the standouts. The pints and cartons that actually stop you in your tracks, that feel closer to something you'd get at an ice cream parlor than your average grocery run. These are the brands that treat ice cream like it deserves to be treated. They're made with more cream, less air, and whole ingredients that taste exactly like what's promised on the label.

Yes, they often cost a little more, but they also serve as flavorful — and, in some cases, wildly creative — reminders of why ice cream is worth splurging on in the first place. To round up the best of the best premium ice creams on the market, we focused on brands that back up their price tags with quality, whether that's grass-grazed dairy, chef-driven flavors, or production methods that put texture and taste first. From French-style custard bases to avocado and dairy-free innovations, these are the grocery store ice creams that make the case for skipping the bargain brands and going straight for the good stuff.

While some cheaper grocery store brands may opt for the likes of artificial flavors in their ice cream, Jeni's veers in the other direction by using wholesome ingredients such as high-butterfat dairy. The brand responsibly sources its ingredients — such as Fair and Direct Trade chocolate, vanilla, and coffee, and fresh fruits – through its Fellowship Model, which prioritizes environmentally friendly products while also minimizing the brand's carbon footprint.

The brand's focus on quality is evident in the taste of its products. Brambleberry Crisp, for example, isn't your standard berry swirl ice cream. Instead, Jeni's Ice Cream compares it to a slice of fresh berry pie, mixed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (which is made with Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract) in every bite. Judging by the abundance of praise this flavor has received online, it's up there with some of the brand's best. However, the Brown Butter Almond Brittle — made with rich buttercream ice cream and golden, handmade almond brittle – is another standout thanks to its perfect balance of salty crunch and caramelized sweetness. It's a far cry from the rock-hard candy bits you often find in bargain brands.

When you think of French food, you may picture dishes such as escargot, duck confit, or a fancy cheese plate. We think of Van Leeuwen, the brand popular for a French-style ice cream. By definition, French ice cream is custard-based, which means it's made with more egg yolks than standard ice creams. That extra yolk gives every spoonful a denser body, a silkier mouthfeel, and a richness that coats your tongue long after it melts.

Compared to the airy, quick-melt texture of bargain brands, Van Leeuwen feels closer to a plated dessert at a fine restaurant. It's ice cream that asks you to slow down, savor, and notice the flavor. The brand itself started humbly from a yellow truck rolling through New York City in 2008, but it quickly built a cult following of fans who praise its texture and variety of flavors.

Today, you'll find Van Leeuwen pints nationwide, featuring flavors that highlight its French-style base, such as peanut butter honeycomb (a fan favorite) and Earl Grey tea. More unique creations include Guinness and a milkshake and fries flavor. It's also figured out vegan ice cream that doesn't taste like a compromise. With bases such as oat milk, coconut cream, and cashew milk, Van Leeuwen's vegan options are just as creamy and indulgent as their dairy counterparts.

Graeter's is what happens when you decide texture, tradition, and small-batch craftsmanship are worth paying for. It's renowned for using the French pot batch process, which involves making 2.5-gallon batches at a time (which it claims is the smallest batch size in the U.S.) in small metal pots spun in saltwater brine. The result is indulgent, creamy ice cream, which is how Graeter's won its spot as our favorite cookie dough ice cream brand.

The Graeter family has made ice cream in this manner in Cincinnati since 1870, bucking the trend of faster or cheaper industrial techniques. Its dense, high-butterfat mix ice cream is available in multiple indulgent varieties, many of which include its signature chocolate chips. These are prepared by pouring gourmet bittersweet chocolate into a pot at the right moment to form frozen slabs that are then broken into chunks. That's just a really fancy way of saying you're going to get big, tasty, chocolatey pieces that contrast beautifully with the ultra-rich, sweet cream base.

All of the chocolate chip flavors are popular with Graeter's fans. Arguably the most beloved of the bunch is its black raspberry variety, made with fruit grown in Oregon's Willamette Valley that is pureed and combined with sweet cream and chocolate chips. Graeter's has a reputation for being slightly more expensive than its rivals, but if you're going to spend more on a pint, why not make it one of the most indulgent in the industry?

Some ice cream pints hit just like straight-up comfort food. Think the equivalent of dropping into Texas Roadhouse for a no-nonsense steak and a basket of rolls. There's nothing wrong with that. But Salt & Straw is what you reach for when you're in the mood for a $60 fine-dining steak with truffle butter at that fancy spot downtown.

The Portland-born brand built its reputation on flavors you'd never expect to see in a grocery freezer. Salt & Straw collaborates with local farms and regional suppliers to source its ingredients. For example, the Pear & Blue Cheese features Oregon Bartlett pears that are candied and folded into cave-aged crumbles of Rogue Creamery blue cheese. Then there's the Strawberry Honey Balsamic with Black Pepper, infused with Honey Ridge Farms' honey balsamic vinegar and strawberry jam from Oregon Hills.

Every month, Salt & Straw also rotates in new limited-edition flavors tied to themes such as harvest, holiday desserts, or collaborations with renowned chefs. It even once launched an ice cream inspired by Thanksgiving dinner that contained bits of real turkey. Some flavors may sound like gimmicks, but these pints are carefully developed recipes that balance savory, sweet, and tangy in ways that feel more like something you'd order at a restaurant than scoop out of a carton. While some flavors won't please everyone, it's the memorable novel combinations that make Salt & Straw such a hit in the eyes (and stomachs) of customers.

If you're going to splurge on a pint, it should actually taste like someone cared about what they put into it. Instead of cutting corners with stabilizers and fillers, McConnell's builds its ice cream from scratch with milk and cream from grass-grazed cows on California's Central Coast. The dairy comes in raw and is pasteurized, homogenized, and aged by McConnell's, meaning it controls every step before a single scoop hits your spoon. Even the eggs come from local, organically fed, cage-free hens. Micromanaging never tasted this good.

McConnell's base contains at least 18% milkfat, compared to the 13% to 14% you'll find in plenty of premium brands. That extra fat means every bite melts more slowly and boasts a creamier texture. It's rich in a way that makes you pause and really enjoy it. And the flavors match the base. They're bold, clean, and thoughtfully built. For example, Salted Caramel Chip is an indulgent combination of buttery caramel and large, bittersweet chocolate shards. Meanwhile, its sea salt-tinged version of cookies and cream balances sweet and salty notes with a grown-up twist, and seasonal flavors like Eureka Lemon & Marionberries taste like someone froze summertime and packaged it in a pint.

In short, McConnell's is definitely worth the extra few bucks. Sure, cheaper ice creams might get the job done, but McConnell's makes you want to slow down, sit with it, and enjoy. There's a reason why this family-owned company's scoops are dubbed some of the best in the world.

Sometimes the splurge isn't about what's in the ice cream but what's left out. Cado is free of dairy, soy, gluten, GMOs, and corn syrup. Instead of cream, it's made with avocado fat (hence the name). Cado's use of avocado means its ice cream feels richer in the mouth, and has that satisfying plush texture people often complain non-dairy pints lack.

In general, Cado sticks to a simple, wholesome ingredients list for its ice cream. For example, its Deep Dark Chocolate variety is built around organic avocado purée, organic cane sugar, avocado oil, and organic cassava root syrup, flavored with cocoa powder and vanilla extract (both of which are also organic) and sea salt. If reviews are anything to go by, its flavor and texture are just as impressive as the ingredients list. Sure, a tub of Cado costs more than a carton of generic store-brand ice cream. But when you're getting a pint that proves plant-based can be just as decadent as dairy, it feels like money well spent.

Founded in San Francisco in 1976, Double Rainbow began as a small neighborhood scoop shop. Soon enough, its reputation grew so strong that Double Rainbow French Vanilla won the title of best ice cream in America. Yes, that was in the 1980s, but Double Rainbow continues to back up the hype with ice cream that tastes just as decadent now as it did then.

Instead of flashy gimmicks, Double Rainbow leans on doing the classics right. Its aforementioned vanilla variety is smooth, creamy, and indulgent without being overly sweet. It's a Goody folds peanut butter swirls and fudge chips into a vanilla base. Meanwhile, Double Rainbow Peanut Butter & Jelly takes ribbons of peanut butter and weaves them through a delicious maze of vanilla ice cream and raspberry sorbet, creating the perfect balance of flavors. Instead of reinventing ice cream, Double Rainbow earns its price tag by reminding you how good the basics can be.

Thrifty had its start over 80 years ago, and it still follows its original recipe. It uses fresh milk from local California dairies and goes the extra mile with mix-ins by using the likes of real fruit, freshly baked cookies, and Belgian chocolate chipped from a locally mixed batch. That's not the kind of detail you'll find in bargain tubs, so it's no surprise that Thrifty has racked up more than 1,600 gold medals in global dairy competitions.

All of Thrifty's ice cream is still made in its El Monte, California, plant, where some employees have been on the job for decades. Each carton comes from a team that taste-tests hundreds of new flavors every year. On the shelves, you'll find the tried-and-true winners like Thrifty Chocolate Malted Krunch (which is arguably its most popular flavor thanks to its perfect blend of creamy chocolate and crunchy malt balls) that have earned Thrifty its reputation. It's also experimented with more off-the-wall flavors, such as Sriracha Swirl and Bacon & Cheddar.

Rebel Ice Cream was founded on the idea that you could make an ice cream that's creamy, rich, and satisfying without sugar and without the chalky texture that often accompanies "diet" frozen sweet treats. What sets the brand apart from the crowd is that, according to Rebel, it has the lowest glycemic index ice cream on the market, thanks to the use of zero glycemic fibers and natural sweeteners like erythritol and monk fruit. That means it won't spike your blood sugar, a crucial difference for anyone living a low-carb lifestyle or managing insulin sensitivity.

Instead of cutting fat like most "light" brands, Rebel leans into it. Around 85% to 90% of its calories come from high-quality animal fats, which makes the ice cream taste and feel like the full-sugar version. Rebel isn't short on flavors, either. Popular options include peanut butter caramel chip and cherry chip, which taste and feel indulgent enough to establish themselves as go-to treats for those on even stringent keto diets. Unlike some low-carb competitors that use the likes of skim milk or corn fiber, Rebel sticks to high-quality, low-glycemic alternatives. Rebel is less of a "health" product you buy reluctantly and more something you can actually look forward to sticking your spoon in while binge-watching your favorite show.

My/Mochi proves that ice cream doesn't always have to come in a fancy, decorated pint to feel like a splurge. Instead of digging into a tub with a spoon, you get little handheld scoops of ice cream wrapped in pillowy mochi dough.

The flavors go beyond the usual. Sure, you've got classics such as strawberry, chocolate, and cookies and cream, but My/Mochi ventures out to more innovative ice cream flavors like green tea, mango, and even horchata. Each one brings the textural variety of a chewy exterior and creamy interior, a combination that's just different enough to make you feel like you've leveled up from basic freezer-aisle ice cream.

It also helps that they're portioned out at roughly 100 calories a pop. While there are other brands offering something similar, mochi fans have highlighted My/Mochi as one of the best in the business. Yeah, it's pricier than the bargain brand tub, but you're not paying for volume. You're paying for flavor, easy portion control, and pure fun. My/Mochi makes dessert feel indulgent even when you're only having one bite.

Think of gelato as ice cream's fancier cousin. With its dense, creamy texture and rich flavors, Talenti's gelato more than earns a spot in the conversation about the frozen sweet treats worth splashing out on. The Talenti Gelato Layers line is an indulgent treat that takes an already decadent base and stacks it with mix-ins, sauces, and chunks you can actually see through Talenti's signature clear pint packaging. Each tub is designed like a mini sundae with five layers of alternating gelato and fillings that keep every bite interesting.

Take Talenti Gelato Layers Salted Caramel Truffle, for example. It starts with silky sea salt caramel gelato, followed by crunchy crumbled cookies, a ribbon of dulce de leche, and a bed of chocolate caramel truffles at the bottom. Instead of hitting a bland middle as is often the case with cheaper tubs, you're left digging through sweet surprises all the way down. Customers also have great things to say about the tiramisu, cookie dough, and the confetti cake varieties, praising their balance of flavors.

While Talenti certainly isn't the cheapest option in the freezer, it feels like you're getting multiple desserts in one with gelato sitting alongside sauces, cookies, candy, and other components. When you want the indulgence of building your own over-the-top sundae without hauling out half your pantry, Talenti does the work for you.

Tillamook started out with cheese in the early 1900s before branching out into ice cream products in the 1940s. It was worth the gamble, as ice cream now ranks as its second most popular product category. The brand leans on the same cream-first philosophy that made its cheddar famous. While bargain tubs often whip in extra air to stretch volume, Tillamook packs in more cream, resulting in a denser texture, richer flavor, and a spoonful that actually feels indulgent. It also uses no artificial flavors or sweeteners, no synthetic colors, and no high fructose corn syrup, while prioritizing the use of locally grown fruits, with Tillamook acknowledging that its focus on quality ingredients doesn't come cheap. 

Its quality ingredients translate to quality ice cream. Flavors like Udderly Chocolate layer white and milk chocolate ice cream with chocolate chunks, while Oregon Strawberry uses pieces of ripe fruit. Fans claim that its texture is especially smooth, with its vanilla ice cream varieties often singled out as its most impressive. Tillamook is one of the easiest ways to upgrade your freezer without going on the hunt for a pint. Tillamook might be a mainstay in the dairy aisle, but its ice cream proves it's much more than just a cheese brand.

This list celebrates grocery store ice creams that truly earn their higher price tags. Each brand stands out for premium ingredients, thoughtful production methods, and flavors that deliver more than marketing hype. We leaned on brand transparency, customer reviews across social media, and industry recognition to separate the splurge-worthy pints from the rest. If it's here, it's because paying a little extra actually gets you a richer, creamier, more satisfying scoop.