Every Ben & Jerry's Non-Dairy Ice Cream Flavor, Ranked

Ben & Jerry's began selling non-dairy ice cream in 2016 with an almond milk base and has experimented widely with recipes and flavors over the past decade. In 2024, the brand began reformulating its entire non-dairy line, testing more than 70 ingredient combinations before landing on the best non-dairy ice cream base: oat milk. It was chosen for its smooth, rich texture and high ratings from flexitarian taste testers.

This evolution is illustrative of the vegan ice cream market in general, which continues to improve in both quality and reach. In fact, market experts agree that the non-dairy sector will continue to expand, with a predicted annual growth rate of up to 10% within the next decade, according to Future Market Insights. And Ben & Jerry's, a company long known for its ethical business practices (and one that really doesn't care if you like its politics), is unsurprisingly a key player. In 2024, for example, the company reported that its non-dairy flavors made up 25% of its global product portfolio.

So whether you're lactose intolerant, vegan, flexitarian, or just curious about this growing market sector, Ben & Jerry's is a great choice for non-dairy ice creams, with a 2026 portfolio of 16 flavors. As such, we decided to evaluate each of the current options and rank them on flavor, texture, and quality. Without further ado, let's get to the list.

Yes, Cherry Garcia is an iconic Ben & Jerry's flavor, cheeky name and all, beloved by many since its introduction as a dairy option in 1987. But, with apologies to fans, there's no getting around the fact that the non-dairy rendition tastes a lot like cough syrup. It's the base itself that is the problem, as in, if one made a frozen dessert with an actual bottle of cherry-flavored medicine, this is probably how it would taste. The mixed-in cherries are actually closer to fresh than one would expect, though their addition isn't doing the overall blend any favors. Lastly, the fudge flakes do add a chocolate respite, but not nearly enough to make up for the wonky base.

The rock and roll origins of this Ben & Jerry's flavor eclipse its actual taste. Sometime in 1986, the then-much smaller Vermont-based company received a postcard from an enthusiast suggesting a flavor in honor of the legendary Jerry Garcia, pointing out that the Grateful Dead-related theme would make it an easy sell. The company was convinced, and Cherry Garcia debuted shortly thereafter.

Oatmeal Dream Pie sounds delicious. Starting with a non-dairy oatmeal crème pie base, it also contains oatmeal cookies — a gluten-free version made by Partake Foods — and marshmallow swirls. But the execution leaves something to be desired. Is it the oatmeal crème pie or the added marshmallow that creates the sugary, yet oddly superficial sweetness? While hard to say for sure, the overall effect comes across as simultaneously bland and off-putting. While the occasional bite of oatmeal cookie offers a note of savory relief, it's not enough to save an otherwise weird combination. Somebody out there must be clamoring for marshmallows, but in general it seems this particular mix-in never works all that well.

The outcome is particularly disappointing because this flavor falls outside the classic options of vanilla, chocolate, or fruit and could have become a new standard of oaty goodness, especially considering the oat milk base. Alas, it isn't a pint I'll be purchasing again.

When constructing these Ben & Jerry's flavors, especially as the mix-ins get more creative and diverse, evaluating balance becomes crucial. In the case of Americone Dream, while the individual parts of this ice cream are all fine on their own, the combination comes across as especially cloying. In other words, there aren't enough savory or bitter notes to offset all the sugar here, which leaves me feeling both overwhelmed and unsatisfied. This uses a non-dairy vanilla base — a standard start — but the added caramel swirl adds significant sweetness. While theoretically the also-included fudge-covered waffle cone pieces could add balance to the blend, in practice they don't offer enough. And they can be a bit chewy, throwing off the texture.

On the plus side, sales of this flavor support a variety of charities via The Stephen Colbert Americone Dream Fund, which has raised $7.5 million as of August 2026, and will continue despite the recent cancellation of Colbert's show.

Ben & Jerry's non-dairy Mint Chocolate Cookie is a tricky one, as mint is one of the more divisive flavors. While the addition of chocolate sandwich cookies won't convert anyone who hates the flavor, fans will surely love it either way. But again, it's a question of balance. And in this case, the base is aggressively minty, almost mouth-numbingly so. For a combination of mint and chocolate — which generally pairs well — it would be better to present more symmetry between those flavors. In this case, however, the chocolate doesn't stand a chance against the overpowering mint, which of course throws the experience out of whack.

Finding a chunk of chocolate sandwich cookie without much ice cream around it provided the most pleasurable bite of the pint, one where the chocolate and mint were equals — complementary and harmonious. For anyone who remembers Mystic Mint cookies, this might be as close as I've come to finding that flavor since they were discontinued. On the flip side, eating just a spoonful of the mint ice cream without cookie chunks is akin to chewing on an Altoid. No thanks.

This is the one non-dairy option that features Ben & Jerry's "Core" style, in which one or two ice cream flavors in the pint surround a large, creamy swirl of intense flavor. In this particular case, chocolate and caramel ice creams — both studded with chocolate chips — are separated by a soft caramel core.

Taste-wise, Karamel Sutra offers a nice combination of chocolate and caramel, though the latter is dominant. In the end, however, it is the texture that lets it down. That caramel core is, well, a lot; it's the equivalent, for example, of taking a huge spoonful of just the sauce when eating a sundae. And while this might sound appealing to the 6-year-old within each of us, it is kinda gross in reality. The way the caramel is situated in one big clump in the middle of the pint makes it difficult to mete out in a more controlled way. If it were swirled throughout the cream instead of packed together in one spot, this flavor might find itself much further up the list.

Again with the marshmallow! In the case of Ben & Jerry's non-dairy Phish Food, there's this beautiful chocolatey ice cream when, all of a sudden, a strangely textured, artificially sweet blob of nothingness appears like a ghost, marring a previously enjoyable experience. This flavor also contains chocolate fish, which have a pleasant taste, adding complexity to the chocolate base, and are cute in their on-brand play on words. But they're too firm, almost crunchy, and not in an easy-to-eat way within an otherwise smooth spoonful. This is all to say that while Phish Food has some positives, it is ultimately a miss.

On the plus side, the (dairy-based at first) collaboration between Ben & Jerry's and the famous jam band coincided with the creation of Phish's WaterWheel Foundation in 1997, which has since donated millions to more than 500 non-profit organizations and continues to this day.

Change the Whirled, which features a non-dairy caramel base with fudge chips and graham cracker and chocolate cookie swirls, is mostly fine, if not particularly memorable. The caramel pairs nicely with the graham crackers and just a hint of chocolate, but only the fudge chips offer any tactile sensation. They come across as particularly brittle, however, offering not a pleasant textural difference but rather a jarring one.

The pint I purchased was notably frosted over, suggesting it had been sitting on the shelf for a while, which perhaps negatively affected the fudge chips. It's hard to say without a fresher comparison, but judging by the availability of this choice in my area, it's not a top seller.

Ben & Jerry's first attempted to partner with Colin Kaepernick's Know Your Rights Camp charity in 2018, with the limited release of Pecan Resist. While the partnership didn't work out at the time, the two parties remained in contact, eventually launching Change the Whirled as a vegan-only flavor in 2020.

Perhaps surprisingly, Ben & Jerry's non-dairy Peanut Butter & Cookies features a vanilla base with peanut butter swirls and chunks of chocolate sandwich cookies. I say surprisingly because the brand does make peanut butter ice cream (see below), but for whatever reason, it sticks with vanilla here. This blend still offers a prominent peanut flavor, alongside a kick of chocolate cookie throughout the mix. As with any of these chocolate cookie options, it's always exciting to snag a big cookie piece, but the distribution of such is somewhat inconsistent throughout the pint.

This flavor is fine overall, though unexciting, especially compared to some of the choices below. And while I certainly wouldn't be disappointed if someone handed me a bowl, I probably won't go out of my way to find it. Incidentally, it was one of the more difficult choices to track down in my area.

Being frank, I am not typically a fan of fruit-based ice cream. Strawberry Cheezecake, however, is a good example of strawberry, with a bold berry taste leading to a pleasant tartness on the finish. And unlike the worst Handel's ice cream flavor, Ben & Jerry's version does not come across as artificial. Though there are flecks of something resembling actual strawberries throughout the blend, they don't offer much other than a slight pop of intensity. The included graham cracker swirl adds a pleasant but integrated crunch, as well as a savory balance to the strong fruitiness.

As for the cheesecake aspect — in this case, playfully spelled "cheezecake" to differentiate it from the dairy-based Strawberry Cheesecake flavor — I'm not sure I would have noticed it was anything other than strawberry if it hadn't been labeled as such (aside from the graham swirl, obviously). All that said, this is a solid offering, and lovers of fruit ice creams should feel confident giving it a try.

"Milk" & Cookies starts with a vanilla base — note the quotes around milk for the non-dairy version — and includes three types of cookies: chocolate chip, chocolate sandwich (equivalent to Oreos), and chocolate cookie swirls (also like Oreos). Flavor-wise, it's a winner, with strong notes of the various cookies coming through in every bite.

Texturally, however, it's not as successful. While the promotional photos show large chunks of cookie peppered throughout, in the pint I purchased, I instead found that the cookies — aside from a few oversized chunks of chocolate sandwich cookie — were mostly crushed to dust. While this did not affect their taste, it made the experience of eating this far less interesting. It's not bad per se, but I can't help but wonder how much better it could be with appropriately and consistently sized cookie chunks.

When Ben & Jerry's created Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough in 1984, it was an absolute revelation. Mind-blowing, even. Mix-ins were only beginning to become standard, having been invented, in the modern sense, at Steve Herrell's Ice Cream shop in the mid-1970s. So it seems fair to call the idea to add uncooked cookie dough — which was suggested to Ben & Jerry's by an anonymous fan — a key milestone in the evolution of gourmet ice cream.

Today, of course, the brand offers more creative flavor combinations than this now seemingly simple pairing of vanilla with dough chunks. But it's an icon for a reason and remains one of the brand's top sellers. Though hard to prove, I do think the individual gobs of dough used to be larger than they currently are, which created a better texture. That said, Ben & Jerry's is known for absolutely packing its pints with dough, and the non-dairy variety is no exception. There's definitely some dough in every bite, which only adds to this blend's perceived quality. In the end, while perhaps not the unique innovation that it once was, this is still a delicious option.

It's curious that Ben & Jerry's chose to convert this pint of Half Baked to a non-dairy option but did not do the same for the best-selling original Half Baked, since the latter is arguably its best overall flavor. This one features peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter cookie dough, mixed with Chocolate Fudge Brownie. In contrast, the original uses the classic Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough instead of the peanutty version. Not that Peanut Butter Half Baked isn't also good — it is excellent, actually — but it perhaps isn't as perfectly balanced as the original.

That said, peanut butter mixed with chocolate is obviously a delicious combination, and this flavor is no exception. The chewy chunks of peanut butter cookie dough and fudgy, dense brownie add lovely textural elements without ever seeming out of place. All told, and despite any personal attachment to the original Half Baked, this is an excellent option, and certainly the top pick for anyone jonesing for something to scratch that peanut butter itch.

Introduced in March 2025 as the latest permanent addition to the non-dairy line — and also unique to this line, meaning a dairy version doesn't exist — Chocolate Caramel Brownie has a lot to live up to, but thankfully it delivers. The decadent mix blends salted caramel swirls, almond toffee pieces, and fudge brownies (the same used in other recipes) into a chocolate base. Overall, it's a tantalizing combination, with the slightly salty caramel and nutty toffee balancing the rich chocolate notes, and sure to be enjoyed among the best chocolate ice cream brands.

On the negative side, I found that the toffee pieces can be a bit difficult to enjoy, sticking to my teeth long after I was finished eating, and I also felt there could have been more brownie pieces to amp up the chocolate even further. All in all, however, this one is a winner and absolutely worth finding at a store near you.

If Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is now an old-school favorite that seems more standard than innovative, Lights! Caramel! Action! is perhaps the more modern adaptation of this classic flavor. In this case, it's still a non-dairy vanilla base loaded with chocolate chip cookie dough, but it's generously swirled with salted caramel and graham crackers. While there are fewer pieces of cookie dough overall, the swirls add depth and complexity that the classic cookie dough can't match. The saltiness of the caramel and light spice of the graham create both intrigue and balance. In other words, it is simply a wonderful update to an icon.

This flavor is a partnership with filmmaker and screenwriter Ava DuVernay ("Selma," "A Wrinkle in Time," "When They See Us"), and like some other celebrity-backed collaborations, proceeds benefit DuVernay's Array Alliance, a charity that promotes social justice through art.

The Tonight Dough is one of the wildest, most complex blends in Ben & Jerry's portfolio and also one of the best. To start with, it includes bases of both caramel and chocolate ice cream. Then it adds not only generous chunks of chocolate chip and peanut butter cookie dough, but also chocolate cookie swirls. It's a bit of a mess, yes, but the extra-chunky structure creates a unique textural quality, and the flavors come together exceptionally well. Beyond just being better than the sum of many parts, this non-dairy The Tonight Dough is a ton of fun to eat.

The flavor, of course, was created in collaboration with Jimmy Fallon, with proceeds benefiting SeriousFun Children's Network. It was developed shortly after Fallon took over as permanent host of "The Tonight Show," as a follow-up to Late Night Snack, a now-discontinued flavor originally inspired by Fallon's previous show, "Late Night."

If The Tonight Dough shows how Ben & Jerry's can succeed with wacky, elaborate combinations, this one illustrates the brand's adroitness with simplicity. Launched in 1991, Chocolate Fudge Brownie has become arguably as iconic a flavor as Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, with the two famously paired in the dairy version of the legendary Half Baked. Chocolate Fudge Brownie is without a doubt the top pick for true chocoholics, matching an already rich ice cream base with the decadence of New York's Greyston Bakery chocolate fudge brownies, which Ben & Jerry's has used consistently since the flavor's launch.

Aside from their wonderfully deep taste, the beauty of the brownies in this non-dairy option is that they add a textural component that complements rather than obstructs the eating experience (unlike some of the chips or flakes mentioned above). There's no moment, in other words, of fear of future dental visits, but rather just the indulgence of chewy, fudgy brownie goodness to enhance the already intense chocolate flavor. It's an absolute classic for a reason, even without the dairy.

To conduct this ranking, I scoured local supermarkets in suburban Philadelphia to source each of the 16 Ben & Jerry's non-dairy flavors currently on the market, paying anywhere from $3.99 to $6.79 per pint. Once I had all the ice cream in hand (er, in freezer), I tasted each one with a focus on flavor, texture, and mix-in performance. While all of these options use the same oat milk base, there is enough variation in both ice cream flavor and mixed-in goodies that each choice is a unique eating experience.