Best Strawberry Ice Cream (Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream, Too!)

When it comes to ice cream flavors, strawberry ice cream is woefully underrated. No matter how much it feels like sacrilege to buy something other than chocolate or cookies and cream (or how much you swear you don’t like fruity ice cream), the best strawberry ice cream at the grocery store will turn anyone into a convert. The best strawberry ice cream is simultaneously tangy and ultra creamy—if you like the refreshing tang of fruit bars and you also like fatty, luscious ice cream, strawberry ice cream is the best of both worlds. 

When we returned to the tasting table to update our list of the best strawberry ice cream, not much changed—honestly, we kind of nailed it the first time. Seriously, the number one best strawberry ice cream on this list is absolutely unimpeachable. Tasting it a second time, we all freaked out about how good it is. We did add some fun stuff, though, including the best vegan strawberry ice cream (which just happens to be a vegan strawberry-guava ice cream). In both taste tests, we were looking for strawberry ice cream with a high quality, creamy base, and a strawberry flavor that’s tart, fresh, and fruity. Apparently some people are turned off by the chunks of berry and grainy seeds strawberry ice cream can contain, so we tried to make note of which brands have chunks and which don’t. We love that added texture and authentic fruit taste. But, hey, the customer is always right (you are the customer in this scenario), so here is an updated list of the best strawberry ice cream brands at the grocery store.

Best Mix-Ins

One thing you’ll notice this list is a little light on? Mix-ins. For some reason, chocolate and vanilla are much more popular base flavors to spruce up with swirls and chunks and flakes and nuts. Little Debbie Strawberry Shortcake Rolls ice cream is not the best strawberry ice cream in the traditional sense, but I thought it was a good addition to the list because it brings the mix-ins for a change. The strawberry flavor in this pint is a little bit artificial, but that makes it true to its inspiration—no one is expecting authentic, natural strawberry flavor from a Little Debbie Strawberry Shortcake Roll. Hell no! We want some sweet, jammy sludge, dammit! And that’s what you get in this ice cream. It has little bits of shortcake roll and very thick ribbons of the sugary-sweet strawberry jelly. Plus, it has seeds, so you know it’s not totally faux! This stuff is pretty fun, and it’s the best strawberry ice cream if you’re craving an ice cream truck-style treat that will transport you back to childhood (at least until you remember what ice cream and corn syrup do to your adult stomach). —Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream

This vegan strawberry ice cream looks more like froyo, but it’s very convincingly creamy when you actually take a bite. The macadamia nut base is excellent and it doesn’t have an unpleasant aftertaste like the other plant-based strawberry ice creams we tried. When my colleague Jordan Myrick took a bite of this, they said they wouldn’t even know it was non-dairy if I hadn’t said anything. The guava flavor is a lovely complement, but it’s definitely strawberry ice cream first and foremost. The tropical flavor of the guava melds so nicely with the slightly tropical tasting macadamia nut base. If you don’t eat dairy, this is the best strawberry ice cream we’ve tried. —Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Merc / Sprouts

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Fluffy

Edy’s strawberry ice cream (or Dreyer’s, depending on which side of the Rockies you live on) seems almost whipped. It’s creamy but it’s nice and light, too. It kind of reminds me of some fluffy dessert one of your aunts would put in a Tupperware container and bring to a picnic. No complaints from me—I love your aunts. There aren’t many seeds or chunks in this ice cream, but it’s also slightly lighter on strawberry flavor than some of the other ice creams on this list. Still, it’s the best strawberry ice cream if you’re not really in the mood for something heavy. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Tangy

Signature Select strawberry ice cream (sold at Albertsons-owned grocery stores) has a specific tang that not everybody was into, but it’s some of the best strawberry ice cream in my book. It’s really sharp—there’s a sort of sour cream vibe to it. It also has the brightest, pinkest color of the bunch, and contains pieces of strawberry. This might not be for everyone, but if you’re like me and value tartness, you’ll enjoy it. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Merc / Albertsons

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Budget

What I like about budget ice cream is that even if it’s made with ingredients like corn syrup, it still tastes deliciously sweet and fatty. Great Value strawberry ice cream is a prime example of an ice cream that’s cheap as hell but still has that signature strawberry tartness. What I do find odd is that the label says “may contain traces of almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, coconut, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts, and peanuts.” That’s every type of nut—how on earth is that possible? Anyway, if you’re serving ice cream to a bunch of people (without nut allergies) and don’t want to break the bank, this is the best strawberry ice cream to toss in your cart. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Light

An entire pint of Halo Top strawberry ice cream has just 270 calories, and I think that’s a miracle. It’s super fluffy and delicious, almost like a sherbet, but still contains enough milk fat to get by as an ice cream. No need for the high fat content. Why not enjoy fruit for what it is?! The texture is incredible, and when it comes to strawberries, I actually think less is more. That said, you could add some fresh strawberries to this and have a deliciously light and fresh snack while still getting your ice cream fix. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Cones

There’s nothing I love more than a prepackaged sundae cone. It’s weird, because neither the ice cream nor the cone here are truly exceptional, but somehow the combination is really delightful. The ice cream is deliciously buttery, features big ol’ nuggets of white chocolate, and maintains a quality strawberry flavor without grainy chunks of strawberries. There’s something wonderful about pre-packaged treats like this, and, hey, it’ll probably keep you from destroying an entire pint of ice cream by yourself. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Strawberry Flavor

Häagen-Dazs has a pure and delicious strawberry flavor we absolutely love. There’s a bit of tang and plenty of those crunchy little strawberry seeds to add some welcome texture. You’ll only find five ingredients listed on this carton: cream, skim milk, strawberries, cane sugar, and egg yolks. It’s pure, creamy, and mouthwatering. Of all the ice creams listed here, this is the best strawberry ice cream if you want something that really tastes like fresh strawberries. It’s a very close second to Tillamook, but Tillamook just couldn’t be beat. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Tillamook strawberry ice cream is the type of ice cream you can savor longingly with a spoon in your mouth and your eyes shut like a true food pervert. Its superior creaminess fills your mouth with clean, delicious dairy flavor. It also has a profound tang, delightful tartness, and nice chunks of strawberry. In both taste tests, Tillamook was the unanimous team favorite because it’s just so damn good. Sometimes, we don’t have a clear cut Best of the Best winner. That wasn’t the case during this taste test. This is the ice cream that’s going to convert any fruity ice cream-hater. It’s still the best strawberry ice cream. —Danny Palumbo & Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other Products We Tried: Breyers, Blue Bunny, Nick’s Swedish Style, Alden’s, Rebel, Whole Foods 365, Oatly Strawberry, Craig’s Strawberry & Sunset, Straus Organic Strawberry, Ben & Jerry’s Strawberry Cheesecake

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