REVIEW: Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough has always been the gold standard for what cookie dough flavored ice cream is supposed to taste like. It wasn't until recently that I discovered not only had Ben & Jerry's set the bar, but they were also the originators of this now-classic concoction. Inspired by an anonymous note left on a suggestion board in 1984, Ben & Jerry's blended up the first batch of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Following it's scoop shop success, in 1991, they rolled this flavor into freezer aisles across the country. Putting the more perplexing pints off for a while, I'm ready to retry some proven favorites and lay some building blocks to the foundation of the blog.

I was a late addition to the cookie dough cavalry. Whenever I dreamed a little dream of cookies they were always ooey and gooey and warm and falling apart when you picked them up. Not cold, dense, and having the ability to stick against a wall if you threw them hard enough. Described as, "vanilla ice cream with gobs of chocolate chip cookie dough," the first layer looked innocent enough. The vanilla ice cream is everything you'd expect from our buddies, Ben & Jerry. It's smooth, creamy and mild enough to disappear at an alarming rate. It's an ideal canvas to not only advertise the virtues of their classic vanilla, but also to showcase the miraculous morsels of their coveted cookie dough mix-in.

But dig a little deeper and the real fun begins. Hiding under that layer of vanilla ice cream are those glorious gobs of chocolate chip cookie dough. Gobs. As I began to uncover the unyielding cookie dough cadets, the sweet smell tempted me to preheat my oven. They're certainly big enough to bake. Ranging in size from blueberries to gumballs, they're great no matter what the size. They also tend to roam together in packs, so when you run across one you can be sure that more are following closely behind. The fudge flakes fill in the voids that the cookie dough manages to miss.

After having a few full-sized pieces of cookie dough dripping in vanilla ice cream I can certainly see what all the fuss is about. These bundles of joy are jam-packed with flavor. The granulated, gritty texture is tremendous. The tiny chocolate chips are the perfect accompaniment to the bite-sized balls. Pop one of these in your pie-hole and be prepared to chew. And chew. These aren't made to be chomped on once and swallowed. These take work, but I'm willing to put in overtime for this organization.

I'm certainly glad I decided to go back and brush up on my basics. Classics like this are easy to overlook when peering through the freezer. And don't punk out on a full pint for one of the personal servings either. The cookie dough dots in the small cups don't do this marvelous mix-in any justice. They're uniform in size and barely bigger than bb ammunition so don't sell yourself short. Splurge for the full-size pint and enjoy all the cookie dough deliciousness.

Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: B