Americans love coffee. Most adults in the United States drink more than one cup each day. That deeply satisfying caffeinated beverage is the fuel that powers many through early mornings, providing a sought-after feeling of refreshment. The jolt we receive from our daily cup of coffee works quickly, giving us an immediate energy boost. But our love affair with coffee extends outside of practicality. Many long for coffee's deep flavor — the bitterness, the earthy profile, the chocolate undertones, and the interplay of acidity and sweetness.
This is why coffee ice cream is such a treasured pairing. It blends our love for a strong caffeine buzz with the comfort and nourishment of a rich and creamy bowl of ice cream. Since Americans enjoy about four gallons of ice cream per year, many brands have realized the power of this iconic duo and have created coffee ice creams to satisfy our coffee-loving sweet tooth.
But just like there's an incredible variation in the type of coffee you enjoy each day, there's a whole world of coffee ice creams to choose from. Your favorite might reflect how you like your daily coffee: with or without sugar, adding a hearty portion of oat milk, opting for a mocha or a sharp espresso or an ever-popular cold brew. We tried a number of coffee ice cream flavors from popular brands to bring you the best of the best.
1. Adirondack Creamery's High Peak Perk
Our favorite coffee ice cream comes from a small creamery in the Adirondack region of New York. Adirondack Creamery was the dream of its founder, Paul N. Nasrani, who spent his childhood churning freshly made ice cream in Pennsylvania.Adirondack Creamery produces unbelievably fresh, rich, and creamy ice cream in Upstate, New Yorkwith dairy and eggs sourced directly from local family farms. All of its ice creams are kosher certified, made with milk and cream free of any artificial growth hormones, and free of stabilizers, emulsifiers, artificial colorings, and ingredients.
Beyond its all-natural, locally sourced mission, Adirondack Creamery's High Peak Perk is our winner because of its exceptional taste, aroma, and texture. The consistency of this coffee ice cream is smooth and decadent while simultaneously having an exquisite crunch thanks to the freshly ground coffee beans that are generously spread throughout. This technique appears in previous ice creams on this list in an attempt to conjure Turkish coffee, but the texture is truly mastered in High Peak Perk. The aroma of the coffee is immensely powerful and the sweetness is perfectly balanced. The last ingredient inHigh Peak Perk is cocoa, which amplifies the rich coffee taste by bringing out its delicate nuance. Coming in at the top spot, Adirondack Creamery's High Peak Perk is something we never knew we needed: cookies and cream in a coffee ice cream.We'd say that's worthy of No. 1.
