I Asked 6 Chefs for the Best Chocolate Ice Cream, and the Brand They Swear by Is ‘Unmatched’

Chocolate ice cream is a popular dessert to have at home, beloved for its rich, velvety texture and indulgent cocoa flavor. Whether enjoyed on its own, paired with a drizzle of caramel, or scooped atop a warm brownie, it’s a classic treat that has stood the test of time.

When a dessert craving strikes, even professional chefs find themselves reaching into the freezer for a pint of chocolate ice cream. Just like us, they’re navigating the crowded freezer aisle, trying to find the best option among the dizzying array of choices. Sadly, not all pints satisfy those cocoa cravings and leave you yearning for more depth of flavor or a creamier consistency. So how do you choose the best one?

To make your next grocery run easier, we asked six pro chefs to share their favorite store-bought chocolate ice cream and help you pick the perfect pint.

Meet the Panel of Ice Cream-Savvy Chefs

To find the best store-bought chocolate ice cream brand, we turned to a mix of chefs and pastry chefs to get their take on what makes a standout pint:

• Jessica Formicola: Recipe developer, author of “Beef It Up!” and food judge on “Plate It! Baltimore”
• Alex Green: Executive Chef at Mileta in Lexington, Kentucky
• Giannis Letsis: Chef and co-owner of Eat Greek in Boston, Massachusetts
• Tanya Ngangan: Pastry chef at Olivier Cheng Catering & Events
• Rachel Rathgeb: Pastry chef at Husk in Nashville, Tennessee
• Tanya Stamoulis: Co-author of “Cooking Greek: A Classic Greek Cookbook for the At-Home Chef”

What Makes the Best Chocolate Ice Cream?

According to our panel of experts, a great chocolate ice cream checks several key boxes. Here’s what to look for to ensure every scoop is as delicious as it should be:

• Simple ingredients: No matter if you’re shopping for chocolate or vanilla, a good ice cream should be made with recognizable, high-quality ingredients. “There shouldn’t be anything other than eggs, sugar, milk, and cream, the base of every ice cream recipe,” says Ngangan.
• Few, if any, artificial additives: Along the same lines, avoid pints that have super long lists filled with artificial ingredients. “Too many store-bought ice creams contain artificial ingredients and additives,” says Stamoulis. Ngangan agrees: “If there is an ingredient you cannot pronounce, that’s a no-no.”
• Rich flavor and deep brown color: The chocolate flavor should be deep and pronounced without being overly sweet. “I want dark color and to instantly know chocolate when I open the container,” says Formicola.
• Dense, creamy texture: A lower amount of air churned into the ice cream, known as overrun, results in a richer texture. You can tell an ice cream has lower overrun as soon as you taste it because “the result is a denser, creamier mouthfeel, says Rathgeb. Green’s easy shopping trick for determining which pint to buy? “Pick up a couple brands of the same volume container. I’ll often go with the one that is a little heavier because it’ll have less air whipped in.” 

The Best Store-Bought Chocolate Ice Cream, According to Chefs

There’s one brand that consistently earns top marks from chefs, and it’s the same one that came out on top in the Allrecipes taste test: Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Ice Cream. A majority of the experts I reached out to praised the ice cream for its impeccable quality and flavor. (Talenti was another chef favorite, but it’s technically billed as gelato and not ice cream.)

“Häagen-Dazs has a deep cocoa flavor and rich, creamy consistency that’s unmatched,” says Stamoulis. “It’s the ingredients that make all the difference. Real cream, milk, sugar, and cocoa powder—you can taste the quality with every spoonful.” Formicola agrees, highlighting the brand’s minimal ingredient list. Each pint contains just cream, skim milk, cane sugar, cocoa, and egg yolks. “It’s not overly sweet and has a richness that feels indulgent but balanced,” she says.

Green also appreciates its availability and versatility: “Häagen-Dazs is great because you can find it in almost any grocery store, and it’s a smaller pint, so it’s easy to store.”

For Letsis, Häagen-Dazs is a favorite for more than just this one flavor (Häagen-Dazs also won our vanilla ice cream taste test). “It’s evident they use high-quality milk, which doesn’t upset the stomach like other brands might,” he says. “Plus, they offer a variety of flavors, which shows how well they’ve mastered their craft.”

Chef-Approved Ideas to Elevate Your Ice Cream Game

Even the best chocolate ice cream can be elevated with a few creative touches. Here’s how the pros take their desserts to the next level.

• Make an affogato: Ngangan combines it with coffee to make a mocha-inspired affogato. “Brew strong coffee and pour it over a scoop of cold chocolate ice cream. The hot and cold contrast is fun to eat and balances the sweetness with a bold coffee kick.”
• Go savory: Green likes to experiment with savory additions. “I drizzle extra virgin olive oil over a scoop and sprinkle it with flaky salt. For something unique, try pairing it with a citrus-infused olive oil—it’s a game-changer.”
• Add a sweet-salty crunch: Rathgeb loves adding crushed pretzels or granola. “Salty and sweet is my go-to,” she says. “Chocolate and peanut butter also pair nicely, especially with some fresh banana slices.” Letsis is also a fan of crunchy toppings. “My favorite way to eat chocolate ice cream is on the beach in Greece,” he jokes. “But when that’s not an option, I love to jazz it up with salted caramel, pretzels, and Oreo cookies.”
• Use grown-up toppings: “I like to sprinkle a bit of toffee crumbles and a dusting of espresso powder on my chocolate ice cream,” says Stamoulis. “It adds texture and a subtle bittersweet note that enhances the decadence.”