10 Cold Stone Creamery Flavors, Ranked

Cold Stone Creamery has become a household name when it comes to ice cream. With locations spanning nearly 30 countries and countless states across the United States, it's undoubtedly one of the most widespread and recognizable ice cream chains out there. Since its founding in 1988, Cold Stone's mission has been to serve fresh ice cream to the masses — rather than the occasionally freezer-burnt, hard-as-a-rock pints you'd typically find at the grocery store.

Today, the chain is known for the signature mix-ins. Unlike the traditional ice cream parlor which simply piles a bunch of toppings right onto your scoop, Cold Stone stands out by mixing those toppings directly into the ice cream — creating personalized concoctions with nearly endless possibilities.

But when stripped of all the bells and whistles, which one of Cold Stone's ice cream flavors reigns supreme? Today, I'll be ranking Cold Stone Creamery's Top 10 most popular flavors, as per the brand's online ordering data in 2020 (the most recent I could locate). As winter slips away and warmer days approach (I say while writing this on a chilly 36 degrees Fahrenheit day in April), here's which Cold Stone flavor deserves a place in your ice cream cone (or cup) this spring.

Coming in last place in today's ranking is cake batter. When it comes to authentic flavor, cake batter is spot on — I'll give it that. But that's where the positive reviews end for me. The flavor was just far too sweet. It didn't offer that balance I was hoping for. Even Sweet Cream (which literally has the word "sweet" in its name) did a better job of striking that balance.

It could also be the case that I'm just not the target audience for this particular ice cream flavor. While I'll gladly welcome chunks of cookie dough in my ice cream cup or cone, cake batter is where I draw the line. Ice cream is meant to be rich and refreshing — not a sugar bomb. When it comes to cake batter, I think I'll stick to mixing it in the bowl.

But perhaps beauty is truly in the eye (or the taste buds) of the beholder. My twin sister, for instance, happens to be a huge fan of this flavor. While we may not see eye to eye on this one, it's clear this flavor has a dedicated following of super fans. I just don't happen to be one of them.

If you're a chocolate lover, you might want to steer clear of this next flavor. I consider myself to be a pretty big fan of chocolate. From white to milk to dark, I appreciate chocolate in all of its forms — except maybe this one.

When I'm craving a bowl of chocolate ice cream, I expect something rich and decadent. But instead of packing a bold and flavorful punch, this ice cream is a swing and a miss. The chocolate flavor comes across as surprisingly mild, ultimately feeling underwhelming and, frankly, quite disappointing.

With that said, I can see how this ice cream could be a good vehicle for mix-ins, which Cold Stone is known for. The mild chocolate flavor would allow the mix-ins to shine. But without them? It's safe to say this chocolate ice cream just isn't worth your time.

French vanilla was the most perfect scoop of the day — appearance-wise, that is. It was perfectly smooth, picture perfect (no Photoshop over here), and cold enough to hold its shape (unlike a few other flavors that turned into a soupy mess). But the flavor didn't quite live up to its impressive exterior.

The ice cream flavor was just far too sweet for my liking. While I know French vanilla is typically more vanilla-forward than classic vanilla, the sweetness was simply overpowering. The flavor truly had just one note: sugar. It lacked the richness and depth I would hope for in a decadent French vanilla dessert.

With that said, French vanilla edges out chocolate in today's ranking for one simple reason: it actually delivers on what it promises. When it comes to the eternal vanilla versus chocolate debate, I'm pretty firmly in the middle. Truthfully, vanilla was a favorite of mine growing up, but these days I just can't seem to make up my mind. Still, my love for chocolate aside, the French vanilla simply does a better job of serving as a representation of its listed flavor, unlike the lackluster chocolate.

Cookie dough ice cream is easily one of my favorite ice cream flavors of all time. I'm especially a fan of Ben & Jerry's rendition of the iconic flavor, which features chocolate chip cookie dough goodness in every bite. But with a love that runs so deep, it's hard to live up to such high expectations. And unfortunately, Cold Stone just didn't meet the mark with this one.

Honestly, Classic Cookie Dough earns such a far spot down the list out of sheer protest. While the sweet yet buttery cookie dough flavor is present in the ice cream, the cookie dough itself is nowhere to be found. How can you sell a scoop of cookie dough ice cream without the cookie dough itself? Sure, Cold Stone likes to keep their flavors pretty basic to allow for greater versatility when adding in mix-ins, but even the most strict rules need exceptions. And including pieces of cookie dough in a "Classic Cookie Dough" ice cream should've been one of them.

If you're looking for ice cream with a buttery, brown sugar flavor, this may be right up your alley. But if you're a cookie dough lover like me, I'd stay away. As far as I'm concerned, this flavor borders on false advertising.

Let me start off by saying that I love cheesecake. From the classic version with that signature graham cracker crust to The Cheesecake Factory's Ultimate Red Velvet slice (thank me later), the rich dessert is surely on my list of all-time favorite desserts. Yet, even a cheesecake fan like me wasn't sure whether it would translate well as an ice cream flavor.

The reviews are in — and honestly, they're mixed. Cheesecake falls near the middle of the pack for a reason. It wasn't my favorite of the day, but it wasn't my least favorite. The flavor was unexpected: tart with a subtle hint of sweetness.

But perhaps this flavor was a bit too tart. While I appreciated its uniqueness, it honestly tasted more like frozen yogurt than ice cream, hindering its ability to earn a higher spot on this list. A touch of sweetness and a bit more creaminess would've really set this flavor over the top. But as is, it remains solidly in sixth place.

Going into my review of Sweet Cream, I didn't know what to expect. I figured it would be sweet and creamy (after all, it's right there in the name) but isn't that true of all ice cream? I had no idea whether I'd be a fan of the flavor or whether it would be downright bland and boring.

But upon taking my first bite, I was pleasantly surprised. The subtle yet sweet flavor was actually quite nice. Unlike some of the other contenders that landed lower on my list for being either too sweet or not sweet enough, Sweet Cream struck a great balance when it came to sweetness. It reminded me a bit of Cool Whip, except just a touch heavier. While this flavor was probably the least recognizable to me when going into the taste test, it's certainly one I won't forget.

Despite earning pretty positive reviews in my book, Sweet Cream still sits in the middle of the pack. While I was a fan of the flavor, it didn't earn a higher ranking because its depth of flavor was just a bit basic. It offered one note — a good one, to be clear — while the top four remaining flavors offered multiple. Still, it was one of my favorite flavors of the day and one that I'd be happy to try again.

These next four flavors were nearly impossible to rank. After switching the order more times than I could count, I finally determined that the fourth place spot belonged to strawberry.

If I were solely ranking on appearance, strawberry would've easily taken the crown. The vibrant baby pink hue is eye-catching and almost too pretty to eat (emphasis on almost). But boy am I glad I did.

The flavor brought just the right amount of sweetness and creaminess while still allowing the fruitiness to come through. While the strawberry flavor was a bit subtle (much like the chocolate), the lighter hand works here. Chocolate ice cream is meant to be bold and decadent so the mild flavor felt underwhelming. But I wouldn't expect a fruity ice cream to be overwhelmingly fruit-forward. That's what sorbet and sherbet are for. Ice cream is meant to be rich and creamy. And this strawberry ice cream completely understood the assignment, giving us a creamy bite with a fruity flair that lingers at the end.

I couldn't justify ranking this flavor any higher because, despite my praise of its subtle approach, I still think it could've been elevated by adding bits of fresh strawberries to make it ever-so-slightly brighter. Still, strawberry was a very strong contender that I truly could see in the top spot. That is, until I tried these next three flavors.

Full transparency: Mint is one of my personal favorite Cold Stone flavors. In fact, it's one of the two flavors I always select in my go-to order. But for the sake of fairness, I knew I had to set my personal bias aside in this ranking. So as tough as it is to admit, mint lands in third place today.

From tea to essential oils to ice cream, I truly believe that mint can do no wrong. Although I haven't gone as far as to harvest fresh mint (yet), the cool and refreshing flavor still holds a special place in my heart. And Cold Stone has only deepened by love for the flavor. This mint ice cream is possibly the best I've ever had — and I don't say that lightly.

Because of mint's refreshing nature, it's sometimes tricky to find a version that still brings the decadence any great ice cream should. But Cold Stone fights the odds with this one. The mint ice cream is smooth, creamy, and super rich without losing that signature minty flair.

Honestly, I can't find much fault with this flavor. It only lands in third because it's a bit less versatile than the remaining top contenders. And, of course, I know the flavor isn't everyone's cup of tea (except mine, perhaps). Don't even get me started on the "Does mint ice cream taste like toothpaste?" controversy — I've heard it all. But make no mistake: This ranking won't change my go-to order. Next time I stop by Cold Stone, you can bet I'll have some mint ice cream in my cup.

Cotton candy is the pinnacle of childhood nostalgia. The sweet, airy treat instantly transports you back to those carefree days of school carnivals and elementary school birthday parties. I can still picture the magical moment of watching a beautiful cotton candy cloud form in the machine from practically nothing. So, as soon as I took my first bite of this next flavor, I was immediately transported back to the early 2000s.

Full disclosure: This isn't my first rodeo when it comes to cotton candy ice cream. And, let me tell you, Cold Stone has perfected it. The flavor is tied with mint for my all-time favorite on the chain's menu. While it's simple — after all, cotton candy is basically pure sugar — I just can't get over how spot-on it is. The ice cream perfectly captures the essence of a nice stick of fluffy cotton candy without being overly sweet. And while I've always been more of a pink cotton candy gal myself, the striking blue color is nothing to complain about, either.

But what really elevates this ice cream is the way it manages to balance sweetness — which isn't an easy task when you're aiming to capture the flavor of spun sugar. Cold Stone's cotton candy ice cream is sweet enough that it takes you back to days at the fair but not so sweet that it gives you a sugar rush. This creamy, dream-like scoop is one that I just can't get enough of. If you're on the hunt for a sweet, creamy dessert with a side of nostalgia, this is the perfect flavor for you.

Snagging the top spot in this nearly impossible ranking is (drumroll please)... coffee. While this may not be a shock to my coffee-loving readers, it certainly was to me. If I'm being honest, coffee isn't my favorite flavor when it comes to ice cream. Don't get me wrong — I love a good cup of coffee to start the day (especially if it's iced), but I'm usually good after my morning fix.

That said, personal bias had to take a back seat for this ranking because, despite my personal preferences, even I couldn't help but give coffee its rightful crown. The ice cream is rich and creamy yet bold in flavor. While the coffee flavor is strong, the ice cream remains sweet and not bitter. Most importantly, it tastes authentic. It truly feels as though Cold Stone poured in a fresh cup of coffee while whipping this one up — no artificial aftertaste over here. With a flavor that genuinely tastes like a cup of coffee in ice cream form, this scoop does the best job of representing exactly what it sets out to be.

While I may not be making coffee my go-to Cold Stone order (I'm a loyal gal, after all), the flavor beat out some of my longtime favorites because it was just that good. Unlike some others, this flavor stands on its own. It doesn't need mix-ins or toppings or other distractions to shine — it already does.

If you're a coffee fan, it really doesn't get any better than this. Unless you top it off with some espresso, this ice cream may not give you the caffeine boost you're used to. But it'll certainly deliver that coffee flavor you know and love. And if you're not too big on coffee, don't write this flavor off just yet. It just might surprise you the way it surprised me.

To determine my rankings, I conducted a taste test of 10 Cold Stone Creamery ice cream flavors. Since I couldn't try all of Cold Stone's flavor offerings, I based my picks on data released by Cold Stone in 2020 on the 10 most popular flavors. While Cold Stone is famous for its iconic mix-ins, I kept things pretty simple for this review. I chose not to include any mix-ins or toppings so I could solely focus on the ice cream flavors themselves.

The most important factors I considered while ranking each ice cream flavor were flavor strength, sweetness, depth of flavor, and creaminess. Since I ordered the same size for every flavor (the "Like It" size, which is equivalent to a small), price wasn't a factor in my ranking. An ice cream was most successful when it was rich and creamy with depth without being overly sweet or artificial.

It's worth noting that my ranking was based solely on the ice cream and its ability to stand on its own. After completing my review, I realized that some flavors may be intentionally mild to allow the mix-ins (which serve as a huge part of the brand Cold Stone has established) to take center stage. Had I evaluated the flavors based on which would best support mix-ins, my ranking would have looked very different.