Ben & Jerry’s added four new flavors to its Moo-phoria Light Ice Cream line, just in time for the cooler days and nights of fall and winter: P.B. Marshmallow Swirl, Mocha Fudge Brownie, Cherry Garcia with a Twist, and Chocolate Cookie EnlightenMint.

Ben & Jerry’s Moo-phoria P.B. Marshmallow Swirl

Remember

For those of you who don’t remember the flavor that had two names, it was kind of a frozen homage to the Fluffernutter — the peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich. Although, the ice cream had caramel cluster pieces.

Ben & Jerry’s Moo-phoria P.B. Marshmallow Swirl also seems to honor the sweet sandwich. It features peanut butter ice cream, marshmallow swirls, and peanut butter cookie pieces. Well, actually, peanut butter cookie balls. Oh, wait. Some folks might get a hissy fit over my use of “balls.” So, um, peanut butter cookie spheres.

The ice cream base has a mild peanut butter flavor that gets enhanced with the cookie spheres. And there are A LOT of those spheres. It’s like the orbit of Jupiter in the container. Their texture is like Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough than actual cookies which is understandable since they’re sitting in ice cream, but I wish they had more of a crunch.

The marshmallow swirl, which I have an unhealthy relationship with that I’ve documented on this site, enhances the sweetness of the peanut butter. The swirl’s flavor seems to be less noticeable than other varieties I’ve had with it. There’s less of a vanilla-like flavor and more of a general sweetness. But the group of ingredients creates a nice tasty combo that might also be good between two white bread slices.

Purchased Price: $6.19
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 160 calories, 5 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 70 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 16 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

Ben & Jerry’s Moo-phoria Mocha Fudge Brownie

I’m a bit of a coffee ice cream snob who prefers the coffee used in ice cream is fair trade, organic, comes from a country with a name I can’t pronounce (or find on a map), and, preferably, is hand-picked from of the dung of local monkeys that eat the coffee beans. I’m 90-95 percent sure the coffee used in Ben & Jerry’s Moo-phoria Mocha Fudge Brownie is none of those things.

But, the tasty combination of cold brew mocha ice cream with fudge brownies and toasted marshmallow swirls makes me not care the coffee used to make it isn’t hand-pulled from exotic animal droppings.

The cold brew mocha base, which is new to me, tastes more like coffee than your typical coffee ice cream. Its flavor reminds me of the

There are some odd textures in the pint. First, there’s a grittiness that makes it feel as if there’s ground coffee mixed in with the ice cream base. At first, I thought it part of the brownies, but after getting to a brownie, I realized the textures of the two didn’t match. The brownies were gummy. That makes them easier to scoop, but I kind of want a more solid mix-in to create a contrasting texture.

Despite the issues, I enjoyed Ben & Jerry’s Moo-phoria Mocha Fudge Brownie. I think what helps is that the cold brew mocha coffee base has such a strong flavor that it makes the whole pint not taste like a light ice cream.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 150 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 60 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 20 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

Ben & Jerry’s Moo-phoria Cherry Garcia with a Twist

SPOILER ALERT: The twist in Ben & Jerry’s Moo-phoria Cherry Garcia with a Twist isn’t an M. Night Shyamalan or Luke Skywalker learning Darth Vader is his father-level surprise.

What’s unique about this light ice cream is that it has both cherry AND chocolate flavored light ice creams with the cherries and fudge flakes. So it’s like a combination of the original Cherry Garcia and the Flavor Graveyard-resting

I didn’t get a chance to try the latter, which involved swapping the cherry ice cream in the original with chocolate. But if you’re hoping to get a little bit of that with this Moo-phoria flavor, you’re better off digging it out of the Flavor Graveyard instead of trying to dig it out of this pint.

The chocolate base has, as expected because it’s light ice cream, a less potent flavor than Ben & Jerry’s standard version. And because of that, the cherry, which is lighter in flavor than what’s in the original, but stronger than the chocolate base in the pint, makes this taste like original Cherry Garcia almost any way I spoon it.

The only noticeable chocolate flavor I get is from the fudge flakes, which are in the original. I don’t know if the cherries and fudge flakes are lighter versions of what’s in a full calorie Cherry Garcia pint, but they don’t taste like they are.

If you’re a fan of Cherry Garcia, you’re going to enjoy this flavor. Yes, it does taste like a lighter version of the classic pint. But if Cherry Garcia FroYo isn’t doing it for you as a lighter version, then this might be a better scoop. So, in the end, maybe the twist is that Ben & Jerry’s Moo-phoria Cherry Garcia with a Twist doesn’t have a twist.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 140 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 25 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber 17 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

Ben & Jerry’s Moo-phoria Chocolate Cookie EnlightenMint

Ben & Jerry’s Moo-phoria Chocolate Cookie EnlightenMint is the third flavor the ice cream brand has shoehorned the word “mint” into. It follows

I’m reviewing this one last because, after comparing all four flavor, the base with this one seems lighter than the others. I’m not expecting to get a cool MINTerfresh clean feeling as I would after brushing my teeth, but I wanted more of a minty punch. The chocolatey mix-ins with the ice cream make it taste as if it should’ve been named Chocolate Cookie EnlighThinMint, but it’s not as addictive as the Girl Scout cookie.

While I could count the number of chocolate cookie mix-ins with my fingers and toes, all I needed were my nipples to count the number of truffles. There was a giant truffle in the middle of the pint, one at the bottom, and that’s it — a total disappointMINT.

Although, the giant one may have been two truffles stuck together. But, even if counted that as two, I could still count the number of them with my nipples. More of the mix-in would’ve helped the pint. Their flavor reminded me of Whoppers, and they added a somewhat crunchy texture that counters the creamy base and soft cookie spheres. Of course, your pint may have much more of them.

Of the four new Moo-phoria flavors, Chocolate Cookie EnlightenMint is my least favorite. It’s adequate. Or, if I wanted to shoehorn the word “mint,” it’s adequMINT.

Purchased Price: $4.39
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 160 calories, 7 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber 15 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

The original batch of Moo-phoria flavors

DISCLOSURE: I received coupons from Ben & Jerry’s to try these, but I picked up the pints before the coupons arrived in the mail. To be honest, I probably don’t need to disclose this, but what’s a few more words in an almost 1,500 word review.

“Imagine a wild ride through the wintriest, chocolate mintiest wonderland of ice cream filled with crunchy cookie swirls and marshmallowy drifts. Honestly, if this flavor was a toboggan, you’d already be on it.”

So says the back label of Ben & Jerry’s Minter Wonderland, which is dark chocolate mint ice cream with marshmallow swirls and chocolate cookie swirls. If it was a toboggan, I totally would be on it. They’re right. But “wintriest” and “chocolate mintiest”? Not so fast with those superlatives!

As a mint-thusiast, I was hoping for a more potent mint flavor. After all, that’s the only element that’s actually mentioned in the name. It’s barely there, and it’s the least noticeable part of the ice cream. I wouldn’t call it especially wintry or Christmassy.

I’m guessing part of the wintry claim is the chocolate and marshmallow combination, reminiscent of hot cocoa. Dark chocolate is the dominant flavor. But this isn’t the dark chocolate of those snooty bars that brag about their cacao percentage. It’s more like a Dove dark chocolate, and it works well here.

It doesn’t take long for the surface area of the ice cream to start melting and smearing on the bowl. In its melted form, the cream is like a rich, delectable chocolate sauce. No complaints here.

The marshmallow swirl, which looks like the gooey interior of a roasted campfire marshmallow, is interesting to gaze at, but it was hard for me to even notice it in my mouth when it was with the ice cream. When I isolated it, it had an undeniable marshmallow taste and a bouncy texture.

By far the best part of this concoction is the chocolate cookie pieces. They’re chewy and gritty, but gritty in a good way. The back label calls it a crunchy cookie, but it’s more like a cross between a cookie and a brownie. They’re so good that I might say I would like more, but that’s not entirely fair; there already is a good ice cream to cookie ratio.

This flavor is exclusive to Target. That might seem like an inconvenience, but let’s be honest: isn’t it always great to have an excuse for a Target run?

Ben & Jerry’s Minter Wonderland is a wonderful ice cream. But I hoped it would have a stronger mint flavor, and I don’t think it’s particularly groundbreaking. It’s mostly just cookies/brownies in chocolate ice cream.

Purchased Price: $3.33
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Target (Exclusive Flavor)
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 270 calories, 140 calories from fat, 15 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 45 milligrams of cholesterol, 60 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 24 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein

Ben & Jerry’s Special Stash Phish’s It’s Ice…Cream and caramel malt ice cream, a caramel swirl, fish-shaped fudge pieces, and almond toffee bits, which I’ve mentally filed away as a mix-in I’d use if I ever become a late night talk show host and Ben & Jerry’s asks me to develop a flavor.

Like the previous Special Stash variety, Marshmallow Moon, this was a finalist to become a pint sold in stores but got beat out by another candidate. In It’s Ice…Cream’s case, it was in the running to become the band Phish’s flavor back in the mid-90’s, Phish Food. While the it finally ended up seeing the light of day, it’s only available at Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops and online store in limited quantities.

How limited?

Well, to give you an idea, here on this rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, there are ONLY 50 pints available for the entire island. So is it worth hunting down at a price that’s more than what you’d pay for a regular pint of Ben & Jerry’s at your local grocery store?

Short answer. YES!

Long answer. READ ON!

The caramel combo of the ice cream and swirl might seem like caramel excess, but I don’t find that to be the case because the ice cream base isn’t berating my taste buds with flavor. The gooey caramel provides all the buttery goodness and I’m fine with that.

As I mentioned at the beginning of the review, I very much enjoyed the almond toffee bits and there were a lot of them in my pint. They add a thunderous crunch that contrasts the creamy ice cream and the sticky caramel swirl. But the thing about them is that I don’t think of almond toffee when I chew on them. Instead, it’s like eating a crunchy sugar cone.

And this leads to why I’m so fond of this ice cream. When I get all the ingredients into one spoonful, which happens a lot, it’s as if I’m eating the perfect Drumstick ice cream cone bite — creamy ice cream, caramel topping, the fudge fish are like the nugget of chocolate at the bottom of the cone, and the almond toffee’s flavor and crunch is like fresh cone.

I not only love this ice cream, but I also love the artwork on the container, which was drawn by Phish’s legendary illustrator Jim Pollock. Sure, I’m 100 percent positive a future dream of mine will involve an anthropomorphic fish, but the art gives it a small brand look to it, making it stand out among Ben & Jerry’s other pints.

On paper, It’s Ice…Cream seems so simple, but, I can’t stress this enough, the almond toffee takes it to another level. This flavor is special and worth seeking out.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free sample from Ben & Jerry’s. This did not influence my review in any way. I know. I know. It totally reads like I’m in Ben & Jerry’s pocket, but I really did enjoy this pint.

(Nutrition Facts – 1/2 cup – 290 calories, 140 calories from fat, 15 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 35 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 28 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Received from Ben & Jerry’s
Rating: 9 out of 10
Pros: Almond toffee pieces are awesome; for some reason, they remind me of a sugar cone. Eating all of the ingredients in a spoonful tastes like the best Drumstick bite, and there are a lot of spoonfuls like that.
Cons: Caramel malt ice cream flavor isn’t that noticeable. The pint’s artwork may end up in your dreams. Limited supply. Only available at Scoop Shops and the online store. Costs more than other Ben & Jerry’s pints at the grocery store.

TIL: Ben & Jerry’s was the first to make cookie dough in ice cream happen.

What?!

Mind. Blown.

When I worked there in high school, that fun fact was not on any training or marketing materials. Glad they’re tapping into it now because that’s some serious cred!

For the summer, they’ve launched three Scoop Shop-exclusives that are chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream to the nth power. The Chip off the Dough Block flavor is the most extreme of the three; its chipper description reads: “Chocolate Chip & Chocolate Ice Creams with Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough & Chocolate Chip Cookies.” I for one don’t think there’s such thing as too much chocolate chip cookie ever and the Flavor Gurus clearly agree.

Before trying the new flavor, I sampled the OG cookie dough one to orient my taste buds. The small sample was enough to remind me of that tasty, raw cookie dough flavor. I went all in for the new flavor though! When the scooper was scooping it, it was visibly much softer than some of the other ice creams. I appreciate that he dug a little deeper into the carton to get the bits that were a little more frozen.

The ice cream was light milk chocolate in color with visible caramel-colored streaks and studded with chocolate. I could see that they were bigger chunks, which fondly reminded me of the delicious chunks in one of my favorite flavors, Coffee, Coffee BuzzBuzzBuzz. Because there’s no caramel in this flavor, I speculated that the streaks were smeared bits of the chocolate chip cookies.

The first lick (yes, fellow ice cream lickers unite!) was distinctly cookie dough but with a milkier, almost muted taste. The raw cookie dough flavor wasn’t as pronounced. But, I liked that I got the same texture-y goodness – if not more texture-y goodness.

As I continued eating, I noticed that there were also smaller chips like in Famous Amos cookies. I enjoyed both the chunk and chip. I didn’t see any real pieces of chocolate chip cookies though, which was disappointing. Bits of real cookie would have been a treat! The best textural element ended up being the chunks.

This flavor has all the qualities of great Ben & Jerry’s ice creams – smooth, creamy, scoop-able with fantastic texture – but it’s not worth a trek out to a Scoop Shop. I was able to achieve a close enough flavor experience with a Milk & Cookies pint from the local grocery store.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 scoop – 210 calories, 110 calories from fat, 12 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, 55 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 19 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $6.50
Size: Small
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Great texture-y goodness from both the chocolate chunks and chips. You might enjoy this flavor if find regular cookie dough ice cream too raw tasting!
Cons: Where are the pieces of chocolate chip cookies? Not worth the trek – similar in taste to Milk & Cookies.