I Asked 6 Experts To Name the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream—They All Said the Same Thing

I've been writing a lot about ice cream recently. From popular flavors to new frozen releases and DIY creamy concoctions, I can't seem to get enough of the stuff.

There are a few flavors that linger in my freezer a little longer than others. I tend towards the more adult flavors these days—rainbow sherbet and rocky road—I've seemingly outgrown, as they're just a little too sweet for me now.

That being said, when I went out for ice cream with some friends' kids last week, I somehow found myself with two scoops of cookie dough ice cream. It had been years since I tasted that genius combination of cookie dough chunks, little chocolate bits, and creamy vanilla ice cream.

My first bite not only transported me back to fifth grade, but it also totally hooked me. Cookie dough ice cream isn't in my regular rotation, and I realized I have no idea which brand to buy. Luckily, I had six culinary experts on deck to advise me on their favorite pint and, as it turns out, each of them gave me the very same answer.

The Cookie Dough Ice Cream Connoisseurs

• Ashia Aubourg: Freelance food editor and writer 
• Stephen Ingber: Denver-based private chef 
• Rena Awada: Recipe developer and food blogger for Healthy Fitness Meals
• Shawna Clark: Recipe developer, cookbook author, and creator of Healthy Foodie Girl
• Ashley D'Acunto: Owner of Phat Ash Bakes, a bakery in Orlando, FL
• Shelbie Todd: Blogger and foodie at sincerely.shelbie

The Winning Ice Cream

All the experts' responses can be synopsized by Clark's exclamation: "Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, no question! It's hands-down the most loved cookie dough ice cream in our house."

Honestly, I was quite pleased that this was the unanimous choice because Ben & Jerry's cookie dough was my absolute favorite growing up. There are several reasons why experts favor this brand, but one single attribute sets this pint apart from others for our experts: the cookie dough itself.

"I love that Ben & Jerry's doesn't skimp on the cookie dough—the cookie dough bites are huge!" says Todd. Aubourg agrees, adding, "Ben & Jerry's just gets it, every bite has soft, buttery globs of chocolate chip cookie dough (never dry or frozen!), all wrapped in sweet, silky vanilla ice cream."

The ice cream itself is smooth and vanilla flavored, which Ingber finds to be the perfect balance for "the dough, which tastes like something you'd scoop straight from a mixing bowl. It's soft, slightly gritty from the sugar, and full of mini chocolate chips—you can actually taste the butter and brown sugar in the dough."

The reason why the dough is so important, explains D'Acunto, is that "mouthfeel is as important as flavor. I'm looking for cookie dough ice cream to force me to chew, slide it along the roof of my mouth, and/or make me want to swirl it around to coat my tongue? Ben & Jerry's, you do all of the above!"

Plus, if you're dairy-free, Awada shares a pro tip: "I honestly often grab Ben & Jerry's non-dairy chocolate chip cookie dough that's made with almond milk for a lighter option! It's so good."