In a Cup or a Cone?

Our Definitive Baskin Robbins Flavor Guide
(some flavors subject to change depending on their “seasonal availability”)
*note: introduction written by L, not by Mighty Bob

A little background history and brief explanation before we get started. Once upon a time, J* came home one day with fantastic news; every Tuesday you could get a scoop of ice cream at Baskin Robbins for a dollar! We decided to sacrifice a little time, some hard earned laundry money and possibly our waist lines to try every flavor this franchise has available to the general public. So every Tuesday night at 9:30 pm, you’ll find us down at Baskin Robbins. Sometimes we fight the lines and the crowds. Other times the masses see that its snowing or cold, become sissies and skip out, providing us with ample seating and the opportunity to mock the cheesy Christmas music in the background. While the research can sometimes be difficult and at times even disgusting, its been an overall pleasure to bring this, the Guide to Baskin Robbins Ice Cream, to the public. As of the end of the Fall Semester, we have tried a total of 43 flavors. What? Aren’t there 31? The flavors change out every few weeks for variety, then you throw in the seasonal guys that are available for about a month or two out of the year, so you’re looking at a lot more than 31. So you know what this means? Yup, we’re going to keep on eating ice cream until we get them all.

Berries n’ Banana
B- Its sugar free…and it shows! Tastes artificial and isn’t creamy. Didn’t enjoy the texture as much as the Baskin Robbins classics I’ve come to know and love. But heck, it is ice cream.

Boston Creame Pie
L – Absolutely fabulous! The flavors aren’t overwhelming. The bits of crust are a different yet welcome change in texture.
R – Voted #1 on an online poll – but I must disagree. While the variety of tastes and textures was splendid, it left something to be desired. Perhaps more chocolate? Overall, it was good, but not top shelf.
A – Not as good as the other flavor I tried today. That’s all – mildly disappointing considering its reputation.
Q– Mmmmm mmmmm good. Appropriately named, its just about as good as makin’ pie (*note to the reader: ‘making pie’ is a very local term meaning, in essence, ‘to flirt it up’). A nice blend of chocolate and cream – I’ll have this flavor again.
B – Chunky. Mild flavored, but with variety. Chocolate, pie crust, cream…yum. Love the chunks.
S – (heh heh, alright!) The name of this flavor is somewhat deceiving in that its not made from Boston and I did not experience any flocking of women as I ingested it. The only accurate part was the “cream” which is technically redundant as anything sold here is inherently made of the stuff – only its iced. The flavor is somewhat bland but otherwise enjoyable. Maybe I’d like it more if someone made this flavor with me…

Bubblegum
J- The actual ice cream is quite flavorful if you can get past the medicinal associations. The bubble gum crust is for sucks though blowing bubbles after is good fun.
L- This nearly killed me. Really, it did. Between the excessive gagging from the raunchy flavor and the internal bleeding due to the shards of gum, I prayed for death to come and take swiftly me out of this world.
R- The ice cream is bearable. The gum has a geologically aged shell that, once broken through, releases a burst of gross onto your palate.

Bumble Buzz
L- Thoroughly disappointing. The color is all-up-in-your-grill bright yellow, but the flavor was insanely muted. I would have liked it better if it was sick and flavorful, rather than just a bowl of cold.
B- Didn’t taste like honey, but not really like vanilla either. The chocolate had a lovely texture (I’m big into texture).

Chip off the ole Cheesecake
L- Some things don’t belong in ice cream. Cheesecake is one of them.
J- The first lick is a little cheesy, but if you persevere, then it becomes less cheese and more cake. The cheesecake chunks are the texture of real cheesecake, but a little strange combined with the ice cream texture. The fudge ribbon helps hide the discrepancy.
D – A disaster of Daiquiri Ice proportions. Tasteless. Freezerburned. Bad after taste. Dry. How they sell this stuff is beyond human comprehension. The only thing this ice cream is fit for is to be ground up into pig slop.
A – A problem arose when I realized I couldn’t differentiate between this and Boston Crème Pie when it came time to review. All I remember is that the top one had yummy chocolate chunks while the bottom one was a waste of a good dollar. Upon discussion, L informed me that the cheesecake stinks. Memories, more important than ice cream, were made here tonight so all is well.

Cherries Jubilee
L- Now every bite can be like having the cherry on top. As exciting as this is, the concept gets a little old after a while. About half way through the scoop, chocolate ice cream is a delightful addition to the team.

Chocolate
J- Like a lion. It’s the king of the jungle, upon which a monarchy of power is built. Smooth texture, with the strength that renders no question as to who rules the ice cream empire.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
R- This is a little better than average as far as cookie dough ice creams go. I prefer Ben and Jerry’s.
J- Delicious as always, but the frequency of cookie chunks was not as high as was desired. Plus, I was distracted the whole time wondering if I could make cookies out of the chunks.

Chocolate Fudge
L – plays well with other flavors, such as cherry. Is it strong enough to stand alone? We shall see.
S- Very rich, soft and delightful. A must for fans of chocolate and/or fudge. Can be compared to as Terrestrial, or perhaps the lowest level in the Celestial glory.
R- The best feature of this flavor is its texture. Gooey, like frozen brownie batter. It has a rich, chocolate-y flavor that lingers in your mouth just long enough.

Chocolate Mousse Royale
R- Rich, chocolatey flavor permeates every spoonful. Chocolate chips add a fun texture to the odd bite. Very well complemented by Peanut Butter Cup.
N- The best pare apart from the really long and awesome name is the chocolate chips in it. Love them!
L – Creamy, smooth and quite rich. Truly royalty among ice creams.
A – Whoa, not enough room left on the card to write, so…I’d say subpar. Yep, end of the card.

Daiquiri Ice
B- Refreshing and delightful…if you like frozen hairspray. Can’t decide whether it tastes more like Aquanet or Herbal Essences. The rum isn’t quite as strong as European gunk, but I’m still burping it up…yeah!
S- This is a punishment undeserved even by the hellions of outer darkness. Amen.
L- There are several levels of sickness to this ice cream. The whole experience leaves you curled up in the fetal position, crying for your mother. I think I saw a guy who ate it actually cry. The initial taste is so surprisingly foul, I was afraid to swallow, but even more afraid to continue experiencing that loathsome flavor. To be fair, I tried it two consecutive weeks. My opinion did not change.
J- Who came up with this and decided that it was marketing worthy?!? They should be fired, then run over with a semi truck then fired again. Just the thought of this ice cream makes me want to Ralph. These were my feelings last week when I had but a nibble. Now that I have suffered through half a scoop, my feelings are unchanged. This ice cream should be banished to Iberia. If I wanted to eat hairspray, I would just take a shot while doing my hair.
D- Initially it was just distasteful and slightly repulsive, but after repeated bites the horrendousness of it was manifest. The aftertaste in and of itself is worthy of a negative review itself.
10/11/05 A group of high school students, one of which was a boy wearing girl pants, said that daiquiri ice was “cool and refreshing: and that they get it every time they come here. They may have been high.

Eggnog
S- If you want to know how true love goes, eggnog is where its at
R- The first thought that came to my mind was, “hmm, remarkably nothing like Daiquiri Ice!” It was holiday splendor on my tongue and down my esophagus.
N- Eggnog is very good…probably only if you like the drink’s flavor. The color is a bit odd, but don’t let it influence you because the colors don’t have anything to do with the flavor.
D – Magnificent. Wonderous. Fantabulous. Possibly the best ice cream I have ever eaten. Eating this ice cream was like winning the lottery 50 times at once.
L– No chunks – good thing! What could ever be better? Perfect. I loved it!

French Vanilla
D- Good, nice flavor. After eating it I wanted to go around saying “bon jour.”
R- Its vanilla with a little … je ne sais quoi.
L- BORING. There are 31 (actually at this particular franchise there are 44) flavors… go try something else. Mine was also a little freezer-burned, which really detracted from the experience.

German Chocolate Cake
L- In my book, any ice cream with chunks of brownie automatically gets 3 gold stars. Add that with creamy chocolate ice cream, delicate ribbons of caramel and a sprinkling of coconut, you have yourself one fantastic treat. I felt that there was an ideal balance between the different textures and flavors, rendering this ice cream a delightful blend.
J- Eating this was a religious experience. Every bite was divine. Words cannot describe the perfection of this ice cream: brownies, caramel, pecans, and smooth chocolate ice cream and coconut pieces. This is the best of everything. So good that I enjoyed this delicacy twice.
R- so so güt. I felt swept away to Bavaria where husky blonde women spooned chocolate, caramel, and coconut into my gladly receiving mouth. Makes you want to forgive the Gerries for the first half of the 20th century.
D- Good. Not great. The small brownie bits were not a good addition to an otherwise fair-tasting ice cream. My advice? Lose the brownie bits.

Gold Medal Ribbon
J- The delicate band of caramel was just that- too delicate. I wanted in your face caramel.
H - Overall flavor is good although chocolate does dominate, leaving me wishing for more vanilla and caramel. Mmmm caramel.
D- Very tasty. An excellent blend of chocolate, caramel, and vanilla. The strong tasting caramel is a delightful addition.
S- Pretty dang delicious caramely. In fact, it actually tastes like a gold medal, but more ice creamy.
L- I had a good amount of caramel which was blended well with chocolate and vanilla. The ratios of each were well executed.

Here Comes the Fudge!
L – Not the fudgey flavor I was expecting, but still incredible. The fudge bits are huge (and wonderful). Good to eat and even more fun to say and order.
R – In spite of the poofy name, this is a very, very good flavor. Good chocolatey ice cream is highlighted by chunky pieces of fudgety brownie. Good golly.
J – The title, frankly, is a little intimidating. I picture King Kong or Jaws. However the experience is delightful. The chunks are so amazing – I can’t describe the goodness. You must try it!

Jamoca Almond Fudge
L- If I weren’t Mormon, I have a feeling I would be a raging coffee addict. Meanwhile, back in the ice cream review, I say that this ice cream doesn’t have the smooth, creamy texture of the chocolates, and the whole almonds detract from the mocha flavor.

Maui Brownie Madness
L- If you don’t like chocolate, stay away from this intense rock-your-face-off flava. Not too rich, but stands up to the chocolate powerhouses, demanding respect and equality.

Mint Chocolate Chip
T- Ice cream was a little freezer burnt, but other than that it was great. No better ice cream flavor out there.
R- The Baskin Robbins official website’s consumer poll had this flavor tied for first. While I thoroughly enjoyed the flava experience, I wouldn’t give it prime position. Good mint flavor, the chocolate chips add a nice texture.
A – Seeing as how this flavor is generally my favorite regardless of brand, I am biased. Its not too minty like Coldstone and it has just the right amount of chocolate. Overall quite enjoyable.

Nutty Coconut
J- Definitely palatable. The coconut flavor was amazing and the nuts were delish- like a Hawaiian vacation, but cheaper! It does have pieces of shredded coconut in it, so if you don’t like coconut, this is not the flavor for you.
B- Luscious Mexican coconut with the sassy European flair of walnuts, pecans, etc. What a very textured experience…

Old Fashioned Butter Pecan
R- Excellent yet simple ice cream, suitable as a complementary flavor. Good ice cream base, while the pecans make the flavor truly good.
C – I only had one flavor tonight. This was it. There is more than one pecan flavor at Baskin Robbins, so when I was asked if I wanted a cup or a cone, I thought they were asking me to clarify which pecan flavor I wanted. So I pointed to the Old Fashioned Butter Pecan. Then the girl repeated her question, which I understood and then felt pretty dumb. As for the ice cream, it was great.

Peanut Butter
J- Good texture change b/t the peanut butter and the choc.
R- The chocolate and peanut butter density of the peanut butter causes it to segregate itself from the chocolate. There needs to be more blendage.
B- Creamy. Mmmmmm. Dark chocolate ice cream with surprisingly chunky peanut butter ribbon. A good balance- not too much chocolate, not too much peanut butter, not too shabby.

Peanut Butter Cup
R- Overall, it’s a decent rendition of a classic flavor. I prefer the Ben and Jerry’s version.

Peppermint
J – Aesthetically pleasing – hot pink is an awesome color for ice cream, though reminiscent of Bubble Gum ice cream, which equals bad memories. Anyway, the peppermint chunks were delicious. The aftertaste is really delicious too. I feel all minty fresh after eating it.
L – There’s chunks. Not a huge fan of ‘em. Don’t do it, it’s a mistake.

Pumpkin Pie
S- Incredible! This definitely satisfies my annual craving for pumpkin-flavored desserts during the holidays (even if it is a few months early). The only thing that could top this flavor is the actual making of it. G-r-r! Can be considered Celestial (and believe me, it is. Or will be during/after the millennium).
J- I was a little nervous about this one at first, but upon the first lick, I was hooked. This ice cream has so many delicious spices and creamy texture. It is the best of autumn put into ice cream form. Whoever thought of this one deserves a promotion unless they were the one that thought up Daiquiri Ice and then they should be shot.
L- I used to think that anything that was pumpkin flavored (besides the pie) was facetious, but this experience was truly divine. The texture, the blend of autumn spices, it was all fantastic. If Heaven had a flavor, my taste buds have beheld its most purified glory.
R- Pumpkin Pie! Yeah, that exclamation point isn’t actually in the title, but it COULD be. Excellent pumpkin pie flavor-it’s like they creamified a pie. Baskin Robbins used to put pie crust pieces in there. They should restore them.
**side note: this ice cream was discontinued immediately after Halloween. We were all bitterly outraged. We move that this delicacy should be promoted to full time status. **

Pralines and Cream
J- This was a charming medley of caramel, vanilla and pecan. Unlike Gold Medal Ribbon ice cream, this had a healthy stripe of caramel. It really packed a powerful punch. Taken in concert with the praline pecans it was a force to be reckoned with. I give this ice cream two thumbs up.
L- I like caramel. I like pralines. I like crunches in my ice cream (as long as they are supposed to be there). It’s a little party in every bite!

Quarterback Crunch
S- Chocolate cookie chunks are reminiscent of the texture of a Nestlé’s crunch bar, but its lack of frequency in each bite leaves something to be desired. Chocolate ice cream may improve this flavor
L- Wonderful. I like the combination of bits-o-crunchiness with the caramel and vanilla. It’s a creative blend that is not overwhelming to the tastebuds
J – The crunch wasn’t so much crunchy, but oddly enough it fit. The caramel was perfectly balanced by the vanilla.


Rainbow Sherbet
E – You know, its pretty easy to mess up a Rainbow Sherbet. This one was perfect of “creamy fruitiness.” A+!

Raspberry
I- Good and gooey

Raspberry Cheese-louise
M- Excellent blend, delicious if you enjoy raspberries and cheesecake.

Reese’s Peanut buttercup
M- Is there any flavor that is more tantalizing, seductive, and divine that this? I think not!

Raz-a-Daz
L- Creamy chocolate ice cream with brownie bits and a thin ribbon of raspberry flavor. Good for those who approach the fruit-ice cream combination with extreme caution because the raspberry is not present in every bite, nor is it overwhelming. Raspberry die-hards would possibly be disappointed.
B – Intense. A little too intense for a non-crisis day.
A – Honestly I would say that the ribbons of raspberry were delicious, thought the chocolate ice cream itself was a bit much.

Roasted Almond
J- Oh so roasty and delicious, but desperately lonely and cries out for another flavor with it.
L- Almonds: Great. Chocolate: Great. The marriage of the two is a holy union, blessed by the angels from on high.

Rocky Road
L- Classics need no justification. If the masses weren’t fans, it would have gone out of style long ago.
J- So I’ve never been much of a RR fan and my opinion has not been changed. The marshmallows are a little mushy for my taste and the almonds aren’t crunchy enough. More like a pebble road.

Splish Splash
I- I enjoyed this flavor so much, I was inspired to write poetry. Tangy and fruitful.

Strawberry Banana
D- Not too impressive. The texture was dry and the banana flavor wasn’t very good.

Thunder ‘n’ Lightning
L- Insanely rich. Welcome riot of the mouth and all of my taste buds have been ransacked with choco-rama flavors.
R- Chocolate is good, multiple forms of chocolate is better. The varied texture is a party in the mouth. The gooey mallow “can’t form in the cone”, but can if you try hard

Truffle in Paradise
S- Very chocolicious and quite delightful. A little too rich for prolonged consumption, but the first bite is like staring God in the face and hearing him say “You are my most wondrous creation!”
R- Mmm. Very chocolaty in a very good way. It’s good to offset the richness with a vanilla-based flavor.
J- Truffle in Paradise is a delightful concoction, but, as others have indicated, is quite intense. Although I am a certifiable chocoholic, I too found it rich and in need of a nice ribbon of caramel or marshmallow.
L- multiple textures, but overall flavor is a little disappointing.
D – It was nice at first, at first being the little sample. But then it seemed like running through a dense truffle forest and the truffle leaves keep slapping you over and over in the face. Finally you’re so fed up you cancel your subscription to the National Geographic and burn the forest down.

Turtle Cheesecake
J – Err…Cheesecake I love, but cheesecake ice cream I don’t. Good idea, but plain chocolate ice cream w/caramel and pecans would be better. Oh wait…That would be German Chocolate Cake. N – It is pretty good but (and the but is a pretty big but)…Anyways, my love and my allegiance is to the good old egg nog, yellow like the sun, tasty like…well, try it!

Vanilla
D- Wonderful. Marvelous. Amazing. Fan-freaking-tabulous. Possibly the best flavor I have tried yet at Baskin Robbins.

Very Berry Strawberry
Y – I always love a classic. Strawberry ice cream is great. Reminds me of lazy summer days.
L – I’m not usually a huge fan of fruit ice cream because I usually find the texture a little funky. However, this was quite refreshing, smooth and overall a wonderful choice for a hot summer day or a blustery winter night.

Winter White Chocolate
L – Very misleading. You’d think that this was a white chocolate delicacy, but its primarily cherry flavored. Baskin already has such a flavor (see Cherries Jubilee). I mean, its pretty good and all, but why waste a seasonal holiday flavor on a duplicate?
B – Deeee-lish! White chocolate is creamy and smooth. A sweetly-biting cherry sauce and chocolate covered cherry halves combine to create a sort of quasi-metaphysical-almost-supernaturally-celestial ice cream combo.

World Class Chocolate
J- The white chocolate mousse was under expressed- as in I got almost none- more like third-world class chocolate.
L- Good flavor ratios. Not something that you would binge on while wearing your cozy sweats and watching a sappy chick-flick. Instead might be something to keep on stock in the freezer in case of a sudden ice cream craving.
S- This clever mix of milky and dark chocolates may be the fruits of someone's mighty wit, though any flavor that labels itself as "world class" should live up to its name. My verdict? NATO class.
B- Sooooooo smooth! Very rich, but needs more white chocolate. This is divine.
R – World class indeed. The white and milk chocolates balance each other well and stimulate the tastebuds.

43 flavors evaluated as of 12/13/05

* names have been drastically changed to protect the innocent