I tried 26 of Cold Stone Creamery's Signature Creations and ranked them from worst to best
· Business Insider
Meredith Schneider
Visit grenadier.co.za for more information.
- Cold Stone Creamery has over 20 combinations of ice cream and mix-ins called Signature Creations.
- The Founder's Favorite was too sweet for me, even though I liked the brownies.
- I loved the Banana Caramel Crunch, which tasted like a piece of banana bread fresh out of the oven.
One of the hardest decisions for me to make is what to order at an ice cream shop.
So, I chose to avoid the decision altogether and order 26 of Cold Stone Creamery's pre-set combinations of ice cream and mix-ins known as Signature Creations.
I ordered all of the varieties in a "like it" cup (comparable to a small) from my local store in Kansas City, Missouri, for $7 each.
As an ice cream lover who normally gravitates toward flavors full of chocolate, fruit, and peanut butter, I was excited to try everything and rank them from worst to best.
Here's what the experience was like.
Disclaimer: The availability of some Signature Creations may be subject to change.
26. Founder's FavoriteI thought the Founder's Favorite was too sweet.Meredith Schneider
This flavor might be the founder's favorite, but it wasn't mine.
The sweet cream ice cream was, admittedly, too sweet for me, especially when paired with brownie pieces, fudge, caramel, and pecans.
The brownie pieces were super soft, though, which was delightful.
25. Cookie Doughn't You Want SomeI thought the French vanilla ice cream was too sweet as a base flavor.Meredith Schneider
Similarly, I thought the French vanilla ice cream was an incredibly sweet base for this combination of cookie dough, fudge, chocolate chips, and a hint of caramel.
It was so rich that I was glad I only ordered a small cup.
24. Oreo OverloadI really loved the mix-ins in the Oreo Overload.Meredith Schneider
With a sweet cream ice cream base and Oreos, fudge, and chocolate chips, this Signature Creation delivered a little too much sugar to my senses.
However, I loved the texture. The loud crunch of the cookies was satisfying when paired with pockets of smooth fudge and hard chocolate chips.
23. Surrender to StrawberrySurrender to Strawberry tasted like a strawberry shortcake.Meredith Schneider
Surrender to Strawberry reminded me of a strawberry shortcake, thanks to its combination of strawberry ice cream, yellow cake, strawberries, and whipped topping.
However, it was less filling than I expected it to be.
22. Somewhere Over the Rain-doughSomewhere Over The Rain-dough reminded me of a cupcake with too much frosting.Meredith Schneider
With a cookie-dough ice cream base and rainbow sprinkles, frosting, and sugar crystals mixed in, this creation was way too sweet for me.
It tasted like a cupcake with too much frosting on top, only this time, I couldn't scrape anything off to make it taste better.
21. Coffee Lovers OnlyI thought the Coffee Lovers Only had a bitter aftertaste.Meredith Schneider
Coffee Lovers Only includes a reliable mix of coffee-flavored ice cream, roasted almonds, Heath bar pieces, and caramel.
It was super crunchy and had a bit of a bitter aftertaste. However, I'm not a big fan of Heath bars, so this flavor didn't rank highly for me.
20. Cookie MintsterThe Cookie Mintster included mint ice cream, Oreos, and fudge.Meredith Schneider
An upgrade to the classic mint-chocolate-chip ice cream, the Cookie Mintster had an incredible texture thanks to plenty of Oreo cookie crumbles and a dash of fudge.
Although I do enjoy mint, this flavor combination was less impressive to me than other Signature Creations I tasted.
19. Peanut Butter Cup PerfectionI enjoyed this flavor, but thought it wasn't unique enough to earn a higher ranking.Meredith Schneider
I'm a big fan of Reese's peanut butter cups, so I really enjoyed this blend of chocolate ice cream, peanut butter, Reese's, and fudge.
However, the flavors weren't unique enough for me to rank this creation any higher.
18. No One Lays a Finger on My ButterfingerI liked the No One Lays a Finger on My Butterfinger.Meredith Schneider
Peanut-butter ice cream (made with Butterfingers) served as the base for this Signature Creation, which is topped with more Butterfinger pieces, fudge, and caramel.
I thought it was tasty and original, but I didn't like the way the cold Butterfinger got stuck in my teeth.
17. Berry Berry Berry GoodI thought this Signature Creation tasted like a cup of berries and cream.Meredith Schneider
The combination of sweet-cream ice cream and fresh-tasting raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries mirrored a refreshing cup of berries and cream. I enjoyed this simple and light Signature Creation.
16. Apple Pie a la Cold StoneI liked Cold Stone's ice cream version of apple pie, but not more than the real thing.Meredith Schneider
In my experience, ice cream shops usually only feature an apple pie flavor seasonally, but Cold Stone has a Signature Creation that mirrors one year-round.
Its Apple Pie a la Cold Stone includes French vanilla ice cream, apple pie filling, graham cracker pie crust, caramel, and cinnamon.
Although the flavors blend deliciously, I'd still prefer a fresh slice of apple pie à la mode any day.
15. Mint Mint Chocolate Chocolate ChipI liked the Mint Mint Chocolate Chocolate Chip more than the Cookie Mintster.Meredith Schneider
Although the Cookie Mintster was a good start, the Mint Mint Chocolate Chocolate Chip was the true mint chocolate chip upgrade I'd been waiting for.
With chocolate chips, brownie pieces, and fudge mixed into a mint ice cream base, this option was a little more filling for me. I'm also partial to the soft, decadent brownies.
14. Our Strawberry BlondeOur Strawberry Blonde was decadent without being overbearing.Meredith Schneider
The Our Strawberry Blonde is made with refreshing strawberry ice cream topped with strawberries, caramel, graham cracker pie crust, and whipped topping.
The final creation was thick and decadent without being overbearing. It also had a fun crunch, thanks to the graham cracker pie crust.
13. Don't Cry Over Spilled SilkEven though the vegan ice cream wasn't my favorite, I thought it paired well with the toppings.Meredith Schneider
This vegan-friendly option, made with Silk chocolate almond milk, almost passed for regular ice cream, save for being just a little grainy and icy in its consistency.
Still, I thought it paired well with the bananas, peanut butter, and roasted almonds.
12. Cookies Make Everything BatterI thought the cake batter ice cream tasted like the filling in an Oreo.Meredith Schneider
This Signature Creation includes cake-batter ice cream, Oreos, Golden Oreos, and whipped topping.
The ice cream tasted sweet like the center of an Oreo, but I couldn't really tell that the whipped topping was there. Still, I thought it was really good, and a small cup was almost too much for me because of how filling it was.
11. Going Bananas for Jell-O PuddingI liked the texture of the ice cream more than that of a traditional pudding.Meredith Schneider
This creation mixes crunchy Nilla Wafers, bananas, and whipped topping into a Jell-O banana-cream-pudding ice cream. I thought it had a true banana pudding taste and a creamy texture.
Normally, the texture of pudding bothers me, but I love the taste, so I would absolutely eat this in its place.
10. One Smart BrookieI was surprised that the base ice cream was cookie-dough flavored.Meredith Schneider
I initially raised my eyebrows at this treat, as I expected the base ice cream flavor to be vanilla, not cookie dough.
However, I thought the cookie-dough ice cream was a nice addition that tasted like a mix between French vanilla and cake batter. I also liked the addition of cookie dough and brownie pieces to finish the creation.
9. Chocolate DevotionI enjoyed the Chocolate Devotion.Meredith Schneider
The Chocolate Devotion is an irresistible blend of chocolate ice cream, chocolate chips, brownie pieces, and fudge.
The ice cream itself was delightfully creamy, and there were so many soft chunks of brownie, I almost thought they were the main ingredient.
If you're craving chocolate, don't consider anything else.
8. Cheesecake FantasyI thought the Cheesecake Fantasy tasted just like a bite of cheesecake.Meredith Schneider
I thought the cheesecake ice cream base was incredible.
With Graham cracker pie crust, blueberries, and strawberries mixed in, this Signature Creation was a delightful, thick treat that tasted just like a bite of cheesecake.
7. Reese's Peanut Butter Awesome SauceI was surprised by how much I enjoyed this Signature Creation.Meredith Schneider
The Reese's Peanut Butter Awesome Sauce pairs sweet-cream ice cream with the saltiness of Reese's peanut butter sauce and Reese's peanut butter cups.
This was a surprisingly delicious treat, especially since I'm clearly not the biggest fan of sweet-cream ice cream.
Together, this creation was outstandingly thick and creamy — almost like cookie dough.
6. Dough for ItI could enjoy a cup of the cookie dough ice cream by itself.Meredith Schneider
The Dough for It is made with cookie-dough ice cream, chocolate chips, cookie dough, and sugar crystals.
I thought the ice cream was really creamy and would be enjoyable on its own. Plus, the sugar crystals weren't too sweet and added a fun crunch.
5. Cake Batter Batter BatterI loved Cake Batter Batter Batter.Meredith Schneider
I expected this Signature Creation to be too sweet and didn't think cake-batter ice cream would pair well with the cookie dough and brownie pieces.
However, it was surprisingly amazing. I found myself eating it more slowly because of its decadence, and couldn't put the spoon down.
4. Birthday Cake RemixI loved the rainbow sprinkles in the Birthday Cake Remix.Meredith Schneider
The Birthday Cake Remix combines cake-batter ice cream, brownie pieces, fudge, and rainbow sprinkles. As soon as I took a bite, I said, "Amazing."
This Signature Creation had the distinct flavor of three staple desserts — ice cream, cake, and brownies. In my opinion, it had the perfect amount of richness, while still being a little unique.
If you're a fan of sprinkles, I think you'll really like this one.
3. Banana Caramel CrunchThe Banana Caramel Crunch tasted just like fresh banana bread.Meredith Schneider
The Banana Caramel Crunch tasted like sweet banana bread that had been pulled fresh out of the oven.
Roasted almonds added a fun crunch to the soft, ripe bananas, and sweet caramel drizzle mixed into a French vanilla base. The whole thing somehow managed to taste warm and inviting.
2. Mud Pie MojoThe array of textures in the toppings reminded me of trail mix.Meredith Schneider
I want to wake up to this concoction of coffee ice cream, Oreos, peanut butter, roasted almonds, and fudge every morning.
The creamy coffee ice cream was light and sweet, with a bit of a bite in the aftertaste, which created a great base to balance all the flavors.
I also loved the array of textures the toppings provided.
1. Dough-lightful Peanut ButterThe Dough-lightful Peanut Butter was my favorite Signature Creation.Meredith Schneider
My favorite Signature Creation was the Dough-lightful Peanut Butter.
I loved the cookie-dough ice cream base and thought the added peanut butter, Reese's peanut butter cups, and sugar crystals provided an interesting crunch and a filling, balanced, salty-sweet taste.
This story was originally published on May 20, 2025, and most recently updated on June 23, 2026.
Read the original article on Business Insider