PEPPERMINT ICE CREAMS - CLOSEST TO HOMEMADE®

Information updated November 2023

For some of us, Peppermint Ice Cream is one of the dessert highlights of the holidays!

It’s a delicious minty finish to a special meal or a yummy treat during the season. Most Peppermint Ice Creams are available for only a limited period of time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.

Since these reviews are all about finding products which are Closest To Homemade, we start with a look at what’s in homemade Peppermint Ice Cream so we can compare it to the ingredients in manufactured ice creams >> homemade Peppermint Ice Cream contains Dairy, Sugar, Peppermint Extract or Oil from real Peppermint, Vanilla Extract and crushed Peppermint Candy.

FRONERI-OWNED HAAGEN-DAZS PEPPERMINT BARK OFFERINGS CONTAIN CORN SYRUP: Corn Syrup is not in homemade ice cream, but it’s in this Häagen-Dazs product even though Froneri states they “source the finest ingredients”. There is also commercial Natural Flavor, Palm Kernel Oil, Soy Lecithin, and Soybean Oil. (Source: Froneri Häagen-Dazs Web site 11/23)

MANY PEPPERMINT FROZEN TREATS DO NOT LIST PEPPERMINT AS AN INGREDIENT AND MOST HAVE MULTIPLE INGREDIENTS NOT IN KITCHEN: Here’s a look at several of brands of Peppermint Ice Creams and the ingredients they include which are Not In Kitchen. (Sources: Brand Web sites 11/23)

CLOSEST TO HOMEMADE PEPPERMINT ICE CREAMS: There are only a couple of Peppermint Ice Creams we could find which are Closest To Homemade and one Peppermint Crunch topping you can easily add to any Ice Cream. (Sources: Brand Web sites 11/23)

The Closest To Homemade Peppermint Ice Creams have real Peppermint Oil in the candy and in the ice cream, are made with Cane Sugar and use Vegetable Color with no Corn Syrup in the Ice Cream, no Added Flavors, no Artificial Colors, no Chemical Preservatives and no Gums. These include Jeni’s White Chocolate Peppermint made with Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract and Peppermint Oil and Van Leeuwen Peppermint Stick with Organic Peppermint Extract + Oil.

The Closest To Homemade Peppermint Crunch Topping from India Tree contains Cane Sugar, real Peppermint Oil, Vegetable Color from Beets and no Corn Syrup.

LOOK FOR LOCAL: Consider your local dairies, many of which make delicious ice creams which are Closest To Homemade.