Hot on the heels of the release of its Neapolitan Joe-Joe’s ice cream, Trader Joe’s dropped two “light” flavors in its freezer case. Joining the high protein ranks along with Halo Top, Enlightened and others, the new Joe-Joe’s Cookies and Cream and Chocolate Peanut Butter run $2.99 for a pint.
Light / high protein ice creams aren’t usually my jam. I’ll just have regular ice cream, but a little less of it. But the Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor was too much to resist. Between the two, it’s the one I liked best — good chocolate flavor and nice chunks of peanut butter. The Cookies and Cream was a little too sweet, often a problem when stevia is used as a sweetener.
Trader Joe’s light ice cream uses both stevia and monk fruit extract along with the cane sugar and powdered sugar in the cookie pieces. Texture-wise, they were a little crumbly when I tried to scoop them with an ice cream scoop. But let them sit a bit and they scoop more smoothly with a little coaxing.
While the ingredient lists aren’t identical to its competitors’, Trader Joe’s Joe-Joe’s Cookies and Cream runs 310 calories and 20g of protein per pint, the Chocolate Peanut Butter is 370 calories, 23g of protein per pint. Will it make me a convert to high protein ice creams? The jury is still out, but that Chocolate Peanut Butter is pretty good.
Trader Joe’s Premium Chocolate Chip is still my favorite in their freezer case.
Check out our other recent “We Trieds” from Trader Joes:
Trader Joe’s Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce
Trader Joe’s Sparkling Coconut Water with Yuzu
Trader Joe’s Ketchup Flavored Spud Crunchies
Trader Joe’s Turmeric Ginger Coconut Beverage