Review: Eggo’s Waffle-Inspired Ice Cream Delights, But One Flavor Falls Short

We’ve all had breakfast for dinner before, but what about breakfast for dessert? Before you call me out for positing waffles as viable dessert material, check yourself — Kellanova (the company behind the Eggo brand) has done just that in a partnership with Golden West Food Group. That means your favorite frozen breakfast line is about to grace the ice cream section which, personally, I was thrilled to discover. The duo’s collaboration came to fruition with the release of three ice cream product flavors — buttery maple, chocolatey chip, and blueberry — all of which can be bought as either pints or ice cream sandwiches. 

The brand sent me each of its three flavors to try in pint form, and I must admit, each definitely gave life to all my breakfast-for-dessert fantasies (though I didn’t like them all equally). Though ice cream is new territory for the Eggo line, it doesn’t show — I could easily be convinced these pints had been on the shelves for years. I wouldn’t be surprised for them to find a wide customer base that sees the brand releasing more flavors in the future. For now, these three are worth the buy.

You’re probably no stranger to Eggo’s frozen breakfast line, but finding the brand in the ice cream section might be a shock to the system at first. They seem less out-of-place upon realizing the breakfast inspiration behind each. The three flavors are all based on popular waffle inclusions and toppings, but that’s not the only thing giving them a distinct brunch-y flavor; each also features a rich brown butter ice cream base and the obvious inclusion of — you guessed it — waffle cones. 

The creation of the flavors’ brown butter base is what really gives them that breakfast food essence. Without that, you’d have pretty standard chocolate chip, maple syrup, and blueberry ice creams. But a brown butter base adds a rich warmth to each that’s easily reminiscent of breakfast, even if you’re trying them blind. They get a sweet-savory appeal that’s well in line with dressed-up waffles. The company is also offering ice cream sandwiches in each flavor — for our purposes, we’re just trying the pints. 

While I don’t have exact pricing information, it’s safe to guess that prices will fluctuate depending on which region you’re in and what store you’re purchasing from. A pint of buttery maple currently costs $6.49 at my local Safeway, which is on the lower end of what pints typically cost in my area (the city of Portland, OR). I’m seeing boxes of ice cream sandwiches for just under $10, or about $2.50 per sandwich. I find the pint price reasonable and the sandwich price iffy — I’d have to try them to see whether they’re worth it, but I could see the price being justifiable.

You’ll be able to find the ice cream products at your local Kroger, Albertson’s, and Walmart stores as the company completes its product rollout. It’s unclear exactly when the items will become available — they’ve just recently gotten in stock at my local store, so they’re worth looking for the next time you’re at one of the above spots. You may be able to find out via an online inventory check whether they’re available, and it wouldn’t hurt to call the store just to be sure. 

Ever wanted to give frozen waffles an upgrade? Turning them into ice cream may not be your first thought, but I’m very pleased that Kellanova had the ingenuity to do so. This was my favorite of the three pints I tried. Since you can freeze maple syrup without sacrificing consistency, one would think the market would be bustling with maple syrup ice cream options. Unfortunately, that’s not the case, and Eggo’s take on the sweet treat filled a gaping hole in the dessert aisle. 

My first impression upon taking a bite of this ice cream was that it did, indeed, taste like waffles. The brown butter base gave it a savory depth, while maple syrup brought to mind the sticky breakfasts of my early childhood mornings. Still, I didn’t find the maple syrup overpoweringly sweet, perhaps because it was well-balanced by the brown butter in the base. I’m not a big fan of the waffle cone pieces in any of the pints; I found them to be soft and chewy, and they didn’t add much in terms of texture or flavor to the ice cream. Overall, the flavors all hit the mark for me, and I’d easily have this as breakfast-for-dessert or atop my waffles as an indulgent dessert-for-breakfast twist. 

My second favorite of Eggo’s ice creams is its blueberry flavor. This pint tastes like decadent blueberry pancakes in dessert form, yet it still manages to be gentle enough not to turn off those who don’t love the fruit. It’s most reminiscent of a thin blueberry jam/syrup you’d find as a topping at, say, IHOP. You won’t find big blueberry chunks as the flavor doesn’t flaunt itself; it does, however, exude a warm nostalgia that’s endearing to blueberry pancake fans.

I liked the waffle cone pieces the best in this flavor. They somehow managed to be crunchier, perhaps due to their white fudge coating. The star of the show, though, was definitely the smooth blueberry swirls. They married beautifully with the brown butter base to create another sweet and savory ice cream that’s fruity and indulgent. I’d say this was the mildest of the three flavors — nothing about it screamed its breakfast inspiration, yet you’re sure to get whispers of morning mealtimes as you’re eating it. Personally, I’d love to try this and the previous flavor combined in a buttery blueberry maple pint.

Chocolate chips make a great add-in for sweet waffles and pancakes, and their inclusion in ice cream is no new invention. In my mind, this flavor should have been easy to perfect, so you can imagine my disappointment when I found it less than lovable. Though I’m not the biggest chocolate fan, I don’t think my personal preference much contributed to my distaste for this flavor. Something about the chocolate sauce, together with the base, gave off a somewhat artificial flavor. 

Add to that lackluster waffle cone pieces and easy-to-miss mini chocolate chips, and, while I won’t call this one bad, it was just not very notable (especially when compared with the other two). It did grow on me as I tasted it more, but that initial displeasure was enough to keep me from enjoying it very much. Especially since the chocolate ice cream market has no shortage of options, I’d go with whichever is already your favorite. Unfortunately, this doesn’t have much newness to bring into the equation. 

Overall, Eggo’s ice cream line is sure to hold its own in the freezer section. Is it the best ice cream brand you’ll find? Probably not, but it offers a breakfast-y appeal that stands in contrast to many other options on the market. You can be sure I’ll be treating myself to the blueberry and buttery maple pints in the future. I won’t be reaching for chocolatey chip anytime soon, but that’s just me — I’ll never tell readers not to try something just because I didn’t like it.

I also think each comes in at a reasonable price point, though I can’t speak for the ice cream sandwiches. But I’ll easily pay $6-ish for an enjoyable pint of ice cream. My favorite brands can run between $8-$15 and, though Eggo’s offerings don’t stack up to others I love, they’re a budget-friendly option when I need an accessible sweet treat.