I Tried Jeni’s Goat Cheese Ice Cream, and Here’s What I Thought of It

When it comes to ice cream flavors, I'm open to trying pretty much anything.

Last week, I tried ice cream that used real blood and bugs as ingredients, so this week I tasted something that wasn't quite as daring, but still went off the beaten path. I decided to stop by my local Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams shop to try their Goat Cheese With Red Cherries flavor.

The ice cream is made with real goat cheese from Mackenzie Creamery and packed with dried cherries. At a glance, it didn't look too different from a scoop of vanilla with fruit in it. I was a little apprehensive about how it might taste before I dug in, but once I took a bite I knew I had nothing to worry about.

The sweet, creamy ice cream only had a hint of the strong, fragrant flavor of goat cheese, but they got it just right. It was a little salty and a little tangy, but mostly the cheese added a complex richness to the flavor. The cheese wasn't any stronger in it than a ricotta or cream cheese are in other cheese-based desserts. It essentially tasted like cheesecake, which is always a good thing.

Mixed into the cheese ice cream were nice big hunks of dried cherries that added a sweet tartness to the flavor. They reminded me of cherry-flavored craisins, but with a way better texture. There were also ribbons of cherry sauce flowing through the ice cream, adding more sharp and fruity flavor to the scoop. I thought that the flavors combined beautifully.

Overall, I was surprised by how refreshing and light a goat cheese ice cream could be. I'd recommend it even to those who dislike goat cheese, or who aren't fans of cheese in general. They get the balance just right—and Jeni's lets you try flavors before you buy, so you don't have to be worried about committing to the wrong order.

Not only are there 35 Jeni's locations scattered throughout the U.S., but you can find it in many stores or even order it online. Click HERE to find out where you can try the flavor, too.

 

Want to know what I thought about pigs' blood and mealworm ice creams? Click HERE for my review of Salt & Straw's spooky flavors.