Publix Santa’s White Christmas Ice Cream Review
Author’s Note: Not a paid review. These are my own icy opinions. I have no affiliation with Publix.
Tastes naughty, but makes the nice list.
Hey, it’s October. But, if you put your ear to the ground, you can hear the distant jingle bells, faintly. Publix already has their seasonal, limited edition ice cream flavors on the shelf. I had to try this one.
I liked this Barnie’s Coffee inspired ice cream waaaay more than I want to admit. I feel slightly ashamed, because I KNOW it’s flavored with artificial sadness. I KNOW my taste buds are being manipulated by grinchy chemicals. It absolutely does not taste natural. I STILL LOVE IT.
In fact, I worried that I was going to gobble it all up before I had time to properly photograph it for this review. That’s a rare problem for me:
The Flavors
If I had to describe the flavor, it tastes like “coffee liquor.” It’s got an alcohol-vibe, without any actual alcohol. Naughty Santa. It’s a mind-bending artificial flavor that I wish I could hate. But I can’t. It’s fantastic. There’s a subtle salty-butter-flavor in the background that intrigues me.
The actual coffee taste is distinct, but smoothed by milky creaminess (sort of a “light cappuccino” profile). It’s not especially brisk; you might even be able to serve this to coffee-haters without too much grumbling. No caffeine jitters for me.
(For another creamy, coffee-infused desert, check out my review of Costco’s Tiramisu Cheesecake.)
Espresso Chocolate Flakes
There are crisp dark chocolate flakes with crunchy particles of coffee beans mixed in. I admit, the coffee bits were a texture shock at first, but after the first few nibbles, I relished them. They add some memorable sophistication and extra caffeine perkiness. The expresso grinds are pleasantly crunchy, rather than hard or gritty
By the way, this is nice chocolate. The flakes are made with coconut oil, so they melt lusciously on the tongue. It’s not waxy or cheap-tasting chocolate. I also appreciate how generously and evenly the flakes are added. This stuff is chock-full of the chocolate pieces.
(For another fancy-pants ice cream dessert, check out my review of Sprouts Pistachio Gelato Bombs.)
Ice Cream Texture
The creamy texture of the ice cream base reminds me of Mayfield Ice Cream. If you’ve tried that brand and loved it (like I do), then you’re probably going to love this, too. It’s got a whipped, fluffy lightness that is balanced by the rich heaviness of real cream. In fact, “cream” is the second ingredient. Yaaas. It’s buttery, and yet airy. With just 13 grams “added” sugar per serving, sweetness takes a backseat to the other flavors. This is how I like my ice cream.
Ingredients in Publix Santa’s White Christmas Ice Cream
Here is my best attempt at typing out the ingredients, from the label:
- Milk
- Cream
- Sugar
- Cocoa Espresso Flakes (Sugar, Coconut Oil, Cocoa Powder Processed with Alkali, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Cocoa Powder, Coffee, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavor)
- Corn Syrup
- Santa’s White Christmas Flavor (Water, Coffee, Natural and Artificial Flavors)
- Carob Bean Gum and Guar Gum
Obviously, I am not enthused by the artificial flavors. Nor do I appreciate the hydrogenated oil or corn syrup. Did I still eat the whole tub? You bet.
Nutrition Facts
A serving is 2/3 cup, and contains 220 calories. You get 13 grams of fat (9 grams saturated fat), and 4 grams protein. There are 21 grams total carbohydrates per serving, of which 18 grams are sugars (13 grams “added sugars”). You also get a friendly 8% your daily value calcium per serving. And a moderate 15% of your daily value of cholesterol.
Price and Servings
I got mine on sale for $5, but the regular price is $7 for a half-gallon. Since there are 12 servings per container, each serving costs about 58 cents. Not bad!
This is a “Limited Edition” flavor, so it’s only available seasonally. Other limited edition flavors include:
- Deep Dish Apple Pie
- Pumpkin Pie
- Marshmallow Candy Swirl
- Eggnog
- Coffee Chai Latte
- Rum Nut Bread Pudding
- Peppermint Stick
Some of the flavors have much cleaner ingredients than others. I might give the Rum Nut Bread Pudding or Marshmallow Candy Swirl a try, but some of the others have artificial colors and assorted yuck. No thanks.
Shelf Life
The “best by” date on my carton allowed approximately 6 months to consume.
Dramatic Conclusion
I loooved this Santa’s White Christmas Ice Cream. I would buy it again. In fact, I might even serve it at a holiday meal or party — it’s that good! Publix has an excellent product here. I hope this one becomes a perennial staple. Don’t screw this up, Publix!
On my highly accurate “Awesome-o-Meter,” this scores a rare “Speechless.”
The End.
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