When Ben & Jerry's announced it was getting gluten-free certification for some of its most popular ice cream flavors, it was big news in our house.
My gluten-eating son loves Phish Food. Miss E, who has had celiac disease for as long as she can remember, had been hearing her brother rave about Phish Food, also for as long as she can remember.
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Then, in 2020 Ben & Jerry's announced that nine popular flavors, including Cherry Garcia and Phish Food, would be certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization. Miss E was thrilled to finally try Phish Food!
It turns out these nine flavors already had no gluten ingredients, but now Ben & Jerry's has them undergo rigorous third-party testing before they end up in your freezer, or more importantly, your gluten-free tummy!
That original list of nine has since grown to 18 certified gluten-free Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavors.
Please always read the package at the time of purchase... every time. In Ben & Jerry's allergy statement, the company cautions that how and where they make a product may change from time to time.
If a specific pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream is gluten-free, it will have the gluten-free logo right on the package.
18 Certified Gluten-Free Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Flavors
- Cherry Garcia, Cherry Garcia FroYo, and Cherry Garcia Non-Dairy
- Phish Food and Phish Food Non-Dairy
- Chunky Monkey
- Vanilla Caramel Fudge
- Karamel Sutra Core and Karamel Sutra Core Non-Dairy
- New York Super Fudge Chunk
- Coffee Coffee BuzzBuzzBuzz!
- Vanilla
- Pistachio Pistachio
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Split
- Coffee Toffee Bar Crunch
- Everything But The...
- Peanut Butter Cup
- Salted Caramel Almond
- Oatmeal Dream Pie (Non-Dairy)
- Bananas Foster (Non-Dairy)
- Boom Chocolatta! (Non-Dairy)
- Peanut Butter Fudge Core
6 Non-Dairy, Certified Gluten-Free Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Flavors
For many people with celiac disease (especially during the early days of intestinal healing) and gluten sensitivity, dairy intolerance goes hand-in-hand with needing to eat a gluten-free diet.
If that's you, good news! Ben & Jerry's has several gluten-free, non-dairy flavors. The gluten-free, dairy-free pints are also certified vegan.
Three of the certified gluten-free flavors are available in both dairy and non-dairy versions. For dairy-free versions of the following flavors, make sure you grab the pint that says "dairy-free" on the front:
- Cherry Garcia
- Phish Food
- Karamel Sutra Core
3 of the certified gluten-free flavors are only available in a non-dairy version:
- Oatmeal Dream Pie
- Bananas Foster
- Boom Chocolatta!
If you need gluten-free and non-dairy or vegan ice cream, always check the side of the pint for the gluten-free logo and vegan logo, and the front of the package for the words "non-dairy".
4 Options for Cherry Garcia
The iconic Ben & Jerry Cherry Garcia ice cream pints were the first flavor to hit the shelves with gluten-free certification. Cherry Garcia also has the distinction of being the flavor with the most gluten-free options. Choose from:
- Gluten-Free Cherry Garcia
- Gluten-Free, Non-Dairy, Cherry Garcia
- Gluten-Free Cherry Garcia FroYo
- Gluten-Free Cherry Garcia Mini Cup (4 oz.)
The Newest Flavor on the Gluten-Free List: Oatmeal Dream Pie
The newest addition to the gluten-free list is Oatmeal Dream Pie, which the company describes as "Oatmeal Crème Pie Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert with Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies & Marshmallow Swirls".
A side note about oats.
Oats in a gluten-free product deserve a little extra attention. Oats are a hot topic in the gluten-free community.
While oats themselves are naturally gluten-free, they are grown, harvested and processed alongside gluten-containing grains (wheat, barley and rye). The vast majority of oats are cross-contaminated with gluten.
For those with celiac disease, it is recommended to discuss eating oats with your gastrointerologist or certified dietician, with expertise in the gluten-free diet. You can learn more about oats in the gluten-free diet at Beyond Celiac.
If your gastrointerologist clears you to eat oats, it's important to choose oats that are gluten-free.
As a celiac, I personally consume oats, but am careful. I frequently eat Gluten-Free Prairie purity protocol oats for breakfast. Purity protocol oats are grown, harvested, and processed separately from gluten-containing grains. I also eat finished products containing gluten-free oats, if the final product is certified gluten-free.
Specifically, let's talk about oats in this newest non-dairy release, Oatmeal Dream Pie.
The source of the gluten-free oatmeal cookies is Partake. Denise Woodard, the CEO of Partake, created allergy-friendly cookies, baking mixes, and more in response to her daughter's food allergies. Partake cookies are made with gluten-free oats and gluten-free oat flour in an allergen-free facility, and the final cookies are certified gluten-free.
I reached out to Ben & Jerry's directly. The company informed me that each lot of Partake cookies going into the factory is tested to make sure it contains less than 10 parts per million of gluten. Then the final Ben & Jerry's Oatmeal Dream Pie ice cream is tested to confirm it also is less than 10 parts per million and is certified gluten-free.
These are manufacturing and testing protocols I personally trust when consuming products containing oats. But, again, discuss oats with your gastroenterologist.
Gluten-Free Certification
When you see the gluten-free logo from the Gluten-Free Certification Organization you know a few things about the product that provide more than a little peace of mind:
- It tests below 10 parts per million of gluten. This is a much higher standard than the FDA limit of 20 parts per million.
- The certification process of the Gluten-Free Certification Organization does not simply audit records. It reviews products and ingredients and develops rigorous testing requirements based on risk.
- The manufacturer is financially invested in producing celiac-safe products.
Note, the Gluten-Free Certification logo has changed. You may see either the new logo or the old version on Ben & Jerry's packaging.
Where to Buy
Ben & Jerry's has the best store locator page I have ever seen. And as a gluten-free blogger, in an effort to help my readers get their hands on gluten-free products, I have seen more than my fair share of store locator pages.
You can search for Instant Delivery (the usual restaurant delivery services), Grocery Delivery, Grocery Store Locator, and Scoop Shop Locator (Ben & Jerry's franchise ice cream shops). For delivery, look for GF next to any item you order, and for in-store, look for the Gluten-Free Certification logo right on the container.
Or buy Ben & Jerry's on Amazon.com.
Even in the most rural locations, you are likely to find Ben & Jerry's gluten-free ice cream somewhere near you!
Ordering Gluten-Free at a Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop
Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops carry the same gluten-free ingredients that are sold in grocery stores, but they are not certified due to the risk of cross-contamination.
Additionally, each scoop shop is a locally owned and operated franchise, and allergy training can vary by shop. You can request the staff open a fresh tub of ice cream (some locations will do this) and use a clean ice cream scooper. Order your ice cream in a cup, as there are no gluten-free cones.
Even safer, and the option I recommend as a celiac, is to buy one of the gluten-free, pre-packaged pints sold in Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops.
Gluten-Free Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Recipes
If just eating decadent ice cream isn't quite enough for you, this Vermont-based ice cream company's website is full of delicious recipes using its ice cream. Here are a few gluten-free options:
- Pistachio, Orange & Honey Milkshake
- Black Forest Cherry Garcia Brownie Sundae (use gluten-free brownies)
- Cookie Cup Sundaes (replace all-purpose flour with your favorite gluten-free 1 for 1 baking flour, like King Arthur Measure for Measure)
- Vegan Cherry Garcia, Acai, and Chia Smoothie Jar
- Nectarine & Cream Milkshake
Bottom line: Not every flavor is gluten-free, but a wide selection of Ben & Jerry's ice cream is certified gluten-free and celiac-safe. Look for the certified gluten-free logo on the package when you buy!
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