Chocolate or Vanilla? Cup or Cone? And What About Hot Fudge?

The FINANCIAL — Over one-quarter (27%) Americans say chocolate is one of their two favorite ice cream flavors, followed by vanilla (23%) and cookie dough/cookies and cream (22%), according to The Harris Poll of 2,242 adults surveyed by Harris Interactive.

For one in five Americans, butter pecan/Swiss almond is tops (19%), as is mint chocolate chip (19%), followed by strawberry (14%), rocky road (12%) and peanut butter (10%). Less than one in ten U.S. adults say one of their two favorite flavors is coffee (9%), cherry vanilla (8%), pistachio (7%), black raspberry (6%), a seasonal flavor such as eggnog or pumpkin (5%) or peach (3%). One in ten (10%) have a different favorite flavor, and 2% say they do not eat ice cream.

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There is a little bit of gender divide when it comes to favorite flavor. For women, chocolate is on top (29%), followed by mint chocolate chip (23%) and cookie dough/cookies and cream (22%). For men, vanilla is the narrow favorite (27%), then chocolate (26%) and cookie dough/cookies and cream (21%), according to the report.

Now, once the flavor is chosen, the decision doesn't end there. How should you actually eat the ice cream? More than two in five Americans (45%) say their favorite way to eat ice cream is in a cup, followed by cone (31%), sundae (16%), and sandwich (4%) while 5% say their favorite way to eat ice cream is something else – maybe in a cake? Men are more likely than women to prefer cups (49% versus 42%) and sundaes (17% versus 14%). Women, however, are more likely to say their favorite way to eat ice cream is in a cone (36% versus 25%), says the report.

Over half of Americans (53%) say hot fudge is among their favorite toppings for ice cream, followed by two in five who say nuts (41%). Just under two in five say whipped cream is among their favorite toppings (39%), while 38% say caramel. Three in ten say their favorite is fruit, such as strawberries or bananas (31%), while one in five choose sprinkles (20%), followed by 17% who go for candy bits and one in ten who say marshmallow (11%). There are some purists out there, as 16% say they prefer their ice cream plain, according to Harris Interactive Inc.