Review: Turkey Hill's Barbie Ice Cream Flavors Have No Kenergy

Barbie is turning 65, and this milestone needs to be celebrated. For this grand anniversary, Mattel and the popular Turkey Hill brand teamed up to bring us all a special treat before summer ends: two Barbie-inspired ice cream flavors to cool us off and give us a little Barbie joy.

For many, Barbie was (and still is) an icon. She's been everything from an astronaut to a mermaid to a chef and even a pioneer woman. With Barbie, you really could do it all. From playing with various outfits and decorating her Dreamhouse to cruising around in her corvette, the possibilities within the realm of imagination were endless. In 2023, a new wave of Barbie fans entered the chat with the release of the epic "Barbie" movie that, if you haven't seen it yet, was true cinematic perfection.

I had the chance to try the new Frosted Cupcake and Strawberry Marshmallow flavors to see if they're equally as iconic. Does the Barbie name shine through these epic creations? Let's find out.

Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer/distributor/etc.

If you're looking to get the new Turkey Hill Barbie flavors, you can find them at an array of retailers. Seek them out at your local ShopRite, ACME, Giant Eagle, Giant Carlisle, Turkey Hill Minit Markets, Weis, Wegmans, Hannaford, Food Lion, or Market Basket starting this August.

In stores, you'll find these flavors in family-size containers for only $4.22. We're not sure how long these flavors will last, so we suggest enjoying them ASAP to close out the summer.

The first Barbie flavor I tried was Frosted Cupcake, featuring cupcake-flavored ice cream with swirled frosting. However, the container description didn't exactly match what I saw inside.

Upon first glance, I wasn't impressed. TTurkey Hill's Barbie Frosted Cupcake ice creamhere wasn't much to see, except for a white ice cream base and some random pink pieces embedded within. I guessed these were the swirls they were talking about, but those swirls weren't really swirls at all. They were tube-like chunks of candy that resembled something like frosting, but the sugary taste from the ice cream overtook every other flavor. The ice cream base was overpowering, tasting more like cake batter ice cream than anything else — and I don't mean that as a complement. It was tough to swallow after a few bites.

Overall, I didn't think the Frosted Cupcake option was bad, but I didn't really like it. The ice cream was okay, but between its sweetness and the frosting pieces failing in texture and taste, there weren't many redeeming qualities. For me, this one was a no. For kids and sweet tooths, this might be a huge win.

The second flavor option I tried from the Barbie x Turkey Hill mashup was Strawberry Marshmallow. I had high hopes looking at the packaging, but the disappointment continued. 

This one featured a strawberry ice cream swirled with marshmallow. It definitely tasted like strawberry and marshmallow, but the flavors weren't cohesive. I normally like a store-bought or homemade strawberry ice cream, but this one was a little too tart, and it was missing the real chunks of strawberry I seek out in this flavor. The mix of the marshmallow wasn't really what I was expecting either. I did find the texture of sticky marshmallow, which I normally like, and the marshmallow flavor was great, but it didn't sit well with the cold, hard ice cream.

Something about this one just didn't mesh, even down to the strawberry ice cream base. It was a little disappointing, especially for the Turkey Hill brand. I think there is a place in the ice cream scene for Strawberry Marshmallow, but it won't be in my freezer.

Overall, these new flavors from Turkey Hill weren't great in my opinion. The Frosted Cupcake option was the better of the two, but it was too sweet and reminiscent of uncooked cake batter. I couldn't get down more than a few bites before the flavor started to turn my palate. And when I want strawberry ice cream, I want real chunks of strawberry in there — not just more sugar added into the mix. Something about the missing fruit and the marshmallow additive just didn't do it for me. I'm not sure if it was the actual flavors or the fact that these options aren't technically ice cream, as they are listed as a Frozen Dairy Dessert.

I'm not saying don't give these a try, but the Barbie ice cream wasn't anything to write home about. I love Barbie, and I've enjoyed some Turkey Hill in my day, but I think these options missed the mark. 

However, this mediocre ice cream doesn't take away from Barbie's big day. Find a way to celebrate on your own, and if that includes a trial of this creative ice cream combo, then you're on your way to a cooler summer, for sure!