Princeton’s Baked Bear: a new standout or just bearable?

In mid-July, the national ice cream sandwich chain Baked Bear joined the menagerie of ice cream parlors in the Princeton area. As a proud — and self-proclaimed — ice cream connoisseur, I was itching to try this new spot, known for its custom ice cream sandwiches. Despite my passion for ice cream and cookies individually, I’ve never been particularly drawn to ice cream sandwiches. Still, it seemed unlikely that any combination of the two would disappoint. 

I visited on a Friday afternoon and was surprised to find the shop practically empty. The store’s interior had an almost coastal atmosphere, with wide windows set against bright white countertops. Much of the space was taken up by the kitchen and food-preparation area, leaving just eight seats in a bar-like configuration by the windows. 

Upon entering, I was overwhelmed by the sheer array of choices. A glass case displaying a dozen cookie flavors showed off staples like Chocolate Chip and Snickerdoodle, along with several seasonal offerings like Blueberry Muffin with Streusel. The ice cream menu, too, featured some rotating flavors and a core of customer favorites like Blackberry Crumble and Bear Batter — blue cake batter ice cream with brownie bits and sprinkles. 

I was surprised by the number of possible configurations: ice cream or a cookie on its own, an ice cream sandwich, a hot fudge sundae, or a “Bear Bowl”— a scoop of ice cream served on a warm brownie or cookie. I went with an ice cream sandwich, the most popular option, which allows you to mix and match cookies and an ice cream of choice. 

After deep deliberation, I concocted my creations. I dubbed them “Decadent” and “Seasonal” respectively. The “Decadent” combination was Caramel Pretzel Fudge ice cream sandwiched between a Caramel Pretzel Chocolate cookie and a Gooey Butter Cake cookie; the “Seasonal” consisted of Blackberry Crumble ice cream between a Lemon Glaze cookie and a Blueberry Muffin with Streusel cookie.

Did it feel like my arteries were clogging as I gave my order? Perhaps. I was also stunned by the generous servings — the worker threw in some hefty shoulder movement as she scooped a ginormous mound of ice cream for each sandwich. I decided to get my Decadent sandwich hot-pressed — meaning the sandwich would be placed on a special panini-like press for about 10 seconds, warming up the outer cookies while keeping the ice cream intact — and leave the Seasonal combination as-is. Turns out, it didn’t matter much anyway, because the hot-pressing had no significant effect on the sandwich.

Spoon in hand, I got to work with the Decadent combination. The top layer of the Pretzel Chocolate cookie was firm and chewy, packed with chunks of chocolate and pretzel bits. The saltiness helped cut through the intense sweetness. The Caramel Pretzel Fudge ice cream was a light caramel color, speckled with chocolate, though it just tasted like regular chocolate ice cream. The highlight of the sandwich was the bottom Gooey Butter Cake cookie: soft and thick, with a fudge-like texture that melted against the thick ice cream. To my surprise, it was also a tad salty, which provided some much-needed balance to the sandwich’s sweetness.

I much preferred the second, “Seasonal” combination, which leaned into pie-esque flavors. The Blackberry Crumble ice cream was creamy and fragrant, with swirls of blackberry and a buttery, streusel crumble. It had the faintest floral aftertaste. The Blueberry Muffin cookie was somewhere between a cookie and a scone, with actual blueberry chunks baked into the batter. Its texture was especially enjoyable: soft in the center and crisp around the edges. The Lemon Glaze cookie at the bottom also paired well with the berry cobbler flavor profile. Its lemon flavor was pleasantly strong, and the cookie was coated in a sugary glaze that melted against the tongue. It had the same doughy, fudgy texture as the Gooey Butter Cake, but the bright lemon flavor gave the sandwich a fresh essence that paired well with the blackberry ice cream.

That said, both sandwiches were a challenge to tackle with just a plastic spoon and even my preferred Seasonal combination was a bit too sweet for my taste. Compared to Princeton staples like the Bent Spoon and Halo Pub, or even the newly opened Reunion Sweet Parlor, Baked Bear’s flavors lack some of the subtlety I tend to appreciate in ice cream. And, at $9.95 per sandwich before tax, it is a fairly steep price for a dessert, especially with so many ice cream options competing for Princeton’s sweet tooth already. Baked Bear certainly has its appeal for those seeking an extravagant, indulgent treat. But for me, when I’m craving ice cream in Princeton, I’ll most likely be looking elsewhere.

Alexis Choi is a contributing writer for The Prospect and a member of the Class of 2029. 

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