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I really don’t know how Turtle Mountain does it. Dozens of delicious selections span their frozen dessert product lines of Organic So Delicious™, It's Soy Delicious®, and my personal favorite… Purely Decadent®. Yet even with their already extensive menu of offerings, the folks at Turtle Mountain couldn’t resist adding four new flavors to their Purely Decadent® line: So Very Strawberry, Coconut Craze, Cookie Dough, and Pomegranate Chip. While I could easily devour any of their novelties or “ice creams” I had my sights set on these four specific pints. So, with a package of each chilling in the freezer and spoons in hand, it was time for the taste tests to begin! Cookie DoughIn a unanimous vote (okay, it was more of a chaotic shout) Cookie Dough was selected as the first flavor to start scooping. I opened the pint to a wonderful surprise. Beyond the expected cookie dough, it appeared that shavings of chocolate had been dispersed throughout.  
The smooth and creamy vanilla base scooped with ease. In terms of taste, it wasn't my favorite vanilla, but as a back drop for the numerous chocolate flecks and balls of cookie dough, it served the purpose nicely. The “ice cream” texture was dense and creamy, easily rivaling your average gourmet ice cream. Of course, the cookie dough was positively scrumptious. But wait, it gets infinitely better; this frozen dessert is actually gluten-free! Yes, those wonderful chunks of cookie dough are actually dairy-free and gluten-free. I don't think I know of a regular dairy-based cookie dough ice cream that is gluten-free? A good move on the part of Turtle Mountain to be certain. Perhaps the cookie dough had a slightly different texture, but in those little ice cream-sized balls, it wasn't detectable. My husband, who has been known to snub many ice cream alternatives, looked up for only a fraction of a second to mumble, "it's good" with a mouthful of ice cream. I was smitten by the chocolate flakes, and really who doesn’t love cookie dough? If our empty (and licked clean) bowls were any sign, this new pint is a winner. Though, I was a bit concerned as we moved onto the other flavors. This would be a hard act to follow. Pomegranate ChipYet another delicious sight presented itself as I opened our second pint. The Pomegranate Chip exuded an inviting purplish hue, spotted with those familiar chocolate flakes. I was a bit let down to see that our pint had been slighted. It seems the ice cream packer was amiss, not filling this pint to the top. A good 20% short in volume, it was obvious that we would need to make this taste test count. (We didn’t take a pint shot, because I accidentally spooned a bite before the camera came out!) 
Though it retained that infinitely smooth and creamy texture I had come to expect of the Purely Decadent line, the Pomegranate Chip pint ventured into the world of refreshing. In fact, it reminded me of a sherbet. Having never experience pomegranate in ice cream form, or in many other forms for that matter, I would say the flavor closely resembled a raspberry sherbet. The chocolate was thinly shaved as to not overpower the ice cream, but it was a definite enhancement. Occasional bites loaded with dark chocolate pieces offered an almost bon bon like experience. Though our loyalties remained with all things cookie dough, the Pomegranate Chip was a clear winner in the realm of fruity “ice creams,” whether dairy-rich or dairy-free. Coconut CrazeObviously, this pint is for coconut fans only, so we lost one taste-tester before the package was even opened. Luckily, those of us who prepared our bowls and spoons were richly rewarded. The appearance was very similar to the Cookie Dough frozen dessert. Yet, what looked to be a vanilla “ice cream” was actually a sweet coconut inspired “ice cream” that concealed bonus shreds of coconut. Sizable almond chunks seemed to be thrown into the mix with a generous hand. They helped to break up both the flavor and texture, providing a delightful contrast to the overall sweetness of the coconut-y base. As with the other two flavors, tons of chocolate flakes were scattered throughout. I must admit, of all the chocolate spiked flavors trialed thus far, the dark chocolate truly found its match among this coconut background.  
With the same rich and “dreamy” texture, I was suddenly torn between the Coconut Craze and Cookie Dough flavors. However, if my husband joined me on grocery trips, the Cookie Dough pint would always get tossed into the cart first. So Very StrawberryNot surprisingly, the most nutritious sounding flavor was saved for last. Nonetheless, we are all strawberry fans, and were filled with that same new dessert anticipation. Alas, some of my optimism was dampened as I removed the lid. A relatively strong strawberry scent emerged, and my eyes met with a carnation pink colored ice cream. Though the rosy color was surely intended for appeal, and was most certainly from natural sources (perhaps even the strawberries themselves), it presented a somewhat artificial impression in my mind. But then, as I removed the first scoop, bright red chunks of strawberry emerged, dissipating the unnatural concerns that lingered in the back of my head.  
Though dense and creamy, the ice cream itself met with mediocre reviews. The So Very Strawberry did not seem quite as rich as the three other varieties, and I felt as though I could detect that this was a soy-based “ice cream” by the taste. While the “ice cream” base failed to dazzle, the chunks of strawberry were so enormous and so many, that a bite with “ice cream” alone was far and few between. The strawberries seemed to blend very well and brought the overall frozen dessert flavor up to snuff. In the end, there were no complaints, and every bowl was polished off. Perhaps we were simply spoiled by the generous amounts of chocolate in the other three selections, and not prepared for a pure fruity flavor. My Extra Notes & Tips: - All of the new Purely Decadent pints are in fact Vegan (Dairy & Egg-Free) and Gluten-Free. Do these people think of everything?
- Turtle Mountain is incredibly generous with coupons and giveaways. Be sure to sign up on their website for “rewards.”
- Each pint is cholesterol free and low in sodium. Of course they are high in sugar (come on, it’s a dessert!), but for a decadent “ice cream” they are surprisingly low in fat. The Coconut Craze tops the list at a respectable 12g per serving, while the So Very Strawberry comes close to sorbet status with just 4g of fat per serving. The other two flavors have only 8g of fat per serving…not bad.
- The Purely Decadent line is made with over 70% organic ingredients. That means organic, non-GMO soymilk (made from whole soybeans), organic dehydrated cane juice, and other all-natural ingredients.
- If none of these flavors grab your attention, have no fear; the Purely Decadent pints come in 15 other flavors. Thus far, we have merely scratched the surface with these four, but I will keep you posted as we make our way through the others!
Where to Purchase: Turtle Mountain’s frozen desserts are widely distributed throughout the U.S. and Canada. In fact, there isn’t a grocer in my area that doesn’t carry at least a few flavors. These new Purely Decadent pints are just now hitting stores in the U.S. and may make their way up north in the near future. See the Turtle Mountain website for a store locator.
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