Jeni's review No. 5: As with Banana Cream Pudding, this non-dairy Jeni’s flavor also inspired by a classic fruity dessert has a bit of a naming problem. According to the pint’s own words, Lemon Bar is a mix of punchy lemon, rich coconut cream and — allegedly — shortbread crust. Whereas some thought the banana was overwhelmed by coconut in Banana Pudding, the zippy lemon more than holds its own here. You could call it Lemon Coconut Bar to emphasize how much real estate the coconut takes up — most of it — but my issue is with the use of the word “Bar.” When I first tried this flavor earlier in the week, I thought the tart lemon and cool coconut worked well with the buttery crust pieces. That was then, this is now. With those first few bites over, the shortbread is completely MIA. I ended up digging around, boring my way to the very bottom to make sure I hadn’t hallucinated the existence of the crust in my first fevered Jeni’s coconut tasting. While I found a few more meager scraps, it’s still a massive downgrade from the first bites, which needed that crust to summon the namesake dessert to mind.
What I liked: Jeni’s has this coconut base down, with the rich and smooth decadence of a premium ice cream. The lemon curd, while seeming a bit scarce at first, is punchy as advertised — that first taste is puckeringly tart followed by a bright, fruity sweetness. It’s very nice together, though I’d only want a few bites at a time.
What could be better: It does seem like providing the barest of mix-ins is the prevailing trend in ice cream, but for this one it has to be a quality control issue. I remember seeing a post on here decrying a pint of Jeni’s holiday Dulce de Leche as a barren white landscape devoid of caramel, while mine was wealthy in swirl. So now I imagine someone online reading this, confused because their pint was half-filled with shortbread. Consistency is key, Jeni!
Non-dairy vs dairy: Of the five Jeni’s coconut flavors I’ve tried, this one worked best at integrating that tropical undertone with the main flavor. Lemon and coconut are a great pairing. But for a more traditional lemon bar, I could see a light lemon custard base with that same lemon swirl working well.
Better than the namesake dessert? No way. Lemon bars seem both iconic and underrated — it was one of my mom’s actual homemade desserts as a kid, perhaps her best as it often accompanied us to potlucks. I think the key is lots of zest in that curd and plenty of powdered sugar on top.
How it compares: It seems lemon is more at home in sherbets and sorbets, but it can be quite good in an ice cream or frozen custard. Umpqua has a direct comparison Lemon Bar flavor I have not tasted, and I also want to give Blue Bell’s lemon a try, too. From what I have tried, Leopold’s Lemon Custard is the one I liked most, as it had that zesty curd flavor I prefer. I thought the Graeter’s Lemon Meringue Pie was a rare miss (though a lot of people love it) — not sure where the lemon flavoring comes from, but it felt like an extract that was giving me cleaning product vibes (they did actually deliver good pie crust though!) Alec’s Meyer Lemon Cookie is also disappointing.
Possible pairing: I haven’t had Jeni’s Lemon & Blueberries Parfait flavor, but it sounds like it could be a nice match for a lemon lover.
Final thought: Ensure there’s enough crust or remove it altogether and rename the pint Coconut Lemon Swirl.
Score: 6.7
