9 Store-Bought Chocolate Frostings, Ranked

Indulgent, creamy, rich, flavorful — nothing beats a good chocolate frosting. With a combination of sweet cocoa flavor, decadent richness, and a luscious mouthfeel, chocolate frosting is a much-loved treat, whether eaten alone or as a dessert component.

Making chocolate frosting from scratch is totally doable. But sometimes, we're short on time or missing ingredients (hello, powdered sugar) and need to rely on the pre-made stuff. While many choices for ready-made frosting exist, not all are good. So, we gathered nine of the most popular grocery store chocolate frostings and sampled them to find the best-tasting. They ranged in flavors from milk chocolate and chocolate fudge to dark chocolate and Hershey's cocoa. Some were big brand names, others were newcomers.

Final rankings were based on creaminess, color, spreadability, and chocolate flavor. We kept in mind, too, that the best frosting may depend on what being made — like funfetti cake, chocolate cupcakes, or a dessert board dip. Read on to find out which chocolate frostings lights up taste buds, and which are best left on grocery store shelves.

Oh, Betty, we expected so much more. Despite this brand being a nostalgic favorite, we were disappointed with Betty Crocker's take on milk chocolate frosting. Truth be told, it was hard to have more than one bite of this frosting. While it did boast an attractive glossy sheen, the frosting had an unappetizing pasty texture with a tangy, chemical aftertaste that was not appreciated. Further, its consistency is incredibly soft, as evident when a spoonful of it slowly formed a puddle as it sat on the counter. It's a wonder how this frosting could ever stick to a cake.

The overwhelming flavor of this frosting is sweet — not all that surprising since the two main ingredients listed are sugar and high fructose corn syrup. The frosting tastes downright artificial, though admittedly, the company clearly states that it's artificially flavored on the front of the tub. Sadly, Betty Crocker's Rich & Creamy Milk Chocolate is a perfect example of what many expect a store-bought frosting to taste like — overly sweet, with a processed flavor.

Considering it was the most expensive of the group, we had high expectations for this frosting and couldn't wait to dig in. Unfortunately, Miss Jones Organic Chocolate did not live up to its price. 

Start with how much frosting you get in a tub. Buyers beware, because it contains almost 5 ounces less than the usual 16 found in typical frosting tubs; in case you forget this, you'll be reminded by the inch-long gap between the frosting and lid when you open it.

The frosting has a waxy, airy mouthfeel with minimal chocolate flavor. It is similar in taste and appearance to mousse, which isn't necessarily bad — just odd. There is also a noticeable, distracting grittiness, likely from tapioca, one of the five ingredients listed. Lastly, the sweetness level is good but entirely overshadowed by unexpected salty notes that are not pleasing. Though it's hard to be a fan of this particular product, an organic, vegan chocolate frosting is a welcomed addition to grocery store shelves.

Like its milk chocolate counterpart, Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy Chocolate didn't fare well in the taste test, but it did have some redeeming qualities. This frosting had a favorable dark chocolate taste without any bitterness, and wasn't overwhelmingly sweet despite having sugar and high fructose corn syrup as its two main ingredients. It was balanced in flavor and had a glossy sheen that would look good on pretty much anything. Its super creamy consistency is enjoyable, making it worthy of second and third spoonfuls.

When it comes to mouthfeel, this frosting loses some points. More than one tester noted a slight grittiness and chalky texture. The recipe includes corn starch, which could explain the powdery coating detected on the tongue. This chocolate frosting would be good for spreading over a sheet cake or a Coca-Cola layer cake, but it isn't recommended to pipe this soft frosting, as it wouldn't hold its shape well.

Upon peeling back the lid of Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Chocolate Fudge, one is initially intrigued by its deep brown color — the darkest brown of all the frostings we tried. This led us to think that the cocoa flavor would be pronounced, but to our dismay, it fell a bit short. However, it did have a slightly tangy sour cream aftertaste that could convincingly masquerade as homemade. 

The frosting isn't too sweet, making it a good choice for accompanying desserts that fall on the sugary side. One tester thought a swirl of this frosting would be a great way to add a chocolate component to classic New York-style cheesecake.

This frosting had a thick, stiff texture which was a pleasant surprise. This richer consistency had our minds racing with ideas for using this frosting, and ultimately, its dense texture made this store-bought chocolate frosting stand out. It would be an excellent option for a sturdy frosting that won't spread, such as filling for chocolate sandwich cookies.

If you're looking for a fudgy dark chocolate frosting, Duncan Hines Creamy Dark Chocolate Fudge is for you. This glossy frosting is as intense as homemade chocolate fudge with a slightly bitter cocoa taste. It's not the best store-bought frosting of the group, but it'll certainly serve you well.

One characteristic of this frosting that we weren't too fond of was its sticky consistency, which could make it hard to spread over a soft, fluffy layer of cake. One tester casually noted an alternate use, suggesting that this frosting might be best used as a glaze. Simply heat the tub directly in a microwave until the frosting is melted, then pour over a cake or cream puffs. Even better, use it as a hot fudge sauce substitute and pour it over vanilla ice cream for a quick and easy summertime treat.

Despite a couple of less-than-stellar reactions from some taste testers, Duncan Hines Creamy Milk Chocolate frosting is worth stocking in the pantry for when you crave convenience. Sure, this frosting was intensely sweet, but depending on who your audience is, it may be just fine. When it came to taste, this brand-name frosting had a good milk chocolate flavor; in fact, it tasted a bit richer and more distinct than the other milk chocolate frostings we tried.

True to its label, this frosting was creamy, like the center of a truffle, without any graininess. But while the frosting's creamy texture was enjoyable, its consistency was incredibly soft — much softer than any of the testers liked. This spurred us to come up with what we think is the perfect use for this milk chocolate frosting: A delightful dip served on a dessert board. Simply spoon some of the frosting into a ramekin and serve with fresh strawberries and shortbread cookies for dipping.

Of the two Pillsbury frostings in our taste test, Creamy Supreme Milk Chocolate ruled the roost with almost everything we want in chocolate frosting. The first thing we noticed was its matte finish and appealing color — a medium shade of brown that was not too light yet not too dark. With a dense, smooth texture, this is an excellent frosting for piping, but it would undoubtedly also hold its shape if you prefer to slather it over cake.

With a luscious creamy mouthfeel, this chocolate frosting had us pining for some decadent devil's food cake — in our minds, the perfect pairing. It had a good milk chocolate flavor that wasn't too sweet. Where it lost some points was its mouthfeel, which was slightly chalky, perhaps due to the corn starch in its ingredients. Nonetheless, a tub of this frosting would deliver for bake sale treats or emergency cake sheet needs, making it a good pantry staple to always have on hand.

Aldi is a discount grocery store known for its money-saving deals on high-quality generic versions of popular products. Baker's Corner is one of Aldi's most popular store brands, offering a wide range of baking-related products including ingredients, mixes, and, you guessed it, ready-made frosting.

Baker's Corner Chocolate frosting scored points for its rich, deep color — it was one of the darkest in the group. The consistency was stiff yet spreadable, making this frosting ideal for piping onto cupcakes. When it came to flavor, testers appreciated the intense dark chocolate taste that came through without any bitterness and loved that the cocoa flavor was well-balanced with sweetness. 

This frosting continued to get high marks for its super smooth texture, which would pair well with a rich yellow cake for a classic American dessert. We were pleasantly surprised with this Aldi-exclusive frosting and are confident it could stand on its own against any batch of homemade frosting. Priced under $2, this chocolate frosting is a bargain.

Betty Crocker Hershey's Milk Chocolate was the unanimous winner. Why? Simply put, it tasted homemade. 

This delightful tub of frosting had the most intense, mouthwatering flavor, courtesy of Hershey's cocoa. One tester noted that it was like eating a Hershey's chocolate bar in frosting form. This frosting boasted the most authentic taste of chocolate of them all, with a level of sweetness that was just right and a gorgeous rich, deep brown color. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better chocolate frosting on the market.

Another big reason this frosting topped our list was its super smooth, velvety texture. It's a creamy dream of a frosting that spreads like butter. We would love it smothered over a batch of fudge brownies any day. Considering its delicious taste and affordable price, this frosting is a steal of a deal and the perfect alternative to homemade frosting. It is, hands-down, the frosting we'll be stocking in our pantries for when those inevitable baking emergencies hit.