The decision is a very hard one. Should you go traditional or a little more out there? It's hot and all you want is that nice cold treat. But which flavor are you going to go with? If you want to follow what other Americans do, chocolate is the way to go, as over one-quarter (27 percent) say it is one of their two favorite ice cream flavors, followed by vanilla (23 percent) and cookie dough/cookies and cream (22 percent).

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,242 adults surveyed online between July 17 and 22, 2013 by Harris Interactive.

For one in five Americans, butter pecan/Swiss almond is tops (19 percent), as is mint chocolate chip (19 percent), followed by strawberry (14 percent), rocky road (12 percent) and peanut butter (10 percent). Less than one in ten U.S. adults say one of their two favorite flavors is coffee (9 percent), cherry vanilla (8 percent), pistachio (7 percent), black raspberry (6 percent), a seasonal flavor such as eggnog or pumpkin (5 percent) or peach (3 percent). One in ten (10 percent) have a different favorite flavor, and 2 percent say they do not eat ice cream.

There is a little bit of gender divide when it comes to favorite flavor. For women, chocolate is on top (29 percent), followed by mint chocolate chip (23 percent) and cookie dough/cookies and cream (22 percent). For men, vanilla is the narrow favorite (27 percent), then chocolate (26 percent) and cookie dough/cookies and cream (21 percent).

How do you want that?

Now, once the flavor is chosen, the decision doesn't end there. How should you actually eat the ice cream? More than two in five Americans (45 percent) say their favorite way to eat ice cream is in a cup, followed by cone (31 percent), sundae (16 percent), and sandwich (4 percent) while 5 percent say their favorite way to eat ice cream is something else – maybe in a cake? Men are more likely than women to prefer cups (49 percent versus 42 percent) and sundaes (17 percent versus 14 percent). Women, however, are more likely to say their favorite way to eat ice cream is in a cone (36 percent versus 25 percent).

And, any toppings?

Now there is one more major decision to make. Are you in the mood for something crunchy, or maybe something warm? Maybe there's a choice for something a little 'healthy,' or even pure decadence? Ah, what topping should you have on that ice cream?

Over half of Americans (53 percent) say hot fudge is among their favorite toppings for ice cream, followed by two in five who say nuts (41 percent). Just under two in five say whipped cream is among their favorite toppings (39 percent), while 38 percent say caramel. Three in ten say their favorite is fruit, such as strawberries or bananas (31 percent), while one in five choose sprinkles (20 percent), followed by 17 percent who go for candy bits and one in ten who say marshmallow (11 percent). There are some purists out there, as 16 percent say they prefer their ice cream plain.

Source: Harris Interactive

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