The Iconic Dairy Queen Treat We'd Trade The World To Try Again For The First Time

On a hot summer day, if there's a Dairy Queen nearby, you're probably going to see a line out the door. Founded back in 1938, Dairy Queen has been serving up frozen treats for nearly 90 years. Sure, it offers burgers and hot dogs, but it's the ice cream that draws people in. It's right there in the name. While the chain's soft serve cones with the little swirl on top are iconic and make a delicious sundae, the Blizzard is Dairy Queen's best offering. Honestly, it might be the best frozen dessert of any fast food chain.

When Tasting Table covered 12 of the most memorable, craveable fast food items we'd love to try again for the first time, our writer reserved a spot for the Blizzard. "Not only is the texture of Blizzards elite, but I also love the fact that there are so many flavors to choose from," our writer said, and that's the secret to the Blizzard's success. At any given moment, Dairy Queen will have at least a dozen Blizzard flavors available.

"The M&M's variety was always my favorite when I was younger, but now, I get more excited about the limited-time flavors," our reviewer said. Oreo, brownie batter, and cookie dough are classic flavors you'll find at almost any Dairy Queen. But the limited-time offerings are seasonal and often vary by location. These can range from S'mores to Cotton Candy to Choco Frosted Donut.

Dairy Queen Blizzards aren't technically ice cream according to the official FDA definition. The soft serve only has 5% butterfat, while ice cream requires 10%. While it does meet the definition of low-fat ice cream, Dairy Queen calls it soft serve. It is also served at 27 degrees Fahrenheit, which keeps it smooth and creamy rather than rock hard like ice cream in your home freezer. Once it's blended with your favorite ingredients at a Dairy Queen store, the mixture is packed tightly into the cup so it can be flipped upside down to show off just how thick it is.

Aside from the many flavors available on the regular menu, making a secret menu Blizzard an option. Most Dairy Queen locations are happy to mix any of the ingredients on hand to create your own custom Blizzard. For example, you could order an Oreo Blizzard with strawberry sauce mixed in.

You can get really creative and think outside the box with custom Blizzards. A Banana Bread Blizzard requires bananas, chocolate chunks, and crushed graham crackers as add-ins. Or make a PB&J Blizzard with peanut butter topping and either strawberry or raspberry sauce. Dairy Queen serves bacon on hamburgers, so you could really push the envelope and try a Bacon Praline Blizzard by mixing in crispy bacon, caramel, and pecans. This flexibility is what sets the Dairy Queen Blizzard apart from nearly every other frozen treat, combining smooth soft serve with nearly endless mix-in options to create its signature thick, creamy texture.