How Dairy Queen's Blizzard Has Changed Over The Years

When you think Dairy Queen you think Blizzard. You might also think about cherry dip, and Dillybars or, depending on your age, the chicken strip basket. But somewhere in that delirious hungry dream, you will think of the not-technically-ice cream, not-quite-shake frozen treat that is the backbone of the DQ dessert menu.

That's right. Ice cream is defined by the milk fat content, and Blizzards do not meet the requirement of "not less than 10 percent milkfat, nor less than 10 percent nonfat milk solids." It doesn't make much of a difference to us. We are still down to swing by Dairy Queen each month to try the newest Blizzard flavor.

While the recipe for this treat has more-or-less stayed the same over the decades since it was introduced, many things about it have changed. From the processes that go into making it to the different sizes and varieties now available, here are all the ways Dairy Queen's Blizzard has changed through the years.

Contrary to what you might think, Blizzards are a relatively modern invention. The first Dairy Queen franchise locations started popping up starting in 1940, but it would be another 45 years before the menu was graced with the miracle that is the Blizzard. 

Dairy Queen first added Blizzards to the menu in 1985. At the time, it was only available in two sizes, small and large, and you could choose from four mix-ins — Oreo, M&Ms, Heath Bars, and Snickers — and 10 syrups. Somehow, there ended up being a whopping 35 flavor combinations to try.

It didn't take long for word to spread of the Blizzard's legendary status. In less than a year, it was a DQ staple. By September of 1986, Dairy Queen was anticipating that it would sell 175 million Blizzards in that year alone, doubling the number from the previous year. From the start, it was clear that the Blizzard wasn't just a fan favorite; it was the next big thing for the brand. The company leaned into it hard, and soon the Blizzard was the chain's signature item.

These days, Dairy Queen has dozens of candies and mix-ins that it didn't in the '80s, like Reese's, Butterfinger, and cookie dough. Each of these comes shipped pre-crushed and ready to be used immediately. But it wasn't always this way for the chain. In fact, at the beginning of the Blizzard endeavor employees were chopping up candy by hand.

It quickly became clear that this would be a pretty unsustainable practice for such a popular product. Early on, pre-crushed product from Heath was shipped directly to Dairy Queen, but other partners like the Mars company were unmovable and ruthless. An M&M/Mars spokesperson even told the chain that the company would not sell unwrapped or broken bars. Was it a threat or a promise?

Neither, as it turns out. Inevitably the popularity of Blizzards and its many competitors forced Mars and other candy giants to force their hands. It was likely the more profitable decision in the end.

Over the years, Dairy Queen changed the Blizzard as it made partnerships with other brands to expand the mix-ins menu. Soon, there would be a bunch of candies and sweets to choose from and by 2003, we were getting a new Blizzard flavor every single month.

In 2003, Dairy Queen introduced the Blizzard of the Month program. Every month since, there has been a new (or at very least limited-time only return of an old favorite) Blizzard favorite. At most Dairy Queen locations there is a selection of Blizzards, including the famed Oreo flavor and the OG Reese's, that you can get any year, any time of the year. Other flavors will come and go seasonally, but one constant certainty is that there will always be another Blizzard of the Month.

As the years went on, the Blizzard got bigger; and, in this instance, we aren't just talking about popularity. In 2005, the Dairy Queen Blizzard got literally super-sized. The largest Blizzard that has (still to this day) ever been created was erected that year and it even set a Guinness world record.

This record-breaking endeavor was actually the second time Massachusetts Dairy Queen franchise owner Mark Cowles tried and succeeded to make a massive Blizzard. In 1999, he set out to create the world's biggest frozen dessert and accomplished just that. But six years later, as part of the Blizzard's 20-year anniversary, he broke his own record by creating a 22-foot Blizzard.

This towering 8,224.85-pound monolith set the record for the largest blended soft-serve dessert. This edible piece of art required 700 gallons of Blizzard mix to pull off.

On the opposite end of the size spectrum, Dairy Queen eventually introduced the smallest iteration of the Blizzard yet. In 2010, Mini Blizzards were added to the DQ menu as a new size option.

At the start, Dairy Queen had just two sizes of blizzard: a 12-ounce small and a 21-ounce large. Sometime between the late 1980s and 2010, the chain added a 16-ounce medium to the lineup as well. In 2010, the Mini Blizzard hit the menu, weighing in at 6 ounces, half the size of the previous smallest offering.

In 2010, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee found evidence that documented a positive relationship between portion size and body weight. Fast food chains were pressured to make adjustments, and the Mini Blizzard may very well be a result of these findings.

You know, we're still not quite sure what makes these upgraded Blizzards worthy of being called Royal. In our books all Dairy Queen Blizzards are royalty, but in 2016 the frozen treat chain upped its game with these indulgent new variants on the classic.

Essentially, you take a traditional Blizzard treat and inject it with a healthy dose of fudge inside the core of your dessert. And it doesn't have to be fudge, although that is what comes with the Oreo Royal Blizzard. The Strawberry Cheesecake Royal Blizzard that launched alongside its chocolatey brethren has a sweet strawberry filling in its core, making the treat even more indulgent and amazing.

In the years since, dozens of variations of Royal Blizzards have seen Dairy Queens nationwide. There have also been expansions beyond the first group of cores, which include Peanut Butter and Marshmallow among others.

Recently, Dairy Queen made what is perhaps the biggest change to its soft serve recipe since the Blizzard's inception. In 2021, the chain officially made the move to use cage-free eggs in all of its products. This initiative would eventually grow to include the ingredients for the Blizzard. This is part of a company-wide move on behalf of sustainability and animal rights.

In 2016, Dairy Queen went on record announcing the beginning of its transition to using eggs that come from cage-free chickens in all its products. This initiative was promised to be complete by 2025 and in 2021 the switch was fully made for Blizzards. Ever since then, the frozen treat has been made with eggs that come from cage-free chickens. This is an important change that represents a major step forward for Dairy Queen and its public image.

The price you will pay for a Blizzard is admittedly much higher than it was in 1985. When the treat first debuted, it cost $1.29 for a 12-ounce size and $1.99 for 21 ounces. When the Mini Blizzards debuted in 2010, they cost between $1.99 to $2.49. At the time, the smallest size on the menu was the price that the largest size was when the item first dropped; and prices have only gone up since 2010.

Increasing prices is one reason why the 2023 marketing stunt that Dairy Queen pulled was such a big deal. In April, there was a nationwide deal exclusive to the DQ mobile app that allowed patrons to get a small Blizzard for just 85 cents. In celebration of the year the Blizzard was invented, this low price was available to rewards members on the app for two weeks between April 10 and 23. If you managed to snag an almost-free Blizzard during this period, we take our hats off to you.

We've already mentioned some of the big flavors of the month that have gone down in the taste bud history halls. Mint Oreo and Brownie Batter are winners that have returned time and time again. In addition to the most popular flavors, dozens of fan-favorite Blizzards have come and gone over the course of recorded Blizzard of the Month history. It's tricky though, because once a flavor is introduced, it doesn't necessarily mean you'll see it again, and if you do, it could take quite some time.

Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie made its debut in August of 2009 and didn't return again by popular demand until 2021! The peppermint chocolate-flavored Candy Cane Chill has been a flavor of the month a total of eight Decembers since its first appearance in 2009. Recent beloved flavors that have been discontinued — at least temporarily — include Oreo Cheesecake, Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough, and Red Velvet Cake.