Goldfish Spicy Dill Pickle Crackers Review: Does The New Flavor Bring The Heat?

Plenty of flavors and fun ideas have come to pass for Goldfish crackers, including a sandwich bread in the shape of a giant Goldfish. However, there has inexplicably never been a pickle flavor sold by the brand; the delicious salt and vinegar Goldfish Crisps is about as close as we've gotten in recent memory. Alas, this lack of a bona fide pickle flavor didn't stop fans from demanding one. In 2024, Goldfish is finally heeding the call with its new and limited time offering of Goldfish Spicy Dill Pickle crackers, and we had the chance to give them a try.

A Dill Pickle Goldfish cracker sounds like a true wish fulfillment, but is adding a spicy kick to it too much of a bold first step? The brand is familiar with the hot stuff, having recently collaborated with Frank's, so we may have to give it the benefit of the doubt. As an unabashed pickle lover, I was happy to accept this mission to see what the dill-yo is with Goldfish Spicy Dill Pickle crackers. This chew and review is based on taste, pickleness, and overall lovability.

Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

After tearing open my bag of Goldfish Spicy Dill Pickle Crackers, my nose was immediately drawn to the strong dill pickle aroma that was being emitted from within. I poured some of the Goldfish into my hand for a closer whiff and the dill smell was even more prevalent to the point of refreshing. Before I proceeded, I peered over the fish, noticing they had a pale orange complexion, dotted with small flecks of green dill flakes. They looked a little less puffy than standard Goldfish, but with an eye and smile, there's no denying they belong to the same school of snacks.

These Goldfish have the usual cracker crunch one expects from the brand. The taste does invoke that of a pickle, but cannot nearly achieve the same dill-y heights that the smell was giving off. There is a bit of a sneaky spice that comes through in the backend of a bite. It's nothing to break a sweat about, but a nice break in the action before munching begins on the next cracker. It's a solid snack for pickle lovers, and perhaps a change of pace for Goldfish fans looking for something new.

There are five servings in each 6.1-ounce bag of Goldfish Spicy Dill Crackers, and each serving is approximately 55 Goldfish. That serving is good for 140 calories, 6 grams of total fat, .5 grams of saturated fat, 320 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of total carbohydrates, 3 grams of protein, and less than one total gram of total sugars and dietary fiber. To make up for the latter, there are many other ways to add fiber to your diet.

The Goldfish Spicy Dill Crackers are made with enriched wheat flour, vegetable oil, salt, and contains 2% or less of nonfat milk, yeast, sodium diacetate, sugar, baking soda, spices (including dill), celery, citric acid, garlic, and onion powders, red chili peppers, monocalcium phosphate, yeast extract, paprika (color), vinegar powder, dill oil, natural flavor, and parsley. These goldfish contain the common allergens of wheat and milk.

Goldfish Spicy Dill Pickle Crackers are only available for a limited time while supplies last, and are slowly rolling out into grocery stores, retailers, and convenience stores nationwide.

The suggested retail price for a single bag is $3.69. On the Goldfish website, a 2-pack is available for $7.38.

Goldfish Spicy Dill Pickle Crackers achieve exactly what the namesake promises. On that alone, these Goldfish are worthy of trying, especially for those who have been clamoring for this glorious day. They are not, however, any kind of replacement for the genuine article. 

After my initial taste test, I cracked open a jar of dill pickles for comparing and contrasting purposes. Turns out there was no comparison. A pickle is going to beat something pickle-like every time. However, I eventually started to eat them together, because, why not? The juice of the pickle added to the savoriness of the crackers, and in turn, the crackers added a unique, textured second crunch to the pickle. 

Now that Goldfish has finally crossed the dill pickle flavor Rubicon, where does it go from here? I'm not one for sweet pickles, but how about getting all "swicy" with a bread & butter pickle meets Frank's Red Hot-flavored Goldfish? That's a rather swimmingly good idea, no?