Blizzards are a popular frozen dessert treat from Dairy Queen consisting of soft serve ice cream blended with mix-ins like candy pieces, cookies, brownies, and more. With so many delicious Blizzard flavors to choose from like Oreo, Reese’s, Heath Bar, and Snickers, it can be hard to decide which one to get. If you’re looking for the Blizzard with the fewest calories, this guide will compare the calorie counts across Dairy Queen’s lineup of Blizzards to determine the lightest options. We’ll look at the classic Blizzard flavors as well as the seasonal and limited edition options and break down how ingredients impact the calorie counts. Read on to find out which Blizzards have the least calories so you can satisfy your frozen dessert craving without overdoing it on calories.
Comparing Calories in Classic Blizzard Flavors
Dairy Queen’s classic Blizzard lineup includes popular flavors like Oreo, Reese’s, M&M’s, Heath Bar, and more. Here’s a breakdown of how the classic Blizzards compare calorie-wise in a small 16oz serving:
| Blizzard Flavor | Calories (16oz) |
|---|---|
| Vanilla | 540 |
| Chocolate | 610 |
| Oreo | 730 |
| Reese’s | 840 |
| M&M’s | 790 |
| Heath Bar | 830 |
| Butterfinger | 860 |
| Choco Cherry Love | 670 |
As you can see, the classic flavor with the least calories is the Vanilla Blizzard, with 540 calories in a small 16oz serving. This is because vanilla ice cream tends to have fewer calories than chocolate ice cream. The vanilla soft serve in this Blizzard provides a creamy base with no extra mix-ins to boost the calorie count.
Some other relatively low-calorie options in the classic lineup are the Choco Cherry Love Blizzard at 670 calories and the Chocolate Blizzard at 610 calories. The chocolate-based flavors ring in with modestly higher calorie counts than vanilla due to the richer cocoa ice cream base.
On the higher calorie end, flavors like Reese’s, Butterfinger, and Heath Bar all top 800 calories for a small serving. The calorie counts climb for these Blizzards since they are packed with mix-ins like peanut butter, chocolate, caramel, and candy pieces which significantly increase the calories.
So if you’re limiting calories, your best bet for the classic Blizzard flavors is to stick with the vanilla or chocolate options. But if you have a little more room in your diet, the Oreo and M&M’s Blizzards keep the calorie counts slightly lower than candy bar-filled options.
Comparing Calories in Seasonal Blizzard Flavors
In addition to the classic flavors, Dairy Queen also rotates in new limited edition seasonal Blizzards throughout the year. Options like Pumpkin Pie, Cotton Candy, and Snickers have joined the lineup for fall and winter. How do the calorie counts compare for these seasonal Blizzards? Here’s a look:
| Blizzard Flavor | Calories (16oz) |
|---|---|
| Pumpkin Pie | 630 |
| Cotton Candy | 670 |
| Snickers | 910 |
| Caramel Waffle Bowl Sundae | 970 |
The Pumpkin Pie Blizzard is one of the lightest options, clocking in at 630 calories for a small size. This harvest-flavored treat blends pumpkin pie filling into the soft serve for a lower calorie profile thanks to the lack of chocolate or candy additions.
Similarly, the Cotton Candy Blizzard rings in at 670 calories. The sweet spun sugar flavor comes from light and fluffy cotton candy blended throughout instead of heavier ingredients.
However, the Snickers and Caramel Waffle Bowl varieties pack a bigger calorie punch. The rich chocolate, caramel, nougat, and peanuts in the Snickers Blizzard add up to 910 calories. And the Caramel Waffle Bowl Sundae Blizzard with its waffle bowl, caramel, and extra toppings totals 970 calories.
So if you want a seasonal Blizzard but are watching your calorie intake, the Pumpkin Pie and Cotton Candy varieties are your best bets. But the Snickers and Caramel Waffle Bowl Blizzards are better left for a splurge.
Comparing Calories in Limited Edition Blizzard Flavors
Dairy Queen has surprised fans over the years with unique limited edition Blizzard flavors like Oreo Hot Cocoa, Frosted Animal Cookie, and Red Velvet Cake. These specialty options are only available for a short time. Here’s how the calorie counts stack up:
| Blizzard Flavor | Calories (16oz) |
|---|---|
| Oreo Hot Cocoa | 740 |
| Frosted Animal Cookie | 820 |
| Red Velvet Cake | 670 |
The Oreo Hot Cocoa Blizzard brings the calorie count up slightly to 740 with its rich cocoa and chocolate cookie pieces blended in. And the sweet Frosted Animal Cookie Blizzard tops out at 820 calories with all those extra cookie mix-ins.
But the Red Velvet Cake Blizzard provides a lower calorie option at 670 calories. The red velvet cake flavor comes from cake pieces swirled into creamy soft serve instead of a more calorie-dense chocolate base.
So among the limited edition flavors, Red Velvet Cake is your best bet if limiting calories. But if you want to try the novel Oreo Hot Cocoa or Frosted Animal Cookie flavors, the calorie counts stay somewhat in check thanks to portion control with the 16oz size.
Lowest Calorie Blizzard Options
Based on Dairy Queen’s extensive Blizzard lineup, here are the 5 flavors with the lowest calorie counts:
| Blizzard Flavor | Calories (16oz) |
|---|---|
| Vanilla | 540 |
| Pumpkin Pie | 630 |
| Red Velvet Cake | 670 |
| Cotton Candy | 670 |
| Choco Cherry Love | 670 |
As you can see, the vanilla Blizzard takes the top spot with 540 calories. This classic flavor minimizes calories by sticking to creamy vanilla soft serve as the base.
Pumpkin Pie and Red Velvet Cake ring in at 630 and 670 calories respectively by using lighter pie filling and cake pieces instead of chocolate and candy. And the Choco Cherry Love and Cotton Candy options creatively capture sweet flavors with chocolate cherries and airy cotton candy, keeping calories in check.
So if you’re counting calories, these 5 Blizzard flavors let you enjoy the iconic frozen treat while maintaining your healthy diet. You can feel good about indulging in moderation with these lighter options.
Factors That Increase Calories in Blizzards
While Blizzard calories can vary widely based on the flavor, certain ingredients drive up the calorie count more than others:
– Chocolate ice cream – Chocolate or cocoa soft serve is higher in calories than vanilla or other ice cream bases. The rich chocolate flavor adds extra fat and calories over vanilla or fruit bases.
– Candy – Mix-ins like M&M’s, Reese’s Pieces, gummi bears, and Heath Bar pieces contribute extra calories from sugar and fat. The more candy mixed in, the higher the calorie count climbs.
– Cookies/Brownies – Ingredients like Oreo cookies, chocolate chip cookie dough, brownies, and waffle cone pieces pile on calories from added sugar and fat.
– Caramel/Fudge – Drizzles of caramel or fudge significantly increase the calorie content thanks to the dense sweeteners.
– Peanut butter – Blizzards with a peanut butter swirl or pieces like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups get a good portion of calories from the nutty spread.
– More toppings – The more toppings included like hot fudge, whipped cream, nuts, etc., the higher the calories accumulate.
So if calories are a concern, Blizzard lovers can minimize them by opting for fruit or vanilla soft serve bases and avoiding excessive candy, cookie, chocolate, caramel, and peanut butter mix-ins. Watching portion sizes also keeps calories under control when enjoying these decadent frozen treats.
Low Calorie Blizzard Hacks
If you want to enjoy your favorite Blizzard flavor but cut the calories, here are some hacks to try:
– Size down – Order a mini Blizzard or kids size. You’ll get the same great taste for fewer calories.
– Substitute toppings – Ask for fresh fruit or light whipped topping instead of fudge or caramel.
– Easy on candy/cookie add-ins – Request just half the usual amount of candy or cookie mix-ins to reduce calories.
– Soft serve only – Get just the vanilla or chocolate soft serve minus heavy mix-ins for a lighter treat.
– Split with a friend – Share a small Blizzard for portion control.
– Water it down – Blend in a few spoonfuls of milk to lighten up the thickness.
– Add banana – Blend in slices of banana to add nutrition without affecting taste.
– No cone – Skip the cone in favor of a cup to avoid those extra carbs and calories.
With smart customizations and controlled portions, you can still indulge in Blizzards without sabotaging your healthy eating regimen.
Conclusion
If you’re craving a Blizzard but want to keep calories in check, opt for the vanilla soft serve or seasonal picks like Pumpkin Pie and Cotton Candy. Limit chocolate, candy, cookie, caramel, and peanut butter additions that can ramp up calories. And don’t forget the tricks like choosing a mini, splitting with a friend, or watering it down to enjoy this iconic DQ treat the healthier way. Now you can quell that Blizzard craving and feel good about your treat choice!
