We Ordered the Pickle Juice Slush from Sonic. Here’s What Happened.

Updated: Jul. 03, 2023

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Is it sweet? Is it sour? Does it actually taste like pickles? You're about to find out!

There’s just something about pickles… I’ve been crunching them obsessively ever since I was five! That’s when my parents took me to Eppes Essen, a deli in Livingston, New Jersey, where the deeply green sour pickles were served in briny bottomless metal bowls studded with coriander seeds and peppercorns. (Psst: You might be able to recreate the flavor with classic pickle recipes like Grandma used to make.)

So I was thrilled when pickle-flavored potato chips landed on grocery shelves and was “pickled” pink when pickle ice cream became a thing. Now Sonic is on the pickle bandwagon with its brand new Snow Cone Slush flavor, Pickle Juice. I had to have one!

Finding the Pickle Juice

It’s hard to find a Sonic when you live in New York. (Thank goodness for Sonic copycat recipes!) But I was lucky enough to be in Chicago for the weekend, where there were two Sonic locations to choose from, and one was only a 7-minute drive from the airport. I could tell the nice man at the register seemed really pleased when I ordered my Pickle Juice slush, so I asked him if I was the first all day. He laughed and said, “No, ma’am! But you’re the first who didn’t ask for an add-in.” (By “add-in,” he meant lemon, strawberry, lime or pineapple flavoring, as well as candy add-ins like Popping Candy and Nerds.)

Nope, I’m a pickle purist, I told him, and he promptly went to get my pure Pickle Juice slush order.

How It Tasted

I was surprised that the color wasn’t the audacious electric green I was expecting. (To be honest, I was kind of relieved about that, actually.) It was more like the color of a homemade margarita. I was also surprised by the scent: pickles! But of course! Why should I have been surprised? I just didn’t think it was possible to capture that scent in a slush. But what was most surprising was how the flavor evolved as I drank it.

At first: The sweetness dominated
After a moment or so: As my tongue got cold, and perhaps my sweet-tastebuds fatigued a bit…there it was! Pickles! It tastes like pickles! Again, why should I have been surprised?
As the surprise element faded: Wait, is that salt? Perhaps a subtle hint of lime?

Ultimately, I’d call it sweet and tangy and super-refreshing, like a pickle-flavored margarita. (Hey, there’s an idea, right?) I would order it again—but maybe Sonic will bring it to the grocery store. Next, try this delicious cotton candy pickle.

Recipes to Make When You're Obsessed with Pickles

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Taste of Home

Air-Fryer Pickles Enjoy deep-fried pickles? You’ll love this version even more. Dill pickle slices are coated with panko bread crumbs and spices, then air-fried until crispy. Dip them in ranch dressing for an appetizer you won’t soon forget. —Nick Iverson, Denver, Colorado Also, check what is a pickle all about! Go to Recipe

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