Gwynedd Stuart
If it’s been a minute since you perused the selection of Goldfish flavors at the grocery store, you’ve probably missed out on some pret-ty big developments in very tiny crackers. Did you know about Goldfish Crisps, the original crackers’ crunchier, potato-ier counterparts? Or how about all the sweet Goldfish that are delightfully reminiscent of Teddy Grahams? If you’ve been limiting yourself to the regular ol’ Cheddar guys, you’re missing out on a lot of Pepperidge Farm innovation—although, we gotta say, Cheddar Goldfish are a classic for a reason …
In two separate taste tests (one of which you can watch above), we rounded up well over a dozen different Goldfish cracker flavors and varieties—Crisps! Mega! Pretzels!—to find the best Goldfish flavor of them all. Then we ranked the good ones (only the good ones) from should try to GOTTA TRY. Here are 13 Goldfish flavors that will make you smile back. Note: Sweet Goldfish and savory Goldfish are so different, we didn’t think they could logically be ranked together, so we broke out the sweet ones we liked and ranked those separately.
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Sweet
- Goldfish Grahams Vanilla Cupcake
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I don’t know how they did it, but these Goldfish Grahams really taste like a vanilla cupcake, frosting and cake and all. They have a little tang like frosting has and the vanilla flavor tastes like batter. That cake batter flavor will certainly be too cloying for some people, but, hey, they nailed that cupcake flavor.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Goldfish Grahams Cinnamon Roll
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I always loved cinnamon Teddy Grahams, but these are better. They’re buttery and highly spiced without tasting like the contents of a spice cabinet. The grahams are crunchy but tender—they’d be great with milk, but they aren’t so dry that you’ll choke if you don’t have a glass of it next to you. These are the best Goldfish if you need something sweet after dinner but can’t commit to a whole-ass cookie.
Credit: Liv Averett / Albertsons
Goldfish!
Goldfish!
Savory
- Goldfish Pretzels
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Including these on a list of the best Goldfish flavors might be a controversial decision, but I’m a boundary-pushing, rule-breaking kind of guy. They’re a little dry. They don’t have a lot of flavor. But they’re pretzels! Pretzels are a little dry and the only flavor they need is that good, toasty wheat flour flavor that really comes through in these little dudes. The distribution of salt crystals is great. I want to pour these into a bowl of beer cheese soup and absolutely go to town. They’re the best Goldfish if you want something completely different than the Goldfish you’re used to. (Note: If Goldfish Pretzels are simply too bland for you, Pepperidge Farm has some new flavored pretzels coming out this year, and they’re GOOD.)
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Goldfish Crisps Sour Cream & Onion
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Okay, this isn’t our favorite version of sour cream and onion seasoning, because there’s a little bit of a weird sweetness to it. It almost tastes like low fat sour cream—there’s just not enough not enough creaminess. All the same, I would eat an entire dang bag of these Goldfish Crisps in one dang sitting. They’re very herb-y, which made them remind us more of Ranch-flavored chips (BTW, Ranch Goldfish are coming soon and they’re also GOOD),
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Goldfish Crisps Salt & Vinegar
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On the puffy, crunchy, cheese-free Goldfish Crisps crackers, salt and vinegar seasoning really packs a punch. I’ll be honest: I miss the cheesy flavor of other Goldfish here, but these Goldfish Crisps have a bright tang that’s pretty addictive.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Goldfish Crisps Cheddar
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You know that kind of fake-y cheese flavor some snacks have? The kind in Kraft Mac & Cheese powder or Sour Cream & Cheddar Lay’s? These Goldfish Crisps have that, but I’ll be damned if they don’t taste great. If you can make peace with that bright-orange powdery cheddar flavor, it really tastes so good with the baked-in flavor of the Crisps themselves.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Pizza Goldfish
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There’s something so, so nostalgic about Pizza Goldfish. They’re not very cheesy tasting, but they do taste like tomato sauce with a healthy dose of oregano. These are really fun; a little sweet but definitely savory. They aren’t coated in flavor dust (read on for Flavor Blasted Xtra Cheesy Pizza), so they feel less indulgent. This is still a good, healthy baggie snack for kids. I’m glad these exist. They remind me of school pizza, and I fantasize about school pizza all the time.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Flavor Blasted Xtra Cheesy Pizza
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These ranked way higher in our original ranking of the best Goldfish flavors, but in our second taste test we decided that they’re a little too niche for some people. If you don’t like oregano, you won’t like these. But the profile isn’t all herbs—there’s lots of garlic and tomato in the mix, too. If you don’t mind powdery, flavor-blasted snacks, these are tasty.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Spicy Dill Pickle Goldfish Crisps
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We like these Goldfish Crisps so much they won a Sporked Award! But (big but), they’re not really for kids. They’re genuinely spicy, and the heat builds as you eat. Plus, they’re so authentically pickle-y—dilly AND briny, not just one or the other. And the crunch of the crisps is unmatched, a perfect texture for a snappy pickle seasoning. They’re the best Goldfish if you can handle heat.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Goldfish Baby Cheddar
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We learned that slightly larger Goldfish taste worse (why do Goldfish Mega Bites exist?), but slightly smaller ones? They taste great. In fact, they taste pretty much exactly like the #1 best Goldfish on this list, but they’re more adorable. Same as Mega Bites, we don’t totally know why they exist, but unlike Mega Bites we’re glad they do!
Credit: Merc / Target
- Parmesan Goldfish
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Parm is my personal favorite Goldfish flavor, and I hope I can convince people who like their Goldfish unblasted to give Parmesan a shot. In terms of that baked-in cheese flavor Goldfish are famous for, these are just so much more flavorful than Cheddar. They’re salty, nutty, and super savory. I don’t find myself eating canned pasta all that often, but these would really turn a bowl of SpaghettiOs into an Italian feast. These are definitely less popular than Cheddar Goldfish, and if they’re ever discontinued as a result, I blame all of you!
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Flavor Blasted Xtra Cheddar
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These are tamer than the Xtra Cheesy Pizza Goldfish, but they still taste big and bold. The cheddar powder that enrobes these little crackers so wonderfully complements the baked-in cheddar flavor that you know and love. I did not expect to love these as much as I do (the bag is a little obnoxious looking), but they wound up being our second favorite Goldfish flavor.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Cheddar Goldfish
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The last time we ranked Goldfish, we didn’t give Cheddar Goldfish the credit they’re due. I’ll say it loud for the folks in the back: Cheddar Goldfish are basically perfect. They have a subtle, baked-in cheese flavor, a lovely crunch, and a clean-finger eating experience. The best Goldfish flavor and a classic for a reason.
Credit: Merc / Vons
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