Author: Brandon

I recently stumbled across something on the internet suggesting that Missouri actually has 12 seasons. Right now, we are in the Spring of Deception, which is past Fool’s Spring and Second Winter, and just ahead of Third Winter, the Pollening, and Actual Spring. As funny as this is, it is also hauntingly accurate.

And here in the Spring of Deception, the weather has been in the upper 60s and lower 70s, which means it is a perfectly reasonable time to try Sonic’s new Oreo Big Scoop Cookie Dough Blast. (We have a chance of snow next weekend, which will usher in Third Winter, but I suppose there are plenty of people who say there is never a bad time for frozen desserts. Then there are those who crave ice cream even more when it’s cold; if you’re in either of these camps, please ignore my preamble.)

Here’s the bottom line about this Blast: I would gleefully consume this thing in real Winter, even the one we just got out of where we spent days in a row without the temperature getting above 0. It is just that good.

Sonic describes its new offering as “Real Ice Cream blended with cookie dough bites then topped with even more cookie dough bites, Oreo cookie pieces, and a big scoop of Oreo chocolate chip cookie dough.”

The first thing of note is that this is a legit Oreo cookie dough scoop. A fat golfball-sized chunk of tongue-numbingly delicious dough takes up a great deal of real estate on top of the Blast, meaning that it is quite possible to nick a nice spoonful with every bite. I’ve never had Oreo cookie dough, but from what I can tell, it’s like if some lovable klutz knocked a handful of Oreo into the batch of chocolate chip cookie dough they were whipping up in the mixer. In other words, divine.

Then, peppered around the dough mountain is a large amount of crumbled Oreo along with more dough pellets.

And here’s where I’ll explain why, while this thing is tremendous, it’s not perfect— the cookie dough pieces are a bit weird. They are VERY uniform in shape and size, which makes me wonder about their origin story. Additionally, the texture is a bit odd. Contrasted with the Oreo’s crunch and Sonic’s vanilla ice cream’s smooth creaminess, the cookie dough pieces come across as almost gummy.

But it’s a small quibble, really, as there is plenty of other magic happening in this styrofoam cylinder to make me forgive such a minor transgression.

You’ll also note that the nutrition is, well, maybe don’t even look at that. Because honestly, if you’re eating this, you know what you’re getting into. But I will suggest that I got a small, and I was actually satisfied eating about a fourth of it. This feels like the sort of thing you might want to split with a significant other. You could also probably make multiple desserts out of it.

No matter what you do, though, you should definitely make a plan to eat one. You’ll be glad you did.

Purchased Price: $4.79
Size: Small
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 820 calories, 50 grams of fat, 21 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol, 520 milligrams of sodium, 106 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 65 grams of sugar, and 11 grams of protein.

While not a lightning rod of conversation like, oh, say, pineapple on pizza, or ketchup on a hot dog, there are plenty of passionate parties on both sides of the “BBQ sauce on a hamburger” debate.

If you are on the oppositional side — believing that the “devil’s ketchup” has no place on a hamburger — this review probably isn’t for you. Nothing I have to say will convince you that it is a fine and just condiment to top your sandwich. If, however, you are staunchly on the “pro” side of the aisle, or are at the very least willing to keep an open mind and “see how things go,” you’ll want to read on.

Though this isn’t the drive-in chain’s first foray into buttered patties — it’s had a garlic butter version on at least a couple of occasions — or its first dance with BBQ sauce on a burger (its “hickory” variety of the sauce is still a customizable addition on the app). It is its first attempt at melding the two.

And so does it work?

In most ways, yes.

I’ve always been a fan of Sonic’s bacon. It feels like it runs a little thicker than most of their competitor’s, and it fits in well on this sandwich, adding some much needed chew. The BBQ sauce is described as a “honey” sauce, and it is, indeed, sweet. Because of the sauce and the “smoky mesquite butter” that tops the patty, you should know that this is a sloppy affair.

Additionally, I’ve always been a fan of Sonic’s American cheese. It melts well and tastes perfectly American. (Though I will say, two slices on a burger this size feels like a bit much; one would likely suffice.) The patty itself is juicy and definitely less dry than most other fast food burgers.

Though the toasted brioche bun isn’t anything special, it held up nicely to the onslaught of liquids. And while I am typically a “take-it-or-leave-it” connoisseur of pickles on a burger, these ones really stood out. Their tart acidity melded beautifully with the sauce’s sweetness, and their crunch added yet another excellent texture to the proceeding.

So what didn’t I like about this burger?

Really, my major complaint was with the lettuce. Quite frankly, I’m not sure lettuce even belongs on this style of burger. Even if you can make an argument that it does, you’re not likely to prove your point with the limp, wet, and warm shrubbery found here. Nor did the grilled onions add much, except to provide an arsenal of more small things to slide out of the burger’s bottom on a flume of butter with each bite. And finally, there wasn’t much of a “smokiness,” either, which, if you’re crowning your burger as “mesquite,” feels like a bit of a miss.

If you’re a BBQ burger fan, I’m confident you’ll like this. Just, you know, hold the lettuce. And maybe the onions. And what if you got a side of onion rings and slapped a couple of those fried halos under the bun? Hey Sonic, give me a call and let’s talk product development.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 690 calories,41 grams of fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 17 gram of saturated fat, 1780 milligrams of sodium, 47 grams of total carbohydrates, 18 gram of total sugars, 3 gram of fiber, and 33 grams of protein.