Updated on February 19th, 2026
Growing up in Texas, Dr. Pepper became my favorite soda. After moving to Denmark, Dr. Pepper was hard to find, with only a handful of shops and supermarkets carrying it. However, a candy store in Roskilde regularly carries Dr. Pepper and occasionally special flavors. I thought it would be fun to try them and share my ranking of the Dr. Pepper flavors they had available.
What is Dr. Pepper?
Dr. Pepper is a carbonated soft drink brand introduced in 1885 in Waco, Texas. Dr. Pepper has a combination of 23 flavors, with the main notes being cherry and vanilla. However, all 23 ingredients are unconfirmed by Dr. Pepper, and they are simply listed as “natural and artificial flavors” on the cans and packaging. Dr. Pepper is sold across the US as well as in Europe, Asia, South America, and other countries. With that said, I am excited to share my ranking of the Dr. Pepper flavors!
Ranking Dr. Pepper Flavors
#9 Dr. Pepper Cherry Vanilla
Classic Dr. Pepper already has a cherry and vanilla flavor. Therefore, I was unsure what to expect from the Dr. Pepper Cherry Vanilla soda. The soda does taste like regular Dr. Pepper, but it has a weird aftertaste that I do not like at all. I guess the flavor tastes more like vanilla than regular Dr. Pepper, but I did not care for it. I would not drink another can.
Rate: 2/10
#8 Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar
I do not drink zero-sugar sodas, but I was curious how the Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar held up to the classic Dr. Pepper flavor. The Zero Sugar version does have a similar taste to the original. However, it is not as sweet because it does not contain any sugar. Instead, Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar contains the artificial sweetener aspartame, and I can taste that there is an artificial sweetener instead of actual sugar (the regular Dr. Pepper sold in Denmark contains sugar and not high fructose corn syrup).
However, I am concerned by the use of aspartame because the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) classified aspartame as possibly carcinogenic to humans. Even though I am not drinking zero-sugar sodas regularly, that would make me second-guess drinking another can.
Rate: 3/10
#7 Dr. Pepper Vanilla Float
Despite being Dr. Pepper Vanilla Float flavor, it just tasted like regular Dr. Pepper. There was not a strong vanilla flavor, but there was also not a weird aftertaste like with the Dr. Pepper Cherry Vanilla. Furthermore, I thought the Float part would make it taste similar to the Dr. Pepper Cream Soda flavors, but there is no creaminess or vanilla ice cream-like flavor. I was disappointed that it just tasted like a plain Dr. Pepper. I definitely like the taste of Dr. Pepper, but I expected more flavor from this soda. If you wanted to make your own Dr. Pepper Vanilla Float, I think adding a can of classic Dr. Pepper to vanilla ice cream would be the way to go, as you could get the vanilla float flavor that way.
Rate: 5/10
#6 Dr. Pepper Cherry
The regular Dr. Pepper has a cherry flavor, so again, I was unsure what to expect. To me, it just tasted like regular Dr. Pepper with a somewhat stronger cherry flavor, which I did not care for that much. I would still drink Dr. Pepper Cherry, but I would prefer the original Dr. Pepper over this one.
Rate: 6/10
#5 Dr. Pepper Cherry Crush
Cherry Crush is a limited edition flavor, and I was curious how it would compare to Dr. Pepper Cherry. As I have previously mentioned, Dr. Pepper already has a cherry flavor, so I was unsure what would make this flavor different from the original Dr. Pepper. Cherry Crush does have a stronger cherry flavor, but it also has a sweet, candy-like flavor. The overall flavor was not overly sweet, and I quite enjoyed it. I would drink another can, but since Cherry Crush is a limited edition flavor, I have no idea how long it will be available to purchase.
Rate: 7/10
#4 Dr. Pepper Blackberry
Dr. Pepper Blackberry is the normal Dr. Pepper base with an added blackberry flavor. I enjoyed the combination, and the blackberry flavor is sweet, but not overpowering. Overall, the flavor is good, and I would drink another can of Dr. Pepper Blackberry.
Rate: 8/10
#3 Dr. Pepper & Cream Soda
This flavor combines Dr. Pepper with cream soda. Cream soda is often flavored with vanilla to taste like an ice cream float, and I can definitely taste the creamy vanilla flavor. Dr. Pepper & Cream Soda is for sure better than Dr. Pepper Vanilla Float, as there is the ice cream float flavor combined with the regular Dr. Pepper taste. The Dr. Pepper Cream Soda is one of the better flavors of Dr. Pepper, and I would drink another can.
Rate: 8/10
#2 Dr. Pepper
This is the classic Dr. Pepper flavor that has a cherry vanilla taste with hints of other flavors. I personally think Dr. Pepper has a great taste, and it definitely tastes different than other sodas like Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Also, Dr. Pepper sold in Denmark contains sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, which has a better flavor. A can of Dr. Pepper is definitely a nice treat after a long week or on a hot summer day.
Rate: 10/10
#1 Dr. Pepper Strawberries & Cream
I did doubt that any of the flavors could top regular Dr. Pepper because some of them used flavors already in Dr. Pepper, like cherry and vanilla, but they either did not taste good or were not that noticeable. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The Dr. Pepper Strawberries and Cream does taste like classic Dr. Pepper with added strawberry flavor. The Strawberries and Cream flavor is also like the Dr. Pepper Cream Soda flavor in that it adds a vanilla creaminess, but of course, the Strawberries and Cream has that extra strawberry flavor. I love the flavor, and I would pick up another can if I found it again.
Oh I LOVE Dr. Pepper! I didn’t know it originated in Texas! It is my second favorite soda after Coca-Cola 🙂
https://makeupisdelish.com/
That’s awesome that you love Dr. Pepper too! I’m actually not a fan of Coca-Cola or Pepsi so Dr. Pepper became my go-to because the flavor is quite different!
I love Dr. Pepper but it’s so hard to find here as well! I want to try the Cream Soda and Vanilla Float. It’s too bad the Cherry Vanilla left a weird aftertaste. Thanks for sharing, I wanna keep an eye out for these!
That’s a shame they’re hard for you to find too. I definitely recommend the Cream Soda flavor, and Cherry Vanilla wasn’t good at all!
Wow! I wasn’t aware that Dr. Pepper had such a diverse range. I’ve only tried the original flavour so far, but after seeing your top rating for Dr. Pepper Strawberries & Cream, I would love to try it.
They have even more variety in the US! If you come across the Strawberries & Cream flavor, I definitely recommend trying it!
I have not had Dr Pepper in FOREVER. It is fun to have with crushed ice on hot day with pizza! I will have to try the Strawberries and Cream.
Allie of
http://www.allienyc.com
Dr. Pepper is perfect to have on a hot day! I definitely recommend the Strawberries & Cream flavor if you can find it!
I’ve always liked Dr. Pepper but haven’t ever tried any of the variety! I think it’s so interesting that you rank Strawberries & Cream better than original–I’ll have to check it out next time I land stateside!
That’s awesome that you like Dr. Pepper too! The original Dr. Pepper is delicious, so if you do have a new flavor, you want it to add to the flavor of Dr. Pepper and actually taste good, and the Strawberries & Cream flavor did just that!