Quick Answer: Buy Maille Original Cornichons (about $6): French-made and properly sour. Budget: Trader Joe's (about $2.69), but sweeter. Special: Edmond Fallot Extra Fine (about $10).
Our top picks
Cornichons are tiny sour pickles, the classic partner for pâté, salami and rich cheese. No taste test exists, so we picked on ingredients, origin and price.
All 8 picks
Prices are typical, checked October 2026. Jar sizes vary by store.
Best overall
Maille Original Cornichons
- Size
- 13.5–14 oz jar
- Made in
- France
- Sugar
- None in the ingredients
Why it's here: The classic French jar, and the easiest one to find at big supermarkets.
Watch out: The label lists sulfites, and jar size varies between 13.5 and 14 oz.
Why we picked it (sources)
Ingredients are cucumbers, water, spirit vinegar, onion, salt, mustard and coriander seed, calcium chloride, sulfites and natural flavor, Product of France (Stop & Shop). Publix says they're picked young for "an extra-tart bite" (Publix). Amazon's regular price was $5.89 in July 2026 (Slickdeals).
Best budget
Trader Joe's Cornichons
- Price
- About $2.69 (one shopper's report)
- Where
- Trader Joe's only
- Style
- Onion, tarragon, mustard seed
Why it's here: The lowest price we found, and fine for a casual board.
Watch out: Tasting Table ranked it last of 10 Trader Joe's pickle products and called it "extremely sweet."
Why we picked it (sources)
A blogger who shops for French foods reported $2.69 and called it more affordable than Maille (Everyday Parisian). Tasting Table placed it 10th of 10 (Tasting Table).
Easiest to find
Roland Extra Fine Cornichons
- Size
- 12 oz jar
- Made in
- India (retail jar)
- Herbs
- Onion, tarragon, mustard seed
Why it's here: A mainstream supermarket jar in the classic tarragon style.
Watch out: Kroger's description says white wine vinegar, but the ingredient list says distilled vinegar. Read the jar you buy.
Splurge
Edmond Fallot Extra Fine Cornichons
- Size
- 6.7 oz jar
- Made in
- France
- Herbs
- Tarragon, onion, mustard and coriander seed
Why it's here: A specialty French jar for a luxury board or a gift basket.
Watch out: The most expensive per ounce here, and mostly sold by online specialty shops.
Why we picked it (sources)
igourmet lists $10.26 for 6.7 oz, made in France, with tarragon, onions, mustard and coriander seeds (igourmet).
Best with cheese
Les Trois Petits Cochons Cornichons
- Size
- About 12.3 oz
- Made in
- India
- Flavor
- Pearl onion, mustard seed, black pepper
Why it's here: A cheese shop sells them as the sharp contrast to raclette and aged cheddar.
Watch out: The "Piquant" jar from the same brand adds sugar and chilies. Buy the plain one for sour.
Why we picked it (sources)
Saxelby Cheese describes a sharp, acidic pickle with mustard seeds and pearl onions, from a brand founded in 1975 in Greenwich Village (Saxelby Cheese). The sell sheet gives the ingredients and India as the origin (Syndigo).
Best for delivery
365 by Whole Foods Market Extra Fine Cornichons
- Size
- 11.6 fl oz jar
- Sugar
- 0 g per serving
- Labels
- Kosher, non-GMO
Why it's here: Easy to order with groceries, with no listed sugar.
Watch out: Whole Foods' page doesn't list the ingredients or where it's made.
Why we picked it (sources)
Whole Foods lists an 11.6 fl oz jar with 0 g sugar and 280 mg sodium per 1 oz serving, and suggests it for charcuterie plates (Whole Foods).
Best dill twist
Hengstenberg Cornichons
- Size
- 12.5 oz jar
- Flavor
- Dill, mustard seed
- Sugar
- Yes, 1 g per ounce
Why it's here: Dill instead of tarragon, at a good price.
Watch out: It has added sugar, so it isn't the classic sour French style.
Why we picked it (sources)
H-E-B lists $5.48 for 12.5 oz with gherkins, spirit vinegar, sugar, dill, salt and mustard seeds, described as having "a strong fresh dill note" (H-E-B).
Best small jar
DeLallo Cornichons
- Size
- 7.1 oz jar
- Labels
- Vegan, non-GMO, kosher
- Flavor
- Briny, tangy, slightly sweet
Why it's here: No leftover jar sitting in the fridge for months.
Watch out: Ingredients and origin aren't listed on the brand's page.
Why we picked it (sources)
DeLallo sells it for $4.95 for 7.1 oz, "delicately brined in small batches" (DeLallo).
How to choose
- Want the classic French bite? Look for vinegar, onions and tarragon or mustard seed, and no sugar, in the ingredients.
- Check "Product of". Several French-style jars are packed in India or Turkey. That isn't bad, just know what you're buying.
- Skip "piquant" or sweet jars if you want sour. Sharp and sour is what cuts through pâté and rich cheese.
- How many? About 3 to 4 per guest on a board. A 12 to 14 oz jar covers 10 to 12 people.
On the board: put them in a small bowl next to the pâté, salami or a creamy cheese, and pull them out of the brine with a fork. More on cornichons
Cornichon questions
Are cornichons the same as gherkins?
Mostly. Every cornichon is a gherkin, but not every gherkin is a cornichon. A cornichon is picked when it's tiny and is usually tart and seasoned with tarragon and pepper. American gherkins tend to be sweeter.
Where are cornichons in the grocery store?
Usually next to the other pickles or in the international aisle. If your store doesn't have them, try the deli section, a specialty grocer or Amazon.
Do cornichons need to be refrigerated after opening?
Yes. Keep the jar in the fridge with the cornichons under the brine and the lid tight. They keep for one to three months. Use a fork, not fingers, and throw them out if the brine looks cloudy or moldy.
Do cornichons have added sugar?
It depends on the brand. Maille lists no sugar, and the 365 jar shows 0 g. Hengstenberg lists sugar, and Trader Joe's tastes sweet. Read the ingredients if you want the classic sour style.
How many cornichons per person on a charcuterie board?
Plan on 3 to 4 per guest. A 12 to 14 oz jar is enough for a board for 10 to 12 people.
How we picked these, and sources
No published taste test compares US cornichon brands side by side, so we don't give star ratings here. We picked these from ingredient lists, country of origin, price and how easy each jar is to find, using store listings and the reviews linked on each card. Sporked and Food Republic explain what a cornichon is (Sporked, Food Republic). Prices and stock checked October 25, 2026.
- Stop & Shop: Maille Original Cornichons
- Publix: Maille Cornichons Original
- Slickdeals: Maille Amazon price, July 2026
- igourmet: Edmond Fallot Cornichons
- Hannaford: Roland Extra Fine Cornichons
- Kroger: Roland Cornichons
- Tasting Table: Trader Joe's pickle products ranked
- Everyday Parisian: French finds at Trader Joe's
- Whole Foods: 365 Extra Fine Cornichons
- Saxelby Cheese: Les Trois Petits Cochons
- Syndigo: Trois Petits Cochons sell sheet
- H-E-B: Hengstenberg Cornichons
- DeLallo: Cornichons
- Sporked: What are cornichons
- Food Republic: What is a cornichon
For dill pickles, spears and pickle chips, see our best pickles for a charcuterie board. For what cornichons pair with, see the cornichons ingredient guide. Every ranked guide is on our charcuterie buying guides page.
