15 Popular Halloween Candies Ranked From Best to Worst

Get ready for a sugar-fueled controversy as we count down everyone's favorite Halloween treats, but be warned—your top pick might not make the cut.

Book list · 15 titles

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About this

Brit + Co's Meredith Holser ranks 15 popular Halloween candies from best to worst, with a clear chocolate-over-fruity bias. Each entry gets a short personal review covering taste, texture and trick-or-treat appeal, from the satisfying Kit Kat at No. 1 down to the waxy Dots at No. 15. It's a light, opinionated ranking intended to spark debate among candy lovers.

The list

Kit Kat

The author's top pick, saying Kourtney Kardashian's method matches her own; a balanced mix of crunchy wafers and creamy milk chocolate makes it the most satisfying to snack on.

Twix

A close runner-up to Kit Kat with similar crunchy, chocolatey layers, but it carries more bite and is a bit harder to snack on; fun-size bars beat full-size ones.

Reese's Cups

The smaller individually wrapped Halloween cups have a better peanut butter-to-chocolate ratio than regular ones, and unwrapping the foil then paper is a rewarding ritual.

Starburst

Called a classic, chewy soft candy the writer loves partly because braces once kept her from soft sweets; indulging in one remains a small pleasure.

Sour Patch Kids

Praised for the sour-then-sweet flavor duality and pleasing color range; the author singles out Sour Patch Watermelon as the nicest sour treat.

Hot Tamales

A spicy-sweet cinnamon flavor that recalls Cinnamon Altoids; the hard shell with a soft, chewy center is the appeal, though it isn't a first pick.

Hershey's Bars

Small, s'mores-friendly and quintessential Halloween, but plain and available year-round, which removes the magical Halloween factor for the writer.

Snickers

Despite liking Reese's, the author finds nothing special here and calls the caramel-and-nougat combination overwhelming.

Smarties

Described as chalk-like, with a texture that overpowers the flavors; the writer far prefers SweeTARTS, which have more body and flavor.

Butterfinger

The layers of buttery candy are adored, but it's never a first pick among chocolate options.

M&M's

Called a classic but written off as bored, tired and overdone; the writer does suggest them as a topper for a Halloween cake.

Candy Corn

Seen as overly sugary and limited to about ten at a time; the author prefers the pumpkin-shaped version for texture reasons.

Skittles

Criticized for densely packed sugar that makes eating more difficult; a sweet that must be eaten slowly, which the writer isn't always in the mood for.

Warheads

Second to last, with the writer calling it criminal to hand out to kids; the deathly-sour treats are seen as a gimmick, not enjoyable.

Dots

The bottom pick because they stick in the molars and taste like wax at best; a firm pass.