The best Christmas candy in the U.S. for sweet holiday treats

Ribbon candy is as gorgeous as it is delicious. It makes sense because it was invented in the 1800s so that shopkeepers had something to decorate their windows with every year. Talk about eye candy! Sure, it's pure sugar—but it's also pure nostalgia.

Gumdrops might not be as revered as seasonal favorites like chocolate and peppermint, but they certainly have their place in the Christmas canon. Think about it: Buddy the Elf had to cross the sea of swirly-twirly gumdrops before he arrived at the Lincoln Tunnel. Dots, America’s top gumdrop brand, offers combinations of cherry/green apple and strawberry/lime gummies to create gummy Christmas magic.

Do these Life Savers gummies look like tiny, flexible wreaths? Kinda. Are they red and green, the traditional colors of Christmas? Absolutely. These “wreaths” (lovely rings of corn syrup) are just the right amount of festive. They’ll give you a pop of Christmas cheer as you strengthen your jaw getting them down the gullet. When it comes to holiday candy, they do the trick in a pinch.

Is there a more classic candy than M&Ms? Whether with popcorn at a movie theater or curled up next to a cozy fireplace, M&Ms fit right in during the holiday season. And though they don't taste any different, the green-and-red mix certainly ups the festive feel—especially if you get them in the Christmas-tree-shaped box!

Ah, the great polarizer. You either hate them or you love them. But at this time of year, why be a hater? Indulge in this crunchy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside pillowy puffs at the holiday party with a cup of hot chocolate. And if you really don’t like them, regift them to the next person (just like you did with Aunt Barb’s coaster set). If Christmas trees aren’t your bag, there are also snowman, gingerbread man and stocking variations!

The duality of SweeTARTS really is a parallel for the season. They’re sugary sweet (like the feeling on Christmas morning) with a tart side (like the feeling when there are no more presents left to open). Shaped like mini candy canes, these powdery confections get an A+ for seasonal creativity even if they don’t evoke the spicy goodness of a traditional holiday treat. Bonus points for being both delicious and an excellent decoration on your tree!

The tiny little nuggets of Ferrero Rocher are usually gone before you have time to enjoy them. But not at Christmastime! Ferrero really super-sizes these bad boys for the holidays, turning their once-demure spheres of heaven into ornament-sized orbs of milk chocolate and hazelnuts. We’re not complaining. In fact, if we see a lump bulging from our stockings this year, let’s hope it’s one of these gold-wrapped treats and not a piece of coal.

For stockings that need stuffing, Frosty Nerds will do the trick. Watermelon, wild cherry, and punch don’t exactly recall jolly Christmas memories, but in their own way, they offer a little super-sweet magic. Nerds are made by spinning tiny sugar crystals with more sugar, who doesn’t want sugar on sugar on sugar to power you through on Christmas morning? Whether you’re the type of person that savors them one by one, or the type that shoves a whole handful in your mouth, we support both methods of consumption.

Sour Patch Kids has been winning the “sour then sweet” sensation all over the world. During the holidays in the U.S., Sour Patch Kids lean into their naughty side and bring black-raspberry-flavored nuggets for your stocking. Even though we worked hard to be on the nice list this year, we’ll be happy with this coal.

Old-school candy lovers will want to fill their candy dishes with these soft and chewy bites of Christmas magic. Yeah, your grandparents might have these on their kitchen counter, but a classic is a classic for a reason. Brach’s Christmas Nougat mix has the quintessential peppermint plus new additions of wintergreen and cinnamon, all decked out in classic red stripes with green Christmas trees. These candies are so Christmas, and it shows.

It’s hard to name a better combo than dark chocolate and peppermint this time of year—let alone any time of year—but the duo’s frosty bite seems just a bit more appropriate in the winter. Tingly peppermint hits like a chilly snowflake on the tongue, and dark chocolate provides a rich and cozy mouthfeel. We also love the festive red and green wrappers. Overall, snowflake-shaped York Peppermint Patties get two mittened thumbs up.

‘Tis the season for candy canes—especially when they arrive in the form of Hershey’s Kisses. The holiday-only version of the Kisses features a red-and-white striped mint creme mixed with crushed peppermint bits.It’s not a candy cane, but it’s pretty damn close. Put out a dish of these candies at the office and flick the remaining foil balls at your coworkers when you’re done indulging.

For some reason—must be that smooth-as-hell texture and super effective marketing—Dove chocolate has always been synonymous with luxury. Add some mint to those signature squares of sweetness and you've got yourself some serious holiday splendor. The chunks of candy cane in these treats give it a nice crunch, and the messages inside the tin foil wrapper always seem just a little bit wise.

The number of Kit Kat flavors has absolutely blown up in recent years (everything from Key Lime Pie to Fruity Cereal), so gingerbread isn’t exactly far-fetched. Gingerbread-flavored creme coats crisp wafers in these miniature delights. Quintessential holiday flavors are often left out of Christmas candy (as long as it’s red and green, who cares, right?), but this treat fills the void. Sometimes you need a little break from peppermint-flavored everything but still want to keep the Christmas cheer strong. Now you can get all that delicious gingerbread flavor without any of the baking—so break me off a piece of that… gingerbread!

Santa is everywhere during the holiday season: at the mall, ringing the bell for the Salvation Army, and on the streets of New York. But the most delicious Santa is the chocolate Santa, obviously. Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Santas (both in their traditional form and the newer “Build-a-Santa” variety) are holiday candy staples and an instant rush of nostalgia. These Santas are always welcome to come down our chimney. The only question is: should you start with the beard or the hat?

Candy canes are an irrefutable holiday classic—they double as Christmas tree ornaments, after all. While standard-sized candy canes are essential sweets, the miniature ones are so much more practical to eat. These minis are the perfect size for a sweet, minty treat that’ll dissolve into your mug of hot cocoa. Also, they’re small enough that you can always sneak one more (or three or four) if you’re still craving that Christmassy peppermint.

Is there anything more addicting than peppermint bark? Whether you choose to make your own from your grandma’s recipe, or opt for the drugstore brand, peppermint bark is a hefty part of holiday snacking. C’mon, when both layers of milk chocolate and peppermint come together in one bite… it’s the (second) best flavor of the holidays. The Ghirardelli squares are everything, so stock up to get your after-Christmas fix, too.

What does your favorite candy say about you? Well, if your favorite candy is Reese’s Peanut Butter Trees, then it means you’re totally right. Sure, the only thing about this treat that says ho-ho-ho is the classic Christmas tree shape (it's also a fact that a similar pumpkin-shaped version is an iconic candy for a certain October holiday, too). But maybe that’s all we need to get into the Christmas spirit—that and a sprinkling of Reese's Pieces throughout the decadent peanut butter interior.