13 Hershey's Kisses Flavors, Ranked Worst To Best
Although some chocoholics may scoff, the truth is that we love Hershey's Kisses. These little candies are cute, sweet, fun to unwrap, and extremely satisfying to eat. For some of us, eating Hershey's Kisses may even evoke fond childhood memories of special treats, family gatherings, and other festive occasions.
Of course, we are far from the only fans of Hershey's Kisses. Here's a fun fact: Hershey's makes a whopping 70 million Kisses per day. (That's a lot of Kisses!) And here's another: If you were to take all of the Kisses produced in a year and line them up, the result would be over 300,000 miles long.
Although you may have grown up eating only the Milk Chocolate variety, Hershey's now offers many different types of Kisses. Newer flavors involve diverse ingredients like dark chocolate, white creme, crunchy nuts, truffle centers, candy bits, and holiday-themed sprinkles and cookies. Some flavors are available year-round, while others are only sold seasonally. Below, we cover the best (and the worst!) of 13 Hershey's Kisses flavors.
13. Sugar Cookie
Sugar Cookie is part of a strong Hershey's Kisses holiday line-up but it is far from our favorite flavor. In fact, we really have no interest in even finishing the bag. The base of these Kisses consists of a solid white creme. Then, crunchy pieces of red and green cookies are sprinkled throughout the base. Although the cookie pieces add a nice texture detail, it is not enough to balance out the overly sweet taste (and unpleasant aftertaste). Not only do Sugar Cookie Kisses not taste anything like sugar cookies, they don't even taste good.
If you are looking for authentic sugar cookie flavor, go with our Buttery Sugar Cookies Recipe. All you need is butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, cornstarch, salt, powdered sugar, and sprinkles (if desired). We can even offer a range of expert tips for making and decorating sugar cookies for Christmas. To start, substitute brown butter for regular butter, use room temperature (not melted) butter, and invest in a good vanilla extract.
12. Chocolate Dipped Strawberry
Next up: Chocolate Dipped Strawberry. We really wanted to like these Valentine's Day-themed Kisses since it's an appealing concept –– but alas, they fell far short of our expectations. For these Kisses, a solid milk chocolate exterior surrounds a gooey "strawberry" filling. The milk chocolate part was absolutely fine (Hershey's definitely understands milk chocolate), but we did not care for the so-called strawberry part at all. It tasted extremely artificial and plain old, not good. Overall, we really won't miss this seasonal product if it doesn't return to shelves for Valentine's Day next year.
If you would like to gift your sweetheart with chocolate-covered strawberries next year, we suggest going with the real thing. Our recipe for Black and White Chocolate-Covered Strawberries is fabulous. You can also opt to dip fresh strawberries into warm chocolate fondue for an extra romantic (and delicious) experience. Keep in mind that there is no need to wait until Valentine's Day to enjoy the loving combo of chocolate and strawberries.
11. Vanilla Frosting
At stores in plenty of time for Easter and other spring holidays, Hershey's Kisses Vanilla Frosting tastes an awful lot like a typical store-bought frosting-laden chocolate cupcake. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, assuming you enjoy this pairing. Overall, we think that filled Kisses flavors (including this one) possess a nice texture juxtaposition with their solid outer shell vs. creamy inner filling. That said, the overall flavor result varies depending on the filling type. In this case, chocolate and vanilla go perfectly well together (obviously) — but if you don't generally care for VERY sweet vanilla frosting, we recommend steering clear of these Kisses.
While it's nice to see a spring flavor out from Hershey's, it's not like there's a shortage of awesome Easter candy out there. We're pretty sure you can find something else to enjoy. Consider sweet treats that should be in every Easter basket, such as chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, Cadbury Creme Eggs, and Reese's peanut butter eggs. And if you want to toss some Kisses in, too, there are plenty of non-Vanilla Frosting flavors to choose from. If you are looking for Kisses with spring-themed packaging, go ahead and pick up a Hershey's Kisses Springtime Giant Milk Chocolate Candy for the win.
10. Cookies 'n' Creme
Oreo's and Joe Joe's fans, unite! Hershey's Kisses Cookies 'n' Creme consists of a solid white creme base sprinkled with crunchy bits of chocolate cookies. If you enjoy eating chocolate sandwich cookies, then this may be the perfect Kiss for you.
Our main complaint with this flavor is that there is a lot more creme than chocolate going on here, making these Kisses a little short on the overall oomph to be entirely satisfying. More (or maybe larger?) chocolate cookie pieces could help address this creme-to-chocolate ratio issue, as well as provide even more crunch. (What can we say? We tend to like crunchy stuff.) Or here's an idea for you, Hershey's: How about a Double Chocolate Cookie flavor with a milk chocolate base and crunchy chocolate cookies? Yum.
Don't get us wrong: We like Cookies 'n' Creme Kisses perfectly fine and are planning to finish up the bag eventually — but only after we finish all of the flavors listed below. Note that Cookies 'n' Creme Kisses come in attractive blue foil wrappings, making them a fun option for baby shower favors, birthday party treats, and even Hanukkah gifts.
9. Hot Cocoa
Overall, we had some mixed reviews from our team on Hot Cocoa Kisses, another of Hershey's holiday flavors. On the one hand, we liked the contrast of the solid outer milk chocolate shell with the gooey marshmallow-flavored creme filling. On the other hand, most of us didn't actually love the overall flavor effect of this. (Then again, we didn't NOT like it, either.) To be perfectly upfront, marshmallow goo isn't our favorite thing. However, we suspect that many marshmallow-loving kids out there would go bananas for this product.
Want to know what we plan to do with the rest of the bag? We're going to take our Hot Cocoa Kisses and let them melt into mugs of steamy hot chocolate. We may even add some homemade marshmallows to the mix. Additional hot chocolate hacks may also be in order, including adding booze (adults only), drizzling with salted caramel, and toasting the marshmallows with a blowtorch (again, adults only!).
8. Special Dark
Although some chocolate connoisseurs may view dark chocolate as superior to milk chocolate, we prefer most of Hershey's milk chocolate-based Kisses over the Special Dark variety. While this came as somewhat of a surprise, it doesn't mean we don't like Special Dark Kisses — because, overall, we do. This flavor is dark, rich, and sweet, so what's not to like?
The thing we struggle with on this one involves texture. When it comes to Kisses, we definitely prefer a softer, creamier texture than Special Dark possesses. This allows for a more melty, mouthy, chocolatey extravaganza, which is something we highly value. Note that other dark chocolate-based Kisses, including Lava Cake and Mint Truffle, performed higher than Special Dark in our product rankings. This may be because, in part, the soft centers of those flavors help to balance out a harder dark chocolate shell.
At any rate, if you're the kind of person who selects the Special Dark pieces first from a Hershey's miniature assortment, then you're going to like these Kisses. But if you tend to eat the Krackel, Mr. Goodbar, and Milk Chocolate miniatures before Special Dark, this one may not be for you.
7. Hugs
Okay, so technically, Hershey's Hugs are not actually Kisses — but if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, we'll go ahead and leave it there. Hugs are essentially a multi-layer version of Kisses; in this case, an outer shell of milk chocolate-striped white creme hugs a milk chocolate center. This multi-layer approach is similar to what we've seen before in some seasonal varieties, except that the filled seasonal ones typically have a softer center (i.e., Vanilla Frosting, Hot Cocoa, Lava Cake).
We really like Hugs. (We also really like hugging chocolate.) Hugs are chocolatey, creamy, cute, and extremely yummy — all without being overpoweringly sweet like some of our earlier flavor rankings. If you don't want to commit to a full bag of Hugs, they can be found in Hugs & Kisses assortment packs. (Awww!) Or, you can just take the plunge and grab a whole share pack of Hugs. We don't think you'll regret it.
6. Lava Cake
Lava Cake was pretty darn good — but it wasn't quite as good as we were expecting it to be. Like Chocolate Dipped Strawberry, this seasonal Kisses flavor could be found on shelves for Valentine's Day earlier this year. With its outer layer of dark chocolate and gooey chocolate center, clearly, the goal here was to mimic the experience of eating a lava cake.
In terms of texture, Lava Cake is really quite satisfying. The inner filling is sticky and caramel-like, seeping out of the shell when you bite into one of these candies. But flavor-wise, we think that Lava Cake could somehow pack a little more of a punch. It wasn't quite rich enough for a true lava cake experience. Nonetheless, dark chocolate is dark chocolate, and Kisses are Kisses. It's hard to complain.
Be sure to check out the back of the package for an easy mini brownie lava cake recipe. Here's a sneak peek: Push 3 Lava Cake Kisses into each brownie batter-filled ramekin, then bake. If you need a good brownie recipe for the batter, try our Ultimate Fudgy Brownies for the win.
5. Candy Cane
Candy Cane is a seasonal Kisses flavor involving a decadent mint base and tiny bits of crunchy candy. Unlike many other Kisses flavors, Candy Cane is not a chocolate-based product. However, it still deserves a respectable spot in Hershey's full line-up. In fact, our product tasters liked everything about this sweet and oh-so-minty Kiss.
Let's start by discussing how adorable it is: Candy Cane has a white base with bright red stripes and red dots (provided by the candy bits). This gives it a delightful candy cane-like appearance that is perfect for the holidays. Then, each Kiss is wrapped in a shiny silver foil with a red candy cane print. Again, we are so there for it.
But most importantly, Candy Cane Kisses taste amazing — as in, so much better than actual candy canes. These candies also offer a fun texture contrast between the smooth base and crunchy candy bits. Bottom line: We sure wish this product was available all year. Be sure to stuff your family's stockings generously with Candy Cane Kisses over the holidays while also stocking up with extras for the rest of the year.
4. Milk Chocolate
As Hershey's original Kisses flavor, Milk Chocolate sets a pretty high standard. This treasured candy has been around for over 100 years, offering a classic chocolate experience all wrapped up in tiny little pieces of silver foil. Kids and adults alike love to bite into these tiny treats and let them melt in their mouths to savor for a while. You can even use them to top baked desserts, including one of our favorite cookies: peanut butter blossoms.
Along with Milk Chocolate's traditional silver wrappings, you can also find seasonal packaging options for Christmas (red and green, Grinch-themed, and Santa hats), Easter (pastel pink, green, and blue), and Valentine's Day (red, of course). Plus, Giant-sized Milk Chocolate Kisses are also available — though we prefer the mini, bite-sized versions.
So if Hershey's already had such a good thing, why did they decide to mess with it? Well, there has always been the potential to make something even greater. To our delight, we discovered three Kisses flavors (discussed below) that are even better than the original. Who knew?!
3. Milk Chocolate with Almonds
Milk Chocolate with Almonds has definitely earned its spot in our top 3 Kisses picks. Similar to Milk Chocolate, this satisfying flavor delivers a decadent chocolate encounter — but this time, there's an elevated spin. In the center of each Kiss, you'll find a single roasted almond. We're not going to say no to that! Milk Chocolate With Almonds Kisses is wrapped in gold foil, which is only fitting for such a winning flavor.
Plus, there's just something about almonds. Not only do almonds taste good, but they are also good for you. Almonds offer lots of protein, fiber, healthy fats, antioxidants, and other essential nutrients (per Healthline). They can help people manage blood sugar and blood pressure levels and may even slow down aging and prevent disease.
If you still can't decide which flavor to purchase — it's undoubtedly a tough decision — look for assorted package options. One available assortment contains Milk Chocolate with Almonds, Milk Chocolate, and Special Dark Kisses. It's a good start.
2. Milklicious
Anyone who appreciates a glass of chocolate milk (and perhaps many of you who don't) is going to completely fall in love with Hershey's Kisses newest flavor: Milklicious. This brand-new product is only just finding its way to stores nationwide, but rest assured that it will be around for a while as part of Hershey's permanent portfolio.
Milklicious is comprised of an outer layer of solid milk chocolate and a creamy chocolate milk-flavored filling. The soft filling element is somewhat unique because of all the Hershey's Kisses flavors we ranked; this is the only non-seasonal option containing one. And while the solid vs. creamy texture is an interesting one of intentional contrast, it also serves to enhance (and not distract from) the overall flavor combination — which is absolute perfection.
Since several of our product testers are pretty big dark chocolate snobs, we were a little surprised at how high Milklicious ranked. But when it comes to milk chocolate (and, apparently, chocolate milk), Hershey's really knows what it's doing. Nice job!
1. Mint Truffle
If you enjoy dark chocolate mint candies like York Peppermint Patties and Junior Mints, then you're going to absolutely lose it over Hershey's Kisses Mint Truffle. This seasonal Kisses flavor has an outer solid dark chocolate layer with a soft, cool mint truffle filling — and wow, does this combo work for us. Like Hershey's other seasonal products, Mint Truffle has a festive appearance. Wrapped in attractive green foil with a snowflake motif, the filling is bright green. (Come to think of it, some of these Kisses would be especially cute tossed in a stocking next to those red and white striped Candy Cane Kisses.)
For us, Mint Truffle Kisses taste like winter, comfort, family, and pure happiness — landing this flavor in our very top spot. As the holidays approach later this year, make sure to stock up on this delightful flavor. Oh, and one last thing: On the back of the Mint Truffle Kisses package, you'll find a recipe for chocolate mint blossoms, and trust us, you're going to want to bake some of those cookies right away. Enjoy!