9 Trader Joe's Gummy Candies, Ranked

What makes a good gummy candy? For some, it's all about the flavor. More often than not, a good gummy candy has a perfectly sweet, fruity, and maybe even juicy flavor profile. For others, texture is the most important factor, especially considering that not all gummy candies necessarily have the same consistency. Some are jelly-like, while others are more elasticky or chewy. There's truly a whole world of gummy candy out there — one that stretches far beyond the classic gummy bear — and you can actually explore quite a bit of gummy territory just by shopping at Trader Joe's.

Trader Joe's carries plenty of candy, but amidst the wide variety of chocolate treats or nutty confections, you'll find a pretty impressive array of gummy candy. I purchased and sampled several of its gummy candies in search of the one worth keeping tucked away in the pantry. I'm no stranger to fruity candies, as I've ranked Jolly Rancher candies in the past and have a pretty good feel for what makes a candy work flavor-wise. Of course, I didn't just look for exceptional fruity or sweet flavors when ranking these gummy candies; I also paid attention to the texture and favored those that weren't super goopy, stiff, or hard.

This situation hasn't come up much in my lifetime, but every now and then, I'll be presented with a candy that's so genuinely unpleasant or unappealing that I'd rather not eat it at all than suffer through the consequences. And, unfortunately, Trader Joe's Fruit Jellies are an example of such a feat. For full transparency, I've never been a huge fan of jelly-like gummy candies, but it's not a texture that I necessarily despise. So I knew going in that these jellies probably wouldn't be my favorite gummy candy texture-wise, but nothing could have prepared me for just how awful the taste would be.

When sampling these jellies, I decided to go for the pear flavor first because I was intrigued by the thought of such a unique candy flavor. Not only did the candy not taste like pear whatsoever, but it also wasn't really fruity in any way. It had a strong medicinal flavor that I couldn't get past. It almost leaned toward licorice territory. A second sample of the cherry flavor sold me on the fact that these candies just aren't for me, and truthfully, I'm not exactly sure who they're for.

Much to my displeasure, the Fruity Jellies candy are not the only fruit-flavored jelly candy that Trader Joe's keeps stocked on its shelves. These Kettle-Cooked Fruity Jellies feature a whole new slew of flavors and, in my humble opinion, come in a container that's just a bit too big (I can't imagine who might be finishing an entire container of them). Alas, I had to give these Kettle-Cooked Fruity Jellies a fair chance, and for what it's worth, I didn't dislike them as much as I did the fruity jellies candy (unfortunately, that's not really saying much).

The texture of these candies definitely leaned into jelly territory, but they reminded me more of classic gumdrops than anything else. I tried the raspberry, orange, and lemon flavors specifically, and while they did sort of lean into a licorice or medicinal flavor profile a little bit, I could at least see where the respective fruit flavors shined through. Needless to say, I wouldn't personally repurchase these fruity jellies anytime soon, but at least I could stomach trying a few of the flavors.

For a gummy candy that specifically includes "Sweet and Deliciously Fruity" in its name, I was certainly hoping for a little more sweet and fruity deliciousness. Alas, this Trader Joe's gummy candy entry left me a little disappointed, though I should at least point out that I didn't strictly despise it. They were just a little subdued for a gummy candy, both in terms of sweetness and fruitiness, but the flavor that I could pick up on was okay. I was also disappointed that my bag didn't contain a single blueberry candy — a possible issue one might have with any multi-flavor pack of gummies, but a bit of a letdown nonetheless.

As for the flavors I did actually get to taste, they sort of reminded me more of fruit snacks than gummy candy. Of course they were plenty sweet, but I actually wanted more sweetness (something that I seldom say when eating candy). Also, the fruit flavors weren't really pronounced enough to stand apart from one another, which made the variety pack a little less interesting once you got a few bites in. Finally, the texture of these gummies was okay, but it was a little firmer than expected, which again made them veer into fruit snack territory in my mind. I didn't hate these gummies, but I didn't love them, so seventh place is where they ultimately landed.

I've always been a big fan of food-shaped gummy candy, like those little gummy hot dogs or "Spongebob Squarepants" Krabby Patty ones. There's something fun about the food shapes, and, more often than not, these gummies don't necessarily taste fruity, but rather just have a generally sweet flavor profile with a somewhat unique texture. And, for the most part, I found Trader Joe's bacon- and egg-shaped sweet gummy candies to be pretty on par with such predecessors, offering up a nice chewy texture and sweet flavor profile that you really can't complain about.

When I talk about a unique texture in reference to these gummies, I mean that they have that quintessential gummy chewiness with almost a marshmallow-esque chewiness as opposed to a jelly one. I tend to prefer that kind of texture, and I think it served these little bacon and egg gummies quite well. They were pleasant to chew on and just the right amount of sweet. Ultimately, however, I can't say that I was exactly blown away by these gummies, and they do become quite one-note in flavor after just a few bites. They're not Trader Joe's best, but they are certainly not its worst gummy candy — just a good middle-ground option.

These Scandinavian Tidings gummy candies certainly aren't the first "Scandinavian" candy to crop up in Trader Joe's collection, and something tells me they won't be the last, either. Truthfully, aside from the festive shapes — a Christmas tree, star, and ornament with a snowflake — I'm not quite sure how these are meant to differ from the ever-popular Scandinavian Swimmers. That alone makes me feel a bit "meh" about them. Even during the holiday season, I'd probably still just go for classic Scandinavian Swimmers over these festive ones.

That said, I can't deny that these were pretty tasty little candies. Just like the OG Swimmers, they're sweet and fruity, delivering just about everything one might hope from a  Trader Joe's candy. They sort of hit that sweet spot middle ground between being a jelly candy or a gummy candy and have a more stick-between-your-teeth texture than, say, a gummy bear. I definitely didn't mind this texture, and paired with a sweet, inoffensive flavor, you can't go wrong here. However, Trader Joe's does simply have some better gummies out there, and unless you really, really enjoy festive shapes, there's no reason to get these over regular Scandinavian Swimmers.

Speaking of Scandinavian Swimmers, they happen to be the gummy candy placing in the next spot on this list. Scandinavian Swimmers are perhaps the most easily recognizable and beloved of all the TJ's gummy candies, and for good reason. These candies are perfectly sweet, boast fun sea-inspired shapes, and have a soft chewiness that keeps candy lovers coming back for more.

So, yes, needless to say, I would definitely recommend Scandinavian Swimmers to any gummy candy lover out there, but I don't think they're the best that Trader Joe's has to offer. These candies become a little one-note in flavor after a bit, and lack the bit of complexity that might take them over the edge. I wish each shape and color tasted different instead of just pleasant and sweet. Ultimately, I can't think of many complaints when it comes to Scandinavian Swimmers, but Trader Joe's simply has more enticing options out there, so these aren't my guaranteed go-to.

Milk chocolate covered gummy bears are the type of candy that shouldn't work, that couldn't possibly work, and yet ... they work? Right off the bat, I have to acknowledge that my high ranking of these chocolate gummies may be controversial to some, and it's the type of candy that you either love or hate. I fall into the love it category, and Trader Joe's rendition of milk chocolate-covered gummy bears is one of the best that I've tried.

Even though I'm very loyal to the texture of Haribo's gummy candy (specifically its gummy bears), I thought Trader Joe's version was pretty on par. This is to say that the gummy bears leaned more gelatin-chewy than jelly chewy, which is crucial for a successful chocolate-covered gummy bear (in my book, at least). There was something so satisfying about biting into one of these bears and getting hit with rich, almost flaky chocolate, immediately followed by chewy fruitiness underneath. I couldn't stop going back for another handful of these little treats, so it's safe to say that I found TJ's chocolate gummy bears to be a big success.

If there's one thing that can instantly improve Scandinavian Swimmer, it's coating them in a mouth-puckering, super-sour sugar-like dusting. Super Sour Scandinavian Swimmers have been a long-time go-to of mine, and they truly never disappoint. This candy mix features those lovable sea-shaped, sweet, fruity gummies, but with a sour coating that really does put the "super" in super sour.

Obviously, this is another example of a high ranking of a gummy candy that does somewhat come down to personal preference. If you absolutely don't like sour candy, then not only would you not like these sour gummies, but you likely wouldn't exactly agree with this ranking either. But, I'm operating under the assumption that most readers at least tolerate sour candy or are straight-up sour candy lovers – meaning the Super Sour Scandinavian Swimmers are an absolute must-try. They perfectly balance that sweet-sour flavor profile, while the sour sugar coating even helps to add a little textural contrast against the soft, chewy candy underneath. These sour gummies are an absolute winner in my book, but there was just one Trader Joe's gummy candy that managed to stand out even more.

Why have just one gummy candy in a single bag when you could have two? That might be a question an amateur gummy candy would ask, but Trader Joe's Gaggle of Gummy Candy ups the ante to say, why not have five? Indeed, within each bag, there is a true gaggle of candy to be found, ranging from the humble gummy bear to the more unique cherry-shaped or octopus-shaped candy. My beloved egg-shaped candy even returns for this gaggle, along with classic cola bottles to round it out (because why not!). 

Now, a lesser gummy hodgepodge might have been more of a mess than anything else, with conflicting textures and flavors making for a less-than-enjoyable candy-eating experience. This simply isn't the case with this candy mix, as each and every candy somehow works together — even those colas, which have arguably the most distinct flavor out of everything. All the candies had similar enough flavor profiles (mostly just sweet, perhaps a bit fruity) to work well together, and there weren't any huge conflicts with texture either, like one candy being super jelly-like and another being super firm. No matter which candy (or handful) you pluck out of this bag, it's going to be a winning one, and that alone sold me on this candy mix. You don't need to settle for one gummy when you could have five-in-one, so hands down, the Gaggle of Gummy Candy is Trader Joe's best gummy candy option.

Ranking Trader Joe's gummy candies didn't come down to flavor or texture, but rather a specific winning combination of the two. There were certain candies that didn't deliver on exceptional flavor or texture (ahem, the jelly gummies), and they ranked lowest accordingly. Of course, I did acknowledge that at least part of my distaste for those candies came down to personal preference, but for the most part, I'd imagine that the average candy lover would agree that the Fruity Jellies were the weakest links.

On the other hand, those candies with stronger gummy textures and exceptional flavors really stood out. The Super Sour Scandinavian Swimmers came in second place, deservedly so, for offering a perfectly balanced sweet-sour flavor profile and a nice soft-chewy texture. Meanwhile, the Milk Chocolate-Covered Gummy Bears also stood out for their unique chocolate-fruity flavor profile and ideal gummy bear texture. Finally, the Gaggle of Gummy Candy strongly prevailed not only for its sheer variety, but because there wasn't a single candy that was a weak link in the bag — each and every candy was delicious in its own right.