11 Popular See's Candies, Ranked Worst To Best

I have been going to See's Candies since I was a kid, when it was part of the quintessential mall experience. The chocolate and sweets chain has locations across various states, mainly concentrated in California, where it's one of the state's best chocolate shops. But it's also found in Arizona, Oklahoma, Hawaii, among other states. Since my childhood See's days, I frequented the store to buy 1-pound custom chocolate boxes, so I'm quite familiar with its chocolate range. But for this article, I wanted to try and rank some of its other true-to-name candies and sweets. 

Each item on this list is from the candy section of the See's Candies website (though a couple include chocolate in the treat). I selected a range of best-selling items to get a better grasp of what to choose. Some things are fruity, others are spicy, some are soft and chewy, while others are so hard you wouldn't want to bite into them.

I ultimately ranked these popular items mostly based on taste, and whether they delivered the advertised flavor. I was looking for something interesting and flavorful, with a balanced texture that's worth buying for yourself or as a gift. While I wouldn't say every See's candy I sampled is worth a purchase, I did find a few I'd be happy to get again.

I love the combination of mint and chocolate, whether that's in the form of Andes chocolates or York peppermint patties. However, I wasn't a big fan of See's take on the flavor duo. The Peppermint Krispys have an ultra-crisp interior that gets stuck in your teeth. They're described as wafers, but I wouldn't call them that. They're more like mint toffees with a supremely crisp center.

I like the dark chocolate, and the peppermint taste itself is fine, but there's a clear imbalance. When I chewed, the chocolate virtually melted away, and I was left with the crunchy "wafer" sticking in my molars. It tastes like toothpaste, without the chocolate to add a bittersweet touch. Then the mintiness stays in the crevices of the teeth, so in a way it's like eating a mint.

Reviews on the See's Candies website seem to really love these, but they just weren't for me, so they rank last. I prefer a softer mint and chocolate treat and didn't like how the chocolate vanished so quickly, leaving the zesty mint behind. That said, make sure to thoroughly brush your teeth after eating these.

Fruit chews are typically quite delicious, but the 8-ounce bag of Fruit Medallions almost turns into goo after the first bite. They're so soft that they're the exact opposite of the Peppermint Krispys. I get that they are soft chews, but I think there's such a thing as too soft. I can understand there's a market for these, which is worth considering if you want to get them as a gift, but I wouldn't get them for myself.

At least here, I can appreciate the mild, varied fruit flavors, which are meant to be mango, grape, cherry, and lemon. The mango seems like an odd addition, but it's still a fruit, so I can't fault See's Candies for trying. Grape and lemon are the clearest and truest flavors. Mango could pass as orange, and cherry just tastes like a muddled red fruit-flavored product. They aren't particularly strong or discernible, which plays a part in ranking so low, as well.

Generally, I'm not too fond of the flavors here, either. While I wouldn't buy them again, if you know someone who likes soft-fruit chew candies, they could be a good pick. And I preferred the overall fruity pillowy-ness to the lingering toothpaste taste of the Krispys, so these top that entry.

Red Hots and Hot Tamales? Nope, not here. See's Candies offers its version of the classic spicy-and-sweet candy in an adorable heart shape. While I don't have a major problem with the cinnamon-flavored Hot Hearts, it's simply not a candy I want to eat more than two small pieces of (which also goes for Red Hots and Hot Tamales). This isn't a See's Candies-specific problem, in other words; I'd rather get my cinnamon intake elsewhere, perhaps in the form of a traditional snickerdoodle. 

Now, I can appreciate the crackly exterior coating that gives way to the softer inside — basically like a cinnamon jelly bean — but I still wasn't a big fan. If you are, these totally do the trick, and I really like the shape compared to other name brands. I think these would make a good Valentine's Day (as part of a wine and sweets basket) or anniversary gift. But as it is, it'd be hard for me to finish this 12-ounce bag. I think they're more fun and interesting than the Fruit Medallions, and considerably more flavorful, so they best the bottom two items.

See's Candies has incredible Lollypops. I've had these for years, decades actually, and they are not your typical fruity translucent pop. Instead, they are opaque and more comparable to a hard candy on a stick. Lollypop classic flavors are Vanilla, Butterscotch, Chocolate, and Café Latté, but you can also find things like Caramel Apple, Pumpkin Spice, and Strawberry Cream. The pops are made with heavy cream, using a medley of natural and artificial flavorings.

To be clear, the vanilla lollypop doesn't rank eighth because it's unpleasant. It's quite tasty, actually, hitting what it's supposed to — a blend of creamy, sweet, and vanilla. I'd certainly eat it ... but if you put a range of flavored Lollypops in a bowl, I wouldn't reach for the vanilla first. A lot of the flavors come down to personal preference, and mine is that vanilla is one of the more boring ones from See's. It has a basic, good, mundane taste, and was hardly the worst See's candy I tried. But it's hard to eat the entire pop — partly because it probably takes about 30 minutes to finish.

The Butterscotch Lollypop is a step up from the vanilla version because it's much more flavorful. It has the same hard-candy consistency and creamy mouthfeel, but I can pick up the butter undertones that make it so decadent for such a little treat. This lolly has cream, brown sugar, and butter, giving it such flavorful depth that it tastes quite authentic, like someone handcrafted it in their kitchen and handed one to you.

This is the type of candy that might help you understand why grandmothers always had butterscotch candies in their purses (do they still do that, or have times changed with the new generation of grandmas?). It tastes familiar but comes in the memorable lollipop vessel that helps it stand out. While it is indeed delicious and creamy, I don't tend to reach for butterscotch candies, but never say never. I would select it over the vanilla pops and the lower-ranked entries, but there are several other sweets on this list that I would rather ingest instead.

The Lemon Shortbread Bites are a little different from anything else on this list because they have a crispy, shortbread-like interior. They're firmer than your average shortbread or butter cookie (I know because I tried 12 different butter and shortbread cookie brands), so they offer a crunchy, enticing mouthfeel compared to gooey fruit, cinnamon candies, or totally firm lollies. 

They contain butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and some of the other ingredients I seek in shortbread. The white chocolate contains cocoa butter and milk, and we also add lemon oil for the titular lemony essence; therefore, these ingredients make the treat feel a lot more elevated. I will say that the lemon isn't particularly strong, but it's still noticeable. I like the firm cookie and milky, melty exterior because the contrast feels pleasant on the tongue.

While this isn't my favorite item on the list, I can appreciate that it's nicely crafted and would make a great gift. Lemon and shortbread are a terrific pairing, as it turns out. I found these a hair too sweet to rank higher, as the coating was quite thick compared to the small cookie morsel, landing them right in the middle of the pack.

The Café Latté Krispys have the same texture as the aforementioned last-ranking peppermint ones, but they work way better here. The interior is deeply rich and coffee-like, almost as if you were sipping espresso. It's paired with a milk chocolate exterior, which adds the creamy quality of a latte. It delivers everything it promises, which is a major reason it gets high marks. While I think coffee-flavored sweets might not appeal to the masses, this is a fantastic item if you happen to like them. 

The crunchy coffee wafer gets stuck in the teeth much like the peppermint version, but it's almost like you sipped a cup of strong coffee, offering a lingering coffee breath quality. Trust me, it works. I liked that it's a cross of chocolate and almost like a firm lolly, too, meaning one candy is more than satisfying because it lasts slightly longer. I found myself breaking it in half and enjoying half at a time.

Would I prefer dark chocolate? Of course (the answer to that is always yes for me). However, I can admit milk chocolate works well with the coffee to really deliver on the name. This would be a chic gift for a host or someone who enjoys coffee since it comes in a little box with individually wrapped treats.

I didn't think the peanut brittle would be memorable, but See's Candies truly has a tasty product. It's crunchy and brittle, as the name suggests, but it won't rip out a filling from your tooth. It has a slightly sticky quality when you chew, but it's manageable and nowhere near as tough as other brittles I've had, plus it's wonderfully buttery. The brittle has the usual suspects like peanuts, sugar, butter, corn syrup, and some other add-ins. I'd like to see vanilla extract rather than vanillin, but it still hits the spot.

The peanuts are the mid-point of being crunchy and well-roasted, yet somewhat soft, as though they're freshly cracked open. Some pieces are large, while others are a bit smaller; there's significant variance here, but I feel that is inevitable with this type of product (shipment, transport in your car, etc.).

It's not the most inventive treat, but you don't need to mess with a good thing. I bought the smallest peanut brittle container, but wish I'd gotten the larger 10-ounce one. You could make your own peanut brittle in 20 minutes, but See's is a terrific option if you're pressed for time. It's my favorite out of anything I've tried ... thus far, at least. There are three even tastier options coming up.

The Chocolate Lollypop offers everything the other lollies bring as far as texture — wonderfully hard, but inevitably melting in your mouth. It's like a slow burn, allowing you to enjoy a treat for a longer period, whereas a standard candy, fruit chew, or even the Lemon Shortbread Bites are gone in a flash. The chocolate truly lives up to its name: It's made of chocolate, but it's a lolly, too. 

However, it's not like the melty chocolate or dark chocolate sweets. Instead, it's a chocolate-flavored hard candy. It contains chocolate and cocoa butter to give the authentic taste that makes it so familiar. There are actually no artificial flavorings in this candy, which means it doesn't leave any strange aftertaste in the mouth. The chocolate speaks for itself, and this is definitely one of my favorites out of everything I've tried.

If you want to sample an array of lolly flavors, you can get the Candie's Lollypalooza lolly set while it's available. It's a limited-time offering, but I saw it in stores at the time of writing, and it comes back each year. It's the best way to try various options, but you might be able to buy individual ones based on your location.

Moving just a hair above the Chocolate Lollypop is the Café Latté version. If you're fond of coffee ice cream or coffee-flavored anything, you should run to See's Candies to grab one. Luckily, this is a mainstay flavor, so you don't have to worry about it being out of stock (the four lollys I tried in this review are all permanent flavors). These are truly satisfying, with an authentic coffee taste thanks to simple ingredients: corn syrup, cream, sugar, coffee, butter, and salt — that's it.

It truly tastes like a latte in a hard candy form, which is not as easy to achieve as you might think. I have bought a lot of coffee-flavored candies because I like that profile, and they don't always deliver. The lollipop format is even better because you can slowly enjoy it, which makes it feel more satisfying, almost like you're getting a better bargain. I totally know this might not be to everyone's taste, but if you like something a little different and want to try a slightly elevated version of a run-of-the-mill lollipop-like treat, this is a must-purchase (even if one candy bested it in these rankings).

It's not lost on me that my favorite item is the most expensive out of everything. I didn't use that as a criterion, but that would be my luck. The peanut brittle is available in two sizes, but I only saw one size for the Maple Cashew Brittle – thankfully, it was a bigger 10-ounce size. I had zero expectations for this treat, but it blew me away, taking the top spot.

Much like the peanut brittle, it teeters on a fine line between crisp and not extremely crunchy. It slowly melts in your mouth as you chew. It's brittle and snaps when you bend it, but it's not so crunchy that it shatters. It has a deep, buttery flavor from the butter, and the cashews also provide a slightly rich flavor and mouthfeel that mimic and complement the butteriness. 

I genuinely could not stop eating the box. Self-control? Don't know her. While it contains natural flavor (probably where the maple flavor comes in) and vanillin, the richness of the butter, sugar, and cashews do all the talking. It would be the first item I'd buy again or bring to a gathering if I were trying to offer something to a party host. Does everyone like Maple Cashew Brittle? Probably not, but I think that this might change their mind.

I bought everything from my local See's Candies store, ordering online and picking it up in store based on the store's stock. I ultimately based my ranking on the candy's overall flavor execution and texture. I was looking for something that delivered on its promises and tasted good enough that you wanted not only to eat one little piece but also to grab another. Texture played a part, too, particularly where things needed more equilibrium — candies were either too soft or too firm. 

Some treats were a little underwhelming and didn't quite live up to their promises. Nothing was especially bad; it just wasn't what I anticipated, and wouldn't be something I would give to someone without knowing their preferences. Others were so incredible, it was hard to stop consuming them. While this is my official ranking, I still think a lot of these may vary based on personal preference.