The 5 Best And 5 Worst New Halloween Candies To Try In 2026

If you're reading this article, chances are you've experienced your fair share of Halloween seasons. As time goes by, more creativity is required to keep this holiday from feeling like a rerun of past years. Reinvention with costumes is fairly easy, but what about candy? Several major brands dominate the market, creating an illusion of limited options. However, although candy options are not quite limitless in the way costumes are, every Halloween season brings a brand-new cast of candies, as well as revised mainstays.

In 2026, emerging candy options abound for several contemporary reasons. Newer brands like Joyride and Häppy Candy are changing how we see candy through better-for-you options with cleaner ingredients and less sugar. Culinary science has given way to inventive approaches, like Sour Patch Kids' candy that glows under black light and Skittles' freeze-dried candies. Old-school brands like Haribo, Brach's, and Kit Kat are adapting to keep up with current trends and social media marketing. Also boasting an enduring history, Hi-Chew sees the importance of fun, new flavors for today's customer base.

We all have our trusted favorites, but even some of the most popular candies can get old. Whether you're sick of the same old sweets, looking for healthier options, or trying to keep up with what the kids like these days, it might be time for an update. Don't make a grave mistake –- choose wisely with the help of this 2026 Halloween candies review.

This Halloween season isn't Skittles' first rodeo; the brand has hopped on plenty of spooky-themed trends and tried on different formats. Some have been winners; others have been flops. In my opinion, Skittles might have one of the worst gummy candy options out there. However, Skittles' version of freeze-dried candy was an addictive eating experience that I would 10/10 recommend.

Skittles Pop'd Creepy Crunch takes the brand's original formula and enhances both its textures and flavors. Due to the freeze-drying process, the insides of each Skittle stayed slightly soft while the candy shell turned into a crackly topping. In turn, these candies were simultaneously crunchy and chewy –- almost like a snack, but still very decadent and sweet, and definitely hard to stop eating.

At first glance, the flavors looked unchanged from Skittles' originals, but that's a trick on the brand's part. Each flavor is a spin on Skittles that have come before, like Cursed Apple and Ghostly Lime. The Red Raspberry and Beastly Blackberry flavors actually tasted like the fruits themselves, which showcased a strong bramble fruit flavor that was more earthy than artificial. Skittles has produced many flavor varieties over the years, but I thought these limited-edition Creepy Crunch flavors were some of the best I've had from the brand.

Like Skittles, Sour Patch Kids has created many successful iterations of its original version. When I saw that this candy product glows under a black light, I was especially excited for the potential of Sour Patch Kids' Glow Ups Ghosts. However, this is ultimately a taste test, and this option did not earn a glowing review.

The texture of this Halloween-themed candy was identical to the original Sour Patch Kids -– no qualms there. Instead, this candy's low marks come from its confusing combination of flavors. Featuring orange and peach flavors in the colors of ivory and orange, I thought Sour Patch Kids' Glow Ups Ghosts were not harmonious with one another, or even good separately. The orange tasted very antiquated and boring; to me, it conjured the flavor of orange popsicles. The peach flavor was off-putting, almost floral, and hung around as a lingering aftertaste. Furthermore, there was nothing complementary or cohesive about these two flavors. Both the orange and the peach were somehow too similar and too discordant to make sense together.

I don't know why this highly successful brand chose these flavors and colors –- it seems like a missed opportunity. Sour Patch Kids could make this blacklight idea even cooler and on theme by, say, showcasing a black-and-orange combo with starkly different flavors. It's rare for candy to stick around in my house, but these Sour Patch Kids are still sitting on my shelf.

Joyride came on the scene in 2022, and since then it's become a top favorite for health-conscious candy enthusiasts. While some healthy candies don't really taste like candy at all, I found that Joyride does an expert job of recreating the indulgent flavors and ingredients we've come to expect. The company's Mystic Mix Sour Smacks are no exception to this rule. 

Sour Smacks are not a new variety by the candy brand; however, the Mystic Mix flavor is a 2026 original. While Sour Patch Kids Glow Ups Ghosts missed the mark on flavor, I gave Joyride's Mystic Mix Sour Smacks extra points in this category. I thought this spooky grape and blue raspberry combo was so delicious.

Blue raspberry and grape-flavored candies are always my jam, but I'm confident that these could win over a crowd. Both flavors were packed with a strong, fruity smack that endured with every chew. I found the blue raspberry flavor to be slightly more sour than its grape counterpart, but both were pretty mild in terms of sourness shock value. 

In a way, these were reminiscent of sour gummy worms, except less rubbery and more soft and chewy. Like sour gummy worms, these sported a light dusting of sugar, which created a sweet barrier on top of the slightly sour taste. As they're sold at major retailers, I can see Joyride's Mystic Mix Sour Smacks and Halloween Party Pack flying off the shelves in 2026. Did I mention they're adorable?

Speaking of adorable, I had high hopes for Häppy Candy's Halloween Pack due to the cute packaging alone. Plus, it's one of the newer BFY (Better For You) brands, and it's buzzing with attention. To my unfortunate surprise, I was unimpressed by the brand's Halloween assortment, which features two holiday-themed varieties.

I tried the Witch's Brew option first, which ended up being the superior of the two. Here are the positive notes: I liked the flavor combination of the watermelon and peach pieces, which reminded me of watermelon Jolly Ranchers and peach rings. These two tastes served as nice complements to each other –- both of a similar profile, but different enough to create interest. I didn't notice any weird aftertaste or unappetizing flavor notes. I also liked the texture; these are closer to jellies than gummy candies.

Here's the big problem, though: There was absolutely zero lingering sweetness. At first chew, the candy showed promise of a sweet treat by imparting an initial hit of sugar. But then, that sugary taste disappeared almost instantly, which rendered these jellies almost tasteless. I've honestly never experienced anything like it. This experience was bizarre, disappointing, and definitely left me wanting more. If I feel this way as an adult, I'm sure kids wouldn't be happy about this, either. If I were expecting sweets, I'd be bummed if this was in my Halloween candy bag.

Unlike Häppy Candy, Hi-Chew is not a newer brand; plus, it's put out its Halloween Mix before. So, what's different this year? The brand has come back with a brand new mystery flavor for 2026, and it's in the mix.

Spoiler alert: Skip this section if you want to keep Hi-Chew's Mystery Flavor under wraps. If not, here's my analysis: It tasted tropical, like pineapple, coconut, or a kind of sherbet. It was absolutely unique and really tasty, and I appreciate how the brand defies the ordinary with its Mystery Flavors. This also made for a fun experience of trying to guess the elements of this hard-to-place flavor.

Now for the other flavors in Hi-Chew's bag of tricks: I found the adjoining flavors of Orange Creamsicle, Green Apple, and Cotton Candy to be an unexpected yet interesting mix of flavors. Each of these flavors complemented the mystery cameo in its own unique and delicious way. This is no surprise, considering cool flavors are pretty much what the brand is known for. Hi-Chew has created dozens of flavors over the years, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down.

There are a couple of other highlights that make Hi-Chew one of my top picks. As the name suggests, this brand has the chew factor down pat; the texture was so satisfying. I also liked how each candy was individually wrapped, creating tiny treats that can easily be grabbed on the go.

Mystery also surrounds Haribo's Crazy Skeletons — but not in an intriguing way. If the packaging hadn't spelled it out for me, I wouldn't have known that these are supposed to be skeletons. They looked more like toy soldiers, mummies, people-blob configurations –- pretty much anything figurative and human-esque except for skeletons. The shape of these pieces of candy was also too large –- a literal mouthful –- and hard to chew.

Appearance isn't all that important for determining a good candy, but the taste of Haribo's new product didn't pass the test either. These are advertised as half-sour, half-sweet, with each one on either side, divided down the middle. However, because you get both sides in a bite, the concept gets lost in translation. This took me on a very disjointed tastebud rollercoaster, with one chew marked with pure acidity and the next far too sweet. I would have preferred it if Haribo picked a side, or combined the sour-sweet flavors in a more harmonious way. 

In addition, both the sweet and sour sides were incredibly concentrated with each intended flavor. The sweet side was too intensely juicy, while the sour side was like biting into a lemon. Haribo's Crazy Skeletons were trying to be too many things at once, which ultimately didn't work for me.

Haribo, known for being at the top of the list of best gummy bear candy brands, has turned out tons of great candy concepts over many decades of business. However, while these Halloween-themed gummies are a cute idea, I wouldn't put the brand's Crazy Skeletons with the winners.

Like the earlier Mystic Mix Sour Smacks, Joyride's Sour Zips Boo Mix is a not-new candy with a brand-new flavor. Sour Zips first dropped in April 2026, and months later,the special Boo Mix version was launched for this 2026 Halloween season. 

I had never had a Sour Zip of any flavor before this taste test, but without this point of reference, these Sour Zips get an A+ in my book. These little candies were actually very sour at first, similar to Warheads' level of sour, but this initial zing mellowed out quickly. Because of the acidity, I wouldn't want to eat more than a pack; however, I think this is a really fun and adventurous option to mix into a Halloween candy assortment. With a chew reminiscent of Skittles, the juicy and sweet flavor lasted far beyond the first bite. While the flavors of orange and grape may not be anything out of the ordinary, these welcome classics worked great with the punch of sour flavor.

Although Sour Zips aren't on our list of the most popular sour candies, I think they could make it there in due time. I am so impressed by the Boo Mix -– if this were a blind taste test, I wouldn't know that this was a healthier candy. To quote the packaging, I'm shocked that these are "50% less sugar." I haven't had a better version of sour healthy candy that actually is what it says it is –- legitimately sour, verifiably healthy, and, most importantly, indistinguishable from other candies.

As mentioned before, Häppy Candy's Witch's Brew was more of a trick than a treat for me. Unfortunately, things got worse with the brand's other Halloween pack variety: Zombie Zest. 

This variety was even less sweet than its Witch's Brew counterpart, and the flavors barely imparted any fruitiness to help with this fact. One of the flavors was listed as lime, but to me it tasted more like citrus rind than the fruit itself. The flavor wasn't juicy of any sort –- unless you count lemon juice. The other flavor was blue raspberry, which I also found to be an unusual take on its namesake fruit. It tasted like a raspberry, but only if you removed every ounce of sweetness. Both the lime and raspberry flavors were almost tannic, giving a puckery, astringent mouthfeel I've never experienced in candy.

Like the company's Witch's Brew, Häppy Candy's Zombie Zest also exemplified this odd phenomenon of disappearing flavor. Again, the very first taste gave off a hint of sweetness and fruitiness to come, but quickly vanished. I did enjoy the jelly-like texture of these, and I'm all for this healthy candy trend -– but candy that doesn't taste like candy? That's where I draw the line.

Brach's has been around for a long time — over a hundred years. Even so, that doesn't automatically mean it's on my list of favorite Halloween candy brands. Brach's is known for classic candy types, like jelly beans, candy corn, and other traditional treats made with its signature Mellowcreme formula. While timeless, these candy categories aren't the most exciting or appetizing in my opinion. However, to my surprise, Brach's Mellowcreme Spooky Graveyard was so fantastic that I couldn't stop eating them. It seems as though the vintage candy brand might be making a comeback in 2026.

The bag includes four signature shapes and flavors: Caramel Corn Skulls, Cotton Candy Tombstones, Marshmallow Ghosts, and Green Apple Bats. Beyond the classic caramel corn flavor, the other three flavors were hard to place at first, which made for an enjoyable experience. Far from your typical mellowcreme candies, these fresh and tangy editions were closer in taste to fruity gummies.

With this Mellowcreme Spooky Graveyard candy mix, the brand has managed to modernize without sacrificing the iconic qualities it was built upon. In fact, I think these new flavors work even better with this texture than the originals. Imagine this: the smooth, dense texture of icing, the chewiness of a jelly candy, and high-powered juicy flavor, comparable to the fruitiest gummies –- all in one piece of candy.

I have a bone to pick with Kit Kat. When it comes to enduring brands, I'm usually a big fan of this one; in fact, I think Kit Kat is one of the best candy bars out there. Unfortunately, Kit Kat's Count & Witch missed the mark beyond recognition –- literally.

According to this candy's description and wrapper advertising, these are supposed to look like little count and witch figurines. However, once I unwrapped this candy bar, all I found was a big hunk of chocolate that had clearly melted at some point.

This is more of a quality control issue than a taste issue, and I doubt that every pack of Kit Kat's Count & Witch comes this way. Regardless, I'm judging on my personal experience, and this was a big bummer. Moving on to taste, the flavors were good but not proportionate. The failure to retain their shapes also changed how the components of the bar stacked up. In order to sculpt these shapes, these chocolate count and witch figurines must have a thicker chocolate facade in comparison to traditional Kit Kats. I don't know if that would have enhanced or hindered the taste when enjoyed in its intended form; when melted, this candy bar was essentially a solid glob of milk chocolate overtaking a barely noticeable wafer flavor. 

To create this guide of the five best and five worst new Halloween candy options in 2026, my criteria were plain and simple — I chose based on how much I liked (or didn't like) each option. However, many elements informed my inclinations, like how yummy the flavors were, whether the textures were appealing, and the ergonomics of the shapes and sizes. I also found that unique features like rare candy flavors, health-conscious components, and cute designs influenced how I approached and valued each candy.

With that said, I made sure to stay as unbiased as possible. For example, I did not choose options based on preexisting brand loyalty, favorite flavors, cost, or the amount included in each bag. My goal was to get in the headspace of a kid on Halloween night, mirroring a mission towards the best bounty of candies possible while looking out for the worst.