9 Best Chocolate Candies To Grab At Trader Joe's

There may be some annoying things about shopping at Trader Joe's, like not being able to find certain basic pantry staples to prepare a simple recipe. But one thing the grocery chain does exceptionally well is snack foods. From Trader Joe's cookies to Trader Joe's chips, you'll find tons of unique, novel items you won't be able to find at other grocery stores. One category of snacks you shouldn't miss out on at TJ's is its chocolate candies. The store carries a ton of them, despite their relatively small number of SKUs, and many of them are even better than the most well-known name brand candies out there.

But which chocolate candies are the best? As someone who shops at Trader Joe's several times a week (and admittedly buys far too much chocolate candy), these are my all-time favorite chocolate candy picks from the chain. From crunchy chocolate-covered treats to simple chocolate bars that will cure your cravings for sweets in just one bite, these are the best chocolate candies to grab at Trader Joe's.

As soon as I saw Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Covered Crunchy Corn Kernels at my local TJ's, I knew I was going to love this snack. It's absolutely become one of my favorite chocolate candies at the store mostly because of its texture. The corn actually is quite crunchy, and it tastes sort of salty, so it fulfills those savory snacky cravings in an unexpected way.

At the same time, though, you get some sweetness from the corn itself along with the sweetness from the chocolate, which balances the flavor notes out nicely. The fact that Trader Joe's decided to use dark chocolate here instead of milk chocolate is important — that bitterness keeps things from being too sweet. That being said, the bitterness here isn't super pronounced, so even if you're usually a milk chocolate person, I think the candy is still worth a try. Trader Joe's is the place to go when you're looking for unique snacks and candies you can't find anywhere else, and these chocolate covered crunchy corn kernels are an excellent example of just that.

If you're a vegan or unable to consume dairy, then milk chocolate may be out of the question for you. This is a real bummer if you prefer an ultra-sweet chocolate bar instead of one that brings more bitterness. Thankfully for those who choose not to eat animal-derived products, Trader Joe's stocks a surprising number of delicious vegan snacks. Among them is the chain's Oat Chocolate Bars, and these dairy-free bars surprisingly taste just like milk chocolate.

Not only do you get the sweeter flavor profile milk chocolate is known for, but there's also a really lovely creaminess here that makes every bite feel richer and more decadent. That luscious texture is something I usually don't even find in standard milk chocolate bars, so you don't have to be dairy-free to justify this Trader Joe's candy purchase.

I also really love the size of these bars. They're small enough that you can easily eat one in a single sitting, but large enough that you feel like you're getting more than a single bite of chocolate. This may be one of the simpler products on the list, but it's a chocolate bar that really should be regarded as a TJ's classic.

I know that Trader Joe's isn't the only brand selling Milk Chocolate Covered Gummy Bears, but I hadn't had them until TJ's started stocking them. Once I tried them, though, they quickly became one of my favorite candies.

The real appeal here is the interesting combo of textures you get. The gummy inside of the chocolate shell is nice and squishy with that bouncy texture that only the best gummy candies have. However, you're also getting a rich and creamy layer of milk chocolate to make things a little more decadent. You might assume the fruity and chocolatey flavors would clash, but in reality, they work quite well together, creating an unexpected balance between two totally different types of sweet ingredients.

Now, one thing to keep in mind about these gummies is that they're quite sweet. Not only do you have the sweetness from the gummy itself, but the fact that milk chocolate is used instead of dark here adds to the intense sugariness even more. Still, while I'd technically love to taste a dark chocolate version of this candy, that extra touch of sweetness isn't a bad thing — especially for those who have insatiable sweet tooths.

I absolutely love a good chocolate peanut butter cup. In fact, Reese's is one of my favorite candies of all time. But if you're looking for a Trader Joe's version of this kind of candy with a twist, then you have to check out the chain's Dark Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter Cups. Not only is this another vegan (and thus dairy-free) candy pick, but it's also nut-free, which means your kids can take it to school without having to worry about triggering anyone's allergies. Of course, that's not why I love the treat — and it earned its way onto this list simply because it's really delicious.

The sunflower seed butter doesn't taste totally dissimilar to peanut butter, but I think it has a rich savoriness that you don't find in the latter. This flavor pairs well with the dark chocolate that enrobes it, creating that signature peanut butter cup snap and offering the candy a nice, balancing bitterness. It feels a little more grown-up and sophisticated than a typical chocolate peanut butter cup, and it actually tastes like you're getting quality chocolate. For dark chocolate lovers, it's a must-try Trader Joe's candy.

Now, if you want a chocolate candy from Trader Joe's that's not going to stick to your teeth, I wouldn't recommend its Milk Chocolate Honeycomb Candy. However, if you're okay with brushing and flossing a little more intensely tonight, then this is a chocolate candy that's absolutely worth checking out.

The honeycomb candy offers the most delightful, airy crisp. In fact, that's a huge part of the appeal of this treat — you won't get this kind of crisp from other types of chocolate candy out there. The underlying candy has a hard consistency at first, but as you chew it, it becomes softer and sweeter. This candy is also very sweet, which may lead you to believe the milk chocolate layered on top would be overkill. But it's quite the opposite. Even though you're getting a lot of sweetness with this stuff, it comes from two different sources. The flavor of the honeycomb is deeper and more complex, while the chocolate seems like it's mostly there to offer a rich creaminess to the candy.

When it comes together, it tastes like the perfect match. And if you can't make it to Trader Joe's anytime soon, you can always try whipping up this recipe for an easy honeycomb toffee and covering it in a layer of chocolate for a similar treat.

I've already talked about my love for Reese's, so it should come as no surprise that I'm a fan of other chocolate peanut butter cups — specifically, Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. In fact, I consider them one of the absolute best Trader Joe's desserts. While Reese's (and a lot of other chocolate peanut butter cups out there) use milk chocolate, the decision to opt for dark chocolate here makes for a bitter touch I think is really nice. These candies are still plenty sweet, but that bit of complexity really takes things to another level.

These are shorter, stubbier peanut butter cups than original Reese's, so it feels like you're getting a bit more chocolate in each piece. I like the textural bite that you get from this shape, when the chocolate collapses and you finally get to taste the salty and nutty peanut butter inside. Because there's a bit of a sweet and savory situation going on, it's easy to enjoy these things all on their own. However, there's also so many other ways you can use these peanut butter cups in baking projects if you're looking for a dark chocolate variety.

Look, I'm not really much of a caramel person, so if I'm recommending you a caramel candy? You know it has to be good. Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Covered Caramels are the perfect treat for those times when you just want two bites of deliciousness. Each caramel will give you just that, with the combination of creamy chocolate and soft and chewy caramel.

There's a lot of caramel out there that's quite hard and sticky, but that's not what you're getting here. There's a lusciousness and richness in this caramel that makes it easy to eat and enjoy. Although it's very sweet (as all caramel is), the intense bitterness of the chocolate that enrobes each caramel helps to balance things out nicely. I also pick up on a slight saltiness that further helps this balance.

As much as I love a good dessert marathon from time to time, on a lot of evenings, I'm just looking for a couple of bites of something sweet. Because these caramel candies are so decadent, they offer that near-perfect bite. You feel like you're getting something special and decadent without having to commit to a more sizable sweet.

Trader Joe's Milk Chocolate Bar with Corn Flakes is one of the more fun chocolate treats you'll find at this grocery store. At first glance, it might not seem particularly special, since it just looks like any normal chocolate bar. But once you realize that there are actually pieces of cornflakes molded into the chocolate, you'll understand what all the hype is about.

Those corn flakes provide the ideal level of crunch — they're way crunchier than the lightly crisp puffed rice that you'll find in some chocolate candies. But because the corn flakes are all encased in chocolate, that crunch is sort of muffled by the creaminess surrounding it. Those two textures coming together is absolutely incredible, and it's the main reason this chocolate bar has landed on this list.

But flavor is also a factor. Of course, this is milk chocolate, so it's a pretty sweet candy. Plus, the cornflakes add an additional touch of sweetness to make things even more decadent. Although this candy bar probably isn't the best option for those who want a more restrained, less sweet dessert, it's perfect for those of us who have a serious sweet tooth and want more texture than the average chocolate bar can provide.

If you're on the hunt for the perfect Trader Joe's snack to put out at parties, look no further than these Dark Chocolate Covered Pistachios. These should come with a warning, though. You may think you're only going to eat a small handful, but you'll find it's way too easy to finish the entire bag in one go.

It all starts with the pistachio itself. These pistachios have a decent amount of salt on them, which helps provide the savory note the snack needs for balance. But I also appreciate how fresh the pistachios taste, with that green, nutty, creamy flavor that only pistachios have. Then there's the layer of dark chocolate that enrobes the pistachio, offering both sweetness and bitterness. The pistachios aren't exactly crunchy inside their chocolate shell, but rather, they crumble as you take a bite.

If you've only ever had chocolate covered almonds or peanuts before, let me tell you: Chocolate covered pistachios are at an entirely different level of deliciousness. And since these are some of the freshest-tasting chocolate covered pistachios I've ever had, it's easy to include them on a list of the best chocolate candies to grab at Trader Joe's.

I've made these picks based on my own personal experiences with the products mentioned. These are all chocolate covered candies that I find to be well-balanced, both in terms of texture and flavor. I tried to strike a good balance between more common styles of chocolate candies and those that seem a bit more novel, by my estimation. I also attempted to include both dark and milk chocolate styles. These are my personal favorite chocolate candies to pick up at Trader Joe's when I have a sweet tooth.