Ice cream lovers may not be able to get their fix in any form other than a delicious, icy cold hand-dipped cone. But who can resist ice cream flavored candy? That’s precisely why Baskin Robbins came up with its Smooth & Creamy Hard Candies, available in flavors like Fruit Medley, Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry, Vanilla, and Pralines ‘n Cream. A few sugar-free varieties are also for sale at grocery stores and drug stores nationwide. And are they ever good.

The Pralines ‘ n Cream candies come in a 6-ounce bag with individually wrapped candies inside. The caramel-colored wrapper with the Baskin Robbins logo in royal blue and pink tempts the taste buds before you even unwrap a piece. Each hard candy is reminiscent of a flattened root beer barrel candy, with a 31 logo imprinted on the side. Since not everyone goes nuts for nut-inspired flavors, you may avoid these sweets altogether. In case you don’t know, the word praline refers to a dessert made from nuts and sugared syrup—this can refer to pecans, almonds or hazelnuts, depending on what region of the world you’re in. Sometimes these are covered in chocolate as well. But as far as Baskin Robbins is concerned, Pralines ‘n Cream means smooth, creamy, rich, unbelievable taste in a hard candy form that lasts and lasts. These taste a bit like Werther’s Original candies, but nuttier. A bit bigger, too, which means they last just a hair longer. Does it give the same sensation as licking a perfectly dipped ice cream cone on a hot summer day? No. But you can trick your appetite for now, and reward it later with real ice cream. Because they are all individually wrapped, this is a great hard candy to throw in your pocket or purse and save for later in the day. Great candy dish candy, too. The smooth & creamy label is not misleading in the least—these candies are a joy for the taste buds.

Tags: individually wrapped,  hard candy, ice cream candy, Baskin Robbins, sugar-free 

Move over, five-flavor rolls. Same to you, Pep-O-Mint. The new guys are in town. A Lifesavers variety bag (about 112 pieces per pound) boasts 13 fruit flavors of those little hard candies. All individually wrapped in clear plastic, the candies come in four of the five traditional flavors: cherry, pineapple, orange, and lemon (no lime in this bag). But tropically inspired tastes are also in this variety pack, including green apple, grape, watermelon, fruit punch, pina colada, tangerine, banana, mango melon, and raspberry. These doughnut-shaped candies are common fare in doctor’s office candy bowls, but are also great to keep stashed anywhere you like.

The first new flavor I tried was mango melon. It has a bright yet creamy flavor, almost like the real fruit and the color of cantaloupe. A raspberry fan in any form, I also loved that one. And you can’t go wrong with the classics, like cherry and orange. In fact, in 2003, when Lifesavers opened up the five-flavor roll’s fate to a public vote, three of the mainstays were temporarily replaced by blackberry, raspberry and watermelon, though blackberry was quickly replaced by orange. Notice that blackberry, a failed attempt, didn’t even make it in the 13-flavor bag.

The great thing about this variety bag is that you have 13 different choices—even if you don’t like a flavor or two, someone else will eventually come along and eat them. It’s because Lifesavers are perfect for when you just want to pop something in and go. Perfect for the mom on the go, the kid on the school bus (when gum is not allowed), and the candy lover in you. They don’t melt, making them a great “summer candy.?? And that’s why Lifesavers have been around for nearly a century. Currently owned by the Wrigley company, these circular candies are instantly recognizable and classic in appeal. Luckily for us, the company is innovating for the future, by producing what people want—more options (enter Lifesaver Gummies and Fruit ‘Splosions), more flavors (including sours, sorbets, and mints), and many sizes. With so many options as well as interactive contests where consumers get to decide which candy flavors will be next on the radar, Lifesavers have evolved. And yet the somehow retain all the nostalgia from your childhood and mine. Brilliant.

Tags: fruit flavored, individually wrapped, Lifesavers, Wrigley, hard candy 

Made by the makers of Werther’s Original, here’s another candy that tastes like… Werther’s Original. Sure, that makes sense. [Insert own brand of sarcasm here.] Storck brand Milkfuls are round, individually wrapped hard candies with a sweet caramel taste. Different from Werther’s because of the “milky filling??? inside, these candies didn’t do a whole lot for me. But my husband gladly finished up my leftovers and they’re still making them, so there’s got to be a market for these. I guess I just prefer that a hard candy stay hard all the way through. From the first moment I tossed the candy in my mouth, I wasn’t sure whether to chew or just let it dissolve. The hard outer shell got stuck in my teeth and the milky center wasn’t all it could have been. As Randy from American Idol would say, “It was just okay for me, dog.???

As long as Storck has the popular Werther’s brand, I think it’s safe to say that they’ll continue to prosper. Also the makers of Mamba fruit chews, Riesen and Merci European chocolates, this company has a good thing going—and has for the last hundred years. In fact, they boast online that every day, 6.24 people around the world choose a Storck product. Wow! When the company branched out and dubbed Chicago the home for its U.S.-based operations, they knew what they were doing. Chicago is a hub for candy manufacturers. And Storck itself is a hub for good candies that good people like to keep in little glass bowls on their coffee tables and give to their good little kids. I don’t think anyone of us has escaped the realm of these candies—you’ve likely sampled and enjoyed a Werther’s Original or a milk chocolate Riesen at some time in your life. If you like Werther’s, you may also enjoy their lactose-centered counterpart, Milkfuls. After all, even if Randy and Simon didn’t care for it, you know Paula would still give it a try and an “A??? for effort.

Tags: hard candy, Werther’s candy, caramel candy, Storck, sweets

These little guys are known all through out the world as little tablets of tart, sweet and full of good times! They are perfect for any occasion and make for an excellent little pick me up. Toss a few in the bag for trick or treaters that come knocking on Halloween. Put a couple in a valentines basket, and you will see why these little guys make it on any occasion. Tiny Tarts come in several scrumptious flavors like Lemonade, Orange, Sour Apple and Raspberry. Pop one in your mouth and watch your vision be obscured by flavor, you will go dizzy from taste and leave you craving more. They are the perfect little treat when you are looking for that one thing to hit the spot where all other candy can do no right.

They are the youngest sibling to some other well known treats you might have already heard of maybe even already have tried. Candies like Care Bears Gummi Bears, Cookie Dough Bites, Muddy Bears and Sqwiggles. All of which have broken through into the mainstream candy confectionaries and made way for their new addition the Tiny Tarts. Though the Tiny Tarts have some work ahead of them to beat out such names like Shock Tarts or Sweet Tarts it’s easy to see where these Tiny Tarts will take there place among the tart candy giants. They are just as good and just as worthy as any other tart candy out there on the shelves today. Check them out for yourselves, if you are not satisfied well then there is something wrong with your taste buds my friend!