Atkinson’s most famous candy, Chick-O-Sticks are a cultural icon. Quite a nostalgic treat, these candies are a favorite of the generation that grew up rocking out to Elvis and cutting loose with the Jitterbug or the Lindy Hop. Lucky for us, these candies are still sold widely today. Chick-O-Sticks are made from a recipe of finely ground and roasted peanuts mixed with granulated sugar. The mixture is then rolled into candy sticks and topped with toasted coconut. If you like Butterfingers, you may like Chick-O-Sticks, because the filling of both is virtually the same. Or, like me, you may just wonder where all the chocolate coating went. Still, the Atkinson’s company is doing their own thing, and the resulting candy pieces are flaky, crunchy, and a bit like tightly wound peanut brittle. The taste is good, but these orange-colored nuggets will get stuck in your teeth, so keep a toothbrush handy for afterward. I liked these overall, but I wouldn’t eat a bag full, or even crave them. And that’s coming from a fan of both peanut butter and coconut. A plus to these candies it that they are individually wrapped and they will not melt in the heat. With two grams of fat and 80 calories per serving, you won’t have your fitness instructor on your tail.

Sold in longer sticks or smaller, bite-size pieces, Chick-O-Sticks are founded in a strong candy-making tradition. The Atkinson’s Company has been making sweets since 1932 from their home in Lufkin, Texas. The company is family-owned and produces other quality products like Old Fashion Peanut Brittle, Assorted Sours, Mint Twists, Long Boys (chewy coconut caramels), Rainbow Coconut and Peanut Butter Bars. By far the most popular, Chick-O-Sticks are a great invention, and one that we hope will be around for future generations of candy aficionados.

Tags: crunchy, peanut butter, toasted coconut, honeycombed, sweets

“They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysteriously spooky….” No, these aren’t creepy, but they are Kandy Kookies (pronounced cookie, not kooky). Colorful, candy-coated drops about the size of a Junior Mint, Kandy Kookies are most similar to malted milk balls. But they also have a hint of chocolate chip cookie flavor to them. You could almost identify these bite-size treats as candy-coated Cookie Crisp cereal. Almost.

Available in five-pound bulk bags or smaller eight-ounce gift bags, these candies may be a taste worth acquiring. Here’s the concept: If you are craving a cookie, but don’t want to eat a whole one, you can just eat one of these Kandy Kookies. But I think you will be disappointed if you are expecting a fresh-from-the-oven Toll House cookie. If you come in expecting a piece of candy and not a cookie, you will be much better off, and more likely to walk away with a grin on your face. Note: These candies aren’t bad at all. Like sweet, crunchy M&M’s on steroids, they come in a mix of fun colors, though I can’t distinguish any difference in flavors between the various candy shells.

The Reno-based Kimmie Candy Company is the culprit behind Kandy Kookies. (Just try to say that sentence five times fast). Started only eight years ago, the company was the concept of agricultural worker Joe Dutra. He simply wanted to market his “Sunbursts” (sunflower seeds with layers of chocolate and candy coating) as a snack that is actually healthy to eat… or at least better for you than many other snacks. In less than a decade, the company burst into the scene, expanding nationwide and now distributed internationally. Their other products include Choco Rocks (candy-coated chocolate that really looks like pebbles!), Heart Tarts, Peanut Crunchers, Gold Nuggets, and Baby Dino Eggs among others. Pick up some Kandy Kookies for your candy jar, and don’t forget to share.

Tags: candy coated, candy cookies, chocolate, bite size candy, sweets

In June 2006, Hershey’s first rolled out its 100 Calorie Snacks like Reese’s Pieces mixed with multigrain cereal. Perhaps this was to go along with the trend already set in place by Nabisco with their 100 Calorie Packs of popular cookies and crackers. After all, 100 calories doesn’t sound like a lot for a snack. The average person burns off that many calories sleeping at night—right? In any case, the newest 100 Calorie bar from Hershey’s is the Reese’s Peanut Butter Wafer. At 6 grams of fat and 11 grams of carbs, this snack is surprisingly small and probably more satisfying to a bird than a human. But dieters will delight in this convenient .67-ounce wafer layered with peanut butter and covered in Hershey’s chocolate.

I opened this wrapper a little skeptically, the calorie content staring me back in the face. I was expecting something like a peanut butter granola bar, but what I got was more like a Little Debbie Nutty Bar with only a fraction of the guilt! Inside the wrapper were two very thin, 3-inch-long wafers. The first bite led me to an intense peanut butter and chocolate sensation. This did not taste like diet food—that’s for sure. It is just a smaller portion of the already delectable Reese’s peanut butter and Hershey’s chocolate combo. This wafer had more than a hint of great taste. It was more like an explosion of peanut butter.

Dieters, don’t be fooled into thinking this is good for you—there is no substantial nutritional value. You’d actually be better off eating one bite of the candy bar you are actually craving, but that takes a whole lot of willpower. This already packaged portion is great to pop in your purse or desk drawer and pull out when the craving hits. A hundred calories is a fair compromise for the amount of flavor packed into this little wafer that could.

Tags: Reese’s, peanut butter, chocolate wafer, low calorie snack, sweets

Who knows chocolate and peanut butter better than Reese’s? Since 1928, the Reese’s company, now owned by Hershey’s, has been rolling out the well-known and well-loved Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup covered in pure milk chocolate. Reese’s Pieces, Fast Break, and NutRageous have since been introduced to the candy-loving public. Now the company is stepping into unknown territory to bring us a candy bar that will be lower in fat without losing any power-packed taste. The new Reese’s Whipps candy bar contains 2 ounces of chocolate-covered fluffy nougat flavored with Reese’s staple ingredient: peanut butter. The nougat center allows the candy bar to have almost 40 percent less fat than other Reese’s products, which are made with a true peanut butter center.

I liked this candy bar much more than I expected. For starters, it doesn’t have any whole peanuts, and my favorite nougat candy bar is Snickers. How could another candy fight for my attention with words like lower in fat, light, and fluffy? Regardless of my doubts, I sunk my teeth into a real dream with Reese’s Whipps. This was not at all like a Snickers or any other Reese’s product, for that matter. The peanut butter nougat is truly satisfying, though it feels light and airy going down. And it isn’t a bland peanut-butter flavor, but a flavor with true, punch-you-in-the-gut intensity.

If you are in the market for a low-fat candy bar that still makes your taste buds happy, this is a great option. For a real treat, throw a Reese’s Whipps candy bar in the freezer—you’ll enjoy a cool and chewy dessert in hours. And, although the grandeur and size may be self-defeating in the low-fat department, look for a king-size bar to appear on your favorite candy store’s shelves. You’ll likely love this candy bar if you give it a chance. Besides, when’s the last time Reese’s has disappointed us?

Tags: Reese’s, peanut butter, low fat candy, milk chocolate, sweets

Housed under parent company Hershey’s, the Reese’s brand is synonymous with peanut butter. The original Reese cup has been available since 1928—almost a century. H.B. Reese invented the popular chocolate shell with peanut butter filling. It has changed a great deal over the years with countless variations on the original. But the fame the Reese’s brand attained in the candy marketplace is due to this original success story: the peanut butter cup that changed the world.

How could the company branch out from their signature Reese’s Pieces and Peanut Butter Cup and tempt the public in new ways? Could they pack chocolate and peanut butter into a candy bar in a way that would be inventive enough and tasty enough to grab the public’s attention? Packing in fresh roasted peanuts seemed to be the ticket. But they didn’t stop there. Caramel and peanut butter round out the innards of the candy log. Milk chocolate coats the delicious invention. Wrap it all up in the classic orange-colored label with a bright blue nameplate, and you have NutRageous. Candy consumers have been buying up this bar since it was unleashed on the public in 1994. If you haven’t tried it–where have you been?

I love the NutRageous bar. It’s crunchy and truly satisfying, like a Snickers. In fact, I’d place it in line just behind Reese cups to meet my cravings for peanut buttery goodness. What makes this bar so all-the-rage? Definitely the rich peanut butter. You just can’t go wrong with peanut-creaminess and milk chocolate. In fact, I didn’t realize caramel was also one of the dominant ingredients until I read the packaging. If this candy-combo sounds up your alley, you’ll most likely buy NutRageous again and again. This is a genuine favorite candy bar of many connoisseurs, so you will be in good company if you find yourself adding the word “nutrageous” to your vocabulary—and your shopping list.

Tags: Reeses, milk chocolate, peanut butter, caramel, sweets

The Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg has the traditional taste that you have come to expect from the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, but without the shape. When I opened it, it didn’t really resemble an egg, but rather a large glob of peanut butter and chocolate combined. To me, it doesn’t really matter what shape it is…as long as it’s good. I do enjoy the traditional cup shape of the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups because they are more fun to unwrap because of the ridges. But the egg tasted just as good. I also like the fact that the cups come with two per package. Once you eat one, you know you have another right behind it. With the egg, there is only one.

Does it really get much better than peanut butter and chocolate? I mean, besides peanut butter and jelly, there are very few combinations that have become legendary in our food crazed society. But Reese’s has perfected the combination to be a perfect balance for the taste buds. Besides, since the chocolate is made with Hershey’s chocolate, you can be sure that you’re not disappointed.

The Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg is only offered during the Easter season. The yellow and orange packaging is more attractive than the traditional orange and brown packaging. But it’s like I always tell my wife, “It doesn’t matter what you’re wrapped in, it’s not going to be on but a few seconds.�? This is just as true with my candy. I couldn’t care less about what the packaging or even the candy looks like…I just care about what’s inside.

The Reese’s peanut butter cups actually started out as simply peanut butter cups without the chocolate covering. This changed once the cups became popular and the Reese’s company merged with the Hershey’s company. It’s one of the greatest partnerships in the history of America – Bogey & Bacall, Abbott and Costello, Reese and Hershey. Now, the company offers several varieties of their popular candy, including white chocolate, dark chocolate, peanut butter mixed with caramel, inside out varieties, and big cups to please any candy lover’s desire.

Tags: Reese’s, milk chocolate, peanut butter eggs, Easter candy, sweets

So, Hershey’s has a little secret. Why have you been holding out on us, oh corporate chocolate giant? The secret is Zagnut, a candy bar known for it’s red wrapper, pinball-game font proudly displaying the name. It’s a crunchy, peanut buttery center rolled in toasted coconut—with no chocolate. If you can imagine the crispy layers of a Butterfinger bar with a coconut coating instead of the chocolate shell, that’s very much what Zagnut tastes like. A candy bar with no chocolate—that’s different all right. But the taste is really actually unique and good. I can’t say that I missed the chocolate component all that much, because this bar had the right stuff. It was sweet but refreshing… a wholesome yet tropical taste experience that I’d have over and over again.

Since not everyone goes running out for a candy bar without chocolate, it’s said that most Zagnut bars are sold online rather than in stores. Hershey’s meet the needs of their niche market quite well, especially during summer months when chocolate sales go down. Though I don’t think I’d be tempted to order mass quantities online, I can certainly understand needing to feed an addiction for that one special candy that makes any rainy day shine, or the one sentimental sweet from childhood that takes you back. As a nostalgia candy, the Zagnut bar is worth keeping around. But first-timers are always welcome.

And just to unleash another little secret: the birth of this candy bar isn’t all thanks to Hershey’s. As early as 1930, you could find this delicious treat on sale courtesy of the D.L. Clark company, which has sold its business in the past decade to other candy companies. The Zagnut bar was saved (phew!) and acquired by the Hershey’s brand pretty recently, in 1996. It’s a good thing, because now the many Zagnut fans can pass this candy bar on to their future generations and keep spreading the good news that has for so long been a secret to many.

Tags: Hershey’s candy, peanut butter candy, toasted coconut candy, candy bar, sweets

Take the classic Reese’s cup. Make it twice as thick as a normal cup. Add peanuts. Add almonds. Add cashews. Add pecans and peanuts. With mixed nuts added to the already creamy, peanut buttery center, this is a formula for greatness. The new Big Cup with Mixed Nuts is Reese’s limited edition treat, to go one step further than the Big Cup with nuts (all peanuts). You won’t get as much Reese’s goodness as you would by eating two normal-size cups, but you will enjoy a hearty candy snack that’s only for serious candy aficionados. From the minute I opened the wrapper, I was assaulted by a strong whiff of peanut butter. I liked this candy, though it should be eaten with caution. Once you try this special edition, you will want to get another one. My only complaint was that it tasted a little greasy, like those Little Debbie brownies with nuts. (If you press the nuts between your fingers, you will get a little pool of grease, and I would have to imagine this would be the same.) Oh, and you shouldn’t come within ten feet of this if you have a nut allergy. Even the smell of all these nuts is enough to tackle you to the ground, if you’re not crazy about them.

I’m a huge Reese’s fan. In fact, I buy this Hershey’s-owned brand of candy often—second only in candy devotion to my beloved Snickers bar. The original was created in 1928 by dairyman H.B. Reese. With the wide number of variations on the standard cup (miniatures, cups made of white chocolate, with or without nuts, with or without caramel, Reese’s pieces), there’s something for everyone. And, as the decades-ago ad campaign stated, “There’s no wrong way to eat a Reese’s.�? I’ll take you on your word there, and eat it in the car, in bed, at work, in the morning, in the evening…. And mom, I promise I won’t turn into one.

Tags: Reese’s, milk chocolate,  peanut butter candy, nut candy,  sweets

If candy lived in Hollywood, Palmer’s mini peanut butter cups would be the next great, undiscovered talent. Palmer really steals the limelight by making peanut butter cups without those cumbersome paper wrappers. Really, you don’t miss unwrapping these things—they are just fine without. But making them tinier than Reese’s miniature peanut butter cups was an even better idea. Here’s why: You get loads and loads of chocolate in perfect ratio to the peanut butter, and you can eat them by the handful. I can’t say that the flavor is equal to that of Reese’s, but the taste is good. Smooth, creamy and rich, these are a real chocolate treat. Dozens and dozens of tiny chocolate-covered peanut butter cups come tumbling out of this 5-ounce box, the size of boxed candy you’d buy at a movie theater. And with this product, Palmer delivers plenty of choco-peanut-licious flavor to share with friends or family.

And maybe that’s because Palmer is a family-run candy business that opened in 1878 as a fresh-fruit wholesaler. The founder’s great-great-grandson currently runs the op—that’s five generations of wholesome familial love and history poured into their products. The Palmer company branched out to manufacture chocolates, penny candies and gumdrops in the early 1900s. Palmer put the fruit sales to rest by 1970 and switched to candy production full time. Known widely in the Midwest for their Twin Bing candy bar (a cherry nougat center wrapped in chocolate and crushed nuts), Palmer also focuses on seasonal candies and bulk candy sales to grocery stores and specialty shops. But back to the mini p.b. cups. These candies are absolutely worth a try. If you don’t like them as much as other brands, you will at least like them enough to finish the box. But if you don’t eat it all in one sitting, take note: the chocolate will go stale and start to taste funny if you leave the box open (there’s no good way to seal it). That’s just one more reason to share it with some friends.

Tags: Palmer, peanut butter candy, movie candy,  sweets

Sam Altshuler, a Russian immigrant founded Annabelle Candy Company, Incorporated, in 1950. Mr. Altshuler learned the art of candy making, and after struggling for years, finally achieved success with the Rocky Road candy bar. He named his business the “Annabelle Candy Company�? after his daughter, and began manufacturing Rocky Road in San Francisco. The item quickly gained popularity throughout the western United States where it has its strongest hold today. In 1965, Annabelle Candy Company moved across the San Francisco bay to its present location in Hayward, California. Mr. Altshuler passed away in 1971, leaving control of the Company to his daughter, Annabelle Altshuler Block. Annabelle purchased two other candy companies after her father’s death, one of which produced the Abba Zaba bar. The candy company continued to grow and has remained a family business through the years. It is the largest independently owned candy bar manufacturer in the United States and the Abba Zaba bar remains one of its biggest sellers.

Whew! That was a mouthful. You know what else is a mouthful? If you guessed the Abba Zaba you are correct! Abba Zaba’s are chewy taffy-y goodness with an ooey, gooey peanut butter-y center. They are sticky, messy and a great treat. The kind folks over at the Annabelle Candy Company have come up with a brand new Abba Zaba flavor – the Apple Abba Zaba. And this, candy kids, is the candy blog du jour. The wrapper of this new and intriguing bar looks just like the old wrapper with one exception – it is bright green. Upon opening the candy, I come face to face with a green taffy candy. Shockingly green! Day-glow green! It looks like it is the same consistency of the old Abba Zaba and when I give it a little tug it has that same taffy-pull feel to it. It smells great, but then again, I am a sucker for sour apple flavored things. Ok, let me bite off a corner. Hmmm…it tastes like sour apple salt water taffy. But I didn’t quite make it to the famous peanut butter center. Let’s try that again. Oophnfg. Mymoufisrweallyfullnow. Hold on one second, please. Ok. Got some water…that’s better. So, it’s basically sour apple taffy with a sweet and salty peanut butter center. The taste is, well, to tell you the truth, it’s not my favorite candy so far. Maybe sweet apple taffy would have been better. Or even sour apple taffy with a caramel center. But the taste of peanut butter and sour apple taffy just isn’t doing it for me. The sweet-saltiness of the peanut butter and the sour, tangy green apple test just don’t blend well. But hey, what do I know? Give this candy a shot and let me know what you think. Maybe I’ll write a letter to the Annabelle candy company with our suggestions. Until then, au revoir candy kids…