Calling all sweet toothed sugar addicts! Do you love candy? Do you love to travel?
If so, you’ll love today’s post: I took both of your favorite things and combined them to bring you the best candy from around the world!
We’re going to go beyond the typical chocolate bars and lollipops to show you the most unique international candy from every corner of the Earth. The sweets below are the most popular and/or most well-known candies from each region. With more than 20 countries represented, I’m sure you’ll find a few new favorite international candies (or re-discover old ones)!
Whether you’re already a connoisseur of Japanese candy or want to try a delicious Doña Pepa cookie, all of the candies listed can be bought on Amazon. The only hard part is choosing which one to try first ;)
Get your sweet tooth ready and let’s check out the list!
BEST CANDY FROM ASIA
White Rabbit
Country of origin: China
These candies are super popular in China and are little pieces of creamy milk-flavored toffee. When you pop them into your mouth they’re hard, but after chilling out for a while they’ll become this amazing chewy texture that’s addicting. I bet you can’t stop at just one!
Fun fact: The first White Rabbit candies actually had Mickey Mouse on the wrapping instead of the white rabbit, but in the 1950’s, Mickey was removed because he was seen as “a dangerous symbol from a foreign country”.
Flavored KitKats
Country of origin: Japan
The holy grail of Asian candy (and probably the most well-known), Japanese KitKats come in more than 300 flavors. From the mild (apple, green tea, pudding, brown sugar) to the crazy (cherry blossom, soy sauce, wasabi, sake), there’s at least a handful of flavors that you and your tastebuds will fall in love with!
Fun fact: In 2010 the top-selling KitKat flavor in Japan was soy sauce
Tamarind candy
Country of origin: Thailand
For those who haven’t tasted tamarind candies yet, you’re in for a treat: These delicious nuggets are both chewy, soft, fruity, slightly sour, and tangy at the same time. The flavor is something between a caramelized apple and a pear… but better. You’ll have to try them for yourself to find out ;)
Botan Rice Candy
Country of origin: Japan
Soft and chewy with a hint of lemon, this Japanese candy is perfect for a snack or if you’re craving something sweet. The candy is wrapped with rice paper, which is edible and melts on your tongue. Each box also comes with a cute bonus sticker :)
Chocolate Mushrooms
Country of origin: Japan
The first time I found out about these delicious choco-shrooms was when I moved to San Francisco to attend university. On my first weekend off, my friends and I went to Japantown on a massive snack haul and I ended up buying four packs of this candy because it was that good. 
There’s just something so satisfying when you mix the milky chocolate top with the biscuit-flavored bottom. Mmm.
Pro tip: You can also use these to decorate cakes or Yule Logs ;)
Flavored Almonds
Country of origin: South Korea
Okay okay, so they’re almonds, but they’re still very delicious candy! The company makes about a dozen different flavored almond snacks, but I love the butter honey flavor the most because they taste so rich and cozy.
Hi-Chew
Country of origin: Japan
A delicious chewy candy with a history that goes back almost 100 years! Back in the 1930s, Japanese cultural taboo was against taking food out of one’s mouth, so candy entrepreneur Taichiro Morinaga created an edible chewing gum that could be swallowed. I recommend buying the variety pack because there are tons of delicious HiChew flavors out there.
Haw Flakes
Country of origin: China
Another popular Chinese candy, Haw Flakes are little disks made from the hawthorn fruit. These are great if you’re looking for something that’s not too sweet.
Yan Yan
Country of origin: Japan
Remember Dunkaroos? Or Nutella & Go? Yan Yan is Japan’s version of a dunkable biscuit, but better. There are even cute animals and fun says that you can read before you dunk your stick into a vat of chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla!
Popin’ Cookin’ DIY Set
Country of origin: Japan
Have you ever wanted to be a ramen chef, sushi master, or burger boss? Now you can — at least in candy form! One of the best things to grace us from Japan are the Kracie Popin Cookin sets, where you can create delicious gummy “food.” There are IKEA-style instructions included in each set (and English translations on their website), and it makes for a cute idea if you have kids or for date night.
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BEST CANDY FROM EUROPE
Mozartkugel
Country of origin: Austria
If you’ve been to Austria, chances are you’ve probably seen these circular candies placed front and center across every souvenir store from Salzburg to Vienna. Much like the symphonies that its namesake, Mozart, is famous for, these candies also have four complex layers of a pistachio center, coated in hazelnut nougat, then doubled dipped in light chocolate before being coated with dark chocolate.
Thankfully, you don’t need to splurge hundreds of dollars to travel to Vienna (or go to a Mozart-inspired symphony) — you can buy the Mozart candies on Amazon.
Haribo World Mix Gummies
Country of origin: Germany
Since this is a list of the best candies around the world, it would only be fair to include Haribo’s World Mix as well! True to its name, this bag includes candies from France, Switzerland, UK, USA, Germany, and Austria, all in different flavors.
Aero Milk Chocolate Bar
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Silky smooth, bubbly, and downright delicious — it’s no wonder the British are known for their decadent candy. If you love popping bubble wrap, this is almost the same thing: bubble wrap for your mouth.
Kinder Schoko Bons
Country of origin: Italy
Kinder Schoko Bons combine the delicious milky flavor of those Kinder Surprise eggs you can buy smuggle from Europe with the satisfying crunchiness of creamy hazelnut filling. With a review like, “the language on the bag isn’t readable for us because it isn’t in English, but we decided calories in foreign languages don’t count!” you’ll want to eat the entire bag.
Bird Milk Jelly
Country of origin: Poland
Besides the Bean Boozled candies that I’ll talk more about below, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Bird Milk is one of the most polarizing candies on this list — you’ll either love it or think it’s disgusting. These little cubes are soft chocolate-covered candy filled with milk soufflé that’s similar to a jelly or marshmallow-like consistency.
Why not try it out and see which side of the Bird Milk debate you’re on? ;)
Roshen Crazy Bee
Country of origin: Ukraine
As a Ukrainian, I couldn’t not rep my home country — especially since our ex-president had his own candy factory. Speaking of which… The Crazy Bee candies, which are gummy candies filled with different fruit flavors, come from his factory. Other runner-ups include Shipuchka (a type of fizzy candy) and Glass of Milk (a creamy toffee).
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BEST CANDY FROM THE MIDDLE EAST
Chocolate-Covered Dates
Country of origin: United Arab Emirates
Yes, chocolate and dates might sound like an unusual combination, but one taste and you’ll fall in love with these bite-sized snacks! I originally tried these on a trip to Dubai and would happily travel back to the Middle East just to have more. Best of all, you can choose from different toppings, from the “original” chocolate date to ones with almonds, pistachios, white chocolate, coconut, and more.
Buy Chocolate-Covered Dates here
Popping Chocolate Bar
Country of origin: Israel
If you love Pop Rocks, you’ll definitely love this unique chocolate bar! It has a base of silky milk chocolate that’s sprinkled with little popping candy that, well, pops in your mouth after you start chewing it.
Buy Popping Chocolate Bars here
Rahat Lokum
Country of origin: Turkey
Translated to “Turkish delight,” this is one of Turkey’s most popular souvenirs that you’ll see sold all over the country. Rahat lokum comes in hundreds of flavors, from classic (chocolate, vanilla, mint) to fruity (apple, pomegranate, pineapple), nutty (pistachio, almond) and even flower-based (we saw rose flavored and lavender flavored candies on our trip to the lavender fields in Turkey!)
For maximum effect, invite your friends over and serve rahat lokum with a cup of hot Turkish coffee or tea. :)
Baklava
Country of origin: Various
A classic Middle East treat, baklava is a sweet pastry made of crispy filo layers that are filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with honey. Another perfect candy to enjoy with a cup of tea.
Halva
Country of origin: Various
Similar to baklava, halva is another traditional Middle Eastern dessert that’s quickly making its way to Eastern Europe. Slightly dry and slightly crunchy, halva can be either flour-based or nut-based and comes in many different flavors, from classic to pistachio, chocolate, vanilla, and more. Best of all, they’re vegan-friendly!
Pistachio Chocolate
Country of origin: Turkey
I’m a little afraid of writing about these chocolate and pistachio chocolate bars because they’ll be sold out on Amazon, but since I love you guys, here goes nothing: these are one of my absolute favorite chocolate bars on earth. 🤤 The chocolate and pistachio pieces come together flawlessly and are so dang delicious. I always have at least a kilogram of these babies packed in my luggage whenever I visit Turkey.
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BEST CANDY FROM AMERICA
Maple Syrup Candy
Country of origin: Canada
Quick question: What is Canada famous for? Sure, they might have 90% of the Niagara Falls, Justin Trudeau, and the ability to be over-friendly, but their most famous export is maple syrup! These candies took the delicious national symbol of Canada and made them even better — by turning them into hard candy.
Pro tip: Drop one or two of these delicious candies in your cup if you want to fancy up your morning cup of coffee or tea!
Bean Boozled
Country of origin: USA
Half candy and half entertaining game, Bean Boozled comes in a pack of different flavored jelly beans ranging from pleasant (coconut, strawberry smoothie, caramel corn) to nasty (smelly socks, moldy cheese, dead fish). Play with some friends or family, spin the wheel, and then grab the jelly bean color that the wheel landed on. Only you can tell if it’s going to be a yummy taste or something that will make you dry heave and reach for a cup of water. ;)
There’s also a fire edition and extreme edition if you’re a true masochist
Chili Lollipops
Country of origin: Mexico
If you like to add a little “kick” to your candy, the chili pops from Mexico are the perfect addition to your candy cupboard. These lollipops are made with typical fruity flavors like mango, watermelon, and strawberry, and are then coated with powdered chili. If you’re hesitant or don’t like spicy stuff, no worries — these lollipops aren’t overly strong and have just the right amount of heat!
Alfajores Havanna
Country of origin: Argentina
Behind a thin sheet of metal foil is one of Argentina’s most delicious candies: the alfajor!
These little cakes are stuffed in different kinds of fillings, like creams and jellies, but the classic (and my personal favorite) is the dulce de leche flavor. One bite and you’ll be transported to a cafe in Buenos Aires.
Galletas Doña Pepa
Country of origin: Peru
Coming all the way from Peru, these are vanilla-flavored cookies that are coated with chocolate and colorful sprinkles. They might look innocent enough, but many of my Peruvian friends say they’re addicting :)
Bon Bon Bum
Country of origin: Colombia
These might look like bubble gum-filled lollipops that remind you of Blow Pops, but they’re 100 times better! Where else can you find lollipops with exotic flavors like passionfruit, mango, or red berries?
Fun fact: Bon Bon Bums are mega popular in their home country, Colombia, as well as Latin America. In fact, the factory where they’re made produces more than 160 million lollipops a month!
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CANDY BOXES
If you fell in love with a specific region or country, there are tons of curated and country-specific candy boxes. Here are just a few to check out:
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If you’ve tried any of these candies before in your travels, Which is your favorite?
If not, which ones would you like to try? Let me know in the comments!
Photo credits: Mozartkrugel – official website / Haribo – Popular Science / Chocolate dates – Tamrah / Baklava – Syed F Hashemi / Pistachio chocolate – Business Wire / Chili lollipop – Mexlatin
Mmm, I’d love to try the Yan Yan dip!
yummm that’s awesome. Thanks for sharing!
Yum!! These all look so delicious!!
Very interesting! You must have done lots of research for this article! I don’t eat much sweets but wouldn’t mind trying some of these.
This is a great post! :) You’ve included many delicious sweets, but one of my favourites is Kinder Schoko Bons. I could eat a bag of those right now.
Some of these look really amazing! My favorites have always been ginger candy, the chewy ones.
Oh my gosh! I didn’t know they had flavored Kit Kats!!! This is such a fun blog, and I’m so intrigued to try a lot of these!
i want that all