For those that celebrate Halloween, even abroad, the onslaught of candy has already begun. There used to be nary a spooky Hexe (witch) or dancing Skelett (skeleton) to be found in Germany in favor of more somber events like the Reformation. But the Halloween celebrations have steadily encroached to mainland Europe. We even went trick-or-treating in a seaside town in Normandy during last year’s Herbstferien (fall school break)!

Pumpkins are always a symbol of Herbst (autumn) and an important part of the seasonal eating common in Germany. But now there are Halloween decorations, pumpkins for carving, and full candy displays to also mark the holiday. German candy is not a new thing with many brands boasting a long history. So I thought I would dump out my candy bucket and cover some of the German candy classics that can be enjoyed in this month of sweets, or all year round. Here are some of the best German candies, divided into section of sweet.

Schokolade (Chocolate)

What is German candy without chocolate? Though not as revered as Swiss or Belgian chocolates, German is no slouch in the chocolate field. There are elegant Moser Roth balls from one of the oldest German chocolate brands, Hachez from Northern Germany, the confusingly named Merci chocolates (yes- made in Germany), Lübeck’s Niederegger, and kid-friendly Kinder (which is actually produced by Italian brand, Ferraro). One of the funniest is Katzenzunge (cat tongues), chocolates that resemble its namesake and come in milk, dark, and white chocol

My favorite German chocolate brand is the approachable Ritter Sport. Billed as “Quadratisch (Square). Praktisch (practical/convenient). Gut (good)”, these square chocolates come in a bounty of flavors. From standard and delicious versions like Alpenmilch and Marzipan to more daring offerings like Cornflakes, Strawberry Yogurt, Dark Almond and Orange, they really experiment with flavor. They are constantly trying new zany flavors and occasionally freak out their followers with fake flavors that beg the question, did they dare? (See below.) These sweets are one of our go-to souvenirs for friends and family back home in North America.

Fake flavour Photo – RitterSportBlog

Gummis

Another internationally renowned German classic is Haribo’s Gummibärchen, the famed dancing bears. These are one of Germany’s most beloved exports with over 100 million produced per year sold in over 100 countries around the world. These little bears have been produced since 1922 and are still considered the gold-standard of gummis. People who have tried gummi bears elsewhere swear they taste different – better – in Germany. The tagline of “Haribo macht Kinder froh und Erwachsene ebenso“ (Haribo make children happy and adults too) rings true for me and is one of those Ohrwurm that makes me smile.

And Haribo make more than just bears, they come in all shapes and sizes including black licorice to marshmallow. There is also a gelatin-free version of the bears for vegetarians, halāl or kosher (these are sold in many places including the Jewish Museum in Berlin).

At this point, it might be a stretch to call the candy purely German as it has 16 manufacturing facilities from Germany (of course) to Spain to Turkey to Brazil. Its headquarters are even in the USA outside of Chicago. Despite the candy’s current varied origins, it is still an iconic German candy.

Marshmallow

Schokokuss Collectie Wikipedia, maart 2006 Creative Commons – Attribution (CC-By)

Marshmallow also plays a part in German candy universe with the Schokokuss (chocolate kiss), my favorite brand being the inappropriately named (in English) Super Dickmann’s. These tall domes of marshmallow are coated in a thin layer of chocolate, atop a crisp waffle. Modern versions can come topped in milk chocolate with nuts, sprinkles or chocolate shavings. There are apparently one billion of these sweets produced every year!

This brand name is actually an improvement as the sweet was once known as Mohrenkopf (“Moor’s Head”) or Negerkuss (“Negro’s Kiss”). Yikes. These have understandably fallen out of favor though the sweet has not. Super Dickmann’s are another common souvenir for English-speakers.

Haselnuss (Hazelnut)

Hazelnut really deserves its own section when discussing German candy. From nutella to a filling to hazelnut-centric candies – it is an obsession.

One of the most popular is Toffifee. It is produced by a Berlin-based company, August Storck, and comes in little caramel cups filled with nougat, caramel and hazelnut, topped with chocolate. They were first made in 1973 as an energy boost for working women, but are now enjoyed in over one hundred countries around the world by all types of people. They are sold in packs and are perfection so really must be brought to a group setting so you don’t consume them all.

Sugar

These are in the same vein as pixie sticks as they are just flavored sugar, but for some reason these seem to be considered somewhat healthy in Germany. Traubenzucker translates to glucose and they are indeed given to diabetics to carry in case of a low blood sugar. But they are also routinely distributed to children at the Apotheke, at the end of a meal in restaurants, or just from gannies on the street. Low´cost and low thrills as far as packaging, sugar is still sugar and German kids grow up devouring a small mountain of these.

More appealing to me are the chewy, fruity candies from Hitschler. They offer everything from fruit chews to gum to sherbet discs to sour fruit rolls. I would equate them with the tangy side of the candy market, like a starburst.

This is only scratching the surface of candy goodness in Germany. What are some of your favorite German candy treats? Please share in the comments below!