By Sydney Goldberger

Let’s be honest–Halloween candy is no longer just boring, bite-sized Almond Joys or stale candy corn. In 2025, candy brands are coming out with top notch limited-edition flavors that range from weirdly good to straight up chaotic. Think freeze dried caramel M&M’s, pumpkin spice Kit Kats, and mystery flavor Sour Patch Kids. Whether you’re going dorm door-knocking or stealing your sibling’s secret stash, you’ll want to know what to look out for this Halloween. Keep reading for a breakdown of what new Halloween candy is hitting the shelves this year and what we rank, roast, or respect.   

Freeze-Dried Caramel M&M’s 

Rank: Respect 

From the sound of the name, you would expect this candy to be a crunchy, cracked tooth disaster. But they’re incredible. Imagine a caramel puff that melts in your mouth, but still keeps that same iconic shell crunch of every other M&M. Trust us, you’ll finish the bag within the first fifteen minutes of watching your fave horror movie. For the perfect sweet-salty combo, mix in a few M&M’s with a fresh bag of microwave butter popcorn and enjoy. You’re welcome. 

Reese’s Peanut Butter Mini Pumpkins  

Rank: Respect 

Reese’s never misses, and their Mini Pumpkins are proof. The ratio of chocolate to peanut butter? Incredible. The size? Flawless. The shape? Adorable and makes the candy taste even better (don’t question the logic). They are rich, creamy, and super festive without trying too hard to impress. They encapsulate everything perfect about Halloween in one singular bite. Personally, we like to keep them in the fridge or freezer for a cold crunch, or even chop them up and toss them in our favorite ice cream flavor to elevate a sundae. Either way, these bite-sized pumpkins will be the highlight of your October 31st, really putting the treat in trick-or-treat.  

Kit Kat Miniatures Pumpkin Pie Flavored Wafer Bars 

Rank: Roast (Unfortunately) 

We get it. It’s fall, and everyone is jumping on the pumpkin-flavored train. We are sorry to say, but we do not need it in our Kit Kats. While the cinnamon is good, the pumpkin not so much. The bar smells and tastes like a candle, but we appreciate being festive for the holiday! A pro-tip would be to pop them in your candy bucket and hand them out to your trick-or-treaters, that way they won’t be sitting in your pantry until Halloween of 2026. 

Skittles Shriekers Sour Chewy Candy 

Rank: Roast 

We are convinced they brought this candy back from the dead. While regular skittles are a Halloween staple, these sour skittles are the opposite of normal, and are not the perfect surprise. Who approved this? And why? If you choose to purchase this candy in hopes of elevating your Halloween, prank your friends with them. Pretend they are just regular everyday skittles and really embrace the trick in trick-or-treat. We can assure you that their taste buds will never forgive you.       

HI-CHEW Mystery Mix

Rank: Chaos

HI-CHEW’s 2025 seasonal release perfectly mixes equal parts of trick and treat. The mix includes watermelon, blue raspberry, candy apple, and one secret flavor. You’re not just eating the candy, you’re guaranteed to be thrown a curve ball when that mystery flavor sends your taste buds into an identity crisis. Speculators believe it’s a lemon cherry flavor, but that’s for you to guess this Halloween. Who knows? Maybe the mystery flavor is salt and vinegar? Maybe it’s actually candy corn flavored? Mix in a handful of the mystery flavor with your everyday regular fruit chews and challenge your friends by saying: “I bet you can’t guess what flavor the white HI-CHEW is!”

Verdict 

2025’s Halloween candy lineup has everything from nostalgia to experimental flavors, with something for every sweet, and savory, tooth. Stock up on our recommendations and don’t say we didn’t warn you about those sour shriekers!