11 Candies Adults Like That Kids Can’t Stand

Some candies are destined to be traded away on Halloween night or ignored completely. As kids, we often chase the brightest wrappers, the sweetest flavors, and the biggest chocolate bars, leaving behind the treats that seem too bitter, too chewy, or simply too “grown-up.” But something funny can happen as we get older: Those once-overlooked candies can often become the very ones we find ourselves reaching for.

Whether it is the rich bite of dark chocolate, the refreshing kick of peppermint, or the old-fashioned charm of peanut brittle, our taste buds tend to evolve with age. Flavors that were once unpleasant or overwhelming can turn comforting and nostalgic. The internet’s sweet tooths have made no secret about which candies they could not stand as children, but have made major comebacks in adulthood. These are the candies that prove something you once hated or ignored might just deserve a second chance.

For any kid, chocolate is supposed to be one thing: sweet. This is exactly why dark chocolate often gets rejected during childhood. Compared with, say, a milk Hershey bar, dark chocolate has a more intense cocoa flavor that’s noticeably more bitter, and thus unfamiliar to young taste buds. Dark chocolate also contains no dairy, so the creaminess of milk chocolate is missing.

On Reddit, there’s no shortage of people who previously disliked dark chocolate but adore the not-so-sweet sweet treat today. One Disboards user remembers saving all of her Special Darks for her mom, because “as kids we didn’t like it”. 

As people get older, their taste preferences shift, and flavors that once repulsed them — such as coffee, greens, and dark chocolate — can become more appealing, and even become favorite flavors. Adults often appreciate dark chocolate because it’s less sugary, and some wellness professionals even suggest that a little dark chocolate could have health benefits. While they gobbled milk chocolate as kids, some folks avoid it in adulthood because it’s simply too sweet and rich for their tastes now.

Peanut brittle has long had a reputation for being reserved for older generations. When colorful gummies and sweet chocolate bars grabbed attention, children never had time for the chewy, more savory candy. In online discussions, several adults joke that they once viewed peanut brittle as an old-person candy before eventually realizing that the older generations may have been onto something.

The appeal of peanut brittle becomes much clearer with an adult palate. Instead of relying on bright colors and elaborate flavors, peanut brittle focuses on a magical combination of caramelized sugar and roasted peanuts, a combination so simple you can easily make peanut butter brittle at home. There are numerous brittle recipes online, demonstrating that people like it so much as they’ve grown older that they want to be able to make it any time they wish. Once you aren’t chasing a sugar high, peanut brittle is actually a very satisfying sweet treat. Many people who swore they hated it as children now find they look forward to it around the holidays or at specialty candy shops as adults.

Few candies create stronger opinions than black licorice. Even among adults, it remains one of the most divisive sweets, but that strong reaction is exactly why people tend to reach for it in their adult years. It’s no mystery why children hate it: It’s not sweet or fruity, and the anise flavor is so bold it tends to be off-putting if you’re expecting something close to the flavor of red licorice. Kids who dislike it would be truly baffled as to why anyone would choose this candy over anything else.

However, once taste buds evolve a bit, some adults find the herbal, bitter flavor more complex and interesting. Similar to other strong flavors like coffee and dark chocolate, black licorice is definitely an acquired taste rather than something younger people automatically enjoy. Discussions online are filled with people who admit they once turned away from black licorice, but now seek it out. It’s certainly not a universal favorite in the candy world, but there is definitely a group that is huge fans of the candy’s unusual flavor.

While the taste of butterscotch isn’t as repellent to children as some of the other candies on this list, it also isn’t the most exciting candy around by a long shot. Normally seen in grandmothers’ purses and waiting rooms, butterscotch isn’t exactly what you want to find in your Halloween bag. When it comes to what kids like, it’s tough to compete with the flashy, neon-colored candies that populate the shelves.

Butterscotch is similar to caramel, with the main difference being that it uses brown sugar instead of caramel’s white sugar. This buttery flavor means that, like caramel, it’s also great incorporated into baked goods, adding a bit of depth to sweet treats. Butterscotch candies have a taste that seems to appeal to older teens and adults. The buttery, caramel flavor and slow-melting texture that encourages you to actually savor it is perhaps a bit beyond the desires of a young child but perfect for someone who’s grown a bit in their candy tastes.

Tootsie Rolls are among the candies that many people remember feeling underwhelmed by as children. In online forums, it was found that taffy of all kinds is pretty unpopular with younger demographics despite its sugary taste. Tootsie Rolls take some work; they’re so chewy that it takes a minute or two to get through them. This, coupled with the milder chocolate flavor of Tootsie Rolls, meant that many of us didn’t reach for them when we were young. Tootsie Rolls were a classic item to be traded away when you ended up with a handful.

Taffy and similar candies become much more popular once we hit a certain age. Once you’ve gained some wisdom, you can appreciate the soft, chewy texture and cocoa flavor. The Tootsie Roll is also an institution, having been around for well over 100 years. Even for those who didn’t like the taste as kids, Tootsie Rolls are a nostalgic candy that reminds them of their childhoods.​​ 

Every fall, the familiar yellow, orange, and white pieces return to store shelves, bringing with them the same yearly arguments: Is candy corn a Halloween classic or one of the most disappointing candies ever created? For many children, the answer is obvious. The texture can seem strange, the sweetness can feel overwhelming, and compared with chocolate or gummy candies, candy corn does not have the same immediate appeal. Many people remember being more than indifferent toward the candy; they outright hated it.

Surprisingly, candy corn has a large adult fanbase. Many people who disliked it as children say they now enjoy candy corn’s marshmallow, fondant, and vanilla flavors as a seasonal tradition rather than just another piece of candy. Some people eat it mixed with nuts or other candy, or munch it by the handful on its own. If you want a really grown-up pairing, enjoy the Halloween candy with a tall, frosty beer. Candy corn may not be a candy people always crave year-round, but it has earned a special place as a once-a-year treat. This candy is a true example that your childhood tastes don’t dictate what you’ll enjoy in your later years.

You’re familiar with Necco Wafers: small, chalky discs that actually aren’t wafers at all. Necco Wafers are not overly sweet and don’t have recognizable flavors or a familiar texture. Instead, they’re dry and crisp, and their flavors — including clove, cinnamon, wintergreen, and licorice — are far more subtle than the fruity candies most kids reach for first. The disdain carries over to adulthood in some cases, with Redditors posting that they can’t believe that the Spangler Candy Company sells enough to keep making them.

But there are a select few who hold onto this candy as a nostalgia-packed treat. Necco Wafers have a history stretching back more than 150 years, making them one of America’s oldest continuously produced candies. Their understated flavors and nostalgic connection bring people back to a different era, especially compared with today’s oversized, intensely flavored sweets. Some people like them because of, not despite, their chalky taste. They’re not universally adored, but there’s a good number of people who like them because they grew up seeing their parents enjoy them and have a positive association with them.

You might not know these candies by name, but you’d recognize them by their wrapper. Peanut Butter Kisses are wrapped in unlabeled black-and-orange waxed paper and most commonly found around Halloween. Another member of the taffy family, this candy is doomed to be hated by children because of its mild, uninteresting flavor and tough, chewy texture. Peanut Butter Kisses were fated to be traded away or left at the bottom of a candy bag after trick-or-treating.

This is definitely a candy you grow into. The peanut and molasses flavor offers something a bit different from most candies on the market, and the simple packaging feels nostalgic and old-fashioned. Rather than reeling you in with flashy package design or a new gimmick, Peanut Butter Kisses feel almost homemade in their simplicity, as if they came from another generation. Part of the appeal is also their rarity, as they’re not as commonly found as mainstream candy, which makes people who love them appreciate them just a bit more.

One can understand why York Peppermint Patties wouldn’t be popular with the young ones. Who wants candy that tastes like toothpaste? This, along with the fact that they’re covered in dark chocolate, which we’ve already established that kids also don’t like. When kids only associate peppermint with mints or gum, it can be tough to convince them that the patties are actually a candy.

The confusion with breath-freshening products tends to fade with age. The peppermint used in peppermint patties is much sweeter than toothpaste or mints, and the rich dark chocolate is a classic pairing. Commenters online say that York is an acquired taste, but once it clicked for them, it became an after-dinner classic or afternoon treat. You can keep them in the freezer for a cool, crisp bite. Peppermint Patties occupy their own niche rather than joining the ranks of the hundred candies packed with caramel and nougat, and adults find they like their unique flavor much more than they did as children.

Heath Bars are a good example of a candy that’s commonly underestimated. The combination of crunchy toffee and chocolate can feel tough for little mouths to chew on, but the combination is a dream for adults. The buttery, caramelized flavor is also more subtle than some other candy bars marketed toward kids, but the added complexity is exactly why older people reach for them. You won’t see any flashy flavor upgrades to a Heath Bar any time soon, but the consistency makes this bar a classic. 

Adults sometimes discover Heath Bars when their tastes shift toward richer, more complex candy. The toasted flavor of the toffee, combined with chocolate and a slight saltiness, makes it feel almost like a bakery treat. Kids like knowing what they can expect: chewy and fruity, soft and chocolatey, etc. The Heath Bar’s different texture and slightly more elevated flavor mean that kids rarely reach for it, but adults almost always appreciate it.

Good & Plenty has spent decades being one of the more controversial candies in the candy aisle. The pink-and-white candy shells look innocent enough, but inside is a chewy black licorice center, causing a strict divide between people who love them and those who hate them. The colorful exterior may trick children into thinking there’s a fun and fruity flavor inside, only for them to discover a bitter interior.

As previously mentioned, the black licorice flavor is one that adults tend to love more with age. Even if they hated it as young kids, for some reason, the anise flavors are the perfect balance of sweet and something more complex for many adults. Like black licorice itself, Good & Plenty is less about being universally loved and more about finding the people who appreciate its unique taste. Adults who enjoy it often describe it as a candy they had to grow into, proving it’s definitely not for everyone, but still a clear favorite for a select few.