Chinese Candy – Rich Flavors with Deep Meanings

Every country has its own candy options, but if you want to try something very different from what you are used to, Chinese candy will surprise you! Chinese people have taken the candy-making industry to a whole new level. As a result, their candy is as colorful as their culture.

Chinese Candy Names

1. Dragon Beard Candy
2. Mooncake
3. White Rabbit Creamy Candy
4. Sticky Rice Dumplings 
5. Sachima
6. Good Luck Candy
7. Chinese Noodle Candy
8. Chinese Hawthorn Candy
9. Wangzai QQ Gummy Candy
10. Chinese Brown Sugar Candy
11. Tuckahoe Pie
12. Gold Chocolate Coins
13. HFC Assorted Crispy Candy
14. Green Day’s Ginger Candy
15. Pastelaria Koi Kei Chewy Peanut Candy
16. Botan Rice Candy
17. Chinese Coffee Candy
18. Zaotang
19. Tanghulu
20. Candied Kumquats

Top 20 Most Famous Chinese Candy

Are you bored with the common combination of milk chocolate and cocoa candy? Then Chinese candy will be more than welcome to surprise you with its colorful and diverse tastes. What makes Chinese candy one of the best and most unique among all countries? To answer the question, let’s take a look at the most popular and interesting Chinese sweets of all time.

1. Dragon Beard Candy

Well, if you think the name of the candy is strange, you should see the candy itself! With its appearance, you might think that the candy is unusual or weird, but it is very popular in eastern Asian countries and very delicious. 

Dragon Beard Candy is a cotton candy filled with coconut, peanut, or chocolate, and as they say, its appearance looks like a dragon’s beard. If you want to try this interesting sweet, there are some brands that you can get from grocery stores, but for the best and most authentic taste, we suggest you try to buy some from local street vendors.

2. Mooncake

Usually, when we talk about candy, we refer to its taste, whereas appearance is not that important. However, it’s a bit different in this case because Mooncakes are pieces of art, which means you will fall in love as soon as you look at them.

Do they have as incredible a taste as they look? Well, if you take a look at the history of mooncakes, you’ll quickly see that they are Chinese pastries with sweet fillings, and their taste won’t disappoint you! But be careful with the calories, since you might end up eating the whole box of mooncakes. 

Interestingly, mooncakes are a seasonal treat, enjoyed by Chinese people during the autumn festival, so during the holiday time, you won’t have trouble finding this amazing Chinese candy, because almost every store or street vendor is filled with this incredible candy.

3. White Rabbit Creamy Candy

White Rabbit Candy is definitely the most well-known candy in China. The candy is shaped like a Tootsie Roll and is very popular among Chinese kids. It may not be the best option to try from the Chinese candy list, but since it is an important part of their culture, it is indeed worth a try!

This Chinese candy is a sweet milk-flavored candy, with a soft and chewy texture, and there are many flavors to choose from, including strawberry, mango, chocolate, and coffee. 

4. Sticky Rice Dumplings 

When we talk about rice, you might never connect it to candy or something sweet. But wait, there is a Chinese sweet called Sticky Rice Dumplings that will change your mind soon! 

Similar to Mooncakes, this is a seasonal, traditional snack typically enjoyed during the Dragon Boat Festival. The fact that candy is usually wrapped in bamboo leaves us with more intrigue about its taste, but what makes them special and tasty is the filling inside. 

It is made of glutinous rice stuffed with beans or taro filling. Depending on the individual’s needs, it can be made with pork or chicken fillings, too.

5. Sachima

Are you looking for a new crunchy sweet to try? This one has the great potential to become your favorite Chinese candy! 

Sachima is made from a fried batter compressed with a stiff sugary syrup. This Chinese candy is pretty similar to American Rice Krispie Treats. If you love crunchy sweets, Sachima is totally for you, but be careful, various toppings make it even more irresistible, so you might eat many of them without even realizing it.

6. Good Luck Candy

Good Luck Candy is another Chinese holiday candy. These candies are strawberry-flavored sweets that are individually packed in beautiful red wrappers. Since the New Year is an important day in the Chinese calendar, a lot of people enjoy having this Christmas candy in the winter season. During this time, some traditional foods should be eaten and shared among people, including sweets and candy. 

The special dessert they use for the New Year is the lucky candy. Chinese people believe that eating or sharing these sweets for the new year helps you spread luck. You can also use the candy for other occasions, such as weddings or birthdays because there is no better way to wish your loved ones good luck than to give them their favorite holiday candy.

7. Chinese Noodle Candy

We all know that China is a country of noodles. They adore it and it’s almost a must-have in every meal. They decided that noodle meals weren’t enough for them and created the Noodle candy. Yes! You heard it right, however strange it might sound!

Chinese noodle candy is usually made at home. There are the colored ones that you can easily buy in other Asian shops, too. But the recipe is widely known, so you can easily do it yourself. 

To get this interesting Chinese candy, you need to melt chips, add peanuts or nuts and vanilla, mix everything well, and add Chow Mein noodles. Be sure to cool it down and enjoy your Noodle candy!

8. Chinese Hawthorn Candy

Traditional Chinese Hawthorn candies are made from hawthorn fruit and sugar. The candy assumes a dark pink color and is often packed in cylindrical stacks to retain its shape.

With its sweet taste, this Chinese candy easily leads to addiction, so be careful with the calories. This is hard to control. The packaging of this Chinese candy has the art of the Chinese firework and creates a positive mood. And the taste won’t disappoint you either!

9. Wangzai QQ Gummy Candy

Juicy, strongly fruit-flavored candy, at an affordable price. Do you prefer to eat fruit candy? Then choose this one. This is not gum. Unlike gum, this one has a strong fruit flavor that gives it a direct distinction.

This gummy candy is just one of the flavors of the candy. In total, there are eight flavors of the candy, for example, pineapple, apple, peach, etc., so be careful, you may end up eating up a whole pack.

10. Chinese Brown Sugar Candy

This candy is widely known as Brown Candy, and it contains unrefined cane sugar, which makes it healthier for sweet lovers. It’s rich in nutrients since it uses natural sugars as opposed to the refined sugars most candies use. And guess what? It has fewer calories, too. You can also use this Chinese candy to give your meal deep and complex flavors.

11. Tuckahoe Pie

This is a full moon-shaped, white-colored pie. This is a specialty snack that is one of the most famous desserts in Beijing. It is said that the snack was served to the royal family during the Qing Ming dynasty. 

The outer crust is made using tuckahoe powder and refined flour. The crusts are stuffed with honey, sugar, pinecones, confectioners, and kernels.

Interestingly, the filling used in Tuckahoe pie helps with digestive problems, so other than being a tasty snack, it has great medical value as well. So don’t miss the chance to taste it!

12. Gold Chocolate Coins

This is another highly appreciated New Year Chinese candy. These are chocolates we can gladly list as New Year’s candy. You might have already noticed that every Chinese candy is somehow symbolized or has some non-material value to Chinese people.

In this case, Gold Chocolate Coins symbolize the richness and good fortune of the new year to come. The coins are placed in a large tray for people to enjoy and share.

13. HFC Assorted Crispy Candy

It seems Chinese people love candy for the new year since it’s associated with sweetness and well-being, so this Chinese candy is another option for the Chinese New Year.

With its colorful look and various flavors, it simply leaves you with positive vibes, and good for us, there are some special flavors in the pack, like coconut, sesame, peanut, and orange. This Chinese candy has the potential to be your next favorite New Year special treat.

14. Green Day’s Ginger Candy

Pay attention, this might be the best ginger candy you will ever find in the whole world. made with fresh and rich ginger, without losing its natural form. The candy has a chewy, smooth texture and is heavier compared to other sweets. 

The candy itself is good, but if you try it with a warm cup of tea or a cup of warm water, it may be even better. Besides the taste, there are some other benefits you might be interested in. Ginger freshens your breath and helps you with digestion issues. This Chinese candy is proof that there can be something delicious and healthy at the same time.

15. Pastelaria Koi Kei Chewy Peanut Candy

What would the candy industry be without peanut candy? From Peanut Chews to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, candy lovers all over the world enjoy various types of peanut candies and Chinese people are no exception!

The chewy, sweet, and crunchy peanut candies are China’s favorite and one of the oldest. If you visit Hong Kong, don’t miss the opportunity to ask for the peanut candies at a local shop. Trust us, they are much better than the factory-made ones.

16. Botan Rice Candy

Since we already introduced Noodles Candy, Botan Rice Candy probably won’t surprise you. What makes people love this Chinese candy is that some interesting toys come with it for you or your kids to play with. 

It is soft and chewy and has a lemon-orange flavor, similar to the white rabbit candy. The paper wrapper of the rice candy is edible. 

17. Chinese Coffee Candy

If you adore sweets, chances are high that you might be addicted to coffee too. If that’s the case, you might like  Chinese Coffee Candy. These Chinese sweets are made using pure coffee from Hainan, China. So if you don’t have time to get your coffee drink, then get this Chinese candy with you.

The strong coffee flavor won’t leave you unsatisfied and will give you the same energetic result as the coffee drink does. And if you get some with coconut milk, you’ll get coconut flavor, too.

18. Zaotang

This is a Chinese candy that is associated with some intriguing beliefs; it is also known as the candy of the Kitchen God. Every 23rd day of the 12th lunar month of the Chinese calendar, just before the new year, Chinese people offer candy as a sacrifice to the kitchen god.

19. Tanghulu

This is another Chinese fruity snack that originated in northern China. The candy is made by combining various fruit flavors that are covered with syrup and skewered on a bamboo stick. 

Even though it can be made with hawthorn, don’t confuse it with the hawthorn flakes since they have different tastes. The outer part of the snack is hardened sugar syrup. This is one of the oldest traditional candies, and even today, it remains popular throughout northern China.

20. Candied Kumquats

This Chinese candy is a symbol of prosperity for the Chinese people. Kumquat is an orange-like fruit related to citrus. The fruit is often sour and tart-like, but it is very easy to make it a candied option to sweeten it. 

Candied kumquats are ridiculously easy to make, and as a result, you get a good-flavored candy. You can use it to make your meals more colorful. For example, try it with salads, pork, chicken, cheesecakes, or even chocolate ice cream.

Where to Buy Chinese Candy

If you are visiting China, the best places to eat authentically, original Chinese candies are street vendors or shops, but for others, you can find your favorite snack online at stores such as Amazon, eBay, Walmart, and Asian candy houses, among others. In fact, most Chinese candies are available in e-commerce stores everywhere around the world. What does it mean?

You can easily taste your preferred type of Chinese candy right from your home! So, we hope you find your Asian candy easily!

Final Thoughts 

In a country like China, even food isn’t just food but has particular meaning and value to Chinese people, including candies, and that makes the Chinese candy industry even more interesting. With their creative approaches, they make some of the most unique candies in the world. 

The best thing is that candy in China isn’t similar to what we typically eat at home, so when you decide you want something different from what you eat every day, you can always count on Chinese candy to experience a new candy adventure.