These Are the 8 Candies That Are Pure Canada

Contrary to popular (ahem, American) belief, Canada has more than butter tarts and maple candy when it comes to sweets. Our country has century-old confectioners, global conglomerates that make bars just for us Canucks, and a few regional deep cuts that have loyal followings. Here are eight essential candies to seek out when north of the border.

Chicken Bones

There’s a lot going on in these candies that date back to 1885 in New Brunswick. Created by candymaker Frank Sparhawk for Ganong Bros. chocolate company, these peculiarly named, glossy, Barbie-pink candies reminiscent of a dinner mint have a brittle, sweet cinnamon shell that lingers on the tongue and a hint of a bittersweet chocolate at the center.

Coffee Crisp

The most famous bar coming out of Canada is this coffee-flavored wafer bar produced at Nestlé’s Toronto factory. Dating back to 1938, Coffee Crisps consist of airy vanilla wafers layered with not-too-sweet coffee cream enveloped in a “chocolaty coating.” This was how I realized I liked the taste of coffee as a child.

Molasses Kisses

I hesitate to include this retro candy that’s available only during Halloween because it’s perhaps the most divisive candy in the country. In truth, Kerr’s Molasses Kisses aren’t bad: They have a gingerbread sweetness with a Tootsie Roll chew, but they’re still hated by most trick-or-treaters for their old-timey flavor (they’ve been around since the 1940s).

Mr. Big

The bar itself isn’t too remarkable: vanilla wafer biscuit covered in caramel plus puffed rice with a chocolaty coating, but it’s the largest chocolate bar produced by Cadbury Canada (it was first introduced by the Neilson company in the late 1970s). Cadbury claims that Mr. Big stretches out to eight inches long, but my measuring tape says it’s closer to seven. To be honest, as a Canadian millennial, I thought Carrie Bradshaw had named her man after this.

Pal-o-Mine

Another Ganong creation, this bar consists of a brown sugar–fudge center and peanuts draped in a coat of dark chocolate. Pal-o-Mine is one of the oldest candy bars in the country, having first hit the shelves in 1920. Inside the wrapper are two small chocolate bars, so you can, as the name suggests, share with a pal.

Purdys

What began as a single downtown Vancouver store in 1907 now has dozens of locations across Canada (they’re a bit of a mall staple here). The line is expansive, with vegan and no-sugar options, and gift boxes for every holiday imaginable. Purdys is best known for its cute little gianduja-filled chocolate hedgehogs.

Stilwells Humbugs

These classic, buttery, mint hard candies with a striped pattern originated in the U.K. in the 1800s, but the Canadian (more specifically, Montreal) version has been made by the Stilwells candy company since the early 20th century and has a very devoted regional following, especially around Montreal and Ottawa. Humbugs are made with just five ingredients: sugar, glucose, butter, salt, and mint flavoring. Your grandma will love them.

Victoria Creams

These two-bite chocolates were first made by Charles Rogers at his eponymous candy shop that opened in 1885 in Victoria, British Columbia. At its core, it’s a thick, bittersweet chocolate disk contrasted by an ultra-sweet and creamy flavored center. Today there are 20 flavors, including strawberry, caramel, ginger, and, yes, maple. To recap: These Victoria Creams made in Victoria date back to the Victorian era.