We all have our favorite Halloween candies. Some of us stick with lively, colorful chews like Skittles or Sour Patch Kids. Others go classic with candy corn (a Philadelphia invention!) or Tootsie Pops. Still more find a chocolate treat M&M’s or Snickers impossible to beat. Right here in PA, The Hershey Company produces some of most popular Halloween candies across the country, like the Reese’s suite, Kit Kat, Twizzlers and Hershey’s Miniatures. But, if you’d like to break away from the ubiquitous classics for a change this year, we’ve got you covered.
These six underrated candies are not only rock-solid alternatives to the trick-or-treat norms, but they all hail from Pennsylvania. Most are available in bulk, so go ahead and fill your cauldron with something unique for the neighborhood goblins and ghouls to enjoy this Halloween. Take a look:
Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews
Whoever said, “Snickers really satisfies” needs to sink their teeth into a Goldenberg’s Peanut Chew. These little chocolate-peanut wonders scratch more than one itch. Crunchy peanuts embedded in super chewy molasses are covered in dark chocolate and formed into small, fun-sized bars. Many Philly natives have fond memories of opening a sheath of Rosenberg’s and enjoying that little row of bars, one-by-one. Of course, you can get them in different shapes and sizes now, including a milk chocolate version and bulk packs perfect for Halloween.
Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews have an intriguing history. Romanian immigrant David Goldenberg founded his candy company in 1890, selling from a small store front on Frankford Avenue in Philadelphia. He first produced peanut chews during World War I as rations for soldiers. They were high protein and energy packed, coated with dark chocolate as it was less likely to melt than milk chocolate. Not surprisingly, the bars were a big hit and launched as a retail item not long after the war’s end. In the 1930s, the chews morphed from full-size bars to individual pieces. Now, Bethlehem-based company Just Born owns Rosenberg’s Peanut Chews and the original Northeast Philadelphia manufacturing facility, where they’re made to this day.
The original chews are a favorite vegan treat, as they’re animal product and dairy-free. Just beware that they’re made with the same machines as the milk chocolate versions, so traces of milk may be present.
Mallo Cups
For a sweet treat with an even sweeter backstory, check out Mallo Cups by Boyer Candy Company in Altoona. This candy company was founded by brothers during the Depression. Bill Boyer, along with his mother and sister, made the candy in their kitchen and Bob sold it door-to-door. They experimented with covering marshmallows with chocolate, taking a tip from their mother to house the delicious mess in cupcake cups.
Mallo Cups are like any standard chocolate cup, just filled with whipped marshmallow creme and a layer of crunchy coconut (heads up: the coconut is not listed on the label). They’re typically made with milk chocolate but, since 2011, come in a dark chocolate version, too, and both are gluten-free.
Mike & Ikes
Mike & Ike is a gummy fruit candy that’s jelly-bean-like in texture and flavor, but oblong and cylindrical in shape. Bethlehem candy company, Just Born, launched Mike & Ike in 1940, with original fruit flavors cherry, strawberry, orange, lemon and lime in a bright green rectangular box. Today, you can opt for the original or try tropical, berry and sour varieties. Mike & Ike is cousin to the spicy-cinnamon Hot Tamales candy, which is – amazingly – the sixth most popular Halloween candy in the country.
The origin of the name “Mike & Ike” remains a mystery, though many claim it’s tied to the comic strip, “Mike & Ike (They Look Alike),” two famed aircraft from the 1930s or members of the (then) well-known Matina Brothers entertainment troupe. Whatever its namesake, Mike & Ike remains a sweet, simple PA-made alt-gummy to offer up this Halloween season. You can find it on the Mike & Ike website and in bulk from online marketplaces.
Zagnut
They look like chicken strips, they’re hard to find, and they’re coated in a perennially divisive flavor. But, those who like Zagnut tend to really, really like Zagnut. This candy bar, invented by “Pittsburgh’s candy king,” D.L. Clark and sold by The Hershey Company, involves a flaky peanut brittle core and a toasted coconut coating for a highly unique and satisfying treat.
Clark immigrated to the U.S. from Ireland as a child and founded the D.L. Clark Company confectioner in 1886. He had great success with his signature Clark Bar along with Zagnut and Clark’s Teaberry Chewing Gum. Over time, the candy enterprise changed hands before joining the Hershey family of brands in 1996, where it remains a PA-produced sweet.
Zagnut is tricky to find. You can order the bars directly from Hershey’s “Hard to Find” catalog or through Amazon, but you won’t find any “fun size” versions. So, treat your visitors to whole bars, crack one open yourself or tuck them away in the cupboard for later.
Not a coconut fan? Try the equally elusive 5th Avenue bar made of crunchy peanut butter coated in chocolate. 5th Avenue was created by Luden’s of Reading, home to a 5th Avenue like the one in New York City, for which the candy bar is named. It’s a great Butterfinger alternative and Pennsylvania deep-cut.
Peeps
Peeps are an iconic PA treat, originally created by Rodda Candy Company of Lancaster before being acquired by Just Born. These fluffy marshmallows coated in shimmery sugar gained fame in the form of little chicks for an Easter holiday treat. But now, the marshmallow goodies are featured in various shapes and sizes year-round. For Halloween, treat your spooky visitors to ghosts, pumpkins, monsters and skulls, nestled together in packs of three or six.
Like candy corn, Peeps have their own niche category in the confection world. Not chocolate, not gummy, but sweet in more ways than one. You can grab a set of all four kinds on Amazon and see which hits the spot best.
Clark Cups
We have nothing but love for Reese’s in all its myriad iterations. But the Clark Cup offers a wildly tasty break from the PB norm, along with a great origin story, making it a home run PA Halloween treat.
In 2018, Boyer Candy Company bought the rights to Clark Bar, which had changed hands for decades. But Boyer had some trouble manufacturing the famed candy bar. Its machinery kept producing misshapen bars. As the erroneous candy bars piled up, staff member, “Candy Andy,” took one and smashed it into a Boyer Peanut Butter Cup. The result was amazing, and Boyer ran with it.
Clark Cups are, essentially, chocolate peanut butter cups with a crunch. Who could complain? You can order a 10 ounce bag of bite-sized Clark Cups or 24 twin-packs directly from Boyer, or find the small, regular and giant options on Amazon.
Tell us your favorite Pennsylvania candy in the comments below, or join the conversation on PA Eats’ Facebook and Instagram pages. We wish a special and spooky Halloween to all who celebrate!
- Feature, Mallo Cup and doorway photos: Bigstock
- Goldenberg's Peanut Chews: Goldenberg's Peanut Chews
- Mike & Ike: Mike & Ike
- Zagnut, PEEPS and Clark Cups photos: Leigh Green
