Best Mexican Candy

Last Updated: Feb 12, 2021 @ 2:16 pm.

Best Mexican Candy Assortment: OLÉ RICO Mexican Candy Mix Assortment

We’ve researched (and tasted) candy from Japan and Korea, so we thought it would be great to add Mexico to our international candy passort.

Mexican candy is certainly popular, whether used as party favors or to fill a pinata. Whether you miss a favorite flavor from your childhood or just want to try something different, Mexican candy assortments hit the spot.

As always, a few words of caution before  you order any of these assortments:

1. Mexican candy flavors are often spicy and bold, versus sweet and sugary. Some folks are surprised at the number of candies with chile powder and other spicy ingredients. You have been warned: some of these candies pack a punch!
2. Most candy assortments feature small-size candies—ranging from bite-size packages to tiny packs of gum. So when you see a 32 piece assortment, that doesn’t mean 32 giant candy bars.
3. Allergy alert: none of the candies we sampled had any allergen information and some contained nuts, dairy and other known allergens. If you have food allergies, it might be best to steer clear. Using these candies to fill pinatas is popular, but be aware of allergy issues.

Most of the Mexican candy we tried came in assortment packs—30, 60 or 90 pieces of candy, with a variety of textures and types. Lollipops seemed to be a big thing, as are flavors like tamarind, which somehow manages to be both sour and sweet at the same time.

For the best overall candy assortment, we thought Ole Rico’s Mexican Candy Mix was the best bet. Here’s why:

What We Liked

• Many popular brands from Mexico like Pulparindo. We liked the bold taste of Pulparindo, but this tamarind-flavored candy has a very spicy finish! (And that was the regular version, not the extra picante). This pack has 4 flavors of Pulparindo.

• Wide variety.

• Sweet, sour and spicy.

What Needs Work

• Many very small pieces. We understand that candy assortments often have bite-size pieces, but it would be nice if a few full-size choices were also included.

• Lots of chili pepper-flavored candy. We didn’t mind this, but we know some folks thought it was overdone.

• Some candies can melt in the hot sun. Consider that if you are ordering this in the heat of summer.

Best Budget-Friendly: Mexican Candy Assortment Snacks

If you want to try out a small amount of Mexican candy to decide if it is for you, we'd suggest this assortment of 32 pieces. It has good variety, yet is easy on the wallet.

Here's what the bag looked like when it arrived to our taste testing headquarters:

Inside, was a nice assortment of various hard and soft candies. Note there quite a few lollipop-type candies:

Here's more on this assortment and why we'd recommend it:

What We Liked

• Great for pinata or egg fillers.

• Nice variety.

• Affordable.

• Mix of sweet and spicy.

• Good quantity of tamarind-flavor candies.

What Needs Work

• Spicy candies can be too spicy for some folks!

Best Larger Candy Assortment: JVR TRADE Mexican Candy Mix Assortment Snack

Ok, you've tried the smaller packs of Mexican candy and now you want more. The next step we'd recommend is JVR Trade's Mexican Candy Mix assortment. Yes, this is two POUNDS of candy, more than the previous recommendations in this article. And we liked the cute mini shopping bag that comes with it. Here's more:

What We Liked

• Nice variety, from marzipan to Pulparindo, pica frescas and more.

• Good mix of sweet and spicy.

• Lots of tamarind flavored candy.

• All candies are individually packaged.

What Needs Work

• Too much tamarind flavored candy? Yes, this is popular flavor for Mexican candy and we know some folks can't get enough. On the other hand, others thought this box had too much tamarind. 

Best Tamarind Mexican Candy: Pelon Pelo Rico Tamarind Candy

If you can't get enough tamarind candy, you'll love this case of Pelon Pelo Rico Tamarindo Candy. If you haven't tried this before, Pelon Pelo Rico is tamarind flavored gel—each bottle is individually wrapped. 

What We Liked

• Sweet + spicy + tart, all rolled up in one candy.

• Fair warning: we found this candy quite addictive!

• Nice for party favors.

What Needs Work

• Contains corn syrup.

• Artificial (and natural) flavors.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

Here's another key point: we don't take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no "partnerships." Our work is 100% reader-supported!