Monday, September 10, 2007

Candy Corn Kisses

Candy Corn KissesI browse eBay a lot, just to see what sort of candy is being sold. It’s a good place to “make a friend” in a particular area who can send you a special candy on a regular basis. Of course a good deal of the candy on eBay is also Limited Edition items, which can be devilish to find as inventories wear thin in parts of the country.

It’s also a great way for me to find out about newer Limited Editions. Like the Candy Corn Kisses that showed up there last week. I immediately searched all my best spots (RiteAid, WalMart, Target & CVS) with no results. So I emailed Hershey’s ... they confirmed that they exist at least.

Then yesterday I gave Target another try and there they were!

image

I must admit, they’re lovely. The wrappers are silver, yellow and orange with little flags that say Candy Corn.

Upon opening the bag I can only say that they stink to high heaven, like fake butter flavor (perhaps I should be concerned that there’s diacetyl in there and I’m going to get Pop Corn Workers Lung?).

Unwrapping the foil, they are super-cute layers just like candy corn. Wider on the bottom than normal candy corn, the proportions may be a little squat, the colors are also rearranged, with yellow on the bottom and orange in the middle, instead of the reverse. I can see why they did it though, it is a pleasant combo.

While I enjoy candy corn that has a slight honey or caramelized sugar taste to it, these go for the buttered corn flavor. I know that the Buttered Popcorn Jelly Belly is one of the most popular, but it’s never floated by boat. Same with this one ... a little caramely white chocolate would have made me very happy. This doesn’t. The fake butter just turns my stomach when I smell it. If I don’t smell it, then they’re not bad, not too sweet with a light little hit of salt.

Unlike many of the other white confection offerings from Hershey’s, these are not white chocolate (which has a cocoa butter base). The ingredients go like this:

Sugar, Vegetable Oil (Palm, Shea, Sunflower and/or Safflower Oil), Nonfat Milk, Lactose, Reduced Minerals Whey (from milk), Milkfat. Contains less than 2% or less of Natural and Artificial Color (Yellow 6, Yellow 5 Lake), Soy Lecithin, PGPR, Tocopherols (to maintain freshness).

I think the idea is cute and I could actually see these being a great cookie decoration (as suggested on the package with a peanut butter cookie recipe). Other than that, I’m going to just admire the photos and the idea and keep the package way from me. I couldn’t decide what rating to give this, mostly because my personal revulsion to fake butter flavor (it actually gives me a headache when someone makes microwave popcorn) is, well, a personal thing. The product is well executed ... I just wish they called them Butter Kisses and made them like real candy corn, not that Milk Maid Caramel Candy Corn. My nose said give them a two out of ten. But looking at the photos, I can’t help but bump it up to a four out of ten ... what can I say, I’m a sucker for design!

UPDATE 9/25/2007: I found out from Hershey’s that this is an item that they created exclusively for Target. So don’t bother looking anywhere else but Target & eBay for these.

UPDATE 9/5/2008: The Candy Corn Kisses have returned for 2008. I found them both at Target and Rite Aid, so they are enjoying a wider release this year.

Related Candies

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  4. Limited Edition Hot Cocoa Kisses
  5. Elvis Reese’s Peanut Butter and Banana Cup
  6. Kisses Coconut Creme
  7. Kisses Chocolate Truffles
  8. The Mint Kisses: Chocolate Mint & Candy Cane
  9. Gourmet Goodies Candy Corn
  10. Peanut Butter Kisses
  11. Cherry Cordial Creme Kisses
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  13. Butterfinger Crisp
Name: Candy Corn Kisses
    RATING:
  • 10 SUPERB
  • 9 YUMMY
  • 8 TASTY
  • 7 WORTH IT
  • 6 TEMPTING
  • 5 PLEASANT
  • 4 BENIGN
  • 3 UNAPPEALING
  • 2 APPALLING
  • 1 INEDIBLE
Brand: Hershey's
Place Purchased: Target (Eagle Rock)
Price: $2.59
Size: 11 ounces
Calories per ounce: 152
Categories: Mockolate, United States, Hershey's, Kosher, Limited Edition, Halloween

POSTED BY Cybele AT 6:57 am Tracker Pixel for Entry    

Comments
  1. Oh wow, these sounds disgusting. 

    The fact that they aren’t white chocolate actually makes them slightly more appealing.  The sickening sweetness of white chocolate mixed with fake butter sounds horrible.

    Comment by Karen on 9/10/07 at 7:23 am #
  2. For some reason I think candy corn will eventually end up being a Japanese Kit Kat flavor.  Oh, those Japanese and their kooky flavors for candy.

    Comment by Marvo on 9/10/07 at 7:36 am #
  3. That ingredients list is unnerving. Still, I’ll by a bag just to see how thy taste.

    Comment by Sera on 9/10/07 at 7:37 am #
  4. What’s with all these candy corn missteps?  So many promising premises for new candy—but no one can quite carry it off, it seems.  The caramel concept seemed like a great one—so does your notion of a white-chocolate and caramel kiss—why don’t the people in charge of these products perceive these possibilities?  I think they need to hire a candy corn consultant (I’ve got some free time…), someone who consumes and enjoys the stuff, to explain that it’s not the CORN, it’s the CANDY.  No fake butter flavor!

    Harumph.

    Thanks for being the canary in the candy corn coalmine, Cybele!  So great is my devotion that I might have been tempted to try out these revolting sounding products without your warning.

    Comment by good enough cook on 9/10/07 at 8:11 am #
  5. Yeah..I wasn’t a big fan of these either.  The fake butter smell is just awful. But a friend who has an unnatural love for candy corn loved these.

    Comment by g on 9/10/07 at 8:34 am #
  6. Whoah, these are totally not what I picutured them being.  I’m confused - are they the texture of actual candy corn, or more like a waxy fake white chocolate (redundant) consistency? 

    When I first heard of them, I envisioned a piece of actual candy corn tucked inside of a regualar chocolate Hershey’s Kiss.  I had such high hopes, but I guess I was way off.

    Comment by joanna on 9/10/07 at 8:38 am #
  7. i like hershey’s kisses and i loooooove candy corn, so i went on a crazy wild goose chase to find these (also ending up at Target!)

    although these things are really adorable, they taste gross—nothing at all like candy corn.  oh well.  it’s a cute novelty.

    Comment by ruffy on 9/10/07 at 9:29 am #
  8. Thank goodness I ran across this post before I saw them in the store! I like candy corn, but DETEST those buttered popcorn flavor jelly beans. With recent awesomeness like the coconut and cherry cordial kisses, I would have tried these on blind Hershey love.
    Thank you!!

    Comment by Penny on 9/10/07 at 10:52 am #
  9. We saw these the other day at the Culver City Target. I’m glad I didn’t buy them…

    Comment by Grace on 9/10/07 at 2:42 pm #
  10. I simply ADORE candy corn, but why, oh why, do they want to mess with it,especially when it doesn’t measure up to the real thing?

    Comment by Camille on 9/10/07 at 3:47 pm #
  11. ironically…my mom and i bought a bag of these before i read your post. let me say that you are being MORE than generous with your scoring. for someone who loves both candy corn AND buttered popcorn jelly beans…these sucked. my mom and i were both looking at each other and said these taste like white chocolate…and…and…gross.  there isnt even an equivalent. just gross.  disgusting. i didnt even finish the one i was eating.


    on a positive note, target is selling toffee butter candy corn (on sale but still pricy at $2.50) that is just AMAZING! mmmmm

    Comment by jess on 9/10/07 at 6:06 pm #
  12. The temptation to vomit is overwhelming.  That sounds worse than diaper jelly belly!

    I’m anxious to hear about “Razzberry” M&Ms;.  I liked them pretty well.

    Comment by Dave on 9/11/07 at 1:38 am #
  13. I do love Candy Corn, so I know I’ll pick these up along the way this season, but the weirdness of a butter-flavored white chocolate is hard for me to wrap my mind around. Regular candy corn have a honey flavor - not a butter one. I wonder how on earth they came up with that flavor profile.

    Also, I think that normal candy corn do have yellow on the bottom and orange in the middle, so it looks like the colors are spot-on, not reversed (unless we’re just not seeing the mixed up colors here).

    Comment by Nic on 9/11/07 at 3:07 am #
  14. I love candy corn and I love all the different flavors of Hershey’s Kisses that have been appearing, so I’ve been on the lookout for these. Maybe you’ve saved me a trip to Target…oh, who am I kidding. I’m sure I’ll get them anyway!

    Comment by Emily on 9/11/07 at 4:48 am #
  15. I am a huge candy corn fan - Brach’s are my favorite…I only by them at Halloween though for some strange reason…Anyway…Found these at Target as well and was looking forward to them…OMG the smell when I opened the bag should have deterred any thought of actually putting one of these in my mouth but nope….I did it…I bit 1/2 of one and my throat shut off while saying no way I am not going to let that past…I couldn’t even swallow it…I started poassing them out to people I know (haha) and the only person who loved them was my 4 year old niece who would eat anything that is sweet…Everyone else gave me h**l for not telling them how bad they really were…Hershey’s needs to stick to what they know and candy corn isn’t it.

    Comment by Kimberly on 9/12/07 at 9:29 am #
  16. I just bought a pakage today. i would NOT reccomend them unless you have a need for UNLIMITED SWEET. They smell horrid and taste fine. the smell does turn my stomache as well

    Comment by christina on 9/14/07 at 3:49 pm #
  17. I saw these in the ad and thought they were cool, just havent gotten them yet. Im a little disappointed in them if they are a buttery concoction. I dont think i will be buying these anytime soon. Thanks for the review.

    Comment by Carey on 9/20/07 at 5:48 am #
  18. These were really good, the butter is real

    [edited by admin to remove profanity ... this is a family-friendly candy blog, contrary opinions are welcome, foul language is not]

    Comment by youck on 10/12/07 at 9:23 pm #
  19. Thanks for the heads up. I LOVE candy and LOVE trying new candy. After these reviews, I think I will pass.

    Comment by Romney on 10/13/07 at 12:49 pm #
  20. Are you kidding me?  These are AWESOME!  I wish I bought more bags because now they are sold out at our two local Target stores.  I hope they get more!  And I didn’t even see the recipe on the bag…gotta try that, too!

    Comment by Sandy on 10/18/07 at 2:59 pm #
  21. I cannot believe what I am reading!  The girls I work with and I saw them in the Target ad and being candy crazy at our work we had to try them.  It took 4 of us to get to the store when they were in stock.  Even after phoning the store, it still took a couple of tries to get them. 
    I can’t think of one person in this office that DIDN’T like them.  Those of us with spouses took them home and made our husbands try.  Again, rave reviews.  My husband is a big fan of white chocolate and he simply adored them! 
    We haven’t been able to find them since that one day, but I have an office full of people who hope they come back next year!

    Comment by Liz on 10/19/07 at 9:17 am #
  22. someone at work got these last month. i rarely turn down candy. ok, i never do. but i tried one of these and it was so bad, I SPIT IT OUT! i was in complete amazement that these actually got greenlighted for mass production. whoever in R&D came up with these should be sent to forced to eat a bag of these retched things.

    i like microwave popcorn, but i didnt taste that at all. it just tasted…bad.

    Comment by fluffy on 10/25/07 at 10:15 am #
  23. These things are absolutely delicious.  And they are really an aphrodisiac for my girlfriend and I.  I love her so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by Mark on 1/25/08 at 6:32 am #
  24. Eh?  Doesn’t candy corn ALWAYS have the orange in the middle and the yellow on bottom?  I’ve never seen it the other way around, so I’m confused by what you meant.

    Comment by Rita on 1/28/08 at 9:36 am #
  25. Hershey’s had a lot of hits with these obscure Kiss flavors.  My personal favorites have been the Coconut (I can overlook the greasiness) and the Cheesecake (so rich I can’t eat more than 2 in a sitting).

    HOWEVER - Candy Corn was a big fat fail.

    I expected a creamy center that tasted the way candy corn actually tastes, coated in the signature milk chocolate.  What I got was a disgrace to the name of candy, the b******d step-child of white chocolate colored to resemble candy corn.  Maybe they thought that by using the colors, the eye would trick the tongue into believing this tastes good, but my palette could not be fooled.  I actually don’t have a very developed palette, so that’s really saying something.

    Sorry, but this was a big miss.

    Comment by Wendy on 5/17/08 at 7:22 pm #
  26. I was in Hershey, PA last week at the Chocolate World attraction.  While in the gift shop, I came across three huge boxes of last year’s Halloween Kisses.  Not only did they have the Candy Corn Kisses, they also had Caramel Apple and Pumpkin Spice.  I meant to buy some to try the next day, but it completely slipped my mind until after I left.\

    I have some pictures here if anyone’s interested:
    Halloween Kisses

    Comment by MB on 8/05/08 at 5:32 pm #
  27. WOW! I love candy corn! AND when I sawl these I had to try them. They are HEAVENLY good. Its candy corn that melts in your mouth! They are so addicting and wonderful tasting! Im in love!...Really if you havent tried them you must!

    Comment by Jamie on 9/05/08 at 3:15 am #
  28. I found them @ the Farm and Fleet Store in Madison WI.  I love candy but this stuff went a bit over the top for my taste.

    Comment by Tim K on 9/06/08 at 5:54 pm #
  29. love the candy and target is not the only place I got mine at work krogers

    Comment by dee on 9/13/08 at 11:04 am #
  30. I have found that with candy corn you either love it or hate it.  Most of these attempts at recreating it in other forms just seem to fall short in flavor and texture.

    Comment by Mark L on 9/25/08 at 2:28 am #
  31. I absolutely love these and cannot get enough of them. They do not taste that close to real candy corn, but I love the flavor none the less. I would give them a 10 out of 10!

    Comment by Tyler C. on 9/26/08 at 10:05 am #
  32. i got these at walgreens. they are alright.

    Comment by Miles Assailant on 9/27/08 at 7:39 am #
  33. I really cant stop eating these. They are soo good. I dont know what you guys are talking about. Its like white chocolate but not as sweet. It doesnt taste anything like butter to me but, I dunno

    Comment by bon on 10/02/08 at 8:41 am #
  34. These are in Walmart in my city. I bought some today.

    Comment by Keala on 10/03/08 at 2:12 pm #
  35. i made the cookies and while mine turned out alittle dry they were a hit with my afterschool program and the teachers. something fall and just different, very good idea!!!

    Comment by katie on 10/08/08 at 8:05 am #
  36. I live in Rockford And love these hershey kisses and can’t find them anywhere. Some one help where can I get them!

    Comment by Lindsey Dornbush on 10/08/08 at 8:42 am #
  37. if candy corn was a human body part I would be a canibal. if candy corn was a currency I would be a bank-robber. so if I have not made it clear enough; give some candy corn I’ll kill you and steal your candy corn!

    Comment by rudigger on 10/22/08 at 1:46 pm #
  38. candy corn porn!

    Comment by rudigger on 10/22/08 at 1:47 pm #
  39. why is everyone so down on this cute,sweet little candy? I made the cookies on the pkg. and loved them. If they had read the ingredients,and they didn’t like white chocolate , why did they buy them?
    janis

    Comment by janis kimbler on 10/23/08 at 6:25 am #
  40. i really like these lol they taste like white chocolate… i think they are bangin!@

    Comment by anthony on 10/23/08 at 6:59 am #
  41. I was told about this candy from a friend at work.  I immediately had to try them after the way she spoke of them.  They are now my most favorite candy ever.  I call them crack candy because I feel like I can never get enough.  After eating the first bag I went to 9 different locations before I could find another bag.  They sell out that fast!  Being it was so hard to find them I bought ever bag the store had.  These should defintly be a regular item.  I love them!

    Comment by Jenna Schierle on 10/24/08 at 8:26 am #
  42. I was fortunate to have purchased quite a few bags of these while they were available. I miss them now.

    Am I the only one who tastes a hint of orange in them?

    Comment by Nancy on 11/01/08 at 8:02 pm #
  43. Do these candy corn hershey kisses have any traces of nuts?

    Comment by Blesh on 11/09/08 at 4:07 am #
  44. They are just white chocolate kisses, they’re good, don’t care if I have them again though.

    Comment by jackie on 11/21/08 at 6:50 am #
  45. I am in love with the hershey’s candy cone and i am still looking for them hershey needs to make them avaible

    Comment by tasha on 11/24/08 at 12:05 pm #
  46. I’ve never posted on this blog before, but I saw this review and I knew I had to respond.  I bought a bag of Candy Corn Kisses from CVS 3 months ago.  I had high hopes because I really like trying new stuff, I like candy corn, and I like Kisses. UNFORTUNATELY, these are AWFUL.  I’m not a picky guy and I enjoy most candies, but Candy Corn Kisses taste offensive in every way.  The smell is weird and…. just sooo weird and uninviting.  And the flavor is… ugh, like if frosting tasted bad?  It was like a chalky, dry, frosting, with a mechanical (poison) flavor thrown in there.  I’ve never been more offended by a food product, ever.  That’s my rant.  These suck.

    Comment by jjok on 5/11/09 at 3:28 am #
  47. I LOVE these, I am searching for them again this year, and can’t wait to see them. They taste nothing like candy corn I’ll give you that but they are good, and have a different flavor.

    Comment by Kelsey on 8/25/09 at 3:37 pm #
  48. Someone gave me a couple of these in a little bag for a Halloween treat last year and I was hooked! I have dreamed of them every since and have been anxiously awaiting Halloween to come this year, so I can buy an entire case of them to last for a while! I can’t tell you how much I LOVED these! Even if I didn’t eat one, I think I could just sniff them all day! Just the smell of them makes me happy! They are awesome! Several other people at my job feel the same way, but a few people disliked them as some of the people have here. It’s weird how people either go crazy for them or hate them…very little in-between. That’s what makes the world go around, I guess.

    Comment by Debi on 9/12/09 at 2:18 pm #
  49. Maybe a new update, because I just saw these at Walmart today. I look forward to trying them after Halloween.

    Comment by Adriana on 9/12/09 at 2:32 pm #
  50. Hershey’s is not my favorite candy,k but these are adorable.  The bag smells delicioius and the candy itself in the wrappers is delightful.

    I was surprised to see that these are a Target exclusice since I bought them at Walmart.

    Comment by Cindy on 9/24/09 at 9:58 am #
  51. Cybele's avatar

    Cindy - they were a Target exclusive two years ago when they were first introduced (and I posted about them). Now they’re a seasonal item & more widely available.

    Comment by Cybele on 9/24/09 at 10:05 am #
  52. A woman at work brought them in.  I rather like them and don’t taste any of the fake-butter flavor you mentioned.  Perhaps the recipe has changed since two years ago?

    It tastes to me like (fake) white chocolate with the corn syrupy flavor of traditional candy corn.  Of course, it has that unfortunate grainy texture that ALL Hershey’s chocolate has, but its fine for an at-work treat.

    Comment by Tess on 10/31/09 at 2:20 pm #
  53. I LOVE THESE! My boss brought them in for the candy bowl and the hole office comes by to eat them.  I think they taste just like the real thing.

    Comment by Josie Pohl on 11/05/09 at 9:09 am #
  54. my husband, my brother and my boss LOVE these, I think they are ok but I love chocolate. You can also find them in Kroger, but only at Halloween.

    Comment by jenny on 11/10/09 at 4:00 am #
  55. Well I love Candy Corn Kisses, and was thrilled they don’t taste like regular Candy Corn, which is actually what GROSS IS!  I am baking the recipe on the package for Autumn Cookies, I am taking them to my son’s school fall carnival for a bake sale.  I am sure they’ll be a hit!

    Comment by Kara on 11/11/09 at 4:42 am #
  56. I would also be thrilled if someone would put the recipe for the Autumn Cookies from the back panel of the Candy Corn Kisses package on here(since I don’t have access to it right now)!!!

    Comment by kARA on 11/11/09 at 4:46 am #
  57. Being a big lover of Candy Corn (and being *unable* to find them in Japan - see http://www.makiandray.com/P/Searching-for-Candy-Corn-in-Japan ) I would love to find these here in Japan.  But if made exclusively for Target, I’m not expecting to see them.

    Nonetheless, if anyone does see them in our little far east country, please let me know!

    Comment by Ray on 1/31/10 at 8:19 pm #
  58. Glad to see others still posting in 2010. smile

    I love candy corn and I love Jelly Belly Buttered Popcorn flavor jellybeans and I love most all Hershey’s Kisses. Until I tasted these. These Candy Corn Kisses are disgusting. They don’t taste like candy corn and they don’t taste like chocolate. I expected a white chocolate candy corn colored kiss.

    They were received as Halloween Candy in the kid’s candy bag, I don’t know if the smell was gross when the bag was opened. We only got a few out of the bag.

    You were generous giving these a 4, they just tricked you with looks. I thought your original idea of giving them a 2 was being pretty generous.

    Comment by Debbie on 11/14/10 at 12:33 am #
  59. These guys should be ashamed of themselves for peddling this ‘poison’ to folks. Why don’t they change that recipe to something that tastes better than what’s written here?
    Brach’s makes the BEST and most tasty and moist candy corn around, but this is crazy. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. Thanks for the warning.

    Comment by Jeanne M. on 10/30/12 at 2:21 pm #
  60. I was on vacation and ran across candy corn m & m ..i hv tried looking everywhere none here whn will it arrive in stores here

    Comment by Paula wiser on 8/25/13 at 2:08 pm #
  61. Loved the candy corn kisses, and sad they weren’t returned.  Excited about the M&M’s though, and they have met the taste bud expectations.

    Comment by Shae on 10/16/13 at 11:27 am #
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