Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Coffee Nips

Coffee NipsWhen I was a teenager I discovered Pearson Coffee Nips. Like my other favorite at the time, Andes Mints, they represented a sophisticated taste in an easy to share individually wrapped portion. I’d buy them by the box, usually for about a dollar and they’d last forever.

I wasn’t quite developed enough at the time to drink coffee straight, about all I could stand was coffee floats (hot coffee with vanilla ice cream in it) but I loved the taste of the stuff.

That’s what attracted me to Coffee Nips. They combine the rich coffee taste with a creamy texture and a long lasting hard candy experience. And they were pretty inexpensive.

Pearson Coffee Nips were known simply as Pearson Nips when they were introduced over 70 years ago. But now they’re made in a wide variety of flavors (and some even have flavored goo centers). The Pearson line of Nips was sold to Nestle back in 1989 and looking closely on the package, they’re not even called Pearson any longer.

Coffee Nips

Even though they’ve changed hands, they’re the same as they ever were. A lump of hard caramel, made from a combination of sugar, corn syrups and milk products and a few tropical oils ... boiled down with some real coffee to become a slow dissolving bit of concentrated coffee. It’s almost a toffee, but more of a hard caramel.

They’re smooth and creamy and not too sweet (though far sweeter than I like my liquid coffee). They’re impossible to chew, which makes them last a long time (though I caution you to not try to chew them as they will cement your teeth together).

They’re an excellent summer candy because they travel well but provide a rich creamy experience and mimic a hot drink that many of us eschew on hot days. (Okay, I only eschew hot coffee in the middle of the day, I pretty much always drink hot coffee in the morning.)

Refreshing. Classic. I’ve never tried the other flavors which include Butter Rum, Caramel, Chocolate Parfait, Dulce de Leche, Mocha and Peanut Butter Parfait. The coffee suits me just fine.

Related Candies

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  3. Walkers Nonsuch Toffee
  4. Storck Chocolate Riesen
  5. Pocket Coffee
  6. Bali’s Best Coffee & United Coffee Candy
Name: Coffee Nips
    RATING:
  • 10 SUPERB
  • 9 YUMMY
  • 8 TASTY
  • 7 WORTH IT
  • 6 TEMPTING
  • 5 PLEASANT
  • 4 BENIGN
  • 3 UNAPPEALING
  • 2 APPALLING
  • 1 INEDIBLE
Brand: Nestle
Place Purchased: 99 Cent Only Store (Miracle Mile)
Price: $.99
Size: 4 ounces
Calories per ounce: 121
Categories: Coffee, Caramel, United States, Nestle, Kosher

POSTED BY Cybele AT 10:43 am Tracker Pixel for Entry    

Comments
  1. Caramel and Chocolate Parfait are lovely! The peanut butter is just weird….

    Make sure to let the chocolate ones dissolve themselves, that’s the best way. If you chew them, they aren’t as good (personally)

    Comment by Alli on 8/13/08 at 11:05 am #
  2. “I wasn?t quite developed enough at the time to drink coffee, about all I could stand was coffee floats (hot coffee with vanilla ice cream in it) but I loved the taste of the stuff.”

    Um, what?

    If you’re not “developed” enough to drink coffee, how does putting ice cream into it make it..not..coffee?

    Wouldn’t drinking coffee with ice cream in it be even worse as a kid than drinking coffee by itself?

    Comment by Maj on 8/13/08 at 12:29 pm #
  3. Cybele's avatar

    Maj - so sorry for the dangling description. I fixed it. I hadn’t developed the ability to drink coffee straight yet and still put lots of milk & sugar in it, whipped cream or ice cream.

    Alli - I am curious about the caramel ones, especially how they compare with Werther’s.

    Comment by Cybele on 8/13/08 at 12:33 pm #
  4. I can’t help but cringe at this article

    .. For them getting a 7 and not a perfect 10.

    Comment by Julia on 8/13/08 at 1:47 pm #
  5. arenee's avatar

    I have been craving these for the last week!!!  Now all I have to do is find them.  I was afraid they were discontinued.  Whew!

    Comment by arenee on 8/13/08 at 1:52 pm #
  6. These candies have been my favorites since I was a kid! The coffee is great, but the chocolate parfait & mocha are just as good.  GOOD CHOICE!
    To Arennee—-Walgreens carries these!

    Comment by Alice on 8/13/08 at 3:51 pm #
  7. I tried the coffee - don’t like them. Only because I don’t drink coffee, nor do I like coffee - I don’t even eat coffee ice cream… The caramel is GOOD. Better than Werther’s! In my opinion… Just be careful not to chew! And I LOVE the chocolate parfait. But I crunch them, instead of letting them dissolve. Somehow I like my teeth stick together. I’m weird. The other day I bought a box of “mix” - caramel, chocolate parfait, and coffee… I ate the caramel and chocolate parfait, and gave the coffee to my fiance. He drinks a lot of coffee. He likes them. But he’s not much of a sweet tooth, so he only has one every day or so.

    I’m curious about the Dulce de Leche - I wonder where I can get them?

    Comment by Jenny on 8/14/08 at 1:41 am #
  8. I’ve always LOVED the coffee ones.  I buy office supplies for our office and buy big bags of Nips for the office, but they only come in one variety—chocolate parfait and caramel.  Boring.

    Comment by Allison on 8/14/08 at 5:42 am #
  9. I don’t think Werther’s and Caramel Nips can even be compared.  I feel that they are entirely different, but Nips would definitely MURDER Werther’s in a competition! Werther’s would end up scampering away in tears. grin

    Comment by Alli on 8/14/08 at 8:14 am #
  10. i am OBSESSED with nips.  i can’t believe you’ve never ventured beyond the coffee flavor!  i have tried them all, including the limited editions raspberry cream and orange cream.  i also still remember the chocolate mint they used to make when i was a kid - it was the best and i am always hoping they’ll bring it back.  i’m getting a little concerned that they discontinued the dulce de leche - has anyone seen it lately?

    Comment by laura on 8/14/08 at 10:13 am #
  11. I’ve always enjoyed the caramel, but I will be on the lookout for butter rum. Sounds delish. You nailed it regarding the cementing of the teeth. Once you start chewing, there’s nothing to do but wait until the candy melts off.

    I agree with Alli - I don’t think Werther’s and Nips can be compared. They are a really difference experience altogether.

    Comment by Amy on 8/15/08 at 2:05 am #
  12. the best place to find Nips has always been Walgreens, if you have one available around you.  They tend to have all the flavors regularly in stock, and put them on sale a lot.

    Comment by Jim Kosmicki on 8/18/08 at 8:42 am #
  13. Can anyone tell me when they started “filling” coffee nips.  I have a bet on this and cannot find any info on the start of filling.

    Comment by jill milliner on 9/22/08 at 7:07 am #
  14. The used to make the nips in licorice and they were wonderful!  I never see them anymore.

    Comment by Beth on 2/15/09 at 7:00 am #
  15. I am looking for coffee flavored suckers for my brother. His throat is healing and he can’t have liquids yet but he loves coffee. Candy won’t do as he will choke. Suckers would be perfect. Can you help. I will order if you have them.
    Thank you,
    p.s brother is 59 year old, not a child.
    Sandra Hallenbeck

    Comment by Sandra Hallenbeck on 2/23/09 at 4:04 am #
  16. Like Beth, I am desperate to find Licorice Nips. They were my favorite candy when I was a kid (in the 70s) and I have looked for them all over the country.  Do they no longer exist?

    Comment by Cindy Davis on 3/06/09 at 5:03 am #
  17. Cybele's avatar

    Cindy - the licorice nips aren’t in the current line up of products. However, I’ll keep my eye out for something similar to recommend.

    Comment by Cybele on 3/06/09 at 5:18 am #
  18. Wow, I’ve never tried either the Licorice or the filled coffee nips, but I’d sure like to get some. Walgreens carries them, and they’re the best with prices. I can drive either 50 miles to Jonesboro, AR., or 60 to Memphis, Tn. to get them though. I think I’ll write them to see “What’s up”?  “Ali”  Alice

    Comment by Aliice Wheeler on 3/06/09 at 8:25 am #
  19. Well Pearson Coffee Nips are now Nestle Coffee Nips. However, they still have the same great taste.

    Comment by Scott on 2/27/10 at 6:41 pm #
  20. My mind is completely boggled that you gave these candies a “7”

    Why?

    This is my favorite candy in the entire world! I think they at least deserve a 9 if you won’t give them a 10 smile

    Comment by Krystal on 8/23/11 at 2:38 pm #
  21. I’ve enjoyed all the comments made of my family’s
    products.

    Sincerely,
    Barry Pearson

    Comment by Barry Pearson on 4/14/12 at 3:13 am #
  22. Have they changed the recipe for Coffee Nips since the 60’s?  Maybe my taste buds have changed, but I remember them not being quite as sweet and tasting more like coffee.  If so, it would be nice to have them in an ‘Original’ flavor.  Don’t enjoy them as much now.

    Comment by J. on 7/21/12 at 1:45 pm #
  23. My grandmother used to bring Pearson’s Coffee Nips to me from Minnesota when I was a little girl.  Definitely a nostalgia item for me, in other words. Wish I could eat sugar with physiological impunity now.  Anyway, glad to know they are out there.  Thanks for your site.

    Comment by L on 1/20/13 at 8:24 pm #
  24. When I was a kid 60’s / 70’s my Italian grandparents (now gone) used to always have a jar of small coffee flavored candies and I have been trying to track them down, to no avail. They were small log shaped candies, smaller than a tootsie roll and hard. I would say they were more espresso flavored than plain coffee. They were in a dark (brown or black) cellophane wrapper and I want to say they had gold writing. The candies themselves were very dark in color. I am not sure if anyone here might be able to shed light on this but would love any info someone might have.

    Comment by Dana Hursey on 2/02/13 at 4:58 pm #
  25. I just recently tried Nips coffee for the first time and I LOVE them! They are on sale at CVS Drugstore for .88 so I stocked up.
    I found this site because I was looking for some info on how to make my normally black coffee taste like the Nips. I recently quit smoking and I can no longer drink my coffee black :( and I need my coffee!
    Anyway, if anyone has suggestions on how to get that yummy flavor into my morning coffee I would appreciate it.

    Comment by Sherri on 3/07/13 at 11:20 am #
  26. hola buenas tardes me encantan los caramelos NIPS pero no lo es conseguido por favor en donde los consigo gracias

    Comment by paola andrea on 8/01/13 at 2:14 pm #
  27. I’ve loved these since I was a kid! Found them at CVS the other day… 3 boxes for $3.00!

    Comment by Eric on 10/08/13 at 6:16 pm #
  28. 1. Does anyone know how to make a cup of coffee taste like coffee Nips?
    2. Would anyone who likes them, please contact Nestle to ask that they bring back Mocha Nips. I have been looking for Coffioca since Nestle bought Pearson. They were my favorite candy. Then when I wasn’t looking, they put out Mocha, and I missed it! Please help. grin

    Comment by Leah on 9/09/14 at 9:41 am #
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