How to Make Candy Salad

What is candy salad?

Candy salad is a mixture of various candies served in a large bowl. The process of making it involves adding a bunch of different unwrapped sweets into a big serving bowl and tossing them together like a salad, hence the name. Candy salad gained popularity as a viral trend on TikTok, with users posting videos of themselves creating their delicious sugary concoctions. Candy salads are entirely customizable and can include any type of candy you like, but fruity and sour flavors are popular choices. For example, a standard candy salad may include Sour Patch Kids, Skittles, mini Starburst, gummy worms, gummy bears, and peach rings.

What is the “candy salad” TikTok trend?

There are a few different variations of the “candy salad” trend on TikTok. Some videos show users making their own candy salad, and others show groups collaborating to make one giant bowl of candy salad. The trend is especially popular in settings like workplaces, classrooms, and nursing homes, with each person bringing their favorite candy to add to the mix. All the participants then line up and take turns introducing themselves and pouring their candy into the bowl.

How to Make Candy Salad

Choose your candies, pour them into a serving bowl, and that’s it! One of the things that makes candy salad so great is how customizable it is, so don’t be afraid to get creative. You have the freedom to add whatever candies you like, leave out any candies you’re not a fan of, and invent your own unique combinations. If you’re not quite sure what to add, here’s a standard candy salad recipe to inspire you: Sour Patch Watermelon Sour Punch Bites Mini Starbursts Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers Nerds Gummy Clusters Twizzlers Bites Peach Rings Gummy Bears

Candy Salad Ideas

Chocolate candy salad If you’re looking for a decadent option, a chocolate candy salad may be perfect for you. To make it, simply add your favorite chocolate candies and mini chocolate bars (after taking them out of their wrappers). For example, you could add: Mini Hershey’s bars Mini KitKats Mini Snickers bars Mini Twix bars Hershey’s kisses M&Ms

Reese’s peanut butter candy salad This is a more specific take on a chocolate candy salad that’s perfect for peanut butter lovers. Just grab all the mini Reese’s candies you can find at the store, along with any other candies you like that contain peanuts and chocolate. Unwrap them and toss them into a bowl, then enjoy! Options to add include: Miniature Reese’s Cups Reese’s Pieces Mini Reese’s Take 5 Bars Peanut Butter M&Ms Peanut M&Ms

Super sour candy salad If you’re a fan of sour foods, try going all out and making a candy salad exclusively with sour candies. This would be a fun one to try with friends, too–you can challenge each other to see who can handle all the sour candy the best. Here’s a sample recipe to inspire you: Sour Patch Kids Sour Patch Watermelon Sour Punch Bites Warheads Lemonheads Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers Sour Skittles

Color themed candy salad If you’re making a candy salad for a party or event, try picking candies that are the same color as your decor. For example, if the decor of your party is pink, you could make a candy salad including: All Pink Mini Starburst Twizzlers Bites Sour Patch Watermelon Red Sour Punch Bites Swedish Fish Pink Jelly Beans Red and White Gummy Bears

Holiday themed candy salad For a candy salad you’re planning on serving around a holiday, consider picking candies with flavors or colors that would go along nicely with the season. For example: Christmas Candy Salad: Choose red and green candies, and incorporate festive treats like peppermint flavored sweets or gumdrops. Halloween Candy Salad: Choose orange, green, and purple candies, and include classics like candy corn and Reese’s pumpkins. Fourth of July Candy Salad: Opt for red, white, and blue colored gummies and candies.

What NOT to Include in Candy Salad

Flavors that don’t go well together When you’re making your candy salad, pick flavors that will mesh well and compliment each other, and try to avoid flavors that clash. For example, chocolate candies may not blend very well with sour gummies, so it’s best to pick one or the other. However, some people don’t mind very different flavors being in the same candy bucket, and that’s fine too. The most important thing is that you enjoy the candy salad you make, so if you want to be creative and mix some interesting flavors, go for it!

Individually wrapped candies For the most part, it’s best to include only unwrapped candy in your candy salad recipe. This makes it easier to simply scoop some of it into a cup or bowl and snack on it right away, without the hassle of unwrapping individual pieces.

Cinnamon candies and black licorice To please everyone who will be eating your candy salad, try to steer clear of candies with strong, distinct, or controversial flavors. For example, cinnamon candies, black licorice, and even some minty candies may not be popular with some guests, and they can also clash with the other fruity or chocolatey candies you’re including in your mix.

How to Serve Candy Salad

Serve your candy salad in a large bowl with a spoon to scoop it out. A big popcorn or salad bowl and a regular serving spoon should work just fine, but if you want to get a bit fancy, consider getting a metal scoop (like you might see at a candy shop). Simply use the spoon or scoop to dole out a serving of candy salad into a smaller cup or bowl, then enjoy!

How to Make Candy Salad with a Group

Instruct each person to bring one type of candy to add to the bowl. Tell them to pick a bag of unwrapped (not individually wrapped) candies, and if you’ve chosen a flavor or color theme, tell them about this, too. If you’d like to participate in the viral TikTok trend, have everyone line up, then film as they each take turns introducing themselves and pouring the candy they brought into a large serving bowl.