Halloween will be here sooner than you think. Before trick-or-treaters are on your doorstep and you have to rush out for a restock, we asked Serious Eats staffers what, in their opinions, was the best Halloween candy that you can buy online. Naturally, the team was very passionate about recommending treats, from nostalgic classics to modern takes on candies we know and love. This year’s candy haul includes Shaq A Licious XL Sour Gummies, Tony’s Chocolonely assorted minis, Theo peanut butter cups, and more.

Editor-Loved Halloween Candy, at a Glance:

Shaq A Licious XL Sour Gummies

I love gummies. I can easily eat a whole bag of Sour Patch Kids, Trader Joe’s Sour Scandinavian Swimmers, or Swedish Fish, much to the chagrin of my gut bacteria. And recently I’ve found a new favorite sour gummy, peddled by none other than Shaquille O’Neil. They’re called Shaq-a-Licious XL Gummies, and if that doesn’t hook you, I don’t know what will. It’s a medley of green watermelon-shaped shamrocks, berry cacti, and pineapple-flavored diesel engines (at least, I think that’s what they are)—all nods to Shaq’s storied NBA career. They’re the perfect gummy texture (not too chewy, nor too soft) and pack the perfect pucker-worthy sourness. I would say I’d give these out for Halloween, but I probably will just eat them myself, sorry kiddos. — Grace Kelly, commerce editor 

Nerds Candy

Nerds are an elite candy. I’ll eat regular Nerds right from the box, but Nerds rope candy is the second-best iteration, in my opinion. The chewy rope is absolutely covered with the tiny, crunchy sugar balls. I’m literally munching on one as I type this. — Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm, associate editorial director

Tony’s Chocolonely Assorted Milk Chocolate Pieces

I love variety and this bag of Tony’s Chocolonely assorted milk chocolate pieces offers six fun flavors, including pretzel toffee (my favorite), honey almond nougat, caramel sea salt, and others. I always have a bag of these in my pantry but it’s an extra joy to give them away on Halloween. — An Uong, commerce writer

Sunmaid Vanilla Yogurt Covered Raisins

Am I going to be the “bad house” on my block this Halloween? Guess so. More for me! — Rochelle Bilow, commerce editor

Katjes Salzige Heringe

I don’t have a big sweet tooth, but cover a piece of candy in a mind-bending amount of salt, and I’m in. The real allure of these candies is that nobody in my house steals them from me. — Rochelle

Oliver’s Sponge Candy

Oliver’s is the candy store in my hometown. If you know anything about Western New York, you know it’s home to sponge candy, which is kind of like an airier honeycomb covered in chocolate. This version from Oliver’s is wonderful. Growing up, the trick-or-treating house to hit belonged to the owners of Oliver’s because they gave out their full-size chocolate bars. If you’re ever near Buffalo, NY, I highly recommend stopping by the shop. — Riddley

Theo Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

I love just about every brand of peanut butter cup I’ve ever tried, including the old standby, Reeses, but Theo’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups are my absolute favorite. As you’d expect from a chocolatier, the actual chocolate is excellent quality, but these also have a really good peanut butter filling that’s creamy, not overly sweet, and has just the right amount of salt. — Megan O. Steintrager, associate editorial director 

E. Frutti Gummi Candy Pizza

These tiny little gummy pizzas instantly bring me back to being a kid, leaving the library with my little sister, and stopping at the corner store across the street before walking home for lunch during the summer. They are so cute and so nostalgic! Plus, who doesn’t love food shaped like other food?  — Amanda Suarez, associate visuals director

Candy Corn Pumpkins

Go ahead. Hate all you want, but SOMEONE has to love this timeless right-of-passage Halloween candy! (I know our executive editorial director, Tess, agrees with me!) I actually prefer the candy pumpkins over the candy corn because I love how there’s more surface area for my teeth to sink into. They’re slightly waxy and I love them. So go ahead and hate all you want, that just leaves more for me. — Leah Colins, senior culinary editor

Why We’re the Experts

• An Uong is a commerce writer for Serious Eats and Food & Wine.
• An’s favorite holiday is Halloween and every year she hoards her favorite Tony’s Chocolonely minis.