Halloween Candy and Wine Pairing: Twix, and Starbursts, and Snickers Oh My!
Key Takeaway: The right wine can elevate your Halloween candy, with bold reds complementing rich chocolate and peanut butter while crisp whites and bubbly wines balance fruity and sour treats. From Cabernet with Snickers to Sauvignon Blanc with Skittles, pairing wine with candy is a fun way to turn leftover Halloween treats into an indulgent adult treat. |
Halloween candy and wine pairing sounds much more like something a busy parent does after finally turning off the porch light than a sommelier would ever dream up.
Sure, you can enjoy a $200 bottle of vintage port with an artisan cacao pumpkin spice truffle, but that might not mesh with your experience of the spooky holiday. If you simply want a drink that goes with common trick-or-treat sweets, this guide can keep the scary options away. And if you want a full guide to pairing wine with food in general, our wine and food pairing guide has you covered.
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Halloween Candy and Wine Pairing: Chocolate Bars Deserve a Real Glass of Red
A Halloween treat basket contains many different chocolate candy bars if you’re the type of house the trick-or-treaters rush to visit. The most common include Snickers, Milky Way, and KitKat, but there’s a huge range of options with everything from caramel to nuts to nougat. Consider these ingredients when choosing the perfect wine and Halloween candy pairing.
Snickers – One of the heaviest and most satisfying candy bars in a treat bag at Halloween needs a suitably robust wine. Port works, but you can try a flavorful Cabernet Sauvignon as an alternative.
Twix with Shortbread – The buttery crunch of the cookie layer calls for a rich wine that brings out the unique flavor. Oaked Chardonnays work well, but a sweeter Merlot can work just as well. Avoid overpowering Twix’s taste with high-tannin wines.
KitKats with Crunch – Creamy milk chocolate and the crisp wafer inside offers a relatively delicate experience when compared to heavier nougat-filled bars. Reach for a wine with a matching lighter flavor. Fruity notes work well such as in a Pinot Noir or Beaujolais.
Heath with Toffee – Lean into the toffee flavor. You reached for this candy bar for a reason, after all. A tawny Port has a sweet, nutty flavor that goes very well with this Halloween treat.
M&Ms, an annual favorite, are so simple that you can pair them with any of the above options and still enjoy your treat. Match the wine with the type of M&Ms you choose: peanut, almond, crisp, and dark chocolate all have their own perfect matches.
A special note for dark chocolate. Once you get up above 60% cacao in the Halloween chocolate bars, it makes sense to go for a more robust red wine. However, since these candies contain more tannins themselves, you want to avoid those unless you really like a bitter experience. Port works in most cases, but a Zinfandel also offers a robust contrast.
Halloween Candy and Wine Pairing: Peanut Butter Candy Needs a Mellow Sidekick
The complexity of a favorite pairing, peanut butter and chocolate, like in Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, needs a wine that won’t overpower. You want to keep tasting all the flavors and find one that complements the nuttiness. Merlot or Zinfandel with plenty of fruit notes is a top pick. The higher tannin content will also help cut the creamy sweetness. Sherry can work if you have a taste for it, too.
These recommendations also work with Reese’s Pieces, crunchy Butterfingers, PayDay bars and any other peanut-heavy selections.
Halloween Candy and Wine Pairing: Sour and Fruit Candy Pairs Well With Bubbly Sweets
If you want a break from traditional chocolate holiday treats, reach for any fruit-flavored options instead. These are quite popular for the kids and perfect for those with chocolate or nut allergies. Some are sweet and some push sour to a whole new level. Either way, they’re much lighter than the options listed above. This gives you the perfect opportunity to bring out white wines for a change.
Skittles – Reach for a Sauvignon Blanc to add a crisp complement to tasting the rainbow. This is a drier white wine, so you won’t be overwhelmed by sweetness. Bubbles work well here, too. Champagne and Skittles feel fun and classy at the same time.
Starburst – These popular fruity treats match the flavors and intensity of Skittles, so you can eat them along with the same type of wine. If you want to get fancy, try each flavor with a different dry or sweet white until you find your favorite.
Twizzlers – Rosé wine is the perfect complement to these red ropes. These already have fruity, tangy flavors which go with the main taste of Twizzlers. Neither one overpowers the other.
Sour Patch Kids – Cut the mouth-puckering flavor with a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Unless you want to compete with your kids about who can handle the most sourness, these wines are your best bet. They offer more delicate notes that counterbalance the candy.
Halloween Candy and Wine Pairing: Wine Options for the Bottom of the Jack-o-Lantern Barrel
These are the candies the kids won’t touch. For some, they hold a special place in the nostalgia center of their hearts. For others, they’re usually thrown out alongside used-up face paint palettes and crumpled decorations. This list includes the Halloween candies that show up at the bottom of the lists year after year.
Candy Corn – The worst of the worst, according to polls. If you’d like to counter the waxy mouthfeel, reach for a light, crisp wine with or without bubbles. A glass will help to balance out the sweetness and give a more refreshing feeling.
Black Licorice (Good-n-Plenty) – While licorice has some die-hard fans, it doesn’t rank well as a Halloween treat. If you enjoy it, pair it with a wine that can match its intense, unique flavor. Bolder reds like Shiraz work.
Chalky Discs (Necco & Smarties) – The last thing you want is a dry wine when your mouth is already desiccated by flavored powder in pressed form. Choose sweeter ones like a Moscato or Riesling instead to compensate for the lack of moisture.
Let’s face it, if you’re eating these, any glass of good wine will help you deal with the disappointment. In some cases, such as with Circus Peanuts or wax vampire lips, no wine can rescue the experience. Simply throw these out and move on with enjoying your holiday.
After the treat bowl is empty and you’ve turned off the porch light, you deserve to relax with a glass of wine or two. It doesn’t matter if you’ve braved the streets with your own trick-or-treating kids or dressed up in a wild costume for a party. You’ve made it through another busy Halloween. Find your favorite treats, pour a generous glass for the perfect wine and Halloween candy pairing, and relax.
Frequently Asked Questions
What wine pairs best with chocolate candy bars like Snickers, Twix, and KitKats?
It depends on the bar's weight and ingredients. Snickers is heavy and satisfying, so it calls for a robust wine like Port or Cabernet Sauvignon. Twix's buttery shortbread works with an oaked Chardonnay or a sweeter Merlot, but avoid high-tannin wines that would overpower it. KitKats are more delicate, so a lighter, fruity wine like Pinot Noir or Beaujolais is a better match. For toffee-based Heath bars, a tawny Port brings out the sweet, nutty flavor.
What's the best wine for peanut butter candies like Reese's Cups?
Choose a mellow wine that won't overpower the nutty flavor. Merlot or Zinfandel with plenty of fruit notes is a top pick, and the higher tannin content helps cut the creamy sweetness. Sherry also works if you enjoy it. The same recommendations apply to Reese's Pieces, Butterfingers, PayDay bars, and other peanut-based candies.
Which wines go with sour and fruity candies like Skittles and Sour Patch Kids?
Fruit candies are lighter than chocolate, so white wines and bubbly shine here. Sauvignon Blanc or Champagne complements Skittles and Starburst, and Rosé suits Twizzlers' fruity, tangy flavor. For Sour Patch Kids, Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc cuts the sourness with more delicate notes. These pairings are also a good fit for guests with chocolate or nut allergies.
Is there a wine that can improve the least popular Halloween candies?
Some, yes. A light, crisp wine (still or sparkling) helps balance candy corn's sweetness and waxy texture. Bold reds like Shiraz match the intense flavor of black licorice. For chalky candies like Necco wafers and Smarties, choose a sweeter wine like Moscato or Riesling to offset the dryness. A few candies, such as Circus Peanuts and wax vampire lips, can't be saved by any wine.
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