Due to strict limitations on permitted foods for Passover, the holiday’s confectionery exists within a special sphere of sweet boundaries, which has arguably led to some pretty iconic kosher for Passover candies and treats over the years. In this round-up ranking of the Passover treats I grew up with, including many items that my grandparents and parents also remember from their youth, you might find yourself inspired to seek out (and possibly give another chance) some of these old-school delights… or rather, you might be reminded why you only ate these on nights that were different from all other nights.
1. Bartons Almond Kisses
The top spot on the list is always going to be deeply personal and will absolutely have naysayers (and even haters, so I’ve steeled myself for major disagreement), but here’s my hot take: Bartons Almond Kisses have the number one place in this ranking piece and in my heart forever. Packaged in a black-and-neon box that would sit on your grandparents’ glass coffee table, these delightful individually-wrapped bites feature the perfect mouthful of silky caramel, roasted almonds and smooth chocolate. I can taste them now as I write this. Both a beloved holiday staple and something you’d legitimately snack on even in September: What more can you ask for?
2. Joyva Marshmallow Twists
The Joyva marshmallow twists are a staple in households at Passover time for a reason. While not the most original of concoctions (chocolate-covered marshmallows treats have existed internationally for about 200 years, and the Krembo is one of the yummiest ones out there) it’s hard to go terribly wrong with these little guys: crunchy chocolate on the outside and chewy, soft marshmallow filling inside. A tip from those in the know: These are at their best straight from the freezer. You’re welcome!
3. Toasted Coconut Marshmallows
Like any number of sweets on this list, this is a hotly controversial item. It’s indelibly linked with unusual Passover concoctions: let’s be real, how often during the year do you find yourself craving a soft marshmallow coated with crispy toasted coconut? I imagine a team of candymakers many decades ago going through ingredients that pass the Passover seal of approval and saying: “Okay. Fish gelatin, check. Coconut, check. Well, coconut macaroons are everywhere… that’s been done… by golly, this is it! Coconut covered marshmallows!” And you know what? They had a point. There’s something about these puffy little nuggets. It’s only annually, but you find yourself oddly drawn to them every time. Except, perhaps, if you wear braces on your teeth.
4. Chocolate Covered Matzah
A true Passover sugary staple for good reason. It was obviously only a matter of time before matzah got covered in chocolate, and in terms of texture and taste, it really amps up the bland matzah game to something more delicious. Plus you’ve got the crunch factor — always an excellent texture when it comes to anything with chocolate — and as long as the chocolate isn’t melting off (fortunately not usually a huge risk around Passover, unless perhaps you live in Florida) it works out all right. That being said… it’s still matzah, so I was never one to long for this particular delicacy when the holiday ended and more delicious chocolatey crunch treats could be had.
5. Joyva Jell Rings
Another staple in the Passover candy jar brought to you by Joyva, the Jell Rings are memorable for many. Reminiscent of the classic Cadbury Turkish Delight Bar, the ring-shaped candies involve a raspberry jelly filling covered in thin dark chocolate. Texture-wise and flavor-wise, these fun treats (that you can stick on your finger and nibble on for the full childhood reminiscence experience, if desired) are pretty decent. Jell Rings make for acceptable year-round noshing while still managing to be evocative of Ye Olde Passover Culinary Memories.
6. Bartons Cashew Crunch
When I was a kid, Bartons’ Cashew Crunch always struck me a bit as a “sort-of-healthy” Passover candy, because the primary ingredient is cashews. Altogether, though, Cashew Crunch won me over as a child with its sweet buttery taste and, well, crunch. It did have more snack-esque vibes to me back in the day, rather than candy, even though it is exceedingly similar to peanut brittle in terms of its composition. Admittedly not one of those things that really sticks with people as they age as a true nostalgia item, but it’s passable, decent-tasting and makes a nice change away from chocolate-based Passover treats.
7. Jelly Fruit Slices
Passover jelly fruit slices might possibly be the most “love it or hate it” item on the entire list. It’s challenging to be fully neutral about these luridly colored half-moons which are bizarrely and indelibly linked to the holiday of freedom and renewal. Some people live for these, and are particularly partial to a specific flavor, such as “the red ones.” I am personally still somewhat unclear as to what fruit the red ones are supposed to represent. That’s okay — Judaism is all about questioning. As a child, admittedly like most children who love to get bonkers-high on sugar, I enjoyed these, which ups their nostalgia factor. As an adult, it’s a hard pass and I am alarmed by staring at the Lisa Frank-level colors. Nevertheless, I can appreciate their iconic status from a more detached perspective.
8. Bartons Lollycones
For many years, Bartons Candy was sold for fundraising by kids at Jewish day schools across the United States, making this particular item familiar to many adult American Jews (the fundraising stopped around the 2010s). It’s a simple concoction: milk chocolate on a stick in the style of a lollipop. Essentially, a Lollycone’s only separation from a regular chocolate bar is the novelty of having it on said stick — which, to be fair, does make it memorable for many. When it comes to flavor or being a particularly unique treat, this isn’t necessarily the one to hold out stomach space for at the end of the seder.
9. Rocky Road Macaroons
The Rocky Road macaroons were always the “unique” relative of the ever-classic Passover coconut macaroons. They sport a vague chocolatey flavor, but the name is bitterly (like the herb, a wee Passover dad joke for ya) misleading for most children: There are no true Rocky Road vibes to be had here. You’re not going to be getting any nutty or marshmallow flavors. Too much youthful disappointment, and they don’t taste as good stale as the coconut originals do — these “treats” come in dead last.
