12 Discontinued M&M's Candies We Wish Would Return

People often debate over what the best M&M's flavor is. While most might say peanut butter, in our opinion, Dark Chocolate Mint and Pretzel ranked higher. That's the kicker, though; M&M's wide assortment of flavors makes it hard to pick a favorite. The candymaker has released over 60 varieties, from limited-edition and seasonal to holiday-inspired. OGs like Milk Chocolate and Peanut will always be safe bets, but whenever your sweet tooth wants to venture out, there's Crunchy Cookie, Caramel Cold Brew, Dark Chocolate, and more.

That said, not every flavor is created equal. Many have come and gone right into the discontinued bin. There are various reasons why, but if the demand is undeniable, M&M's will bring a discontinued flavor back. Or, a variation like the new Peanut Butter & Jelly M&M's, similar to the Strawberry & Peanut Butter flavor discontinued in 2015. Whatever the reasons are for pulling them, here are 12 discontinued M&M's candies we wish would return.

To celebrate its 75th anniversary, M&M's held the first-ever "Flavor Vote," asking fans to select between three new flavors: Chili Nut, Honey Nut, and Coffee Nut. The one caveat? You had to purchase all three to participate. The contest ran from June to August 2016, garnering over 1 million votes, with Coffee Nut emerging as the fan favorite. It wasn't the only flavor with main lineup energy, though. Chili Nut was an innovative detour for M&M's that delivered a well-balanced blend of milk chocolate and cayenne-like spice.

Heat was the highlight, and perhaps, the reason why it lost to coffee nut. While this discontinued flavor was far from scorching, heat tolerance varies from person to person, and some reviewers called it unpleasantly hot. Technically speaking, Chili Nut was never "discontinued" because it was introduced as part of a contest. But, with "swicy" foods being all the rage today, it may fare better with a rerelease.

Slightly larger with a touch of mint, M&M's Holiday Mint is a classic seasonal flavor that should be available year-round. They were introduced in the late '80s as part of M&M's Holidays Chocolate Candies for Christmas, and originally stamped with pine trees, bells, and candles before being changed to the trademark "M." The candymaker got it right with this returning fan favorite, impressively mixing milk chocolate with refreshing peppermint flavor. Sadly, like winter, it enters our lives briskly and then disappears in spring. This is M&M's best mint-infused creation, hands down. All it needs is new colors and shelf space. 

M&M's has released several mint-infused flavors over the years, including Mint Dark Chocolate, Crunchy Mint, and White Chocolate Peppermint. But, something about the holiday mint hits differently — like crunchy Andes mint chocolates. Not to mention, they are one of the only recurring mint varieties made with milk chocolate. The Dark Chocolate Mint flavor was a tasty alternative before being discontinued over a year ago. 

Released in 2022 as a new M&M's Easter flavor, Milk Chocolate Honey Graham was a slept-on crunchy offering. Think Toblerone, but in place of triangular treats, crispy M&M's with milk chocolate and a touch of honey. They were made with honey graham-infused rice crispies instead of actual honey graham crackers, but tasted similar to the real thing. This discontinued flavor received good reviews, but apparently, the response wasn't overwhelming enough for it to survive the Easter holiday.

M&M's main lineup includes Peanut, Pretzel, Crunchy Cookie, and others, so fans of crispy consistency have plenty of options. Nevertheless, milk chocolate-covered honey grahams were a great idea that M&M's should seriously consider revisiting. A good start would be replacing the crispy rice center with real honey graham crackers. A more pronounced toasted cookie taste would elevate the flavor profile and really bring out the potential of this seasonal release.

Candy corn is a polarizing treat; people love it or keep their distance. A 2024 article by TODAY offered two possible reasons why candy corn is so divisive: nostalgia and science. People who grew up eating it have a natural affinity, while others liken it to sugary wax. It's super sweet for some palates because it doesn't include acid, an ingredient commonly found in candy that promotes salivation. Whichever side of the aisle you stand on, candy corn is a seasonal staple here to stay.

In 2014, M&M's released a limited-edition White Chocolate Candy Corn flavor, but discontinued it once the fall season ended. Words like "amazing" and "magical" were used to describe it, leaving people pretty perplexed as to why M&M's decided to remove it from shelves. White chocolate happens to perfectly complement candy corn flavoring, which has buttery, vanilla-like notes. M&M's found a way to replace the plastic-like texture while retaining the essence. That's why these limited-edition treats deserve a second chance. 

Malt candies don't get much love nowadays, but if you're a fan of Whoppers or Malteasers (also made by Mars), you might've loved M&M's Malt Mini Eggs. The 2016 limited release hit stores during the Easter season, but was phased out afterward. They were pastel-colored, crunchy, toasty, and bumpy rather than egg-shaped, which made them more fun to snack on.

The M&M's lineup is still lacking in the malt department, so the lane is wide open to reintroduce these. Unlike White Chocolate Candy Corn and Chili Nut, malt is a flavor that most can enjoy. From malt milkshakes to malt beer and malt liquor, it's a super versatile ingredient and flavor profile. That said, M&M's Malt Mini Eggs weren't without flaws. According to reviews, a few tweaks could make them a worthwhile reissue. Namely, increasing the size and adding more malt filling. Mini M&M's limit the amount of filling that can be used, which, in this case, caused the chocolate to slightly overwhelm the malt flavor.

White Strawberry Shortcake was another 2016 release, made with real white chocolate infused with strawberry flavoring. Exclusively available at Target, they were larger than regular M&M's and one of the candy maker's few cake flavors. Reviews at the time were mostly positive, with it garnering comparisons to Strawberry Nesquik. There was one criticism, however, that if adjusted, would make strawberry shortcake an excellent year-round option. 

While it nailed the white chocolate and strawberry flavor, the shortbread was apparently lacking, giving it an overly sweet, pronounced artificial strawberry taste. Real strawberry flavor is more nuanced with sweet, tart, and subtle acidity. Artificial, on the other hand, can gradually overwhelm the palate. More shortbread in the profile would help balance out the sharp fruitiness. With that minor fix, this discontinued M&M's flavor could be a great addition to the main line-up. 

These limited-edition M&M's hit shelves in the fall of 2015. Pumpkin spice latte is one of those seasonal flavors that tastes delicious in every form; as a warming cup of joe, a muffin donut, and even as an M&M. A Target exclusive, the M&M's were bigger than average and fall-colored, made with pumpkin spice-infused milk chocolate. The biggest criticism customers had was the overly subtle latte flavor, which, if more prominent, could've balanced out the robust pumpkin spice. From the aroma to the taste, they packed a spicy punch.

Diehard pumpkin spice lovers and haters alike seemed to enjoy them, though. However, the flavor is so heavily associated with autumn that its year-round potential is often overlooked. M&M's released a White Pumpkin Pie flavor in 2017 and a milk chocolate pumpkin pie in 2024. But, M&M's Pumpkin Spice Latte is a totally different experience from regular pumpkin. Maybe it's time to revisit this seasonal select. 

White Chocolate Carrot Cake was one of the first cake-flavored M&M's offerings, released in 2013. This limited flavor was sold exclusively at select Walmart locations, so it may have flown under your radar. They were noticeably bigger than normal M&M's, with real white chocolate and a strong cinnamon and nutmeg aroma similar to real carrot cake. White chocolate was the star here; a perfect replacement for cream cheese frosting and canvas that allowed the spices to stand out.

Reviews were glowing at the time, highlighting the candy's mindful amount of sugar, which is often overpowering in white chocolate-based M&M's. You could finish most of a bag in one sitting. There aren't loads of carrot cake-inspired candies on the market, anyhow, even today. That's why, as one of the most popular cake flavors, bringing it back seems like a no-brainer. 

M&M's announced Hazelnut Spread as a new permanent flavor in 2019. But it was discontinued soon after due to poor sales, which is wild, considering hazelnut spread and chocolate are a match made in heaven. Apparently, they tasted closer to regular M&M's than hazelnut. The flavor was buried beneath the milk chocolate, barely present. In 2020, the candymaker responded to the poor response by rereleasing it with a reformulated recipe.

The filling was more reminiscent of Nutella than the previous one, or at least some people thought so. Ironically, others preferred the first version. M&M's must've just given up on these, because hazelnut and chocolate rarely taste bad when combined. It seems that the only thing preventing this discontinued flavor from being a hit is M&M's getting it right. From homestyle muddy buddies to Instagram-worthy pancakes, just think of all the delicious ways to enjoy Hazelnut Spread M&M's.

In 2021, M&M's teamed up with Hubba Bubba to release one of its wildest flavors ever: Bubblegum. Inventive or schticky? Maybe a bit of both. The innovative mashup turned out to be a pleasant surprise. M&M's impressively managed to capture the iconic Hubba Bubba taste in chocolate, creating something truly unique. It's understandable why it was a limited release; an odd pairing like this probably wouldn't appeal to the average customer. Novelty aside, M&M's rarely takes a risk this big. The brand's flavor combinations usually make perfect sense on paper.

The main lineup could use some shaking up, though. A flavor like Hubba Bubba could work awesomely as an adventurous option at NYC's iconic M&M store, which offers every flavor and allows visitors to customize their own. One could dream, right? Anywho, this wasn't the first non-bubblegum product inspired by Hubba Bubba; there was once a soda you never knew existed.

M&M's took another shot at the spicy category with Mexican Jalapeño Peanut, released in 2019 as part of a new Flavor Vote campaign highlighting international flavors. Others included Thai Coconut and English Toffee, the winner of the campaign. Mexican Jalapeño Peanut got a good response, but unlike the Chili Nut flavor, customers said it could've used more of a kick. Some compared them to regular peanut M&M's but with a touch of spice that barely peeked through.

The artificial flavor was a point of criticism, too. People said it didn't quite capture the nuanced profile of jalapeño, which has distinctive vegetal undertones. Using real jalapeño might improve these, but since M&M's normally doesn't use natural flavorings, additional heat would be more than enough to make these a worthy rerelease. The permanent lineup could use some spicing up to balance out the sweet and savory options. 

Also part of the brand's 2019 Flavor Vote campaign, English Toffee featured milk chocolate stuffed with sweet toffee and savory peanut, an undeniable trifecta of deliciousness. It's no wonder fans voted it number one. Most seemed to enjoy the flavor, calling it innovative, delicious, and their favorite. However, some critics said it tasted closer to coffee or maple than toffee. Palates vary, and since each of those flavors has eerily similar notes, it isn't far-fetched for people to have different takeaways.

That said, the response was better than many of the others on this list. It had an extended store run after winning, but apparently, was discontinued later that year. Given the positive reviews and popularity of toffee, it's odd that M&M's decided to pull these from the shelf. If any discontinued flavor deserves a petition, it's this one.