Every Hershey's Bar Flavor, Ranked Worst To Best

There are few chocolate brands in the United States quite as iconic as Hershey's. You may have gotten it in bags of Halloween candy as a kid, and you've likely made a s'more with the iconic milk chocolate bar from the brand. But how many of Hershey's offerings have you actually tried? The company offers more than the few standards you always see in the grocery store candy aisle, and we wanted to try them for ourselves. That's why we got ahold of an array of Hershey's bars to taste all of the different flavors. The results? They were interesting.

Some of Hershey's offerings are delicious and can stack up to even the more premium chocolate brands on the market. Others, though, didn't exactly live up to our expectations ... and some even left us scratching our heads over why Hershey's even decided to make them in the first place. Let's take a closer look at the flavors we tried so you can get a better idea of what bars you might want to try.

We don't want to be dramatic, but this was an actively bad candy bar. If you were a child of the '90s, you probably remember Lip Smackers chapstick. Well, the Hershey's Birthday Cake bar, which is part of the brand's Ice Cream Shoppe line, tastes pretty much exactly like a vanilla Lip Smackers. Yes, that cloying sweetness is there, but so is an unnatural chemical taste that'll remind you of a product you probably shouldn't have eaten but definitely did anyway. Then, there are the multi-colored sprinkles that give the white bar a festive look. They taste vaguely fruity, but the texture is firmer than that of standard sprinkles. It somehow makes this candy even worse.

There are few sweets we would actively turn down because of the flavor, but this candy bar is one of them. After taking a few bites to test it out, we threw the rest of the bar away — that's how much we disliked it. Sure, it gets some points for appearance, but it's far, far better to look at than it is to eat.

To be honest, we're not even entirely sure why this Cotton Candy Hershey's bar, also a part of the Ice Cream Shoppe line, exists. Who is asking for cotton candy in bar form? Isn't the whole point of cotton candy the texture, not the flavor, anyway? We digress. As soon as you open this candy bar, you know you're in for trouble. It's the most unnatural-looking blue color you could ever consider ingesting, and it has an almost plasticky sheen to it that'll make you think twice before taking your first bite. Once you do, though, things don't get much better. The white creme bar tastes just like cotton candy — so, basically, it just tastes like way too much sugar with some artificial flavor added in. It somehow highlights all the things you hate about cotton candy while providing nothing you actually want from the treat.

Sure, you might put this candy out at a party if you want a colorful candy spread, but when it comes to actually eating it? You can forget about it. Hershey's never should've birthed this strange candy bar into the world, but now that it's here, we're just going to have to learn to live with it.

Of all the Hershey's Ice Cream Shoppe flavors we tried, the Strawberries 'n' Creme Hershey's bar is probably one of the least offensive of the bunch. Does that mean we actually like it? No, not exactly. It just doesn't actively turn our stomachs. This candy bar looks slightly less unnatural than the blue-tinged Cotton Candy flavor, but it still has a sickly pink color to it that looks more like a smoothie than it does a piece of candy. It's dotted with red flecks that are presumably meant to resemble actual pieces of strawberries.

Take a bite, and it'll taste like you're eating a ridiculously sweetened version of cheap strawberry yogurt. It's not as deeply unpleasant as the other two Ice Cream Shoppe flavors we've already covered, but it's unappealing enough to stop us from wanting to take another bite. Those red flecks taste even sweeter than the surrounding creme, which makes their subtle crunch seem grating. If you crumbled this bar up and added it to something else, the flavors might be bearable, but otherwise, we wouldn't suggest trying this flavor out. There are much better Hershey's bar options in the candy aisle.

We're taking a big step up for this next Hershey's product. The brand's Zero Sugar Chocolate with Almonds bars are far from our favorite offerings from the company, but they're markedly better than the Ice Cream Shoppe flavors we've mentioned above. These smaller, individually wrapped chocolate candies taste extremely sweet ... kind of. The sweetness is cloying, but it has that signature artificial flavor that comes from sugar-free sweeteners. If you like really sweet flavors but can't have the real thing, then there's a good chance that you'll probably like these bars. But if you can really taste the difference between actual sugar and sugarless sweeteners, you'll probably want to skip these bars.

One thing that improves the experience of eating one of these bars is the fact that the almonds provide a nice textural element that distracts from the less-than-ideal flavor. For all those who are looking for sugar-free candy options, Hershey's Zero Sugar may fulfill your craving for sweets.

Hershey's Salted Caramel bars are also a part of the Ice Cream Shoppe lineup, but they're not quite as bad as many of their counterparts. That being said, you shouldn't get your hopes up too much — these candy bars are still pretty lackluster. If you're expecting chocolate, think again, because this is another one of those creme candy situations. And while salted caramel is delicious when paired with chocolate, it can be too intense on its own. That's certainly the case with this candy bar. The sweetness is so intense that even the decent amount of salt in the recipe can't contend with the sugar, which results in an unbalanced bite.

However, considering how unappetizing the other flavors in this lineup are, we have to give the Salted Caramel bar some credit. The salt at least tries to balance out the sweetness, even if it doesn't totally work. Plus, the flavor feels a lot more natural than some of the others do — it tastes just like you would expect overly sweet caramel to taste. You definitely have much better Hershey's options available to you, but the Salted Caramel bar isn't the worst you can do.

We've finally made it to the classic: Hershey's Milk Chocolate bar. If you've only had one Hershey's product in your entire life, it's probably this one specifically. The truth is that this is one of the simplest, most basic chocolate bars on the market. The milk chocolate is appealing to a mass audience, and the intense sweetness will satisfy pretty much any sweet tooth. If you're looking for something sweet that tastes kind of like chocolate, then it'll do the trick. Plus, the fact that it's so inexpensive means that it's one of the more accessible options out there.

However, if you're comparing Hershey's Milk Chocolate to a higher-end chocolate brand's version of milk chocolate, you're probably going to find that this product falls short. It's certainly not terrible, but many chocolate lovers know that there are better options out there. Looking for an affordable candy bar? Go for it. But if you're on the hunt for the best possible chocolate you can find at your grocery store or convenience shop, you can probably do better.

If you're thinking the Chocolate Hazelnut bar from Hershey's is going to taste like Nutella, think again — that's not exactly what's going on here. This is another one of the Ice Cream Shoppe offerings, but we like this one significantly more than the others we've mentioned so far. The major selling point here is that this chocolate bar does have a significantly nuttier flavor than even the almond options on this list. Therefore, if you're looking for something with a richer flavor than a standard milk chocolate bar, then this may be a product you could be interested in.

But while the flavor of this candy bar is richer, it also seems quite a bit sweeter than the standard Milk Chocolate bar from Hershey's, which is already exceptionally sweet. If you're looking for a simple dark chocolate, this is not the chocolate bar you should buy. However, if you're the kind of person who loves super-sweet treats, then the Chocolate Hazelnut bar may be just what you need.

Of all the Ice Cream Shoppe candy bars in the lineup, the Cookies 'n' Mint flavor has to be the best one. That may not be a very high bar, but we seriously enjoyed this flavor. When you first open the package, you may be turned off by the sickly green color of the candy, but don't let that deter you from taking a bite. The mint flavor is surprisingly pretty subtle, so you can enjoy the little pieces of chocolate cookie that give the candy some texture. While this isn't technically a chocolate bar, it still gives you that rich, chocolate dessert feeling that keeps your sweet tooth feeling satisfied.

But of course, there will always be people out there who hate the flavor of mint. If you're one of them, you probably shouldn't give this treat a try. Even though the mint is on the subtler side, it's still strong enough that it's going to be the main flavor you taste. Since the cookie pieces don't do that much heavy lifting, you're best skipping this flavor if you're not much of a mint fan.

Now we're getting to the good stuff. Are Milk Chocolate Hershey's bars our favorite dessert on the planet? Not exactly. The chocolate is too sweet, and it's lacking the richness other brands offer. But if you're trying to upgrade your Hershey's milk chocolate experience, you may want to opt for the Milk Chocolate with Almonds bar. Although you are dealing with that same overly-sweetened chocolate, the whole almonds make a significant difference in this recipe. Not only do the almonds add some crunch and texture to the equation, but they also add a lovely nutty flavor to the chocolate. The bitterness from the almonds balances out all that sweetness, which makes this chocolate bar one of the better options on this list.

Even though we like the texture of the whole almonds in this bar, we think it would taste better if they were crushed up and more evenly distributed. Instead of getting an even texture, you'll have some bites with a whole almond in them and others with barely any almonds at all. Compared to many of Hershey's other offerings though, this is an especially solid candy bar.

As far as we can tell, the Golden Almond bars from Hershey's are just a dressed-up version of the Milk Chocolate with Almonds bar. Even though they're essentially exactly the same, there's something we like more about the Golden Almond. Although we're still dealing with milk chocolate here, this version of the chocolate bar tastes richer and fattier than most of the other Hershey's flavors we've tried. Plus, the bars are thicker, which means the almonds are more evenly suspended in the chocolate. These seem like small differences, but they all add up in the end to create a more delicious candy bar, and we're absolutely here for it, even though this chocolate tends to melt more quickly than its other Hershey's counterparts.

This chocolate is delicious on its own, but if you want to add even more flavor to the equation, consider sprinkling some salt on top of a square of chocolate before you eat it. That saltiness tastes especially good when paired with the nuttiness of the almonds and the sweetness of the chocolate.

If you ask us, dark chocolate is almost always better than milk chocolate, and there are very, very few exceptions. That rule definitely applies to Hershey's chocolate flavors, at any rate. So, it shouldn't come as any surprise that Hershey's Organic Special Dark bars come in near the top of our list. Is this the best dark chocolate we've ever tried? Not by a long shot. But compared to other cheaper dark chocolates on the market, this version from Hershey's isn't bad. It doesn't have that silky texture you may expect from high-end chocolate, but it is rich and creamy enough to get you to come back for another bite.

As far as the sweetness level goes, you're not going to be missing out on any of Hershey's signature sugar in this treat. While the bitterness of the dark chocolate balances that sweetness out slightly, this is still a considerably sweet chocolate. If you're looking for something quite bitter, you're probably not going to be happy with this selection. However, those who are slightly less picky with their chocolate selections are probably going to enjoy this product.

You may be surprised to see a technically non-chocolate offering this high up on the list, but we truly believe that the Cookies 'n' Creme bar from Hershey's belongs in the second slot. Hear us out. Hershey's isn't making the very best chocolate you've ever had anyway, so choosing a non-chocolate offering here makes sense. And when it comes to this candy bar, they actually kind of pull it off. The ultra-sweet creme bar can be a little overwhelming on the sugar front, but the crispiness of the cookie pieces brings it all together in a beautiful package. Despite its sugar content, the dessert as a whole is relatively subtle, which means you won't get tired of it after a bite or two. And considering the lovely, crunchy texture, it's easy for us to put this snack near the top of our list.

If you don't like white chocolate, this candy bar may not be what you're looking for, but believe us when we say you should give it a try. You may just discover that it's a nice step up from the milk chocolate bar you're used to eating.

Finally, we've reached the best of the best, and we couldn't be more excited for you to try out our favorite Hershey's bar of them all. It's the Special Dark with Almonds bar, and you should get your hands on one ASAP. We truly believe this is the very best that Hershey's has to offer. First of all, there's the chocolate itself. Although we know some people love that signature Hershey's milk chocolate, we definitely prefer the brand's dark chocolate, even if it doesn't have the richness and intensity you'll find from some other chocolate brands.

But the chocolate itself isn't enough to give this candy bar first place. There's also the very important addition of whole almonds. This gives the chocolate bar more texture so there's something else for you to discover beyond that first rush of sweetness. We also love how the bitterness of the nuts interacts with the sweetness of the chocolate — it all comes together beautifully. Yes, the Special Dark with Almonds bar may be slightly more difficult to find than a standard Milk Chocolate Hershey's bar, but we're here to tell you that a little bit of extra effort goes a long way. If you can find this chocolate bar at your local grocery store, you should snag it.