Types Of Candy In Spanish (Names Of Different Lollies)

A friend of mine (with a serious sweet tooth) recently asked me a question about a specific type of candy in Spanish. 🍭

So it gave me an idea to share the names of common candy (lolly) types.

In the (by no means exhaustive) list below, you’ll learn these Spanish candy names.

Just keep in the mind that each country is likely to have significant differences with some of these.

How to say candy in Spanish

First things first: how do you say ‘candy’ in Spanish?

The word for candy in Spanish is caramelo.

If you’re referring to multiple candies, you’d use the plural form, caramelos.

You can also say dulce which means “sweet” (plural: dulces).

Just to confuse you a little more, chuches or chucherías is another colloquial term used in Spain to refer to candies or sweet treats.

Wait… isn’t caramelo the word for caramel?

Yes.

In Spanish, the word caramelo can indeed refer to both “candy” and “caramel”.

This overlap in meaning can actually be traced back to the origins of the word, as well as cultural and linguistic nuances.

The Spanish word caramelo comes from the late Latin caramellus, which is a diminutive of cāramus (referring to a spiced drink or spiced wine). Over time, the term was used to describe sweetened and flavored preparations, and eventually, it came to denote sweet treats in general.

Types of candy in Spanish

Here you’ll find all the different types of candy in Spanish.

NOTE: there may be significant variations in names depending on which Spanish-speaking country you’re in.

Barra de chocolate

Meaning: Chocolate bar

A popular treat worldwide, the barra de chocolate is a solid block of chocolate, which can be plain or mixed with ingredients like nuts or caramel.

Gominolas / Ositos de goma

Meaning: Gummy bears

Soft, chewy, and often fruit-flavored, these bear-shaped candies are a favorite among both children and adults.

Piruleta / Paleta

Meaning: Lollipop

Often round and on a stick, piruletas are hard candies that come in various flavors and colors.

Judías de gelatina

Meaning: Jelly beans

Small bean-shaped sugar candies with soft candy shells and gel interiors, they come in multiple flavors.

Menta

Meaning: Mint

Cool and refreshing, menta candies can be hard or soft, often used to freshen breath.

Caramelo duro

Meaning: Hard candy

Hard, sugar-based candies that dissolve slowly in the mouth, available in multiple flavors.

Chicle

Meaning: Chewing gum

Not exactly a candy but often categorized with them, chicle can be sweet or minty and is chewed without being swallowed.

Regaliz

Meaning: Licorice

A chewy candy often black or red, with a distinct aniseed flavor.

Malvavisco / Nube

Meaning: Marshmallow

Soft, sweet treats that can be eaten alone or used in various recipes, like s’mores.

Mazamorra

Meaning: Taffy

A chewy candy made by stretching or pulling a sticky mass of boiled sugar, butter, and flavorings.

Dulce de azúcar / Tableta

Meaning: Fudge

Rich and creamy, fudge is a soft candy made from sugar, butter, and milk.

Trufa

Meaning: Truffle

A type of chocolate confectionery, usually made with a chocolate ganache center coated in chocolate or cocoa powder.

Pasas cubiertas de chocolate

Meaning: Chocolate-covered raisins

A delicious combination of sweet chocolate and dried raisins.

Frutos secos cubiertos de chocolate

Meaning: Chocolate-covered nuts

Nuts like almonds, peanuts, or hazelnuts coated with a layer of chocolate.

Algodón de azúcar

Meaning: Cotton candy

A light and fluffy sugar treat, often enjoyed at fairs and circuses.

Caramelo

Meaning: Caramel (also candy)

A chewy candy made from melted and cooled sugar, often with the addition of milk and butter.

It’s also the de facto, generic term for candy.

Turrón

Meaning: Toffee

A hard candy made from sugar and butter, sometimes with added nuts.

Fresas cubiertas de chocolate

Meaning: Chocolate-covered strawberries

Fresh strawberries dipped in melted chocolate and cooled.

Copa de mantequilla de cacahuete

Meaning: Peanut butter cup

A popular treat with a peanut butter center encased in chocolate.

Caramelo ácido

Meaning: Sour candy

Candies that have a sour tang, often covered in a tart sugar coating.

Rollo de fruta

Meaning: Fruit roll-up

A flat, pectin-based fruit-flavored snack, rolled into a cylinder.

Caramelo Pez

Meaning: Pez candy

Small candies often associated with the PEZ dispensers they come in.

Bastón de caramelo

Meaning: Candy cane

A cane-shaped hard candy stick, often peppermint-flavored and associated with Christmas.

Caramelo de roca

Meaning: Rock candy

Large sugar crystals formed on a string or stick, often enjoyed as a sweet treat or used in teas.

Praliné

Meaning: Praline

A candy made from nuts and sugar syrup, sometimes covered in chocolate.

Granitos de café cubiertos de chocolate

Meaning: Chocolate-covered coffee beans

Whole coffee beans coated in chocolate, offering a sweet and bitter flavor combination.

Gominolas de fruta

Meaning: Fruit gummies

Chewy candies made with fruit flavors.

Láminas de fruta gelificada

Meaning: Jelly fruit slices

Fruit-flavored gel candies, often coated with sugar.

Collar de caramelos

Meaning: Candy necklace

Edible beads on a string, worn as jewelry and eaten as candy.

Monedas de chocolate

Meaning: Chocolate coins

Round pieces of chocolate wrapped in gold or silver foil to resemble coins.

Botones de caramelo

Meaning: Candy buttons

Small rounded candies attached to a strip of paper.

Piedras chispeantes

Meaning: Pop rocks

Candy that “pops” and fizzes when it comes in contact with saliva.

Labios de cera

Meaning: Wax lips

Edible wax molded into the shape of oversized lips, often flavored and used as a novelty item.

Conclusion

Now you’ve got the Spanish vocab to go out and get high on sugar. 😂

I’m sure I’ve missed plenty of important ones, but these will get you started for sure!

Remember, while some of these names are universal, the local name for each candy might vary.

Be sure to check out my guide on food and ingredients in Spanish after this one.

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