Freeze Dried snacks are all the rage in 2025. Pickles, fruit, candy — you can’t walk through a modern snack aisle without seeing some sort of “freeze dried” something. This got us thinking, is this stuff actually any good? We’re willing to be the guinea pigs so you don’t have to.
But how did all this start? Years ago (I won’t specify as to not date myself and face mortality) the only freeze dried treats you could purchase were the neopolitan ice cream bar or freeze dried ice cream sandwich in the Ben Franklin museum gift shop (and probably at your local science museum wherever you live). Any other freeze dried snacks was on some astronaut future sh*t.
Fast forward a decade or more, and the floodgates have opened with a robust secondary freeze dried market that has forced national brands (ahem Mars Wrigley) to enter the competition, which in turn led to all sorts of copy cats (We can’t count how many brands make freeze dried Sour Skittles under other names).
Given its obvious popularity, we’re sure to see more and more freeze dried snacks and packaged products by year’s end. Our point is, there are a lot out there! So to seperate the good from the bad we’re ranking over 20 different freeze dried candys that we gatheed up at convenience stores, malls, kawaii stores, and the good old World Market. Let’s Snack!
24. Sugar Bear — Freeze Dried Bit O Honey
Price: $7.99
Bit O Honey looks and sounds better than it actually tastes. Deceptively crunchless, these candies are pure sweetness on the palette, but the finish is like licking the inside of a cardboard box (…not that we’d know). The texture is part powdery and part sticky, and when it dries on your teeth and inside your mouth, a spoiled aftertaste takes over.
Bottom Line:
Freeze Dried candy is still in its infancy and within that maturation and development process you can still expect some growing pains and stumbles. Here with Freeze Dried Bit O Honey, it’s tough to know where they went wrong, the base product tastes good initially, but the aftertaste is off.
23. Freez Yum! — Hi-Crunch
Price: $4.99
Hi-Chews have become an iconic candy in the US (despite the brand’s Japanese roots) but Hi-Crunch, a freeze-dried version of the iconic candy don’t really capture the flavor or essence of the original.
Despite their airy crunch, the Kirby-esque Hi-Crunch features an odd yogurty milky sweetness that feels like a departure from the chewy fruityness of Hi-Chew, as the base flavor here is more creamy than fruity. And frankly, Hi-Crunch are a bit more reminiscent of baby yogurt melts than a sleeve of your favorite Japanese chews.
Bottom Line:
Perhaps there is a world where freeze dried Hi-Chews are deliciously fruity as well as crunchy and light, but Hi-Crunch is in a different universe where the crunch is overshadowed by a one-note taste that starts creamy sweet and finishes creamy sweet.
22. Andersen’s Crazy Candy — Wild Berry Bites
Price: $8.99
Andersen’s Crazy Candy Wild Berry Bites are tasty, but there is a flood of freeze dried Skittle-like options in the freeze dried candy world, and this is far from the best one. Since Skittles now make a freeze dried product themselves, Andersen’s falls somewhere below. Less brittle than the version that Skittles has produced themselves, Andersen’s freeze dries their version fairly uniformly to produce a nice proportion between shelled candy exterior and puffed up interior.
Bottom Line:
When it comes to comparing freeze dried Skittles option, Andersen’s is good, but not great.
21. Freez Yums — French Fries Gummy
Price: $1.00
The French Fries come off a bit too styrofoamy. The flavors here are a combo of peach, strawberry, lemon and vanilla flavors but it’s tough to taste the distinction. It’s also tough to discern whether it’s fully one gummy or two different types of gummy melded together. The latter seems to be the case as there is an outer red layer that resembles the fry box, that has a more jel-esque texture than the chalkier and crunchier “fries” portion of the candy. The fries themselves have a classic artificial peach flavor, while the box seems to contain the strawberry/lemon/vanilla mixture.
Bottom Line:
While interesting, the French Fries gummy just don’t deliver anything particularly delicious despite the dynamic combination of textures.
20. Sow Good — Freeze Dried Crunchy Bears
Price: $5.17
It’s not that Sow Good has done a poor job with their crunchy bears — they are flavorful and accurately named. The real issue is that they’re still gummy bears, just freeze dried, so the gelatinous part is now crunchy but still sticks to your teeth, possibly three to five times worse than an OG bear — so there should be serious apprehension if you’re not looking for quadruple figure dental bills any time in the near future.
When you can pull out a fossilized piece of candy from your teeth, that is never a harbinger of anything good. On the positive side, if you can throw caution to the wind, then the Sow Good Freeze Dried crunchy bears are the type of high risk moderate reward you need in your life.
Bottom Line:
Sow Good’s Freeze Dried Bears are a great entry point into freeze dried candy. They force you to immediately define what you may be willing to sacrifice in order to enjoy these unique treats. Flavor and crunch-wise, the Bears are worth it, but you’ll have to decide for yourself what snafus and snags you may be willing to bear (pun intended) in your own freeze dried candy adventure.
19. Sour Skittles — Pop’d
Price: $6.00
Our main issue with Sour Skittles Pop’d is the move to replace the grape with the lesser blue raspberry and watermelon playing the role of “green skittle” instead of apple/lime). Other than that, Pop’d offers a slightly puffed version of their trademark sour bag of heavily covered in citric acid skittles, some stuck together in clusters, some individually puffed. It’s very inconsistent.
If Sour Skittles can iron out these inconsistencies, they might be able to compete with the much crunchier competition. Clearly, OG Sour Skittles are a huge influence on the freeze dried candy market, but their own iteration of a freeze dried candy still needs some kinks ironed out.
Bottom Line:
Sour Skittles Pop’d are proof that freeze dried candy is a trend that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Once a secondary market snack trend jumps the shark and brands are producing their own version of it, the real winner is snackers and lovers of freeze dried candy everywhere. Though Sour Skittles Pop’d are not one of the best freeze dried candies we tried, we’re still impressed that they exist.
18. Sow Good — Freeze Dried Sweet Squares
Price: $16.89 for 2
It’s pretty impressive that Sow Good has transcended imitating other existing candy brands and developed their own proprietary “Sweet Squares”, which their brand rep described on Reddit as a “cross between a skittle and starburst”.
In brightly colored flavors like cherry, strawberry, apple, orange and banana, Sow Good’s crunchy mini sweet squares are satisfying and incredibly easy to eat. The only real lament is that there is a banana flavor. Yuck.
Bottom Line:
Sow Good already produces some of the best freeze dried products on the market and they’re not just doing candies and gummies, they’re also creating ice cream products and marshmallows. Their sweet squares are a solid option in the freeze dried candy world.
17. Freez Yums — Jollies
Price: $7.99
Do Jollies have a source candy or are they a Freez Yums original? Either way, they’re basically freeze dried Dum Dum lollipop balls. Coming in five flavors (raspberry, watermelon, cherry, grape and green apple), Jollies are a fun snack to pop, though be careful if you dont have a high sweet sugar tolerance, these are nothing but pure sweetness
Bottom Line:
Jollies are a fun crisp and crunchy light ball of candy. If you don’t like these, you probably shouldn’t be eating freeze dried candy anyway.
16. Freez Yums — Planet Gummy
Price: $7.99
The origin of Freez Yums Planet Gummy remains an unsolved mystery. We consider ourselves candy experts, but we can’t figure out what the inspiration for this snack is. Regardless, Planet Gummy is worth your time. The outer blue puffy-looking layer has a tightly woven fiber-like texture that conjures up cotton candy comparisons while the inner white layer is a bit more pocketed and permeable, and has a more pronounced strawberry flavor.
Together they form a ball whose crunch is unparalled and a good time to munch on, but be careful because if you eat a bunch of these sugar bombs a stomach ache is sure to follow.
Bottom Line:
Freez Yums Planet Gummy is big and unique enough to occupy a place in your candy stash’s sugary solar system but beware you don’t really need to eat more than one at a time to get the full galactic effect.
15. Kanpai Foods — Cookie Dough Freeze Dried Chocolate Caramel
Price: $4.99
How did it take this long for a brand to develop freeze dried cookie dough? Eating cookie dough is everyone’s favorite shameful snack indulgence, who amongst us hasn’t been down that road late or night, or worse, in the middle of the day.
Kanpai Foods is capitalizing on everyone’s favorite guulty pleasure with an airy and creamy snack, with notes of chocolate and caramel. The caramel smoothly coats the palate on the aftertaste, while the light fluffy crunch of the puff delivers a creamy rich flavor. By all accounts, this one is a winner.
Bottom Line:
Excellent. More brands should take a page out of Kanpai’s playbook.
14. Trendy Treats — Air Treats
Price: $9.99
Ever wonder what airheads would be like if they crumbled like a stick of chalk, weren’t stretchy or chewy at all but still had the same amazing flavor? Well Trendy Treats Freeze Dried Air Treats are like eating Airhead flavored biscotti, you could even dip them in your coffee or tea if you wanted to get wild and crazy.
Despite being a dental liability and dangerous for those with brittle teeth, we love this light and airy treat.
Bottom Line:
Trendy Treats Air Treats can be hit or miss depending on their texture, which can vary. When these are light and airy like they’re supposed to be, they bring Airheads to a new place. If the consistency was a bit better, we’d have ranked these much either.
13. Raindrops — Freeze Dried Marshmallow
Price: $4.99
Imagine a Peep that has been frozen for a century and returned to room temperature and you have a sense of what Raindrops has accomplished with their snackably crunchy Freeze Dried marshmallow confection. These nibbles are mallow munching at its finest, purely sweet and sugary but with the added texture you usually rely on a graham cracker to provide. Raindrops freeze dried marshmallows bring their own bite and leave the squishy stickiness behind.
Bottom Line:
Is it a good thing for a freeze dried marshmallow to be more snackable than regular mallow puff? Raindrops Freeze Dried braided Marshmallows beg these sort of questions and we are grateful to have such thoughts to ponder.
12.1UP — Freeze Dried Watermelons
Price:$5.00
1UP does a great job of making gummy candy that reminds you of cereal or in this case maybe a sour-ish watermelon crouton. While we’re not sure that these croutons should start making appearances on any salads anytime soon, these puffed out watermelon-flavored candies present an airy and somewhat addictively light experience. You can eat two or three and be satisfied but it’s very easy to finish half a bag accidentally.
Bottom Line:
1UP’s Freeze Dried Watermelons are equal parts light, fluffy, and crunchy. They reflect the magic of freeze dried candy.
11. Sow Good — Freeze Dried Sweet Worms
Price: $5.17
Sow Good’s Freeze Dried Sweet Worms are what their Crunchy Bears should be: lightly crunchy puffed up versions of the original gummies that inspired them. Luckily for all of us, these worms don’t stick to tyour teeth like the brand’s Crunchy Bears. The flavors here worm (not bear, obviously) a strong resemblance to the Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers variety we all know and love, and if that’s what Sow Good is working with here, they’ve done a solid job in honoring the origial.
Bottom Line:
If you’re just starting off with freeze dried candy for the first time, Sow Good’s Freeze Dried sweet worms could be a great place to start. They take a familiar classic, and show what freeze drying brings to the table.
10. Sow Good — Freeze Dried Peach Perfect
Price: $6.99
These peach rings fluff up so fat that a drowning frog could use one as a ring buoy (can frogs drown?). These Peach Perfect freeze dried rings retain the flavor of the traditional peach ring candy but are now more of a peach ring cookie, or peach ring funyun without the onion part. Fortunately, the Peach Perfect candy doesn’t stick too badly to your teeth, making it easy to quickly run through a bag. It’s hard to complain about Sow Good’s Peach Perfect, either you’re a fan of peach rings and their flavor, or you’re not.
Bottom Line:
If peach rings are your thing, Sow Good’s Freeze Dried Peach Perfect may be your new obsession.
9.Freez Yums — Shark Gummy Blueberry
Price: $7.99
Crunchy blue sharks are not the first thing you think of when you think “candy” but after you try Freez Yum’s Blueberry shark candy, they just might! The blueberry flavor is artificial but the crunch of the dual layer shark is like biting into a gummy-based wafer cookie with a fruity pure sweet aftertaste.
Just be warned — these are the type of candy that can wreak havoc on your dental work, so proceed with caustion.
Bottom Line:
You may need a signed permission slip from your orthodontist to eat these, but if you get the go ahead, they are delicious.
8. Original Skittles — Pop’d
Price: $5.99
Maybe we got some bad bags, maybe there’s a pre-existing bias, but the Original Skittles Pop’d were just better than the sour ones sampled. What we love about these are that the Original Skittles Pop’d stuck to the lineup of classic flavors, while the sour ones subbed out grape, a personal favorite.
Regardless, Original Skittles Pop’d offers the flavors you expect from a Skittles bag, with the innovation of the new freeze dried crunchy texture, making them an easier winner in our book.
Bottom Line:
The only difference here from regular Skittles is texture and with that, Original Skittles Pop’d are pretty damn great.
7. Space Candy — Snoopy’s Moon Rocks
Price: $11.99
Space Candy is the sort of freeze dried brand you would originally find at a science or natural history museum style gift shop — right down to the packaging — before freeze dried candy became the hot new thing in the snack space.
These chocolate fudge chalky crumbly but delicious nuggets of cocoa kibble truly resemble some sort of domesticated mammal chow. But don’t hold that against them, they’re quite tasty!
Bottom Line:
Space Candy is the ideal choice for hardcore chocolate fans. A great entry point to freeze dried candy if all the fruity flavors aren’t appealing to you.
6. 1Up — Freeze Dried Sour Strips
Price: $18.00
1UP’s Sour Strips perfectly capture the flavor of a strawberry sour belt with the added crunch that makes freeze dried candy so damn addictive. Some of these strips had almost craterous pockets in their texture, adding additional layers of crunch bubbles, almost like a sour strawberry version of cinnamon toast crunch.
In their crunchy freeze dried form, sour strawbery belts are way more snackable, but be warned, if you consume them en masse, have some Pepto on deck, or at least a ginger beverage to aid the ensuing stomach ache.
Bottom Line:
1UP’s Freeze Dried Sour Strips are one of the best freeze dried candies we tried, not only did the Sour Strips breath new life into a candy that is probably 30+ years old at this point, but the crunchy pockets in the belts created by the freeze drying process provided a craveable combination of texture and flavor.
5. Sugar Bear — Freeze Dried Nerds Gummy Clusters
Price: $7.99
Nerd clusters in and of themselves are one of the best candy innovations in recent ages, taking the genius that is the nerd rope and shrinking it down to a single crunch laden bite of chewy strawberry gummy candy. Freeze-drying these Wonka-esque bites seems like the type of endeavor strictly built for an oompa loompa, but here we have humans bagging and tagging up these puffed up doubly crunchy but fluffy clusters by the thousands.
It’s easy to feel confounded and hypnotized by the crunchiness. While it has the texture of a health cereal, this stuff is pure sugar. In the best way possible of course.
Bottom Line:
Freeze Dried nerd clusters seem like a natural evolution for something that was already pretty innovative to begin with. If you like Nerds, you have to try these.
4. Family FreezeDry — Fr’izzle Lemon Bursts
Price: $4.49
Fr’izzle’s Lemon Bursts may actually be superior to the original candy they are based on, the perfectly tart and chewy Lemonhead. The upgrade here is that instead of the hard candy ball ensconced in a chewy sour lemon outer layer, you have a light puff of sugary crunch.
Lemonheads were already addictive but Fr’izzles elevates the flavor and form with a welcome crunchy twist.
Bottom Line:
Fr’izzle Lemon Bursts are one of those treats that make experimenting with freeze dried candy worthwhile. The combo of the tart crumbly sour outer shell with the light sugary but crunched up puffy filling is one cloud you may not want to come down from.
3. Sow Good — Freeze Dried Sour Spheres
Price: $5.00
As we said, Sour Skittles are the foundation that so many freeze dried candies are built off of but no brand has perfected the form quite like Sow Good. What we love about these Sour Spheres is the perfectly puffed out center that is equal parts airy and crunchy at the time, while still retaining the signature sour exoskeletal shell.
Sow Good utilizes flavors that ring true to the traditional candy canon, coming in cherry, lime, lemon, orange and grape with ample citric acid to get that pucker you expect from a sour candy.
Bottom Line:
Sow Good’s Freeze Dried Sour Spheres were so close to grabbing the number one spot. While they aren’t our absolute favorite, they get a 12/10 for texture alone.
2. Jolly Ranchers –Freeze Dried
Price: $3.79
There are few candies better than Jolly Ranchers Freeze Dried. How is it possible that Hershey’s made something this transcendent, and possibly better than anything the secondary freeze-dryers are making?
This is a freeze-dried candy you could savor, like a traditional jolly rancher, but the real joy is crunching down on one and letting the apple, blue raspberry or watermelon flavor wash over your palate while the crunchy glass-like fragments break down and embed themselves in your teeth for future savoring. The shattering of these spherical Jolly Ranchers and the resulting burst of flavor and crunch is unlike any experience we’ve had. We’ve already restocked these babies for personal snack time.
Bottom Line:
Though not cheap, Jolly Ranchers Freeze Dried are worth the price of admission not only because the brand’s willingness to experiment with a new product that is very much on trend, but also knock out the execution with a candy that may actually even enhance what we know and love about the original Jolly Rancher.
1. Sugar Bear — Freeze Dried Fruit Roll-Ups
Price: $8.99
The idea of adding a crunch factor to Fruit Roll-Ups initially gave us pause. The closest thing we had to that experience growing up was getting one of those stale and hardened improperly packaged roll ups. But instead of crunching, they just got harder to chew – you basically had to gnaw them like a bone. So we were surprised by just how much we loved these!
These wafer-like roll-up crunchables still stick to your teeth like the chewy soft version, but instead of a gummy texture they have crumbly croissant-like layers, resulting in a satisfying and audible crunch. Available in both strawberry and tropical tie-dye flavors — just like a classic Fruit Roll-Up — this is the definition of a perfect freeze dried treat.
Bottom Line:
Our all time favorites in the freeze dried candy space. We love the amazing crunchy texture and taste, and so will you if you can’t get past the absurdity of eating a fruit roll up that crunches like a flauta.