14 Irresistible Candy Additions for Ultimate Brownie Indulgence

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Whether you’re making a batch from scratch or using a boxed mix base, brownies are one of the most customizable baked goods. Richer and denser than cake but lighter than cookie dough, brownies welcome an assortment of mix-ins, toppings, and fillings unlike any other dessert. With aromatic chocolate as its main flavoring agent, you can pair it with a number of strong ingredients (such as herbaceous mint and floral rose) without sacrificing that cocoa intensity.

Of course, be it stirring in a chopped chocolate bar or scattering some shell-coated M&M’s, candy is one of the very best additions to a brownie mix. As long as you follow a basic brownie mix-in rule — add 1 cup of candy to an 8×8-inch brownie batch, or 1½ to 2 cups for a 9×13-inch pan) — you’re only held back your imagination when it comes to candy and brownie combinations.

Not all candy mix-ins are created equal, though. As a former managing editor of a baking magazine and co-host of a baking podcast, I’ve tried, tested, and tasted most of the following candy and brownie match-ups. Consequently, I know these are the most interesting, fun, and satisfying options. Let’s dive in to the tastiest candy add-ins for over the top brownies.

This is a tried and true classic candy and brownie combo for a reason. Adding a boost of texture as well as chocolate, M&M’s are one of the easiest ways to supercharge a batch of brownies. While full-sized M&M’s will certainly work, I find mini M&M’s go a lot further in baking, packing a crunchy bite that’s reminiscent of the 1990s-inspired Little Debbie’s Cosmic Brownies for a hint of childhood nostalgia. 

Of course, if you’re dipping your toe into the realm of candy-coated M&M’s, I’d be remiss not to highlight some other awesome options. Peanut or peanut butter M&M’s would be an excellent choice (whether paired with a peanut butter ripple or not), as would a blend of pretzel M&M’s and caramel M&M’s. It’s up to your taste preferences, but no matter what, M&M’s will deliver the satisfying crunch that a basic batch of fudgy brownies tends to be really missing.

Halva (sometimes spelled halvah and halwa) is a Middle Eastern candy that’s typically made from sesame seed paste (aka tahini) and sugar, often resembling a nuttier, crunchier take on nougat. Whether offered plain, swirled with cocoa, or studded with nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate pieces, its rich and nuanced flavor is a wonderful addition to numerous baked goods, including brownies. 

I find a halva-studded brownie has a flavor profile similar to an adult-friendly Butterfinger, only skewing more nutty than butterscotch. You can get some crazy delicious versions of halva from artisan brands like Seed and Mill — I worship at the altar of its Pistachio and Cardamom Halva flavors — or HEBEL & CO, which offers a Chocolate Chunk Halva that’s gluten-free, kosher, and vegan. 

Still, a plain variety would be just as delicious. As most halvah is sold in solid blocks, you’ll need to chop it up before mixing in. If you’re up for the challenge, you can also make your own halva at home. Want more sesame richness? Consider adding in a sweetened tahini swirl, extra sesame seeds, or, if the you’re super adventurous, a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil. 

This is likely an incredibly divisive candy to mix into your brownies. But if you happen to love that intense anise flavor, a black licorice-studded brownie will blow your mind. Even if you’re leery of the combo, you might be surprised at how well the two strong flavor components — chocolate and licorice — balance one another. The chocolate can soften the licorice bite, while the licorice enhances the earthy cocoa. 

For the most exquisite flavor, I’d recommend tracking down some incredible artisan licorice from a Scandinavian country (bonus points if it’s salted licorice, like LAKRIDS by BÜLOW’s take). If you want to double down on the anise, consider tossing in 1 to 2 tablespoons of an anise-flavored liqueur (like Sambuca, Ouzo or Raki), or by stirring in a scant teaspoon of ground anise.

Combined with a deep, dark chocolate brownie, the licorice makes a unique dessert for the candy sophisticate. Need another ringing endorsement? Acclaimed “Top Chef” judge Gail Simmons has a recipe for black licorice brownies that’s been inspiring — and dividing — the internet for years.

I once made a jumbo batch of beautiful pecan pralines … only to chop them up and add them to a sheet pan full of brownie batter. Of course, while you don’t have to make nut brittle or pralines from scratch, the lesson is still there: Caramel-suspended nuts bring a double dose of golden flavor and nuttiness to a batch of brownies.

Nut brittle and pralines allow you to have two choices when it comes to texture. A brittle has more snap and crunch, similar to a hard toffee. This is great for the crisp-loving crowd, but may irritate those who don’t like getting sticky chunks stuck in their teeth. Pralines, especially the Southern pecan kind you can find in a New Orleans confectionary shop, are softer and less tacky, dissolving easily on the tongue.

You can find both types of candies made with essentially any type of nut or seed under the sun, which also expands your options. For example, when you want brownies with a Middle Eastern taste, try adding some sesame seed brittle. If you prefer the earthy flavor of walnuts over pecans, there are plenty of maple walnut pralines on the market that tackle a more fall flavor profile. In the international realm, you can also explore the realm of French pralines (often pink candied almonds), Sicilian torrone (Sicilian almond brittle made with honey), and Indian chikkis (peanut brittle made with the molasses-rich jaggery sugar).

This may seem a basic entry, but no one can deny the delightfully winning combination of chocolate and peanut butter. No candy makes it easier to bring the two together in a brownie that Reese’s — in all its assorted forms.

For my personal preference, I tend to go with Reese’s Thins, as I generally like more chocolate to peanut butter in my brownie ratio. As an added bonus, you can also line this Reese’s variety over half the batter before pouring over the remaining batter, making an impromptu Reese’s filling in the process.

Still, you can’t go wrong with tossing in some chopped Reese’s cups of any size. You can go in the “E.T.” direction and get extra crunchy with Reese’s Pieces, as well, or those outrageous peanut butter cups that are stuffed with mini Reese’s Pieces. If you want the texture without the candy coating, stir in some salted roasted peanuts with your Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, or create a peanut butter swirl with crunchy peanut butter.

Mint and chocolate isn’t a flavor combo for everyone. However, I love the aromatic blend of wintry mint and bittersweet chocolate. And for a good grasshopper or Thin Mint-style brownie, Andes Mints always seem to fit the bill.

A blend of chocolate and peppermint cream, this candy gives the whole brownie a softer, truffle-like bite than what traditional peppermint candies produce. After all, while biting into a solid starlight mint is apt to leave you with a toothache, the Andes Mint melts smoothly into brownies. You can always crush peppermints extra fine, of course, but who has the time for that? 

Instead, I like to chop and scatter Andes Mints into brownie batter, or layer them whole on top to create a melted on chocolate-peppermint ganache topping. If you like an extra dose of peppermint, you can always stir in some peppermint extract or a bit of peppermint Schnapps or creme de menthe.

Of all the chocolate bars in the world I could chose to mix in to a brownie, this one usually tops the list. As opposed to a traditional Hershey’s milk chocolate bar (which can be too saccharine and one-note sweet), the Cookies ‘n’ Creme bar promises a nice milk and cookies flavor along with a bit of crunchiness from cocoa cookie pieces.

This candy tastes like the most compact version of my beloved Oreos and milk combo, which is why I often double down and add in chopped Oreos to the mix as well. Of course, there are many ways you can incorporate the Cookies ‘n’ Creme flavor into your brownie mix, like using the Hershey’s Kiss version and the fun-sized versions.

Speaking of, if you really want to bring in some Hershey’s milk chocolate into your brownie, I suggest investing in its chunky Nuggets. When roughly chopped, become excellent chunks to stir into your brownie. Bonus points if you buy the Hershey’s Nuggets Assortment Bag, which also has the Symphony flavor (featuring almonds and toffee), a dark chocolate option, a milk chocolate flavor studded with almonds, and the classic plain milk chocolate.

Peanuts, caramel, and nougat all go great in a candy bar — and they go even better together in candy bar form in a batch of brownies. In this way, Snickers offers an almost perfect trifecta of flavor for brownies, winning out over some other nougat based candies (like Milky Way and Three Musketeers).

Personally, I find mini Snickers are easier to incorporate into brownie batter than chopped whole bars, as the caramel and chocolate can make things messy. Then again, it’s a bit cleaner if you refrigerate or freeze your Snickers bar before chopping. If you want more decadence, you can stir in a caramel sauce or peanut butter into the batter, as well, depending on which specific flavor you want to highlight. Alternatively, you can simply toss in some extra roasted peanuts, chopped pretzels, or even your favorite nut (cashews, pecans, and almonds are all fair game) to give the brownie a boost of salt and crunch. 

For me, a chocolate-coated toffee bar is always welcome in a batch of brownies, whether the brand is Heath or Skor (I’m not terribly adept at telling the difference, flavor-wise, between the two). I enjoy the intense sweetness that toffee can bring to a bittersweet or dark chocolate-flavored brownie base.

In some cases, you can buy pre-chopped Heath bits in the chocolate chip aisle. But I find hand chopping full size candy bars to be more efficient, leading to more satisfying chunks in each bite. If you don’t feel the need to add in any extra chocolate, consider dumping in some plain toffee instead. On that note, go ahead and throw in the pecan- or almond-studded toffee you prefer toffee with nuts. The only downside to using this type of candy is that it can get stuck in your teeth. If you hate that sensation, consider going with a praline-style candy addition (like the one I mentioned earlier).

Espresso powder and hot coffee are often used to enhance the flavor of chocolate cake. Naturally, chocolate-covered coffee beans should provide a nice bump to a batch of brownies. While these caffeinated chocolate pieces tend to be coated in either dark or bittersweet chocolate, you can find some interesting options online.

Nutic Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans has an assortment of white, milk, and dark chocolate coatings. Nuts.com also offers a tempting coffee and cream espresso bean flavor, which calls to mind a buzzy twist on cookies and cream. In addition to mixing in these chocolate coffee beans, try stirring in a 1 or 2 tablespoons of espresso powder, or swap the liquid called for with freshly brewed coffee.

Alternatively, you can take it in a different direction and mix in chocolate-covered cacao nibs, which brings some nice contrasting bitterness, as well as crunch. If you want it to be particularly outrageously and decadent, top off this batch of brownies with a thick mocha frosting.

No continent or culture has likely done more with the Kit Kat than Asia. While regular Kit Kats are delicious, the exciting world of Asian Kit Kat flavors — from earthy matcha to rich milk tea — can completely transform your next batch of brownies.

Let me briefly list out some of the incredible versions you can purchase online: Chocolate Mont Blanc, Orange Chocolate, Hojicha Roasted Tea, Hokkaido Red Bean & Strawberry, and Purple Sweet Potato. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Depending on what flavor Kit Kat you go with, you can add nuance to the profile by incorporating more of the key ingredient, IE a dash of matcha powder, a splash of orange juice, or a bit of sweetened red bean paste. You could also add some chopped mochi if you like the chewy texture of the mild Asian candy.

You can incorporate Kit Kats in one of two ways. The easiest way is to chop and stir in the chunks; a more elegant way involves lining up the crunchy bars over half of the batter, before they’re covered with the rest of it. When you slice into your brownies, it’ll reveal a perfectly sandwiched crispy layer.

From merry candy canes to pastel candy-coated chocolate eggs, holiday-themed candies dresses up any brownie batch so it’s ready for a proper celebration. Think about a batch of brownies lined with yellow peeps that get a quick toast in the oven, or fudgy bars embedded with iconic Halloween neon candy corn.

These candy varieties bring sweetness and decoration in a one-two punch. Even some themed candy of the other brands mentioned on the list — I’m looking at you, Reese’s peanut butter eggs and Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses — would be welcome for some holiday brownies. In a pinch, appropriately colored M&M’s (go green for St. Patrick’s Day or red and pink for Valentine’s Day) can also work here. 

The only themed candy I’ll warn you against are malted candy eggs (as well as plain Whoppers and other malted milk balls, while we’re at it). Candies with malted centers don’t tend to do as well in a hot oven, melting down to become a super hard candy lava that sticks in your teeth. If you’re still desperate for that flavor, top your still warm brownies with chopped malted candy eggs ss they can sink in withou cooking in the oven.  

Delicately flavored and with an extremely tender, gelatin-like texture, Turkish delight (also known as lokum) is probably best known as the downfall of Edmund in C.S. Lewis’s “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” But some also think of Turkish delight as a delicious mix-in for chocolate desserts, and brownies are no exception.

This is a more common trick in other countries, like the U.K. and Australia, where Turkish delight is added to their version of Rocky Road, which is like fudge packed with marshmallows, nuts, dried fruit, and candy added in. In this instance, Turkish delight can bring a beautiful floral note to your brownies (if you use the rosewater variety), melting into the batter in a delightful way. Of course, Turkish delight comes in many different flavors, with rosewater, pistachio, pomegranate, lemon, and coconut as some of the more traditional options. There are also varieties of Turkish delight that come rolled or filled with nuts (often pistachios, hazelnuts, or almonds) which would also be a delicious in your brownies.

Liberty Orchards sells a handy variety pack with different flavors and nut fillings to choose from. I’m partial to using one flavor for the whole brownie batch, with the citrus, pistachio, or tart pomegranate options being particularly nice. For that, consider grabbing a 1-pound box from HazerBaba.

If you love chocolates that have a bit of spirit to them, you might want to try incorporating some boozy truffles into your next batch of brownies. Generally, these kinds of candies are easiest to get around the holidays in November and December, as cherry cordials and rum balls are often gifted around that time of year.

There are two kinds of booze-flavored chocolates to choose from: alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Baileys offers an excellent non-alcoholic truffle that carries the signature Irish cream taste. Meanwhile, Sugarfina sells an espresso martini-style truffle that’s infused with Chopin vodka, though it’s also non-alcoholic.

If you want something truly adult, look for Anthon Berg’s liqueur-filled chocolate bottles. This treat encases real spirits, like gin, Cointreau, and bourbon, in adorable chocolate bottle package. You can enhance this booze and candy flavor profile with more of the hard stuff if you’d like, as well. For a more subtle flavor, start by adding just a few tablespoons of alcohol to the batter, as most of this will bake off in the heat of the oven. Conversely, if you’re after a much stronger taste, you can poke holes in your baked brownies, then ladle on some liquor for a more potent punch.