4 Sour Candies Perfect for Cocktail Garnishes

Across most cocktail recipes, the most commonly employed ingredient is sugar. You can find honey, agave, many simple syrups, and more in cocktail builds, so why not incorporate candy into a stiff drink? Find a way to throw in a packaged sweet and you not only lend an extra-flavorful twist, but also a fun throwback energy while drinking. If you’re fond of tangy notes alongside sweet, consider sour candy as a cocktail garnish.

Sour candies make your mouth pucker by way of citric, malic, and tartaric acids — the same compounds found in fruits. All the while, acidic elements are another building block of mixed drinks right up there with sugar. This makes the sweet’s zingy palate complement the drinking experience twofold. Not to mention, sour candy-garnished cocktails grab your attention. A cheerful tone is set just glancing at a mixed drink topped with technicolored sweets. Further with a cocktail build that mirrors the garnish, and it’s truly a transformative experience. Whether you’re reaching for sour gummy worms, lemon drops, or a box of Sour Patch Kids, dive into the many boozy ways of melding childhood delights with adult fun. With enough finesse, these additions amplify the drinking experience and add a humorous touch all the while.

If there’s one sour candy that lends itself particularly well to cocktail creation, it’s Sour Patch Kids. Maybe it’s the particularly front-and-center childhood associations, or the multiple flavors found in a package, but this candy’s perfectly poised for a boozy context. Build a cocktail off your Sour Patch flavor preference and skewer on a few candies atop to cement the creative rendition.

Say you’re a fan of the blue raspberry flavor. Add the candies to an airtight container and let the flavors and vibrant colors seep in vodka. Enjoy this standalone infusion after several days or, for more fleshed out flavors, combine with a store-bought raspberry syrup, some lemon juice, and shake or stir into an aquamarine-colored martini. In a cheeky nod to the classic olive garnish, skewer on a blue Sour Patch Kid and enjoy a stiff, flavorful drink with a nostalgic twist. Alternatively, if watermelon-flavored Sour Patch Kids are your go-to, deconstruct the flavor by mixing up strawberry schnapps, vanilla vodka, and sweet and sour mix. Dollop one of the little candies atop and drinkers may be shocked at the flavor match, no infusion involved. For maximum kaleidoscopic fun, infuse the full range of Sour Patch Kids into margaritas: Sort the candies, then seep in tequila among separated jars. Mix up each batch with lime and simple syrup, add the skewered candy atop, and enjoy the perfect margarita with a sour candy twist. 

Alternatively, borrow inspiration from a sour candy already intertwined with a cocktail: A lemon drop. The drink is zippy, flavorful, and just the right amount of sweet — an excellent canvas for experimentation. Classically a mixture of vodka, lemon juice, sugar, and orange liqueur, the combination of ingredients arose in the 1970s, reportedly inspired by the candy. So take the creation full circle and garnish with a lemon drop to craft a humorous twist on the classic. 

At first glance, finding a suitable mode of garnish for a hard candy can feel daunting; with some creativity, there is an approach. The easiest route is to crush the candy, forming a rocky powder that can rim the glass. Use an unwanted coffee grinder to achieve the right consistency, or (if you need to alleviate some stress) place the candies in a bag and pound with a heavy object. Flip your serving glass upside down and gently dip it in water, or rub a lemon along the rim, to adhere the lemon drop candies. Once you have such a technique down, apply to other cocktails. Perhaps the lemon-whiskey penicillin, French 75, or any lemon liqueur-based drink.

A large part of the fun of sour candy is its interactive appeal as you chew, pull, and twist at its malleable forms. Cocktail garnishes also imbue such playfulness; there is tactile pleasure to picking up a maraschino cherry and taking a bite. Subsequently, reach for one candy that’s naturally designed for consuming drinks: Sour Punch Straws. These zingy, colorful candies with a hollow interior now come in several flavors, from the classic rainbow or watermelon to more surprising palates such as pickles and chile peppers, that are ready to be deposited into your cocktail as a garnish and mode of consumption.

For the most fun, use them in sparkling cocktails best served in a highball glass, but cut the straws in half first (they get floppy). Place the straw into the glass and fill it with ice, using the solid substance to ensure vertical stability. Tailor flavors to tall, sweet drinks, such as a Tequila Sunrise, prosecco-tinged Shirley Temple, or Singapore Sling. If you want to really ensure palates meld, melt down the straws and employ the syrup in the cocktail itself.

Sometimes, cocktail garnishes aren’t so much for flavor as they are for imparting a concept. Consider a paper plane clipped to the side of the eponymous drink or a floral topping on a spring-themed drink; these nice touches elevate a theme. So, add a conceptual twist by placing a specifically shaped gummy candy atop your drink.

If there’s a garden theme with mudslide or bushwacker cocktails, play the part by securing a sour gummy worm or two atop. Meanwhile, cherry cocktails, including George Washington’s beloved cherry bounce, could be garnished with a sour gummy cherry — just a single piece adds a more casual tone. If you’re crafting a honey-centric drink, perhaps a bee’s knees or a hot honey old fashioned, add a cheeky twist with a gummy bear.

Accommodating all these toppings can be tricky; you don’t want the candy to fall into the drink. One option is the aforementioned skewering. Alternatively, you can fill a narrow glass with ice and simply add a small pile of candy atop. If it’s a particularly thick candy — say, a hanging cherry — cut a small indentation and drape it on a thin glass. As long as it’s sturdy enough to make it from bar to table, then candy garnish goals are satisfied.