This Is The Top Halloween Candy In The US According To Instacart

According to TalkerResearch, Americans purchase 745.8 million pounds of candy for Halloween. Chocolate bars, sour candy, taffy, licorice, and lollipops will make their way into treat-or-treat bags across the country by the handful. Some Halloween candies will be eaten with joy, while others (looking at you, candy corn) will be accepted grudgingly. So, which Halloween candies do Americans look forward to the most?

The most beloved Halloween candy in the United States is not a surprise: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. The winner was crowned in Instacart's 2025 Halloween candy data report, which calculated the country's favorite candy by the total weight sold in October 2024. DoorDash data also backs up this choice, with Reese's being the top candy purchase last October. Americans seem to be steadfast in their favorite candy, with NavigatorResearch's 2023 poll revealing that Reese's Peanut Butter Cups were the favorite of 29% of Americans. Instacart's data report on America's favorite Halloween candy in 2021 found the same answer.

While Reese's ranked number one overall in the country, it wasn't necessarily the top-selling candy in every single state. Interestingly, there seems to be a concentration of peanut butter cup fans in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Appalachian states, including Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. Outside of this region, Northern New England, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Oregon also selected Reese's Peanut Butter Cups as their favorite Halloween candy.

Chocolate and peanut butter are undeniably one of the best sweet flavor combos. The nutty, saltiness of peanut butter provides balance and substance to the milk chocolate candy, which can be a relief when considering some of the more straight-up sugary options like Skittles and sour straws. Although Reese's Peanut Butter Cups aren't inherently a Halloween candy, the traditional packaging has Halloween and fall colors like orange, yellow, and brown.

During October, chocolatey candies are purchased more than fruity, sour, and caramel flavors. Peanut M&M's and regular M&M's made second and third place, respectively, for favorite Halloween candy in Instacart's report. Outside of the Halloween season, chocolate reigns supreme year-round. American consumers surveyed about their favorite candy in 2022 selected Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and M&M's as their go-to sweets.

Don't forget, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are sold in special holiday shapes. Halloween brings pumpkin-shaped cups, which some people favor because of the higher peanut butter-to-milk chocolate ratio and smoother edges.