10 Best Icelandic Candies to Try (Chocolate, Salty Liquorice and More)

Short answer: The Icelandic candy you have to try is Nói Síríus chocolate (from Iceland's oldest chocolate maker), salty liquorice known as salmiak, and a handful of cult classics: Hraun ("lava") chocolate, crispy corn-puff Rís, Góa's foam-filled "elephant balls", Sambó liquorice, and handcrafted Kandís hard candy. Below are the 10 best Icelandic sweets, what each one tastes like, and which to pick first. Every one of them ships worldwide from Iceland.

In this article

• Why is Icelandic candy so salty?
• The 10 best Icelandic candies to try
• Quick-pick guide
• Frequently asked questions

Why is Icelandic candy so salty?

If your first bite of Icelandic candy tastes salty, that is on purpose. Iceland has a deep love of liquorice (lakkrís), and much of its candy is built around salmiak: liquorice flavoured with salmiak salt (ammonium chloride), which gives that sharp, salty, almost tingly finish. You will find liquorice tucked inside chocolate bars, coated in chocolate, rolled into ropes, and pressed into pastilles. Sweet milk chocolate is hugely popular too, so there is plenty for the salt-averse. The classic Icelandic move is to combine the two, salty liquorice and sweet chocolate, in a single piece.

The 10 best Icelandic candies to try

1. Nói Síríus chocolate

Start here. Nói Síríus is Iceland's oldest chocolate company, founded in 1920, and its bars are the everyday chocolate Icelanders grow up on. The range runs from a creamy 33% milk chocolate to a deep 70% dark, plus flavours like orange, toffee and sea salt, and caramel and sea salt. The milk chocolate is smooth and mild; the darker "Konsum" cooking bars are rich enough to eat straight or bake with.

2. Salty liquorice (salmiak)

The one everyone asks about. Salty liquorice is sharp, savoury and a little addictive once it clicks. Opal pastilles are a great gateway: small, sugar-dusted black tablets with that classic salmiak kick. If you already love black liquorice, this is the next level. If you are new to it, try a small bag first, then graduate to liquorice-and-chocolate combinations.

3. Hraun ("lava")

Hraun means "lava", and the bar looks the part: chocolate studded with crispy cornflake pieces so the surface is bumpy like cooled lava rock. It is crunchy, chocolatey and very moreish, and it makes a fun, low-cost first taste of Icelandic candy.

4. Rís (crispy corn-puff chocolate)

Think light, airy crunch wrapped in creamy milk chocolate. Freyju Rís bites are crispy corn puffs coated in chocolate, a close cousin of the famous Nóa Kropp that Icelanders snack on by the handful. Easy to love, and great for sharing.

5. Góa Fílakúlur ("elephant balls")

One of the most charming Icelandic treats. Fílakúlur, literally "elephant balls", are light marshmallow-style foam centres covered in smooth milk chocolate. Soft, fluffy and nostalgic, they are a staple of Icelandic childhood.

6. Sambó liquorice allsorts

Sambó makes Iceland's take on liquorice allsorts (lakkrískonfekt): a colourful mix of liquorice pieces layered with sweet, fruity coatings. It is a softer, sweeter way into liquorice than straight salmiak, and a good crowd-pleaser for a candy bowl.

7. Draumur ("dream")

Draumur, which means "dream", is milk chocolate with soft liquorice ropes running through the middle. It is the definitive sweet-meets-salty Icelandic bar, and the one many Icelanders abroad miss most. The perfect bridge if you are not sure whether you are team chocolate or team liquorice.

8. Kókosbollur (chocolate coconut treats)

Kókosbollur pair soft cream with milk chocolate and a shower of coconut. Mild, sweet and pillowy, they are one of the most popular everyday sweets in Iceland and a gentle counterpoint to all that salty liquorice.

9. Kandís handcrafted hard candy

For something different, Kandís makes small-batch artisan hard candy in bright flavours like strawberry, cherry and passion fruit, and rhubarb. Beautifully made, long-lasting, and a lovely little gift on their own.

10. The Icelandic Candy Gift Box

Cannot decide? The Icelandic Candy Gift Box gathers a hand-picked selection of best-selling Icelandic treats in one parcel, which makes it the easiest way to taste your way around the list (and a ready-made gift for the sweet-tooth in your life).

Quick-pick guide

Candy	Type	Try it if you like...
Nói Síríus	Milk & dark chocolate	Classic, crowd-pleasing chocolate
Opal salty liquorice	Salmiak pastilles	Bold, salty, savoury flavours
Hraun	Chocolate & cornflake bar	Crunch with your chocolate
Fílakúlur	Chocolate-coated foam	Soft, light, nostalgic treats
Draumur	Chocolate + liquorice	Sweet and salty together
Kandís	Artisan hard candy	Fruity, long-lasting sweets

Frequently asked questions

Why is Icelandic candy so salty?

Because Iceland loves salmiak, a style of liquorice flavoured with salmiak salt (ammonium chloride) that tastes sharp and salty rather than sweet. A large share of Icelandic candy contains some liquorice, and salty liquorice is often paired with sweet chocolate for contrast. Plenty of Icelandic sweets are pure milk chocolate, so you can easily skip the salt if it is not for you.

What is the most popular candy in Iceland?

Nói Síríus chocolate is the everyday staple, while liquorice-based treats such as Draumur and corn-puff chocolates like Nóa Kropp are among the most-loved. Most Icelanders have a soft spot for at least one salty-liquorice product.

What candy is unique to Iceland?

Standouts you will not easily find elsewhere include Hraun ("lava") chocolate-and-cornflake bars, Draumur (milk chocolate with liquorice ropes), Góa Fílakúlur foam balls, and the wide world of Icelandic salmiak liquorice from brands like Nói Síríus, Góa and Freyja.

Is Icelandic liquorice the same as black liquorice?

It is related but not identical. Regular black liquorice is sweet; Icelandic salmiak liquorice adds salmiak salt for a salty, tangy edge. If you like black liquorice, salty liquorice is the natural next step.

Where can I buy Icelandic candy online?

The Icelandic Store ships authentic Icelandic candy and chocolate worldwide, including Nói Síríus, Góa, Freyja, Sambó and handcrafted Kandís. Browse the full Icelandic candy collection or start with the Candy Gift Box. For more on the country's chocolate culture, see our guide to Iceland's sweet obsession.