I Tried 6 Snickers Flavors And This Was The Best

Did you know the Snickers bar was supposedly named after a horse? Whether that's true or not, the first original bar was manufactured and sold in Chicago for only 5 cents. Can you imagine, in this economy? While the original has been around since 1930, and made a true name for itself, the brand has evolved over the years, offering up everything from an ice cream version and Snickers protein bars to an array of fun flavors. For this taste test, I grabbed as many of the latter as I could find to answer the question: Is there anything better than the original?

From a white chocolate version to switching up the peanuts, Snickers has played around with the original treat to see how far it can push the candy boundaries. Let's take a look at six options and see if the original bar holds up or if a newer version steals the show. Will you stay a purist, or will you branch out?

For this taste test, I had to work to find all six flavors of Snickers. Thanks to my local Walmart and Circle K, I found all of the current offerings in the U.S. If you're also looking to switch up your candy flavors, Snickers has a store locator on its website, and this was a huge help in finding all the flavors in my area.

When it came to ranking, I started by trying a bite of each, looking at flavor profile and balance within the taste and the bar itself. Texture played a part, too, but I kept this taste test focused on how well the ingredients worked together. If the flavor was off, it went to the bottom of the list. 

Coming in last on this list is the pecan option from Snickers. This one features the original caramel, nougat, and milk chocolate, but instead of the peanuts, you'll find pecans instead. And that change is the exact issue with this bar. 

While pecans can work well in sweet treats, like with the NOLA invention of pecan pralines, the Snickers take doesn't work. While you'd think the buttery and toasted flavors of this nut would add to the profile, those quintessential notes didn't mesh well with the chocolate and nougat. The texture was also a deterrent, with the crunch acting as the biggest issue — mainly because there wasn't one. If you're a Snickers purist, this one will not satisfy in the ways you'd expect.

Is this one wholly bad? No, but it's not one I'd reach for again, especially considering you can grab the original version anytime you want. If you're trying to take the spot of a tried-and-true classic, you better have a wow factor. This one did not.

Placing 5th on this candy bar taste test is Snickers Xtreme. This option features most of the usual suspects — peanuts, caramel, and milk chocolate — but everything is extra. Extra peanuts? Check. Extra caramel? Check. This is a more-is-more situation, but there's no nougat to be found.

You're probably wondering why something so close to the original placed so low. Honestly, it's because of the texture from all the extras within the bar. On paper, Xtreme makes sense. Who doesn't want more sweet goodness in their candy? In practice, it felt out of balance. 

If you're a purist, seeking that original taste, you won't find it in this bar. That missing nougat really shifts the flavor profile, causing an imbalance of differing sweet notes and simply too much extra stuff. They say too much of a good thing can become a bad thing. In the case of Snickers Xtreme, I would agree.

Before I started this taste test, I had the hypothesis that this one would place first, but Snickers Peanut Butter didn't live up to my hype. This bar offers peanuts, caramel, nougat, and milk chocolate with the addition of real peanut butter. For me, this was another "on paper" situation that just didn't hit the mark in real time.

The biggest issue for me was the lack of nougat flavor. The peanut butter was too overpowering, which, for some, is a total plus. You're also missing that quintessential crunch from the peanuts. They're still in there, but there are far fewer than in a normal bar.

Snickers Peanut Butter wasn't bad by any means, but it's very peanut butter-forward. If you like peanut butter more than the classic Snickers profile, then this one is for you. As a reinvention, I get it, and it's a good one, too — but if you're a purist, it won't hit the mark.

For me, white chocolate is a tough sell. It can be super sweet and way too much for the palate. However, Snickers did a great job of adding white chocolate to its collection with the Snickers White bar. This one includes white chocolate, peanuts, caramel, and nougat. And it tastes pretty darn good!

The Snickers White is definitely an acquired taste. Like the peanut butter option, if you like white chocolate, you will undoubtedly like this flavor. It's very sweet on the front end of the bite, but you still get that nougat flavor and the earthy notes from the peanuts on the back end. All of the flavors work together and bring balance to a sweet snack.

Overall, this one is a solid choice — for me, that's saying a lot with the addition of the white chocolate. Snickers White is worth a try, for sure!

While the peanut is still the king of this brand, the almond version holds its own and takes the second-place spot in this ranking. This one contains your traditional caramel, nougat, and milk chocolate coating with the addition of crunchy almonds. It's a close second, for sure!

If you love texture and crunch, the almond option is definitely worth trying. You still get a mix of all those original flavors, but the front end of the bite is pure almond crunch. The nutty notes set this one apart, with a touch of sweetness that pairs well with that nougat and caramel. There's something here that stands out from the rest.

This innovative option is the closest to the original you'll find, with some added flavor from the almonds. Balance and taste align with this Snickers revision, making it the closest tribute to the original on this list.

Peanuts, nougat, caramel, milk chocolate — nothing beats the classic flavors and textures of the original Snickers bar. There's just something that works with this one, which makes you understand how it's been around since 1930.

The big draw with the original is the peanuts. You get a mouthful in every bite, along with a balance of that caramel, nougat, and, of course, that chocolate exterior. From the earthy peanut notes to the sweet chocolate, there is something special about this classic candy bar. Even musical legend Jimmy Buffett knew the draw of a Snickers. But his trick? Freeze it! Seriously, these bars have range.

From the taste to the epic advertisements like the "you're not you when you're hungry" slogan, it placed first for one simple reason: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." While copycats try to outdo this old favorite brand, the original Snickers is truly the best.