10 Best Italian Candies You Can Buy Online in 2026
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From handcrafted lemon drops on the Amalfi Coast to century-old honey candies from Milan, Italian candy offers flavors you won't find anywhere else. As importers who have spent over a decade sourcing confections from across Italy, here are the 10 best Italian candies you can buy online in 2026.
10 Best Italian Candies
1. Perle di Sole Amalfi Lemon Drops — The Amalfi Coast's most iconic candy
There is no Italian candy that captures a sense of place quite like Perle di Sole Amalfi Lemon Drops. Made with essential oils cold-pressed from IGP-certified Amalfi Coast lemons, these hard candies encase a tart, fizzy filling that delivers a genuine burst of Italian citrus in every piece. Every ingredient is natural — no artificial flavors, no shortcuts — which is exactly why they have become Italy's most beloved edible souvenir from the Amalfi Coast. With 157 reviews and a 4.85-star rating on our site, they are consistently our best-selling candy and the first thing we recommend to anyone new to Italian confections.
Flavor profile: Bright, tart lemon with a sparkling, effervescent center and a clean citrus finish.
2. Ambrosoli Classica Honey-Filled Candy — Milan's favorite honey candy since 1930
Ambrosoli has been doing one thing exceptionally well since 1930: putting real Italian honey inside a candy. The Ambrosoli family started as beekeepers in Milan, and that heritage is unmistakable — the honey filling inside each hard candy shell is genuine, aromatic, and noticeably different from synthetic honey-flavored sweets. Nearly a century of family tradition goes into every bag, and the Ambrosoli Classica remains one of the most recognized and beloved candies across Italy.
Flavor profile: Warm, floral Italian honey encased in a smooth, delicate hard candy shell with a buttery sweetness.
3. Perle di Sole Blueberry Drops — A fizzy twist on Italian fruit candy
Perle di Sole Blueberry Drops bring the same signature tart fizzy filling that made the lemon drops famous, this time inspired by wild blueberries from the cliffs of Capri. The result is a candy that feels both familiar and surprising — berry-forward on the outside, with that unmistakable effervescent pop at the center. At 83 reviews and a 4.82-star rating, they are a close second to the lemon drops for a reason: once you try the filling, you want it in every flavor.
Flavor profile: Ripe, jammy blueberry with a tart and fizzy center that balances sweetness with a bright acidic kick.
4. Sperlari Zanzibar Licorice — Italy's most famous licorice candy
Sperlari has been making confections in Cremona — Italy's candy capital — since 1836, and their Zanzibar Licorice is the product that has defined Italian licorice for generations. This is not the sweet, mild licorice common in American candy aisles; Sperlari Zanzibar delivers a bold, assertive licorice flavor that Italian candy lovers have grown up with. It is the licorice you find in every Italian candy shop, newsstand, and gelateria, and tasting it for the first time explains why licorice has such devoted fans in Italy.
Flavor profile: Deep, intense licorice root with a slightly chewy texture and a long, lingering finish.
5. Luxardo The Original Maraschino Cherries — The cherry that changed cocktails forever
Luxardo Maraschino Cherries are technically a confection, not a candy — but no list of great Italian sweets is complete without them. Since 1821, the Luxardo family has been producing these cherries from their marasca cherry orchards near Torreglia, slow-cooked in their own syrup without thickeners, preservatives, or artificial colors. The result is a dark, intensely flavored cherry that has become the standard for cocktail garnishes, dessert toppings, and — for those who know — eating straight from the jar. One taste and you will never go back to the neon-red variety.
Flavor profile: Deep, bittersweet cherry with rich maraschino liqueur notes and a syrup that is as good as the cherry itself.
6. Perle di Sole Assorted Lemon & Orange Drops — Two Amalfi Coast flavors in one bag
For those who cannot choose between the lemon and the orange — and honestly, why should you have to — Perle di Sole's Assorted Lemon & Orange Drops put both in a single bag. The lemon is the classic, but the orange brings its own brightness, with a slightly sweeter, rounder citrus character that complements the tartness of the lemon beautifully. This is also the best option for sharing or gifting, since it gives anyone who tries them the full Amalfi citrus experience in one bag.
Flavor profile: A duo of bright Amalfi lemon and sun-ripened orange, both with the signature tart fizzy filling at the center.
7. Dufour Big Frut Citrus Jellies — Soft, chewy Italian fruit gummies
Dufour's Big Frut Citrus Jellies are the Italian answer to fruit gummies — and they are a significant upgrade. Made with real fruit juice and coated in a light layer of sugar, these soft jellies have a clean, genuine fruitiness that most American gummy candies simply cannot match. The texture is softer and more delicate than a typical gummy bear, and the citrus flavors are vivid without being artificial. They are the kind of candy that disappears from the bowl faster than anyone expects.
Flavor profile: Bright, juicy citrus — orange, lemon, and grapefruit — in a soft sugar-coated jelly with real fruit character.
8. Pasticca del Re Sole Herbal Pastilles — The Sun King's pastilles
Pasticca del Re Sole (literally "pastille of the Sun King") represents a category of Italian candy that has almost no equivalent in American confectionery: traditional herbal pastilles rooted in centuries of botanical tradition. Each small pastille delivers a complex blend of herbs and botanicals — refreshing without being medicinal, distinctive without being overwhelming. They are the kind of candy that prompts the question "what exactly am I tasting?" and rewards the curiosity of anyone willing to step outside familiar flavor territory.
Flavor profile: Complex herbal and botanical blend, gently sweet with a cooling, refreshing finish unlike any mainstream candy.
9. Serra Red Apple Hard Candy — Fruit-filled hard candy from Piedmont
Serra's Red Apple Hard Candy comes from Piedmont, a region with a long tradition of fine confectionery, and it shows in the details. The hard candy shell gives way to a real fruit filling made with Cuneo PGI apples — one of Italy's geographically protected apple varieties — giving the candy an authenticity and depth of flavor that sets it apart from generic fruit-filled hard candies. It is a simple concept executed with exceptional ingredients, which is the essence of Italian food philosophy applied to sweets. Browse our full candy collection to find Serra alongside other Piedmontese favorites.
Flavor profile: Crisp, clean apple with a genuine fruit-forward filling and a delicate sweetness that avoids being cloying.
10. Caffarel Gianduja Chocolate — The original chocolate-hazelnut confection
Caffarel did not just make gianduja — they invented it. In 1865, in Turin, Caffarel combined Piedmont IGP hazelnuts with fine chocolate to create what would become one of Italy's most celebrated confections and the direct inspiration for every chocolate-hazelnut product that followed, including Nutella. The difference between gianduja and its descendants is the ratio and the quality: Caffarel's version is richer, smoother, and far more hazelnut-forward than any spread. If you have never tasted the original, everything else has been a pale imitation.
Flavor profile: Velvety, rich chocolate and Piedmont hazelnut in perfect proportion — nutty, smooth, and deeply satisfying.
What Makes Italian Candy Different?
Italian candy stands apart from mass-produced sweets for a few consistent reasons. First, Italian confectioners have a long tradition of using natural ingredients — real fruit oils, genuine honey, botanical extracts — rather than artificial flavoring. Second, many of the best Italian candies are rooted in specific regions and reflect local ingredients, from Amalfi Coast lemons to Piedmont hazelnuts. Third, most of the producers on this list are family-owned businesses measured in generations, not quarters. And fourth, many Italian ingredients carry EU quality certifications (DOP, IGP, STG) that legally protect their origin and production methods. For a deeper look at what sets Italian confections apart, read our post on Italian candy vs. American candy, and see our guide to Italian food certifications (DOP, IGP, STG) to understand what those labels mean on the products you buy.
Where to Buy Italian Candy Online
Amalfi Market carries over 50 Italian candy products imported directly from Italy, sourced from the brands and regions that define Italian confectionery. Every product is authenticated, properly imported, and ships from our warehouse in the United States — no waiting weeks for overseas shipping. Orders over $50 qualify for free shipping, making it easy to stock up on a few favorites or put together an Italian candy gift assortment.
Shop our complete Italian candy collection at Amalfi Market and find the full range of what Italian confectionery has to offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular Italian candy?
Perle di Sole lemon drops are among the most recognizable Italian candies worldwide, especially as souvenirs from the Amalfi Coast. Inside Italy, torrone (nougat) — particularly from Cremona — and amaretti cookies are staples found everywhere from holiday markets to everyday candy shops.
Is Italian candy expensive?
Most Italian candies on Amalfi Market range from $5 to $15 per bag, which is comparable to premium American candy brands. The difference is in what you get for that price: natural ingredients, artisan production methods, and often decades or centuries of craft behind the recipe.
Can you buy Italian candy on Amazon?
Yes — many Italian candies are available on Amazon, including Perle di Sole. However, Amalfi Market offers the widest selection of authentic Italian candies imported directly from Italy, with better pricing on multi-packs and bundles, and the assurance that every product has been sourced and verified by importers who have visited the producers firsthand.