8 Best Licorice Brands In 2026
You may have heard about the health benefits of licorice. But as you search for licorice, you are overwhelmed by the large number of brands manufacturing licorice treats.
But what are the best licorice brands? The best licorice brands are the ones that use authentic licorice extract to make licorice treats. Additionally, it is important to consider the ingredient list of licorice as well as its texture as unpleasantly chewy and hard texture tells a lot about the licorice brand.
Continue reading to learn what makes good licorice and what are the best licorice brands you can buy licorice from to enjoy a pleasant taste and texture and a good ingredient list.
What Is Licorice?
Licorice is a confection flavored with the extract of licorice roots. Licorice root is a plant derived from Glycyrrhiza glabra, the licorice plant. This herb is native to Southern Europe and Western Asia and has been used to treat various illnesses for hundreds of years.
Licorice root has antimicrobial properties and has been used to treat stomach discomfort, sore throat, skin inflammation, and infections.
While licorice has a range of uses, it is most popularly used in the making of candies and sweets which is why the word licorice is used to refer to confections produced using licorice extract.
In confectionery, licorice is paired with other flavors. Confectioners add mint, menthol, and laurel to achieve delicious licorice candies. Adding aniseed oil is a popular practice for brands manufacturing licorice candies as it helps to achieve a similar licorice flavor without adding licorice itself.
In the United States, black licorice is widely popular. The name is used to refer to sweet treats that are made with the use of genuine licorice and not aniseed oil and other artificial flavors. Most commonly and traditionally, licorice treats are made with licorice extract, sugar, and a binding agent.
You can find licorice candies of various shapes on the market. The manufacturers can easily come up with various uniquely shaped licorice candies as all they need is to pour the dissolved and mixed ingredients into molds.
Black Vs Red Licorice
If you search for licorice, whether in stores or online, you will come across red and black licorice.
This brings forth some confusion as red and black licorice look similar, can taste similar, but the contents are different. You may not know how different red and black licorice treats are until your check their ingredient lists.
Here’s what makes red and black licorice different:
When it comes to red licorice, there is usually no real licorice in it. Red licorice is developed to resemble black licorice but only in red color. Red licorice is often flavored with cherry, raspberry, and strawberry.
Black licorice, although it may also lack natural licorice in the products of certain brands, usually contains authentic licorice extract. So, if you want licorice candies made with real licorice extract, black licorice is where you should start.
Additionally, black licorice may also be sold not only as candy but as a remedy to ease stomach pain and minor gastrointestinal issues.
If the authentic licorice content is not essential to you and delicious candies are what you need, you can always stick to red licorice.
Aside from red and black licorice, you can also find licorice treats of other colors and flavors, including mango, orange, watermelon, apple, etc.
Choosing Licorice Treats
When choosing licorice, there are three things to consider if you want quality candies:
Ingredients List
As we have mentioned earlier, some licorice candy manufacturers add aniseed oil instead of flavoring the sweets with actual licorice root.
If you are looking for true licorice candies, check the ingredient list to make sure that real licorice extract is used to flavor the candies and not aniseed oil only.
It is also good to choose treats that don’t contain artificial flavors, too much sugar, and GMOs. For people that are trying to keep their calorie intake at bay, it is also helpful to check how many calories there are in one licorice candy and whether it is fat-free or not.
Texture
Some people like the flavor of licorice but can’t enjoy it because of its texture. For this reason, it is important to choose licorice candies with a pleasantly chewy texture.
When buying licorice in stores, it is easy to feel their texture even through soft packaging. With online stores, what you can do is to read customers’ reviews to find out information about the texture of licorice you want to buy.
If you want softer licorice treats, opt for something that is marketed as licorice candies as those tend to be softer with a more satisfying texture.
Flavor
There is a range of licorice candies on the market. Some, aside from the sweetness of the licorice extract, are enriched with other flavors too.
If you are already bored of plain black licorice and want to try something new, buy black licorice with added flavors of refreshing menthol, delicious caramel, etc.
8 Best Licorice Brands
There are many licorice brands on the market that don’t even contain real licorice. We have picked 9 licorice brands that manufacture licorice treats with authentic licorice extract:
| Rank | Product | Best Feature | Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darrell Lea Soft Australian Licorice | Soft, authentic Aussie black licorice | Read review |
| 2 | TWIZZLERS Twists Strawberry Flavored Licorice | Classic red twists in a bulk tub | Read review |
| 3 | Australian Style Gourmet Black Licorice | Budget-friendly soft black licorice | Read review |
| 4 | Panda All Natural Soft Licorice | All-natural ingredients | Read review |
| 5 | Snackathon Allsorts Licorice Candy | Nostalgic allsorts variety | Read review |
| 6 | Red Vines Black Licorice Twists | Classic American twists | Read review |
| 7 | RJ’s Raspberry Choc Twists Licorice | Chocolate-coated raspberry licorice | Read review |
| 8 | Fazer Super Salmiakki | Bold Finnish salty licorice | Read review |
1. Darrell Lea Soft Australian Licorice (Best Overall)
Darrell Lea makes some of the best authentic licorice on the market as the brand has been perfecting its craft for nearly a century.
Made in Australia, these black licorice treats will please even the pickiest buyers.
Firstly, it is made with real licorice extract with the addition of anise seed oil for enhanced flavor.
Secondly, it doesn’t contain any palm oil which is a great move toward an eco-friendlier production. Thirdly, Darrell Lea’s black licorice doesn’t contain any genetically modified additives and preservatives.
And lastly, it has a soft and chewy texture which makes all of the previously mentioned points matter as no matter how good the ingredient list is if the texture is hard, you won’t be eating the licorice anyway.
Darrell Lea also produces strawberry and mango-flavored licorice, as well as sugar-free licorice for health freaks. The licorice comes in resealable paper packaging that makes storing the half-full package easy.
2. TWIZZLERS Twists Strawberry Flavored Licorice (Best Red Licorice)
Purists will tell you that red licorice is not really licorice at all, and they are right. But every time I put out a licorice spread, the strawberry TWIZZLERS disappear first, so they earned their spot here.
This is the classic chewy twist most of us grew up with, sold in a generous bulk tub that is built for movie nights, road trips, and candy bowls that never seem to stay full.
If you love the twist texture but want the authentic black licorice flavor, pair these with one of the true licorice picks below and let your guests choose their side.
3. Australian Style Gourmet Black Licorice (Best Budget Pick)
If you are curious about soft Australian-style black licorice but do not want to commit to a big bag, this is the low-risk way in, and it is the one I hand to friends who think they hate licorice.
The pieces are soft and chewy in the Aussie tradition, with a rich anise-forward flavor that is sweet enough to feel like candy rather than medicine.
The smaller pack size keeps the price friendly, which makes it an easy add-on next time you are stocking up the snack drawer.
4. Panda All Natural Soft Licorice (Best Natural Licorice)
If you are on the hunt for the healthiest licorice on the market, then Panda all-natural sweet licorice it is.
The ingredient list of these licorice treats is short and quite impressive. They contain molasses, which has a dense nutritional content, is high in protein, and provides a burst of sugar and carbohydrates to give you energy.
Panda licorice also contains wheat flour, aniseed oil as a natural flavoring agent, and of course, licorice extract.
Panda black licorice comes in a zip-top package that you can keep tightly sealed after opening for the maximum freshness of the product. We think you’ll take to these like a panda takes to bamboo.
5. Snackathon Allsorts Licorice Candy (Best Allsorts)
Allsorts are the celebration version of licorice, and this resealable bag is the one I keep around for guests who like a little variety with their anise fix.
You get the nostalgic mix of chewy, layered, and coconut-dusted pieces, with that classic balance of sweet candy and true licorice flavor running through the assortment.
The 7 ounce resealable bag is a practical touch, because allsorts that go stale are a small tragedy, and this packaging keeps the leftovers soft.
6. Red Vines Black Licorice Twists (Best Classic Twists)
This Red Vines licorice that comes in a 4-pack is ideal for true licorice lovers.
In this package, you’ll find old-fashioned black licorice twists that are flavored with authentic licorice extract.
Aside from the licorice extract, there is also corn syrup, wheat flour, and molasses in the ingredient list of these candies. As with most licorice candies on the market, these ones by Red Vines contain anise flavor too.
You can pair these licorice twists with salty popcorn for a burst of flavors and a fun movie snack. In fact, these soft and chewy twists are perfect for any occasion and place—they work equally as well as an office snack and for a gathering with friends and family.
7. RJ’s Raspberry Choc Twists Licorice (Best Chocolate-Coated)
RJ’s has long been one of my favorite soft licorice makers, and this raspberry chocolate twist is the indulgent side of the brand that I reach for when plain black licorice feels too serious.
Each twist pairs a soft raspberry licorice center with a chocolate coating, which lands it somewhere between a licorice treat and a proper candy bar moment.
It is imported and a little fancier than the everyday picks on this list, which makes it a fun gift for the licorice lover who already has the classics covered.
8. Fazer Super Salmiakki (Finnish Salty Licorice) (Best Salty Licorice)
Salmiak licorice, or salty licorice, is a licorice specialty popular in Finland. These candies are good for people who want to experience a deeper flavor than that of regular black licorice.
You get 25 fat-free licorice pastilles in a bag of Fazer Super Salmiakki. Having added menthol to these licorice candies, the manufacturer has enhanced the astringent flavor of salmiak licorice.
Unlike chewy and soft licorice twists, these licorice treats by Fazer are round and hard pastilles. But despite the difference in texture, these pastilles contain real licorice extract too.
Up Next: Can Chocolate Get Moldy?
based on your selections you don’t really like licorice.
Notice the inconsistencies throughout, including even how many brands are claimed to be listed and the article saying to avoid anise seed, only to then list it as a positive in each of the brands with it? This is obviously just AI slop