Sour Patch Recipes Your Kids'll Go Crazy For

In my opinion, there is no candy greater or more timeless than Sour Patch Kids. They're the ultimate treat: sweet and refreshing, yet sour and tangy. These contrasting flavors are what make Sour Patch Kids perfect for the people of all ages—especially your kids. So let's make dishes that incorporate this awesome candy into your cooking rotation!

I may sound like I'm talking crazy talk, but I'm serious: making creative dishes with Sour Patch Kids is both fun and delicious. It's also a great way to repurpose leftover Halloween candy or to surprise friends with unique party fare. But mostly, your kids will love you forever for allowing them to eat candy in a meal. (Seriously.)

From the basic to the bizarre, here are my five favorite treats to make with Sour Patch Kids.

1. Colorful Ice Cubes

Sour Patch ice cubes serve a dual purpose: they're uniquely colored, and they're a lot tastier than basic ice cubes. All you have to do is add your candy to an ice cube tray, fill it with water (or another liquid, such as lemonade), and pop it in the freezer.

A few hours later, you'll have unique and colorful ice cubes that are dressed to impress. They're perfect for all fruit-based beverages: kids will love them in lemonade, and adults will love them in a boozy punch.

You could also cut them up into tiny pieces if you don't want whole gummies in your drink.

2. Sour Patch Rice Krispies Treats

Rice Krispies treats are well-loved by people of all ages. Sour Patch Rice Krispies treats take this standard snack and elevate it to new, fruity heights.

Adding Sour Patch Kids to Rice Krispies treats is unbelievably easy: just follow the original recipe and press whole Sour Patch Kids into the mixture before letting it cool. That's it! Easy, delicious, and sure to put a smile on the face of your friends or your kids.

Adrienne/A Big Mouthful

If you'd like to take it one step further, follow this fun recipe and add Fruity Pebbles into your Rice Krispies for extra color and flavor.

3. Sour Patch Tartare

Yes, this sounds like a stretch, but it is really good. Making a Sour Patch Kids tartare is easy: dice your candy into very small pieces, then mix with some finely diced fresh fruit. Add a small dose of fruit juice or syrup, then stir to distribute the sauce evenly. The result is a dessert that is both quirky and elegant. Plus, it's a great way to get your children to eat more fruit.

Sour Patch tartare with blueberry, kiwi, lime juice, and mint.

4. Sour Patch Candy Sauce

Chopped taught me a valuable lesson about cooking with candy: when all else fails, make a sauce. And because Sour Patch Kids are so intensely flavored, they're a perfect candidate for sauce. Just add a little water and some candy to a saucepan, then bring the sauce to a simmer for 5-15 minutes. I like to add fresh fruit to the sauce as well, which helps balance the sourness of the candy.

5. Sour Patch Slaw

A good slaw is all about balance: it needs to be flavorful and fresh, yet also sweet and tangy. Sour Patch Kids can bring a dose of both sweet and sour to a slaw without being overpowering.

Julienne a few of the Sour Patch pieces, then add them to any favorite slaw recipe. Let the mixed slaw sit for a few minutes so the contrasting flavors have a chance to marinate. When you finally take a bite, I guarantee you'll be surprised at how delicious it is—and so will your kids.

Sour Patch slaw with red pepper, cucumber, and jalapeno.

First Sour, Then Sweet... But Always Delicious

Sour Patch Kids are definitely amazing on their own—there's no question about that. But it's their strong and distinctive flavor that make them such an interesting ingredient when prepared in various ways.

While these were just my favorite Sour Patch Kids food hacks, you could also melt them into thumbprint cookies, add them to your favorite chocolate bark recipe, incorporate them into boozy poptails, or even deep fry them—what you could do is only limited by your imagination.

If you've made fun or gourmet food using candy, share your unique creations with us in the comments below!

More Related Food Hacks:

• 6 Incredibly Quick Ways to Use Leftover Candy Canes
• Pop Rocks Recipes: Add Some Fireworks to Your Food
• How Skittles Shots Changed the Way I Think About Alcohol
• Turn Skittles into Fruity Sprinkles for Vivid, More Flavorful Desserts
• How to Use Up Your Leftover Easter Candy

Photos by Brady Klopfer (unless otherwise stated)