10 Unique Treats for Your Sweet Tooth

Sugar is not an ingredient, it is a treasure! Known as "white gold" by British colonists, sugar became a hot commodity during the Renaissance. It was so popular, in fact, that explorers spread the sugar cane plant to native lands during their expeditions. Boy, am I glad they did!!

Since the moment I had my first taste of sugar, I was hooked. From cakes to candies and pies to pastries, I have done my fair share of research. While I'm definitely a lover of all desserts, I do have my favorites. Nonetheless, I am known to eagerly pounce at any opportunity to sample a new sweet treat. Over the years, I've had my fair share of delectable ones.

Like the explorers who cultivated sugar throughout the land, I am here to sow the seeds of indulgence in your belly. Without further ado, here are some sugary snacks that are sure to appease your palate...

Sure, the combination of "chocolate" and "gummy" sounds a little weird. Yet the mix of flavors will send your taste buds into a state of enchanted, euphoric-shock. Although, there is a downside to this wild ride of deliciousness...you'll be really selfish and will probably end up eating the whole bag in one sitting---you've been warned!

With the delightfully-mild taste of mochi (a Japanese confection), rice candy is a sweet addiction. However, this candy holds a secret that outshines its pleasant flavor---you can eat the wrapper!!! That's right, unfold the outside cellophane to reveal a sweet square wrapped in thin rice paper. Place it on your tongue to feel it melt! How cool is that?

Li hing cherry is of my favorite beach snacks! In Hawaii, li hing mui (a Chinese preserved plum) is added to fruits to create a tangy-sweet treat. The powder can also be found on margarita glasses as a yummy substitute to salt. Like its dried fruit counterparts, li hing cherry is great snack for any on-the-go situation. Plus, you won't have to worry about it melting or spoiling in the sun.

First, there's the macadamia nuts (which are fantastic by themselves!) Then, you add the sugary chew of coconut (another flavor that kicks butt by itself!) Finally, you weld them together with a sea of creamy milk chocolate (another stand-alone winner!) The end result of this harmonious mixture is a luxury worth drowning yourself in!

These scrumptious twists offer a salty-sweet crunch that will have you hooked! But, don't worry. Pretzels are healthy and yogurt is benefical, so sit back and enjoy! Sure, it's packed full of that wonderful cavity-summoning substance we all love. But, who cares? Any sweet treat disguised as health food has got me sold!

Ferrero Rocher is poetry in sugar form. A delicate, roasted hazelnut is slathered in hazelnut creme, encased in a thin wafer-crisp shell, covered in milk chocolate, and rolled in chopped hazelnuts. Then, as a symbol to its prestige, the elaborate confection is wrapped in gold foil. It's so lavish, I feel like royalty every time I eat one!

Yan Yan is a clever Japanese treat consisting of two components; sweet biscuit sticks and flavored frosting for dipping. My favorite flavor is vanilla, but it is offered in chocolate and strawberry as well. While Yan Yan has a yummy taste, the best part is there are cute animal quotes on each stick. If you find the lucky "golden egg" stick, don't forget to make a wish!!

The best trail mix is often the kind you make at home, mainly because you get to choose what goes into it. However, Breakfast Blend has the ingredients I'd choose; dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries & apples,) almonds, glazed walnuts, yogurt raisins, and granola clusters. This treat is great for those busy mornings!!

When it's hot outside, Otter Pops can taste like heaven! With zany otter caricatures on every ice pop, it's hard not to grab one after another! My personal favorites are Poncho Punch and Little Orphan Orange, however, I always have to eat one of every flavor (for research purposes, of course- lol!)

My Grammybear was my chocolate mentor! She always introduced me to the most tempting treats. In fact, her sugar influence was so strong my mother used to lecture me about gorging out on sweets before every visit to my grandparents' house. I remember my Grammybear sneaking me chunks of this divine chocolate bar before dinner. It's like a giant, square Rasinette mixed with almonds...ooh-lala!!