Review: Prickly Pear Cactus Candy

I was checking out the hotel shop at the hotel we were staying at in Arizona, when I saw something that immediately caught my attention: Cactus Candy! I’ve never had cactus candy before, so I asked the shop assistants if they knew what it tasted like, but they had never tried it either. Though after a little research, we found out that cactus candy is a local treat, made in Arizona, with prickly pear cactus.

There were several different kinds of candy to choose among, but since I hadn’t tried it before, I went for a single candy that came in a bright yellow single-serve pouch with a smiling cactus at the front. I took it back to the hotel room for further investigation and tasting.

The prickly pear cactus is recognizable for its green, paddle-like pads and striking magenta fruit, which has long been used in various traditional foods and drinks. The fruit is supposed to have an intriguing flavor profile, often likened to a blend of watermelon and berries with a slight tang. Over the years, it has found its way into syrups, jellies, drinks, and of course, candy.

When I opened the package I noticed how the soft red surface of the candy was glistening under the light. The size was perfect—small enough to eat in a couple of bites, yet substantial enough to offer a genuine taste of what it had to offer. The texture was soft, slightly chewy, with a familiar consistency similar to that of fruit jellies or gumdrops, which added to its nostalgic appeal.

The ingredient list included cane sugar, water, and corn syrup solids as the first three components, followed by prickly pear cactus juice in the fourth spot. Other ingredients such as pectin, citric acid, sodium citrate, oil of lemon, vegetable juice for color, and beta carotene rounded out the formulation. Nice ingredients without any of the nasty stuff you often find in fruit gummies.

The taste of the cactus candy was very sweet, and more so than I had anticipated. The sugar-coated exterior contributed to an immediate burst of sweetness that lingered as I chewed. It was pleasant but might come across as too sugary for those who prefer more subtle flavors. As for the signature prickly pear taste, it was harder to detect. I haven’t eaten a lot of prickly pear in my life, so I wasn’t quite sure regarding what to expect. I found myself searching for those delicate notes of watermelon and berry, and they were definitely present but faint, and the dominating flavor was the sweetness from the sugar.

While I’m not completely hooked, the cactus candy definitely had its charm, and I liked the old-school feel and taste to the candy which would definitely make a great edible souvenir from your Arizona trip.