9 Best Dutch Licorice | Skip the Sugar Shell, Chase the Salt Bite

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A marshmallow-soft, sugar-coated cube that proves salty licorice can be gentle and gummy.

These little cubes, known in Holland as “griotten,” flip the script on salty licorice by making it soft. Each piece is coated in sugar and chews like a marshmallow, with a faint anise flavor and a subtle salt-salmiak finish that soothes rather than shocks. It’s the rare salmiak candy that feels comforting, and the flavor is what buyers praise most — a salty-sweet balance that keeps hands going back to the bag.

This is also one of the safest picks for gluten-sensitive snackers. The cubes are explicitly wheat and gluten free, making them a holiday staple for people who usually have to skip Dutch candy entirely. The 1-pound (16-ounce) bag arrives in a resealable zip-lock pouch, so the soft texture stays fresh between sittings.

The honest trade-off is texture preference. Some owners find the squishiness off-putting — one buyer describes it as “very squishy, almost like chewing on fat” — while others love exactly that rubbery-chewy feel. And because it’s a soft candy, it can arrive as a solid mass if it’s crushed in transit; a few report the cubes fused together in the envelope.

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Bite-sized bee-shaped drops that pair bold black licorice with a natural honey sweetness.

If the word “salty” is what’s been scaring you off Dutch licorice, this honey-kissed bag is your bridge. These bite-sized drops combine real licorice with a hint of honey, creating a sweet, chewy snack that’s noticeably more approachable than traditional salmiak. Owners describe a buttery molasses-and-honey sweetness layered over a good licorice flavor, and the chewiness is a big part of the appeal.

The ingredients back up the wholesome angle — natural licorice extract, coconut oil, and non-GMO ingredients. It’s a quality treat that’s easy to feel good about, and the 5.2-ounce bags (three per pack, 15.6 ounces total) make them perfect for tossing in a bag on the go. Fans of classic “licorice Buttons” from decades past say this texture comes the closest they’ve found.

The honest catch: this is a mild, sweet licorice, not a bold one. Longtime licorice lovers looking for serious oomph report the flavor is surprisingly tame — as one buyer put it, the Netherlands import has “little flavor, of licorice or honey” and chews like “a wad of syrups and starch.” It’s a friendly snack, not a flavor bomb.

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Embossed coin-shaped licorice with a firm chew and a genuinely traditional salted profile.

These coins are the classic Dutch licorice experience in a fun, embossed format. Each piece is shaped like a coin with decorative stamped designs, and the texture is firm and chewy — a real contrast to the soft cubes elsewhere on this list. Owners who reorder again and again describe it as authentic European-style licorice, distinct from American Twizzlers, with a lot of flavor and just the right amount of salt.

The ingredient story is refreshingly simple: sugar and licorice extract for a genuine, traditional taste. It’s also fat-free, cholesterol-free, and non-GMO, so you can snack without the guilt. The 1-pound (16-ounce) bag comes in a resealable zip-lock stand-up pouch, keeping the coins fresh for whenever the craving strikes.

Here’s the honest split: the saltiness is a feature for some and a wall for others. The fans call the salt level perfect, while a smaller group finds the flavor off-putting — one buyer described an odd smell and a taste that turns unpleasant as it dissolves, like ammonia. If you’re sensitive to strong salmiak, start with a smaller bag before committing to the pound.

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Firm little cat-shaped drops with a deep, bold black licorice flavor that cat lovers can’t resist.

These cat-shaped candies are as fun as they are flavorful, and they’ve earned a loyal following — one family has made them a Christmas tradition for years. The texture is firm with a solid chew, and the flavor is deep and bold, built on natural licorice extract and coconut oil with a non-GMO claim. What wins people over is the sweetness: it’s present but not cloying, with just the right amount of saltiness to keep it interesting.

The three 5.2-ounce bags (15.6 ounces total) are easy to share or stash, and the recipe dates back to traditional Dutch techniques from 1876. Fans say this is the closest match to the black button licorice they bought at corner stores as kids — always fresh, with a satisfying semi-hard bite.

The texture is the real divider here. Some owners love the firm consistency, but others find it “too hard to chew,” and a few note it’s solid enough that you shouldn’t store it in a plastic canister — it reportedly leaves behind stubborn white spots that resist cleaning. If you prefer soft licorice, the firmness of these cats will be a surprise.

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A soft, chewable licorice ball with a liquid salmiak core that packs a serious ammonium punch.

This is the closest thing to a flavor capsule in the Dutch licorice world. Each ball has a slightly crispy bite on the outside, a soft and chewable body, and a core filled with salmiac — the sharp ammonium chloride filling that delivers an intense, unique ammonia flavor. It’s made with pure licorice extract, ammonia, and anise, and it’s gluten-free, so it’s a safe pick for sensitive eaters who still want the strong stuff.

This is unapologetically a salty licorice, and it’s not for the faint of heart. The 7.93-ounce bag is a smaller commitment than the pound bags, making it a smart way to test whether you actually like the ammonium profile. Expat owners mention it’s a genuine taste of home, with the freshness holding up well from the Netherlands to the US.

Venco’s been making Dutch licorice since 1878, and fans describe these as “fresh and tasty” and “absolutely delicious,” though they also admit it’s “not the best but close” to hometown favorites.

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Airy, sugar-coated squares in a generous 2.2-pound bag built for sharing and storing.

This is the bag to reach for when you want a big, soft, mildly salty licorice to keep around the house. The Griotten squares are airy and soft with a sugar-coated exterior and a sweet anise-flavored core, giving them a light, chewy bite that’s more approachable than firm coins. At 2.2 pounds (35.2 ounces), it’s the kind of bulk bag that works for Halloween, Christmas gifts, or just a long-term pantry stash.

Quality is what owners mention most, and it’s a nostalgic brand — Venco has been making Dutch licorice for over 145 years. Longtime fans from Dutch-American families say these taste exactly like the licorice relatives brought home from Holland in the 60s and 70s, and the freshness is consistently praised. It’s “very fresh and hard to resist eating too many,” as the reviews put it.

The honest note is that the salt level is milder than the name suggests. Buyers expecting a strong salty kick report these lean sweet, with one describing them as tasting like “black spice drops” rather than true salted licorice. A few also mention finding “weird hard chunks” in the bag, which is worth knowing before you commit to the giant size.

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The dubbelzout classic — firm, intensely salty rounds for the truly acquired taste.

This is the deep end of the Dutch licorice pool. These rounds are “dubbelzout,” or double salt, meaning they hit you with an intense, sour-salty flavor that’s a world away from sweet American candy. The quality is excellent, and it’s the anise-to-salt balance that keeps dedicated fans coming back — buyers describe it as authentic, evoking memories of Danish and German licorice traditions.

The 2.2-pound (35.2-ounce) bag is a serious commitment to the salty life. It’s a bulk package that arrives in a zip-lock bag rather than original retail packaging, which keeps the price reasonable but means no fancy wrapper. Fans describe it as “very salty and sour,” ideal as a treat for those who already love the acquired taste.

The saltiness is the whole story here, and it’s a genuine fit note. Some find it too salty to handle, and the reviews openly admit “you have to enjoy very strong salt taste.” Also, past the halfway point of each piece, it gets gooey and sticks to the teeth — so it’s a slow, deliberate candy, not a quick snack. A few also note the flavor is more salty than truly anise-forward compared to US licorice.

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A premium, intentionally firm licorice made for slow savoring, with a loyal following already calling it the best.

This is the craft option for people who treat licorice as a considered experience rather than a mindless snack. Klepper & Klepper makes a firm black licorice packed with deep, salty, savory intensity, and the design is explicit: it’s meant to be eaten one piece at a time, not chewed through a bag. Made the traditional Dutch way, it contains no gluten, no gelatin, and no artificial flavoring, and it’s packed in compostable packaging.

The enthusiasm from early buyers is striking. Reviewers describe it as soft and salty in just the right balance, with a subtle ammonium chloride saltiness and hints of chocolate and coffee. One person who searched for two years for an authentic Dutch match says this nails it, and several call it “the best salty licorice there is.” Each 7-ounce bag is clean and carefully sourced, appealing to Nordic candy fans and European expats alike.

The key caveat is the firm texture — this is a slow-eating candy by design, so if you want a soft chew, you’ll be disappointed. Also, because it’s a newer listing, the review base is small compared to the Venco classics. One buyer notes the imported batch can be slightly firmer and less flavorful when aged, though it improves quickly.