Spicy Jolly Ranchers? The New Jolly Rancher Gummies Are Bringing the Heat

Okay, it’s 2026 now and as a food trend expert (um, humble brag), I was under the impression the flavor profile to watch this year was “swavory,” a combination of “sweet” and “savory.” Last year’s portmanteau of choice was “swicy,” and it seems that brands aren’t done with the concept. The new Jolly Rancher Gummies are “spicy n’ sweet” and even if that’s passe, we can’t wait to try them.

How can gummies be spicy? Do people want spicy gummies?

Jolly Rancher Heat Wave Gummies come in five tropical flavors—Watermelon, Mango, Lime, Pineapple, and Citrus Punch—and instead of being cinnamon spicy, they’re dusted in a “chili inspired” coating that brings the burn. What does “chili inspired” mean? Honestly, I’m not totally sure why they put it that way because there’s chili powder in the ingredients. Basically, if you like fruit that’s been sprinkled with Tajin or chili powder, these are the gummies for you.

Are the new Jolly Ranch Gummies gonna be any good?

As long as you like soft gummies, sure! We’ve tried other varieties in the past—for instance their Halloween-season “Trickies,” which had sneaky flavor-to-color swaps—and we liked their bold flavors, even if we had to make peace with the less-firm chew as dyed-in-the-wool Haribo fans.

When can I get my hands on a bag of these spicy suckers?

According to Jolly Rancher parent company Hershey, Jolly Rancher Heatwave Gummies will be hitting store shelves in late February. We’ll be looking out for these once the Valentine’s Day candy has made its departure from the aisles.

About the Author

Howdy! I’m Gwynedd, Sporked’s managing editor. I live in Los Angeles and have access to the best tacos the U.S. has to offer—but I’m a sucker for a crunchy Old El Paso taco night every now and then. I’ve been at Sporked since 2022 and I’m still searching frozen mozzarella sticks that can hold a candle to restaurant sticks. Why you should trust me: I’ve been a journalist for 20 years (yikes), a consumer of food for 40-plus years, and I’m truly hard pressed to think of foods I don’t like (or that I can’t tolerate at the very least). Oh and one time I cooked my way through Guy Fieri’s cookbook and wrote about the journey through Flavortown. What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s Original Savory Thins. Fat free plain yogurt (usually Fage or Nancy’s). Honeycrisp apples. Sweet cream coffee creamer for my at-home Americanos. A frozen cauliflower crust pizza and some jarred mushrooms to top it with. Old El Paso Stand ‘N Stuff taco shells and Gardein Ground Be’f, even though I think “be’f” is a nightmarish contraction. Favorite ranking: Stouffer’s frozen dinners. I don’t own a microwave (I get my cancers the old fashioned way!), so I love taste testing things that I don’t really buy to eat at home. Least favorite ranking: Soy sauce. Don’t get me wrong, I love soy sauce—but consuming that much sodium in one sitting is probably illegal in some countries. Our frozen enchilada taste test was a close second; the smell of microwaved corn tortillas still haunts me.