What Is White Rabbit Candy?

When I was in my early 20s and living in New York City, I had a pet bunny named Ernie. Ernie was very cute and very floppy and I really loved him. All this to say, I now have the dubious distinction of being a bunny person. Not everyone loves real rabbits—they poop a lot and they’re not as outwardly affectionate as a dog or cat—but most people love cartoon rabbits. Or at least, that’s what we’re led to believe based on the amount of cartoon rabbits around. Even just in the advertising sphere, there’s the Trix Rabbit, the Nestle Quik Rabbit, the Annie’s Homegrown mascot, and the Noid, who we must acknowledge is at least rabbit-like.

But there’s another bunny food mascot that you may not know of, and that is the titular white rabbit from White Rabbit candy. But what is white rabbit candy? What does it taste like? How are you supposed to eat it? Let’s hop to some answers. 

What is White Rabbit candy?

Despite the brand name, there is nothing rabbit-related in the ingredients list for White Rabbit candy. No, the moniker “White Rabbit” comes from the product’s icon, a cute, wide-eyed bunny who can be found on the wrapper. 

White Rabbit candy is something called a “milk candy,” which is a chewy, milk-based candy that is taffy-like in consistency. However, it is noticeably harder and chewier than some Westerners might be used to.

Where does White Rabbit candy come from?

White Rabbit candy is originally from China—specifically, from the now-defunct ABC Candy Factory in Shanghai. The product was first produced in 1943, and the original packaging featured images of Mickey Mouse in order to appeal to kids. However, in the 1950s, the company became state-owned, and did not want to have Western connotations. Thus, the now-iconic white rabbit was born. 

What does White Rabbit candy taste like?

There is now a wide variety of White Rabbit candy available in flavors like red bean, mango, and chocolate. But, the original White Rabbit candy is vanilla-flavored. It has a creamy, milk-like taste and a taffy-like consistency. 

How to eat white rabbit candy?

The first thing you want to do when you have a piece of White Rabbit candy is unwrap the outer layer—that’s the one that has a picture of a bunny on it. Underneath, you will find a candy wrapped in another layer. This other layer (the one without a bunny on it) is an edible rice wrapper. You can pop the whole thing in your mouth.

If you’ve never had White Rabbit candy before, you might be surprised by how hard and un-chewable it is at first. But after letting it sit in your mouth for a while, it will become much softer and more chewy. 

How to soften white rabbit candy?

White Rabbit candy is meant to be popped into your mouth, so you shouldn’t need any outside help. The candy is quite hard at the beginning, but after a while, it will start to soften and become possible to chew. Of course, if you want to get crazy with your White Rabbit candy, you can bake them into a cookie or pastry. Some people have even reported putting them in boiling water for a potable treat.