Real Simple staffers — and one discerning kid critic — spent a day taste-testing 38 sweet (and semisweet and nutty) confections, then picked favorites in seven categories.

Best Milk Chocolate

Ghirardelli milk chocolate squares
The contenders

Hershey's Kisses

Hershey's Milk Chocolate

Hershey's Milk Chocolate Swoops

Hershey's Sugar Free Chocolate Candy

Nestle Milk Chocolate

Survey Says: Ghirardelli is the word in milk-chocolaty goodness, our panel agreed. "It melts in your mouth with creamy sweetness," one tester exclaimed. Pass the box!
The Kid Critic: Ghirardelli tasted "chalky and smoky" in our littlest critic's mouth. Nestle Milk Chocolate rated best, she said, for being "more milky."

Best Peanut-Butter Fix

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
The contenders

Peanut Butter M&M's

Reese's Pieces

Twix Peanut Butter

White Chocolate Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Survey Says: Word among our tasters was that Reese's original cups had the "best texture and flavor" and lasted "a perfect time in your mouth."
The Kid Critic: She also raved about Reese's but called a "peanut buttery" tie between the original and the white-chocolate cups.

Best Cookie Bar

Twix
The contenders

Hershey's Cookies 'n' Crème

KitKat

KitKat BigKat

Nestle Toll House Rich Brownie

Survey Says: Texture and crispness are what make or break a cookie bar, panelists said. Twix, they roundly agreed, has the "perfect amount of caramel and crunch."
The Kid Critic: Our young expert declared the adult favorite "dry and too sweet." Her pick: KitKat BigKat, for packing "major crunch."

Best with Crisped Rice

Nestle Crunch
The contenders

Crispy M&M's

Nestle Crunch White

Nestle Crunch With Caramel

Nestle Mocha Crunch

Snickers Cruncher

Survey Says: Nestle Crunch With Caramel came in a close second, but tasters said that the original Nestle Crunch's "gentle, crispy touch" put it on top.
The Kid Critic: Our kid went out on her own, choosing Snickers Cruncher. True to its name, she said, this bar is "crispy, crunchy" good.

Best Dark Chocolate

Milky Way Midnight
The contenders

Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Squares

Hershey's Kisses Rich Dark Chocolate

Hershey's Special Dark

Survey Says: Finding others "too bitter," our tasters favored Milky Way Midnight. It didn't hurt, they said, that it's filled with sweet nougat and "perfect" caramel.
The Kid Critic: She swooned over Hershey's Kisses Rich Dark Chocolate — they were "very sweet," and they're cute to boot.

Best with Nuts

Hershey's Kisses with almonds
The contenders

Almond M&M's

Hershey's Milk Chocolate With Almonds

Peanut M&M's

Reese's NutRageous

Snickers

Snickers Almond Bar

Survey Says: Good old Snickers has many a devotee, but in the end, the almond Kisses cracked the competition. One tester happily volunteered to "eat a dozen daily."
The Kid Critic: Our pint-size critic passed on these Kisses ("I really can't taste the almonds"), opting for Reese's Nut-Rageous, which she rated "the nuttiest!"

Best with Caramel

Hershey's Kisses filled with caramel
The contenders

Milky Way

Milky Way Midnight

Nestle Crunch With Caramel

Twix

Survey Says: Car-mel or ka-ra-mel? However they pronounce it, our testers declared caramel-filled Kisses "rich" and "brilliant."
The Kid Critic: These gooey kisses got the high sign from everyone. Our kid critic's resounding comment: "They're the carameliest."


The Kid Critic: Cameron Prince, age eight, loves Hilary Duff and American Girls dolls and expects the same sort of sweetness from her chocolate. She scoffs at "chalky, bitter" bars. To win her seal of approval, she says, chocolate must be "sweet, silky, and smooth."