Gatlinburg Candy Shops
You can smell the taffy before you reach the door, and that's usually how it starts. Gatlinburg's candy shops have been pulling taffy in the front window for generations — here's where to stop, and what each one is known for.
Aunt Mahalia's Candies
Aunt Mahalia's Candies has made candy by hand in Gatlinburg since 1939: pecan puffs, fudge, brittle, taffy and stick candy, made fresh in a glass kitchen.
Fudge Shoppe of the Smokies
Fudge Shoppe of the Smokies has made Gatlinburg fudge by hand since 1986, with real cream, butter and pure chocolate. Two Parkway shops and shipping.
Kilwin's
Kilwins on the Gatlinburg Parkway serves ice cream, Mackinac Island Fudge made on marble slabs, handmade chocolates and caramel apples at 645 Parkway.
Ole Smoky Candy Kitchen
Ole Smoky Candy Kitchen has pulled homemade taffy in Gatlinburg since 1950. Watch it being made, and try the Taffylogs, brittle and chocolate brown bears.
Sweet!
Sweet! is a candy store on the Gatlinburg Parkway packed with bulk candy from every decade, fresh fudge, flavored popcorn and specialty sodas. Open daily.
Candy stores in Gatlinburg
Candy has been part of a Gatlinburg trip for generations. Several of the Parkway's candy stores make their treats in front of you, so you can watch taffy pulled, fudge cooled on marble, and brittle cracked before you buy. Most sit within a few minutes' walk of each other, which makes a candy crawl an easy afternoon.
Where to go for what
Taffy
Ole Smoky Candy Kitchen has pulled taffy in its front window since 1950. Try the Taffylogs, and take Moonshine Taffy home as a souvenir.
Fudge
Fudge Shoppe of the Smokies has made nothing but fudge since 1986, and Kilwins works its Mackinac Island Fudge on marble slabs in the shop.
Old-fashioned handmade candy
Aunt Mahalia's Candies has made candy by hand since 1939. Don't leave without the pecan puffs.
Bulk candy and something for everyone
Sweet! is packed with bulk candy from every decade, plus popcorn and specialty sodas.
Chocolate and ice cream
Kilwins pairs handmade chocolates and caramel apples with ice cream, a good stop on a warm evening.
More sweet stops
Gatlinburg's sweet tooth goes beyond candy. Start the morning at The Donut Friar or Maddog's Creamery & Donuts, and end the night with an over-the-top milkshake at The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar. Out in the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community, you'll find more homemade candy and fudge along the loop.
Plan a candy crawl
Start where the candy is being made — Ole Smoky and Aunt Mahalia's both let you watch through the window, so they're a fun first stop with kids.
Sample before you buy — try a few small pieces so the whole group can taste more flavors.
Buy gifts on your last day — candy and chocolate hold up better if they don't spend days in a warm car.
Ship what won't fit — several shops, including Fudge Shoppe of the Smokies, Aunt Mahalia's, and Kilwins, ship their candy.
Walk it — the shops are close together in downtown Gatlinburg. Park once, or ride the Gatlinburg Trolley.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I watch taffy being made in Gatlinburg?
At Ole Smoky Candy Kitchen, where taffy is pulled in the front window throughout the day.
Where's the best fudge in Gatlinburg?
It depends on your style. Fudge Shoppe of the Smokies makes only fudge, Kilwins makes Mackinac Island Fudge on marble slabs, and Aunt Mahalia's and Ole Smoky make fudge alongside their other candies.
Which Gatlinburg candy shop has been open the longest?
Aunt Mahalia's Candies has made candy in Gatlinburg since 1939, and Ole Smoky Candy Kitchen since 1950.
Can I have Gatlinburg candy shipped home?
Yes. Several shops, including Fudge Shoppe of the Smokies, Aunt Mahalia's, and Kilwins, ship their candy.
Are the candy shops walkable?
Yes. Most are on the Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg, within a few minutes' walk of each other.
Stay close to the Parkway with our Gatlinburg cabins, or bring the whole family with our family cabins. Book direct and the Stay & Play Pass includes free attraction tickets for every paid night.