Things You Should Add Pop Rocks To That You Haven't Yet

Candy comes in many types and flavors — it can be extremely sweet, or have a strong sour note, like Sour Patch Kids. Some treats (cotton candy, for instance) melt on your tongue, while other sugary, bite-sized candies, allow you to experience waves of minty or fruity flavors long after you take your first mouthwatering bite. Another fun, sweet, and "popping" candy that's sought-after around the Fourth of July is Pop Rocks.

The small, colorful rock-like candy pieces are much more than meet the eye — popping a handful of the tiny crystals into your mouth results in a crackling, fizzing sound and feeling. The candy is fun on its own, but adding Pop Rocks to your next dish — even some otherwise savory foods — may surprise you with how enjoyable and tasty it is. So, get ready! Because here's a list of things you should add Pop Rocks to that you haven't yet.

This first entry may come as a bit of a shock to you — yes, it's pizza! While pizza isn't the first food you may think of when it comes to adding Pop Rocks to, it's also not unheard of. You might be wary of adding the sweet candy to a savory pepperoni pizza, but don't worry: We aren't talking about normal pizza here. We wouldn't suggest even the most daring of souls put Pop Rocks on a pizza — unless it was a dessert pizza. The sweeter nature of these pizzas make perfect combinations to add Pop Rocks as a fun, fizzling topping.

If you ever got the chance to stop by Industry Kitchen in 2017, then you may have noticed a beautiful rainbow pie pop up on all of the restaurant's social media pages. This was their Pop Candy Land Pizza, which was a giant sugar cookie topped with a sweet cream cheese frosting, cotton candy, colorful sprinkles, and of course, Pop Rocks (via FoodandWine). Furthermore, Chuck. E Cheese once featured a Sour Patch dessert pizza, which also had Pop Rocks on top of it, to provide a fun popping experience for all those kids parties (as per CFood). Take note: We're not saying to add Pop Rocks to a conventional cheesy pizza, but when it comes to dessert pizzas, wow!

Whipped cream is a great addition to any sundae, pie, milkshake, and nearly any sweet dessert you can think of. Though it's generally used as a topping, whipped cream can also make for an incredibly sweet dessert on its own. Can you really say you've lived without taking a can of store-bought whipped cream and squirting it right into your mouth? While that doesn't leave a lot of room for experimenting with different flavors or toppings, filling a bowl with a serving of whipped cream — and eating it like you would a few scoops of ice cream — can open the doors to a world of flavorful opportunities.

It may seem strange to pair the light, airy topping with the hard, crystal-like Pop Rocks, but doing so can lead to a surprisingly delicious dessert that you may come back to more than once. For instance, if you take one of the bright red flavor packets of Pop Rocks, and add it to a bowl, or even a plate of whipped cream, then you'll be met with something that tastes quite similar to a strawberry cream dessert (via Dpeezy2099). It's entirely customizable — you can choose different flavors of not just Pop Rocks, but the whipped cream, to make for your perfect scrumdiddlyumptious dessert!

When you're going to the movie theater, or even getting ready to start a marathon of your favorite series on Netflix, it's fairly common do so with candy and a large bowl of popcorn. We'll say this now: Popcorn in all forms is delicious! Whether you prefer something lightly salted, drenched in butter, or a little more on the sweeter side, there's something out there for everyone. Sweet Popcorns and Kettle corn are great because they take both popcorn and the sweet taste of candy, and turn it into one snack, making it easy to have while watching a movie.

We don't suggest you throw some green or red Pop Rocks into your next bag of peppered popcorn, but we can say that adding Pop Rocks to a sweeter, candy-flavored popcorn will bring a whole new experience to the table, so to speak. It makes for a sugar heavy, buttery treat that, of course, has an extra pop to it, bite after bite!

No matter what your cake preference is — vanilla, carrot, red velvet, or even ice cream cake — they're a go-to celebratory dessert. But let's talk cupcakes. If cupcakes are homemade (and even if they're not) you can top them with whatever you like. See where we're going with this? Yes, indeed, Pop Rocks!

There are multiple ways to add Pop Rocks to your next batch of cupcakes. You can sprinkle them on top of some creamy frosting, which not only makes for a sweet, popping topping, but it also can make a cupcake look a lot more festive. You can also add Pop Rocks inside of the cupcake, by either baking them into the dessert, or making a small hole underneath the frosting, and filling it with the candy. No matter how you add it, one's thing's certain: The result is a unique and sweet experience, perfect for anyone who enjoys both smooth, silkiness of cupcakes and the hard, sweet, fizzle of Pop Rocks.

Fish and candy is only thought of together when one is considering Swedish Fish. But we aren't talking about candy fish. Nope. Instead (and bear with us here) we're suggesting adding Pop Rocks to sushi. This might sound like an awful idea, but it works surprisingly well. You'll find Pop Rocks Sushi at multiple Japanese restaurants, such as Kumi Japanese Restaurant and Bar in New York and Las Vegas. For a time, Kumi's had a dish of sushi that included watermelon-flavored Pop Rocks, which, according to a reviewer on TripAdvisor, shocked them due to how wonderful the sushi tasted.

You can also find Pop Rocks sushi at other Japanese restaurants, like Virago, a sushi joint in Nashville, Tennessee. While you can find your typical sushi dishes, including rice, bao, and Dim sum, you'll also find a "Shefu” made out of crispy rice, spicy tuna and, surprisingly, watermelon flavored Pop Rocks (via Virago). We're not saying sushi with Pop Rocks will become your new favorite thing the next time you go to a Japanese-style restaurant, but if you happen to make some of your own sushi at home, it might be fun to experiment with the popping candy.

You can never go wrong with a fresh batch of homemade cookies. Chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, sugar cookies, the list goes on. And you can add various toppings to cookies, from rainbow sprinkles to crumbled bits of Oreos, the options are limitless — including, you guessed it, Pop Rocks!

You can bake Pop Rocks into your cookies, or sprinkle on top. The sweet, crystal-like candy complements a crumbly, soft-baked sugar cookie wonderfully, and adds a fun, popping experience to an already incredible dessert. Using it as a topping can add a bit of charm to the overall look of the dessert. And feel free to sprinkle Pop Rocks on your next batch of chocolate chip cookies, too — because, well, why not? Or how about inside a serving of Oreos — which the brand itself did in order to celebrate the Fourth of July (via Walmart).

If you want to try something different from your usual glass of wine, beer or pina colada, it might be time to switch things up with a drink that features — how did you know? — Pop Rocks! The candy provides not only a wonderful visual aesthetic to the drink, adding Pop Rocks, whatever flavor you want, also adds a sweet note to any cocktail glass that the candy lines. 

And if you're adventurous and want to make your own Pop Rocks cocktail at home, there's plenty of options to choose from — The "Cosmic Road" cocktail on Reddit, for instance, and the Pop Rocks look a little like pieces of margarita salt. No matter what sort of alcoholic drink suits your preference, there's certainly room to try a cocktail with Pop Rocks around the rim. It may never be your go-to bar drink, but at least you can say, "Yeah, I tried that. Once."

Let's be real here: If you're having Pop Tarts for breakfast, you aren't looking to have the healthiest meal. If you aren't looking to have them for breakfast, however, Pop Tarts can make for a pretty fun dessert pastry. Some people prefer them hot out of the toaster, while others are more impatient, and eat them right out of the shiny foil. No matter how you take your Pop Tart, you might be interested in the idea of a Pop Rocks-flavored Pop Tart.

It's only natural that Pop Tarts would be on this list, for obvious reasons. Hint: It's in the name? This candy-pastry combination isn't new in the culinary world, as some celebrity chefs even sprinkle Pop Rocks on their pop tart creations. This includes Giada De Laurentiis, with her Raspberry-Cherry Chocolate "Pop" Tarts. We don't know what we would call this invention: A pop rock tart, maybe? No matter what you want to call this combination, it's true that Pop Rocks add an enjoyably sweet, popping element to the pastry party!

Aside from coffee and beverages, perhaps one of the best items you can order at Starbucks is one of their colorful and sweet cake pops. It's a welcome dessert invention, because they aren't as messy as cake — and they're a lot like a lollipop in terms of how they function. Like a cake, however, you can create various kinds of cake pop flavors, all to make for the perfect bite-sized treat.

It's most common to find cake pops in flavors like chocolate, vanilla, or even Oreo — though to stir things up a bit, you could always throw some Pop Rocks into your next batch. The popping sensation adds a kick to the cake lollipops — and it's super fun for the kiddos! You can either use Pop Rocks as filling, or sprinkle them on top, and make your cake pops not only pop in your mouth, but also pop visually (via Littlethings). It's the perfect treat to make around the Fourth of July, as the fizzing, popping Pop Rocks will remind you of the brightly colored fireworks that light up the summer sky.

For many families Tuesday dinner means tacos and burritos. Tacos can get a little messy, as the hard shell often crumbles, and all of the ingredients come with it. But, of course, when you have a good taco, it's 100% worth it. On the other hand, Burritos are a bit more stable, so having one results in a softer, more put-together experience. The best part about both, however, is that they're customizable, so if you aren't a fan of a particular sauce or topping, you can make your taco with or without it. There are also many fast food joints where you can get a taco or burrito — most notably Taco Bell.

If you've got a spicy, savory taco in your hands, throwing in some Pop Rocks might not be a bad idea. Taco Bell thought this way with their Firecracker Burrito, which could be ordered spicy or cheesy, and it was filled with rice, beef, and wrapped neatly in a bright red tortilla (via Thrillist). What was most surprising, however, was the inclusion of spicy Pop Rocks in the burrito — and it gave the entire thing a spicy kick. The next time you try making a taco or burrito at home, sprinkle in some Pop Rocks to experience an unforgettable spicy and popping flavor combination.

You might recall some unforgettable parties during your college experience — and perhaps even downing a couple of (dare we say) Jell-O shots. If you're unfamiliar with these, allow us to explain: A Jell-O shot is a small cup of Jell-O, typically made with vodka, champagne, and other alcohol.

Jell-O shots can be fun on their own, but why not add a spark to the party by throwing some Pop Rocks into the mix? The inventor of Pop Rocks actually made several different food products, including Tang! But who would think that Jell-O and Pop Rocks would pair together quite well? Turn it all into an alcohol-of-your-choice Jell-O shot, and you're in for a crackling, popping, and fruity delivery. Add whatever flavor Pop Rocks you want on your Jell-O shot, and you'll have a fun party drink that people likely won't ever forget.