Boo! This Popular Halloween Candy Is Already in Grocery Aisles

Some brands that seemingly always find a way to make a splash. 

Krispy Kreme consistently releases over-the-top seasonal doughnut collections. Dunkin’ surprises the public with one high-profile celebrity collaboration after another. And Taco Bell just keeps chugging along with Taco Bell levels of fast-food spectacle. But among the products that keep themselves in front of our eyeballs, Reese’s is not to be discounted, because after two buzzy campaigns already under its belt this summer, the Hershey-owned brand just rolled out a third: its earliest-ever release of Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins, available in July while supplies last.

Yes, just as Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte and Samuel Adams Pumpkin Ale seem to hit the market earlier and earlier every year, so too will Reese’s trick-or-treat treasure make its first appearance in 2024 a whole three months ahead of Halloween. The only catch: They must be ordered online via the Hershey website. 

On July 23, anyone looking for the taste of this autumnal staple can go to shop.hersheys.com and pick up the first Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins of the season. It’s unclear how long they’ll be on offer, or how long they’ll last once fans descend on the supply — so if you don’t want to wait another six weeks or so to find them on store shelves, you can wait a few days for the bag to show up on your doorstep. 

This record-setting early release of Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins is one of many promotions the brand has rolled out in the past few weeks. In May, Reese’s Medals were announced as the brand’s first-ever limited-time summer shape in celebration of the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. Then, in June, the Reese’s Jumbo Cup was unveiled — 2.8 ounces of peanut butter and chocolate, equivalent to four king-size Reese’s cups. The surprise Peanut Butter Pumpkins drop in July is just the icing on the cake (or pie?). 

You might be wondering why Reese’s Pumpkins are worth getting excited about when there are all manner of other Reese’s options to enjoy at any given moment. To fans, the answer is obvious: The ratio of peanut butter to chocolate is slightly different in the seasonal shapes versus the cups. Furthermore, the shapes lack the rigid outer edge that gives the classic Peanut Butter Cup its shape, meaning that each bite is nothing but smooth chocolate and soft peanut butter. 

Sure, every seasonal shape (pumpkins included) ends up looking more like vague blobs, but laughing at the inscrutable shapes is half the fun. Reese’s even leaned into that feature when it released “mystery shapes” for the 2019 holiday season. 

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in all their forms are a consistent top seller each Halloween, and they’re one of the most popular candies to hand out to trick-or-treaters nationwide. Now, Hershey has found a way to cater to the product’s most opinionated fans: If nothing but the pumpkins will do, you have the opportunity to grab them before anyone else.