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Candymakers are constantly creating new sweets. Some are wacky. Some are yucky. And some are both. (Stinky sock–flavored jelly beans, anyone? How about some ketchup candy canes?) Not every candy proves to be popular, but some hit a sweet spot that turns them into classics. Love them or hate them, these candies have stuck around—and their origins might surprise you!Tootsie Rolls
Leo Hirschfield invented Tootsie Rolls in 1896. His chewy, chocolatey creation gave candy lovers a delicious solution to a common problem. There were no refrigerators back then (or air conditioning), so in warm weather, candy sellers only sold sweets that could take the heat. Hardly anyone wanted a melted mess on their hands—not even the chocolate kind! With Tootsie Rolls, Hirschfield found a way to give people a bite-sized, chocolate-flavored candy they could snack on without risking sticky fingers. He named his invention after his young daughter, Clara, who went by the nickname "Tootsie," and he sold the candies for a penny each.
Candy corn is a Halloween favorite, but when it was first invented in the 1880s, it was supposed to make people think fondly of farm life. In fact, back then, it was known as "Chicken Feed"—with a rooster on the box and a saying: "Something worth crowing for!" Many people in the United States lived on farms at the time, so the candy was designed to celebrate the rural lifestyle. This country candy didn't only come in a corn shape, either. Candymakers also made candy turnips, chestnuts, pumpkins, and clover leaves.
So when—and why—did candy corn become a hallmark of Halloween? That didn't happen until the 1940s and '50s, when trick-or-treating became a popular U.S. tradition, historians say. Since making the candy was a slow process back then, candy corn was made only between May and November. Halloween lined up with the end of candy corn–making season.
Sugary hearts with sweet sayings such as "Be Mine" are perfect for Valentine's Day. But would you believe that Sweethearts candies were originally invented as medicine?
It's true! In the mid-1800s, a pharmacist named Oliver Chase mixed medicines with sugary paste. These lozenges were popular for easing sore throats and other symptoms, but they took a long time to make because they were cut one at a time by hand. Then Chase had an idea—he invented a lozenge-cutting machine that changed everything.
The hand-cranked machine stamped sheets of sugar dough into circles, creating dozens of lozenges all at once. What a time saver!
Soon after, Chase ditched the medicine and just made candies. His brother, Daniel Chase, invented a machine to stamp the candy lozenges with sayings. The "motto lozenges" became a hit at parties and weddings. At first, the candies were just circle shaped. Heart shapes were added to the mix in 1902, along with other shapes such as baseballs and watches.
Oliver Chase made more than candy, though—he also made history. The former pharmacist's lozenge-cutting invention is often considered the first candy-making machine in the U.S.
Ancient Egyptians are credited with inventing the world's first candy thousands of years ago. But these three modern classic creations have satisfied sweet tooths for more than a century. That's a recipe for some sweet success!
