Candy Corn: The Great Halloween Tradition
How did candy corn come to be associated with Halloween? We explain!
Candy corn is fall’s sweetest harvest, and a tradition most of us look forward to each year around Halloween. It is enjoyed by millions of devotees who love its sweet, mellow flavor. But this kernel-shaped confection also has a reputation as “the fruitcake of Halloween,” and in fact, some trick-or-treaters would consider it more of a “trick” than a “treat” if it lands in their goody bags. If that’s the case, why does it have its own holiday (October 30 is Candy Corn Day)? How did it become so popular, and why is it associated with Halloween?
A Sweet History
The story of candy corn is an old one. This confection is said to have been invented in the 1880s by George Renninger, who was a part of the Philadelphia-based Wunderle Candy company, where the candies were made by hand.
While historians aren’t quite sure if Renninger was the actual inventor, it is known that around that time, the Goelitz Confectionary Company picked the recipe up and started producing it on a large scale. Today, the Goelitz Confectionary Company is still in business but under a more familiar name: The Jelly Belly Candy Company.
A Halloween Tradition Is Born
When Goelitz first started producing candy corn, it was marketed as “Chicken Feed” and sold in an adorable box that featured a rooster on the front with the tagline, “Something worth crowing for.” Its association with Halloween came much later.
In the 1940s and 1950s, when trick-or-treating became a popular Halloween pastime (it had paused during World War II because of sugar rations), it was an easy favorite. Americans, who at the time had a largely rural background, steeped in deep agricultural traditions, loved giving out this harvest-themed candy to neighborhood children. And because producing candy was a slow, labor-intensive process, candy corn and other sugary treats were only manufactured from May to November, thus, the timing of the candy corn harvest before it ended tied it to Halloween.
How Is Candy Corn Made?
Candy corn manufacturers—and now there are many—have turned the art of this confection into a science. It all starts with a few key ingredients: sugar, fondant, marshmallow crème, corn syrup, and of course, a bit of vanilla for flavoring.
All are combined and heated into a mixture that candy makers call a “slurry,” which is combined with food coloring (yellow, orange, and white) and poured into kernel-shaped molds one layer at a time. First, the yellow layer, then the orange layer, and finally the white layer is added. The slurry mixture is so thick that the distinct colors settle in layers without blending together.
After cooling, the pieces are polished and coated with an edible wax that makes them shiny and able to survive being grabbed by the handfuls! Here is a video showing how it is made:
Candy Corn Trivia!
- While chocolate candy rules at Halloween, 12% of trick-or-treaters want to get candy corn before other types of candy.
- These days, it comes in lots of different colors to match the seasons — shades of pink called “rabbit corn” for Easter, green, red and white “reindeer corn” for Christmas, and so on. No matter what the holiday, you can most likely find a candy corn color to match!
- National Candy Corn Day falls on October 30th each year.
- It is fat-free, with one large handful containing 140 calories and 28 grams of sugar.
- Candy corn keeps a long time — nine months in an unopened package, or up to six months if the package has been opened. Store away from light at room temperature to maximize that lifespan.
- More than 30 million pounds are produced yearly — that’s roughly nine billion pieces!
- In honor of Goelitz, Jelly Belly developed a candy corn-flavor jelly bean.
Though it has a reputation as one of the least favorite candies at Halloween, candy corn is a delicious bit of uniquely American history that we can’t seem to go without.
Join the Discussion
What is your favorite Halloween candy?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
Psst … Celebrate Halloween in style with this fun candy corn nails tutorial by Dana (via Instagram).
Amber Kanuckel
Amber Kanuckel is a freelance writer from rural Ohio who loves all things outdoors. She specializes in home, garden, environmental, and green living topics.
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- Amber Kanuckel#molongui-disabled-link
- Amber Kanuckel#molongui-disabled-link
- Amber Kanuckel#molongui-disabled-link
Love that sweet corn at Halloween time. But how do they separate the 3 colors?
Hi Martin! We’ve updated our article with the answer to your question. Thanks for asking! The three different layers are added one at a time into the mold and the layers don’t blend together because they are each so thick! Please let us know if any other questions come to mind! We appreciate you. Best wishes from FA.
Candy corn and Spanish peanuts is the greatest way to eat candy corn.
The ONLY way in our book! Enjoy!
Where can I find out who won the Candy Corn Contest?
Hi Lynn, The winner was announced in our Newsletter. Be sure to sign up so that you can be a part of our next fun contest: https://www.farmersalmanac.com/newsletter
As well as apple picking, planting the fall garden, ciders, building a scare crow, picking your pumpkin to carve and wearing sweaters!!!!
Reminds me of the simpler days when things like candy corn made Fall special
AFTER 50 YRS OF MARRAGE CANDY CORN MY WIFES FAVORITE
I LOVE CANDY CORN!!!
Candy Corn is addictive! Like it or not, once you start eating it… I happen to like it myself, in its original form, but you can definitely get “too much” of it if you’re not careful. Happy National Candy Corn Day!
Hi Matt! Thanks for your note! Agree. It’s one of those candies where you have to be paying attention or you can do some serious damage!
I love candy corn and have enjoyed this treat since childhood. I always bite the white tip first to make the kernel last a bit longer.
No comments from me so I don’t expect to be approved. I do enjoy The Farmer’s Almanac Newsletter. Keep it coming.