Who Invented Candy?

The first person who stuck his finger in a bee hive and tasted honey could have been the first person who invented candy. Technically, however, you have to actually make candy, so as soon as he mixed that honey with fruit or nuts, candy was invented.  

By definition candy is a sweet confection made with sugar or other sweeteners which may be combined with fruits or nuts.

The origin of the word is from the Persian “qandi” but actual candy can be traced back as far as 1500 B. C. The Egyptians used honey and made candy by adding figs, nuts, dates, and spices. They used candy to worship their gods and goddesses. So, it could be said that the Egyptians were the first people who invented candy.

Other civilizations enjoyed candy:

• The early Romans and Chinese ate candy made with barley and honey that were heated or cooked in an oven.
• In the 14th century, Venetians imported sugar to make candy.
• The Native American Indians took sap from maple trees, boiled it, and poured a bit on the snow to test it for hardness. That would have been a small piece of candy. They took the rest of the syrup and used some as syrup and boiled the rest down for maple sugar.
• Aztecs in the 14th century enjoyed “chocolatl” as a favorite treat. It was usually served in liquid form.
• The Olmec Indians of South America were the first to cultivate cocoa trees and made a drink called “xocoatl” and shared it with the Mayans. So, you have the South American Indians to thank for chocolate. You could also thank Christopher Columbus for taking cocoa beans back to Europe.

• The creation of rock candy happened in the 18th century. It was used as a medicine, at first. It was also called sugar cane.

Rock candy was only the beginning of candy being mass produced and sold, as sugar got cheaper and machines got more efficient.  

Candy Making in the US

Candy making began in earnest in the early 1800s. By the 1850s, there were hundreds of candy-making factories in the United States. Some of the major candy events included:

• 1854 - Whitman came out with first box of chocolates.
• 1880 - Candy corn was a big hit.
• 1896 - Leo Hirshfield named his creation Tootsie Rolls, after his daughter, Tootsie. The Tootsie Roll Pop, the first 2-in-1 lollipop, was not invented until 1930.
• 1897 - Cotton candy was invented by Tennessee candy makers, William Morrison and John C. Wharton. They made a machine that heated sugar on a spinning plate, then used centrifugal force to push the sugar through tiny holes. They called it Fairy Floss, and in 1904, sold it at the St. Louis World's Fair. They sold a whopping 68,655 boxes of cotton candy.
• 1900 - Milton S. Hershey invented Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, and Hershey’s kisses were created in 1906.
• 1901 - The first stick peppermint candy made by King Leo.
• 1902 - NECCO makes conversation hearts with "Kiss Me," "Sweet Talk," and "Be Mine" being among the first sayings.

• 1912 - Life Savers started being made
• 1920s - Milky Way candy bars were introduced in 1923 followed by Milk Duds and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
• 1930 - The Snickers candy bar was introduced.
• 1930s - M & Ms were made by Mr. Mars in the 1930s. They were originally sold in tubes, which were really convenient for people in the military. They were sold to the public in 1941 and peanut M&Ms were made in 1960, with the colors red, green, and yellow.

• 1932 - Red Hots were introduced by the Ferrara Pan Candy Company and the Fireball came out in 1954.
• 1949 - Junior Mints made the scene.
• 1958 - Candy necklaces started to be worn.
• 1960 - Starburst Fruit Chews were introduced.

More Fun Facts

So, no one knows for sure if it was the Egyptians who invented candy, as people have always had a sweet tooth. Here are some more sweet facts about candy.

• The Baby Ruth (1920) was named after President Grover’s daughter, Ruth.
• America’s favorite flavor is chocolate, followed by vanilla and berry flavors.
• The melting point of cocoa butter is just below your body’s temperature. So that’s why it melts in your mouth.
• In 2002, the world’s largest lollipop was made, which weighed 4031 pounds, was 18.9 inches thick, and was 15 feet long. Its flavor was cherry.

There are many more fun facts and candy history facts to mention, since new candy creations are coming out all the time. There will always be a market for “sweets for the sweet.”