NATIONAL CANDY CORN DAY

National Candy Corn Day

NATIONAL CANDY CORN DAY

On October 30th, the country celebrates an iconic treat on National Candy Corn Day.  Whether you feel neutral about it, adore it fiercely, or passionately hate it, one thing is for sure: candy corn is one of the most nostalgic treats that sparks surprisingly strong opinions.

#NationalCandyCornDay

Candy maker George Renninger is credited with inventing candy corn while employed at the Wunderlee Candy Company in Philadelphia in the 1880s. This sweet treat represented the bright colors of corn kernels--yellow, orange and white. However, the candy was popularized and mass-produced starting in 1898 by the Goelitz Confectionery Company, which later became known as the Jelly Belly Candy Company. Jelly Belly proudly claims the longest history of continuously producing candy corn, using the same original recipe.

The Goelitz Confectionery Company first introduced and marketed candy corn to the public a "Chicken Feed." This name was chosen because, during the late 19th century, America was a largely agricultural society. Candies molded into agricultural shapes—like turnips, chestnuts, and corn kernels—were common and aimed at a rural demographic. It wasn't until the 1950s that the candy became firmly cemented as a Halloween staple.

Early candy corn advertisements featured a rooster and the tagline: "Something worth crowing for!" 

The original confection was made by hand using corn syrup, sugar, water, marshmallows, fondant, and carnauba wax (a wax made from the leaves of a palm tree). Modern candy makers combine the original ingredients using machines. These days, numerous recipes create the candy corn flavors in cakes, cookies, beverages, and more.

5 WAYS TO INDULGE IN NATIONAL CANDY CORN DAY

Candy corn inspires all sorts of flavors for desserts. 

  1. Add candy corn to your popcorn ball recipe for a gooey, spooktacular treat. 
  2. Layer gelatin, pudding, and cakes that are white, yellow, and orange to create a candy corn themed dessert.
  3. Create a salty and sweet treat by making a candy corn snack mix with pretzels, andy corn, and nuts.
  4. Try your hand at whipping up a batch of homemade candy corn! 
  5. Use #NationalCandyCornDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL CANDY CORN DAY HISTORY

Our research couldn't find the creator of National Candy Corn Day. It is our opinion the day simply evolved over time as a promotional effort by candy manufacturers, especially around the Halloween season. We did find the National Confectioners Association recognizes the day each year, which may be why the popularity grew.

Candy Corn FAQ

Q. How many calories are in candy corn?
A. A handful of candy corn (about 19 pieces) contains 140 calories.

Q. What flavor are the pumpkins in the candy corn Autumn Mix?
A. Mixed in with traditional candy corn, the pumpkins in the Autumn Mix are mellow crème or marshmallow flavor, the same as the candy corns.

Q. Does candy corn come in different flavors?
A. Like jelly beans, Oreos, and Peeps, candy corn comes in a variety of seasonal flavors. Some flavors to choose from include:

  • Reindeer Corn (Vanilla)
  • Candy Cane Corn (Peppermint)
  • Indian Corn (Mix of chocolate and mellow crème)
  • Pumpkin spice
  • Apple
  • Peanut Butter Cup
  • Caramel Apple
  • Pumpkin Pie
  • Tropical
  • Chocolate Mint