When Candy Was Invented

When Candy Was Invented

 

1800s
  • Tootsie Rolls (1896) – One of the earliest individually wrapped candies.
  • Candy Corn (1880s) – Invented by George Renninger, originally called "Chicken Feed."
  • Rock Candy (late 1800s) – A crystallized sugar treat popular in the 19th century.
  • Slow Pokes
1900s
  • Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar (1900) – A major milestone in chocolate production.
  • Necco Wafers (1901) – Simple, disc-shaped candy wafers.
  • Life Savers (1912) – Famous for their ring shape, originally created as a mint.
  • Clark Bar (1917) – A crispy peanut butter and toffee treat coated in chocolate.
  • Marshmallow Circus Peanuts (1900s) – A marshmallow-like candy shaped like peanuts.
  • Goetze's Caramel Creams (1909) – Known as "Bulls-Eyes," a caramel candy with a cream center.
  • Turkish Taffy
  • Werther’s Original Hard Candy
1920s
  • Baby Ruth (1921) – Named after President Grover Cleveland's daughter, not the famous baseball player.
  • Milky Way (1923) – One of the earliest combination bars of chocolate, nougat, and caramel.
  • Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (1928) – Combining chocolate and peanut butter became an instant classic.
  • Charleston Chew (1925) – A chewy nougat candy coated in chocolate.
  • Butterfinger (1923) – Crisp, peanut butter-flavored candy.
  • Chuckles (1921) – A chewy fruit-flavored candy in individual sugar-coated pieces.
  • Oh Henry!
1930s
  • Snickers (1930) – Named after the Mars family's favorite horse.
  • 3 Musketeers (1932) – Originally had three flavors in one package.
  • Kit Kat (1935) – Originally known as "Rowntree's Chocolate Crisp."
  • Smarties (1937) – Hard tablet candies often mistaken for M&Ms in some regions.
  • Zagnut (1930) – Coconut and peanut butter bar without chocolate.
  • 5th Avenue Bar (1936) – A crunchy peanut butter candy bar covered in chocolate.
  • Choward’s Violet
  • Chocolate Ice Cubes
1940s
  • M&M's (1941) – Created during WWII as a heat-resistant candy.
  • Almond Joy (1946) – Invented after the introduction of Mounds.
  • Bazooka Bubble Gum (1947) – A popular post-war American favorite.
  • York Peppermint Pattie (1940) – Famous for its cool peppermint center.
  • Junior Mints (1949) – A small mint candy with a creamy inside and chocolate coating.
  • Heath Bar (1940s) – A thin and crunchy toffee bar covered in milk chocolate. 
1950s
  • Pixy Stix (1952) – Originally sold as a powdered drink mix.
  • Atomic Fireballs (1954) – A cinnamon-flavored candy with a spicy kick.
  • Candy Necklace (1958) – A fun candy for kids, wearable and edible.
  • Valomilk (1950s) – A creamy marshmallow candy covered in chocolate.
  • Hot Tamales (1950) – A cinnamon-flavored chewy candy.
  • Wax Bottles (1950s) – Small wax bottles filled with sweet, flavored syrup.
1960s 
  • Starburst (1960) – Originally named Opal Fruits, known for its chewy texture.
  • Sweetarts (1962) – Invented as a tangier version of Pixy Stix.
  • Razzles (1966) – A candy that turns into gum.
  • Lemonheads (1962) – A sour lemon-flavored candy with a sweet coating.
  • Now and Later (1962) – A chewy taffy-like candy with a long-lasting flavor.
  • Swedish Fish (1960s) – A chewy, fruity candy shaped like fish, popular in the U.S. 
1970s
  • Pop Rocks (1975) – Fizzy candy that pops in your mouth.
  • Jelly Belly (1976) – Gourmet jelly beans that gained popularity with President Reagan.
  • Reese's Pieces (1978) – Peanut butter candy similar to M&M's.
  • Fun Dip (1973) – A flavored powdered candy with a dipping stick.
  • Bottle Caps (1972) – Soda-flavored tablet candies resembling bottle caps.
  • Charms Blow Pop (1973) – A hard candy lollipop with a bubblegum center
1980s
  • Sour Patch Kids (1985) – Sour and sweet gummy candies that became wildly popular.
  • Skittles (1982) – "Taste the Rainbow" slogan helped cement their place in candy history. Airheads (1985) – A chewy taffy candy with bold flavors.
  • Big League Chew (1980) – Shredded bubblegum designed to resemble chewing tobacco.
  • Nerds (1983) – Tiny, tangy, crunchy candies that became a hit.
  • Runts (1982) – Small, fruit-shaped hard candies with intense flavors.

1990s

  • Warheads (1990s) – Extreme sour candies that were a favorite among kids.
  • Baby Bottle Pop (1998) – A candy shaped like a baby bottle with a powdered candy dip
  • Hubba Bubba Bubble Tape (1990) – 6 ft. of bubblegum in a convenient tape dispenser.
  • Push Pop (1990s) – A lollipop that could be pushed out of its container, perfect for onthe-go snacking.

2000s

  • Toxic Waste (2001) – Known for its extreme sourness, similar to Warheads.
  • Hi-Chew (2008) – A chewy fruit candy that became a sensation in the U.S., though originally from Japan.
  • Caramel Apple Pops (2000) – A green apple-flavored lollipop coated in caramel, blending sweet and tart flavors.