Candy corn is a candy typically divided into three sections of different colors, with a waxy texture and a flavor based on honey, sugar, and vanilla typically made with wax and cornstarch. It is a staple candy of the fall season and Halloween in North America. with the wide yellow end resembling a corn kernel. It was first invented in the 1880s by George Renninger, a Wunderle Candy Company employee. Wunderle Candy Company was the first to produce the candy in 1888. The Goelitz Confectionery Company, now called Jelly Belly, began manufacturing the product in 1898.
While Jelly Belly still makes candy corn, the largest manufacturer of candy corn is Brach's Confections owned by the Ferrara Candy Company. During the late 19th century, "butter cream" candies molded into many types of nature-inspired shapes, including chestnuts, turnips, and clover leaves, were quite popular but what made candy corn stand out was its bright and iconic tri-color layering.
Although it is currently most popular in the fall, candy corn was only sometimes associated with the fall and Halloween seasons. For the first half of the 20th century, candy corn was a well-known "penny candy" or bulk confectionery. It was advertised as an affordable and popular treat that could be eaten year-round. Manufacturers first combined sugar, corn syrup and water, and cooked them to form a slurry. Fondant was added for texture and marshmallows were added to provide a soft bite. likewise remains the same, though tasks initially performed by hand were soon taken over by machines made for that purpose.
Ingredients
Candy corn is made with sugar, corn syrup, salt, sesame oil, honey, artificial flavor, food colorings, gelatin, and confectioner's glaze. The confectioner's glaze is made from lac resin, a bug secretion.
Variants
thumb|Easter candy corn
thumb|Candy Corn–flavored Oreos
A popular variation called "harvest corn" adds cocoa powder; it features a chocolate brown wide end, orange center, and pointed white tip. It is often available around Thanksgiving. typically has a red end and a green center. The Valentine's Day variant, sometimes called "cupid corn", typically has a red end and a pink center. In the United States during Independence Day celebrations, corn with a blue end, white center, and red tip, named "freedom corn", can be found at celebratory cookouts and patriotic celebrations. The Easter variant, sometimes called "bunny corn", is typically a two-color candy, and comes with a variety of pastel bases, pink, green, yellow, and purple, with white tips all in one package.
There have been caramel apple and green apple, s'mores and pumpkin spice, carrot corn (green and orange, with a carrot cake flavor), and birthday cake candy corn flavors. In 2022, Brach's released a tailgate variant with fruit punch, vanilla ice cream, popcorn, hotdog, and hamburger flavored pieces.
Candy corn flavored snacks have become more widely available with candy corn flavored variants of snack foods and candy, including Oreos, M&M's, marshmallows, and more.