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HowStuffWorks Lifestyle Food Menus Holiday Menus Halloween Menus What Is Candy Corn and How Is It Made? By: Stephanie Watson & Kathryn Whitbourne | Updated: Oct 10, 2023

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Every Halloween, bags of triangle-shaped, yellow, orange and white candies fill trick-or-treat bags all over the country. And there are many bags to fill: According to the National Confectioners Association, candy companies produce nearly 35 million pounds (15.8 million kilograms) of the corny candy each year. That's about 9 billion individual pieces of the sweet treat!

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Contents

1. A Brief History of Candy Corn
2. How Candy Corn Is Made
3. Different Types of Candy Corn

A Brief History of Candy Corn

Candy corn has been around for more than a century. George Renninger of the Wunderlee Candy Company invented it in the 1880s, according to the National Confectioners Association. Perhaps because its look was reminiscent of farm life, it caught on with city folk nostalgic for a rural past.

At any rate, its tricolored look was revolutionary for the candy industry at the time. The Goelitz Candy Company started making candy corn in 1900 and still makes it today, although the company name has changed to the Jelly Belly Candy Company.

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How Candy Corn Is Made

The recipe for candy corn hasn't changed much since the late 1800s, but the way it's made has changed quite a bit.

In the early days, workers mixed the main ingredients – sugar, water and corn syrup – in large kettles. Then they added fondant (a sweet, creamy icing made from sugar, corn syrup and water) and marshmallow for smoothness. Then they poured the mixture into kernel-shaped molds in cornstarch trays.

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They had to do this three times, walking backward, once for each color. Because the work was so tedious, candy corn was only available from August to November.

Today, machines do the work. Manufacturers use the "cornstarch molding process" to create the signature design.

A machine fills a tray of little kernel-shaped holes with cornstarch, which holds the candy corn in shape. Each hole fills partway with sweet white syrup colored with artificial food coloring. Next comes the orange syrup, and finally, the yellow syrup. Then the mold cools and the mixture sits for about 24 hours until it hardens.

A machine empties the trays, and the kernels fall into chutes. Any excess cornstarch shakes loose in a big sifter. Then the candy corn gets a glaze to make it shine, and workers package it for shipment to stores.

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Different Types of Candy Corn

Candy corn is a sweet replica of dried corn kernels. It's considered a "mellow cream," a name for a type of candy made from corn syrup and sugar that has a marshmallow-like flavor. Although candy corn tastes rich, it's actually fat-free.

Most people know the traditional candy corn with three stripes – yellow at the bottom, orange at the center and white at the top – but it also comes in a variety of other colors and flavors depending on the holiday:

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• Brown, orange and white corn (the brown section is chocolate-flavored) for Thanksgiving
• Green, white and red reindeer corn for Christmas
• Pink, red and white cupid corn for Valentine's Day
• Pastel-colored bunny corn for Easter

The traditional variety is most popular in the fall, especially around Halloween. In fact, Oct. 30 is National Candy Corn Day. However, candy corn didn't become associated with Halloween until after World War II, when trick or treating became popular.

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Candy Corn FAQ

Is candy corn made out of corn?

Candy corn is a sweet replica of dried corn kernels. It's considered a "mellow cream," a name for a type of candy made from corn syrup and sugar that has a marshmallow-like flavor.

Is candy corn bad?

Candy corn might taste rich, but it's actually fat-free. This candy isn't too terrible in terms of its effect on your health and diet.

What does candy corn taste like?

Candy corn is a "mellow cream" that's intended to taste like marshmallow. However, different varieties of candy corn — like the brown, orange and white variety — can include different flavors.

Is candy corn vegan?

Candy corn isn't vegan. It typically includes gelatin, which is made from animal products like animal tendons, ligaments and bones.

What is the difference between candy corn and harvest corn?

Harvest corn is simply a different variety of candy corn. Instead of featuring layers of white, orange, and yellow like traditional candy corn, harvest corn features white, orange, and a final brown layer that's flavored chocolate.

Lots More Information

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More Great Links

• National Confectioners Association
• Jelly Belly Candy Company

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Copy Stephanie Watson & Kathryn Whitbourne "What Is Candy Corn and How Is It Made?" 23 October 2019.HowStuffWorks.com. <https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/menus/candy-corn.htm> 26 December 2025 Close Citation I Want Candy Up Next How That Creamy Chocolate Is Made Explore More You May Like How do they make cotton candy? Explore More Keep Reading How does Pop Rocks Candy work? Explore More

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