There’s no doubt that our taste buds seem to change with the weather. While we might crave lemonade in the summer, pumpkin is undoubtedly the flavor of fall. And winter? If candy sales are any indication, peppermint tops the list, in the form of candy canes.
Candy canes are the most popular non-chocolate candy sold during December. According to The Sugar Association, 1.76 billion candy canes are made each year and 90% are sold in the weeks before Christmas. That’s 463 candy canes for every American!
There’s no word on how many of the crooked little candies are actually eaten as is. Some candy canes are used to decorate trees and wreaths, while others are smashed into pieces for Christmas fudge and cookies.
So, how did candy canes become such an iconic Christmas treat? Several stories exist to explain the origin of the candy cane and its rise to popularity.
The History of the Candy Cane
Candy canes have been part of the American Christmas tradition for more than 150 years, but their connection to the holiday goes back even further.
Most stories link the candy with a 17th Century Austrian choirmaster who handed out sugar sticks to the boys in his choir to keep them from fidgeting during the church service. He calmed concerns about the candy’s frivolity by bending the sticks into a shape resembling a shepherd’s hook. The religious reference apparently eased any objections.
Others say the hook was added so the candy could be hung easily on Christmas trees.
How Candy Canes Are Made
What exactly are candy canes and how are they made?
Candy canes are a mix of sugar, water and corn syrup heated together. The resulting syrup is spread onto a table. Kneading helps cool the candy and mix in any additional flavoring.
Next, the gooey golden mass is placed on a machine that pulls and stretches it repeatedly. This adds air and turns the candy white.
The cooled candy is then shaped into a log, covered with strips of red-colored candy and placed in a roller machine. Cylinders roll and spin the red and white candies together, working them into a thin spiraled rope. Finally, the candy is cut into sticks and bent into its familiar J-shaped form.
Adding Peppermint and Stripes
Candy canes were originally white and unflavored. No one is sure when the candy’s characteristic red stripe and peppermint flavor were added, although signs point to the turn of the 20th Century. Christmas cards from the late 1800s depict white candy canes, while red and white striped candies appear in Christmas cards after 1900.
During that time, druggists often dispensed peppermint to soothe upset stomachs and used it to make bad-tasting medicines more palatable. Some apothecaries also made candy, so it’s possible they were the first to add peppermint flavoring to their candy canes.
Today, about 73% of consumers prefer peppermint-flavored candy canes, while the remaining 27% appreciate more adventurous flavors from cherry to sriracha!
American Innovations Shape the Candy Cane
Up until the mid-20th century, each and every candy cane was shaped by hand. In the 1920s, Georgia confectioner Robert McCormack began wrapping candy canes in cellophane. This protected the candies from humidity and made them easier to sell in small amounts.
Who Makes Candy Canes?
There are several major candy cane manufacturers in the United States and many smaller confectioners. According to a 2023 industry overview presented by Precision Milestone Reports on LinkedIn, the largest producers of candy canes are:
Greenbrier
Brach’s*
Muchai Innovations
Dosher’s Candy Co.
Spangler
Nerds*
Hershey
*Brach’s and Nerds are both owned by the Ferrara Candy Company. The Nerds website does not list candy canes among its current product line.
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A Sweet Tradition
From choirboy pacifier to iconic Christmas confection, candy canes have become a sweet holiday tradition. Whether you prefer them minty or fruity, crushed into bits or licked to a fine point, candy canes are sure to show up somewhere as part of your Christmas celebration.
