These Christmas Candy Recipes Will Help You Sweeten the Season (2024)

FAQs

What is the traditional Christmas candy? ›

From peanut brittle to chocolate Santas, the holiday season is a time for sweets and celebration. Hundreds of millions of candy canes, chocolate Santas, and tins of peanut brittle are made each year, and millions of candy gifts are given each year.

(WHNT) – Peppermint bark, mini Reese's cups, and Starburst, oh my! Those are just a few of the most popular Christmas candies, according to a new report from CandyStore.com. However — the top candy varies from state to state.

A Christmas legend

There's some mystery surrounding the origins of candy canes because there are no exact records of their invention. One well-regarded story suggests that in 1670, a choirmaster in Cologne, Germany, gave out sugar sticks to the children as a way to soothe them during the long nativity ceremony.

According to America's Favorite Christmas Candy by State Report, a comprehensive study by research firm HubScore that delved into a survey of the top 20 favorite Christmas candies, Kit Kat ranked top in 13 states followed by a tie between Skittles and candy canes, both ranked top in six states.

Candy canes are one of the oldest Christmas candies, first appearing in the 17th century in Europe. They were originally straight white sticks of sugar that were meant to symbolize shepherd's crooks.

Kul Kuls (pronounced as Kalkals) are traditional Indian Christmas sweets shaped into small curls. These sweet pastry nibbles are deep-fried and a staple on every Indian Christmas plate.

The data has been calculated by Statista based on the U.S. Census data and Simmons National Consumer Survey (NHCS). According to this statistic, 48.06 million Americans consumed Snickers (Chocolate) in 2020.

The two oldest candy types are licorice and ginger. The historical roots of licorice are found in the early years of man's appearance. In particular, many licorice were eaten by Pharaohs and Prophets. The licorice comes from a plant called “Glycyrrhiza” which in Greek means «sweet root».

In 1847, he made a candy to symbolize Christ. The cane's "J" shape stands for Jesus; when turned upside-down, it becomes a shepherd's staff. The white color signifies purity; the red represents Christ's blood, shed for the world's sins, and three red stripes symbolize the trinity.

What color were candy canes originally? ›

Or course, today, there's nothing more iconic when it comes to candy than the alternating red and white stripes of the candy cane, but, according to Schildhaus, for 200 years, before mass-production was automated, they came in just one color: white.

Cane: Is like the staff used by the shepherds in caring for sheep. Jesus is our “Good Shepherd.” The Color Red: Is for God's love that sent Jesus to give his life for us on the cross. The Stripes: Remind us of Jesus' suffering-his crown of thorns, the wounds in his hands and feet; and the cross on which he died.

"Nerds Candy leads the ranking this Halloween with a notable 93g of sugar per 100g." the report said, "With over 135,000 pounds of Nerds produced every single day, a recommended serving size of 15g is advised due to its substantial sugar content, representing 27% of the daily recommended added-sugar intake."

Most candies will keep 2 to 3 weeks (if not longer) if stored tightly covered in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator. It's best to avoid storing different types of candy together in the same container because hard candies will become soft and sticky, and soft candies will dry out.

The idea of candy began by the caveman who ate honey. The first candy was used by the Ancient Egyptians for cult purposes. In ancient times, Egyptians, Arabs, and Chinese made candies with fruits and nuts that caramelized with honey. The two oldest candy types are licorice and ginger.

In 1847, he made a candy to symbolize Christ. The cane's "J" shape stands for Jesus; when turned upside-down, it becomes a shepherd's staff. The white color signifies purity; the red represents Christ's blood, shed for the world's sins, and three red stripes symbolize the trinity.

Britain: Mint humbugs

Brits offer these peppermint-flavored black-and-white striped candies to each other throughout Christmas season—sometimes as a lighthearted nod to the phrase "Bah, humbug!" made famous in Charles Dickens's.

Apples, cranberries, pumpkins, and butternut squash have all been at the heart of the traditional holiday feast for countless generations.