This Is What Candy Corn Is Supposed To Taste Like

There are some topics you should simply steer clear of in certain company if you don't want to start a bitter feud: religion, politics, and candy corn. Why is candy corn so divisive? How can a little tri-colored triangle that's been a Halloween classic for nearly 150 years stir up so much passionate debate? The answer mostly comes down to flavor, naturally. But what that flavor is, exactly, can sometimes prove unclear. Pro-candy corn Reddit comments describe the flavor as honey-like or buttery brown sugar. Anti-candy corn Reddit users call it "chalky sugar," the solid form of high fructose corn syrup, and "a candle dipped in frosting." The true, intended flavor isn't so complex, however: It's vanilla, fondant, and marshmallow. 

That trio isn't all that far off from estimations that candy corn is basically sugar-flavored, but it's a positive spin that will make more sense to fans rather than haters. A taste of candy corn should indeed give you notes of cake frosting, vanilla ice cream, and sweet, sticky marshmallows. The Jelly Belly Candy Company, which has been cornering the candy-corn market since 1898 when it was The Goelitz Candy Company, has revealed both that flavor profile as well as the intended texture of butter. Again, not far from enthusiasts' perception. That some call it buttery and some call it a candle is part of the fun behind this toothsome treat.

To dig into this flavor profile, look back at candy corn's historic origins. It's hard to tell who invented it, but it began making the rounds in the 1880s. Candy producers made mellowcreme — sugar paste made with honey and additions like gelatin and food colorings — shaped into crops like chestnuts and pumpkins. This paved the way for another farm product, corn, to enter the mellowcreme chat. It's believed the three-color triangle came from Philadelphia-based Wunderlee Candy Company. But then Goelitz started selling it under the name "chicken feed" — which apparently seemed appetizing at the time.

Candy corn's popularity grew over the decades. Advertising campaigns in the 1950s linked it more firmly to Halloween. It won fans with that vanilla, honey, marshmallow mellowcreme; and stirred up boos for what some feel is an overwhelming punch of tooth-aching sugar and waxy consistency. The most recent development is that now candy corn comes in other flavors. The lesser-known Christmas candy corn is mellowcreme flavored in different varieties like maple syrup. It's from Brach's, a company that makes 30 million pounds of candy corn a year and has gotten the most experimental with its flavors: Thanksgiving Dinner controversially included pieces tasting like turkey and green beans, while the more appealing "Fall Festival" bag features kettle corn, lemonade, cotton candy, and caramel apple. Other brands have added blackberry cobbler, cinnamon, and s'mores to the mix.