It may indeed be harvest time where you live, but don’t expect farmers in your area to be harvesting ears of candy corn anytime soon! This sweet treat that’s a Halloween favorite may look like corn, but it doesn’t grow on the cob.
Candy corn is a candy that’s most popular each fall around Halloween, but it is usually available in stores year-round. Pieces of traditional candy corn are tricolored with a wide yellow end, a narrower orange center and a pointed white tip.
The unique tricolor candy corn pieces are meant to resemble kernels of corn. However, the average piece of candy corn is about three times larger than a normal kernel of corn.
Candy corn has been around a long, long time. It was invented in the 1880s by George Renninger of the Wunderle Candy Company.
At the time, its tricolor design was revolutionary. Plus, it was a big hit with the farmers!
Today, candy corn is still a big hit. The National Confectioners Association estimates that more than 35 million pounds — or about 9 billion kernels — of candy corn are produced each year. That’s a lot of candy corn!
Although candy corn was originally made by hand, today it is manufactured by machines using a special process called “corn starch modeling.”
Candy corn is made mostly of sugar, corn syrup (so there really is some corn in it), artificial coloring and binders to give it a soft, marshmallow-like texture inside. Although it’s super-sweet, candy corn happens to be fat-free.
Because of its popularity at Halloween, candy manufacturers have developed several varieties of candy corn that are sold at other times of the year. Here are some of the other types of candy corn and their colors:
- Indian corn (brown/orange/white) is often available around Thanksgiving.
- Reindeer corn (red/green/white) is made for Christmas.
- Cupid corn (red/pink/white) makes a great treat on Valentine’s Day.
- Bunny corn (pink, green, yellow or purple/white) hops around every Easter.
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I love candy corn! That’s why I was exited when I saw wonder #379. I learned a lot thanks to this wonder.
We’re so happy to hear that you love candy corn, William! We think it’s awesome, too! We wish we could really grow it in our backyard…that would be SWEET!
I am so happy to hear about the candy corn, because I love it! I wish I had a unlimited supply of the corn of candy. Also, everything didn’t go as planned. I have one more question to answer on the records form, but thanks!
Hi, David! You just keep trying your best on your attempt to break that World Record! We KNOW you can do it! Thanks for leaving us a comment on this Wonder of the Day® about candy corn…we wish we had an unlimited supply of it, too!
Can you do a Wonder about cheeseburgers? Thanks!
Hello, Jonah!
Did you know there is already a Wonder about hamburgers? It’s past Wonder #185 – WHY AREN’T HAMBURGERS MADE OF HAM? You can visit it here: http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-aren%E2%80%99t-hamburgers-made-of-ham/.
Then, after you learn about hamburgers, you can visit past Wonder #52 – WHY IS CHEDDAR CHEESE ORANGE? Here’s the link: http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-is-cheddar-cheese-orange/.
Hamburgers + cheese = cheeseburgers…get it? We WONDER what other Wonders we can combine in creative ways? If you think of any, let us know! Thanks so much for visiting Wonderopolis!
I think tomorrow’s wonder is about the world’s biggest snowman or biggest snow storm.
I loved this wonder because it has candy corn in it and I love candy corn!!!!!
I think tomorrow’s wonder will be about the cold weather. Today’s wonder was really cool. I have never heard of purple and white candy corn, or most of the other ones.
Do you think there are other kinds of candy corn are out there that we still haven’t heard of yet, Autumn? If you could create any color combination of candy corn, what would it be? Would it be “candy corn” flavor, or would you change it to something new and different?
My class was wondering how much of the 35 million pounds of candy corn is sold during the Halloween season. Thank you for a great web site!
Well, thank YOU for visiting Wonderopolis with your class, Sharon! We really enjoy hearing about classrooms learning together as they explore the Wonders of the Day!
We did a little more WONDERing after we got your comment, and found that Halloween accounts for 75% of all candy corn sales each year! That’s a LOT of candy corn! There are some other fun Halloween candy facts in this article we found from 2009: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/139/numerology-the-business-of-candy.html.
Thanks so much for leaving us a comment today!
I love the Wonder of the Day® because one of my favorite candies is candy corn! Tomorrow, can the Wonder be about flowers? That would be awesome!
Hi, Lily! Did you know there is already a Wonder about flowers? It’s past Wonder of the Day® #235 – How Are Annuals and Perennials Different? You can check it out here: http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/whats-the-difference-between-annuals-and-perennials/. Thank you so much for visiting Wonderopolis today!
I definitely have a sweet tooth for candy, especially for candy corn, that’s why I was so happy this was today’s Wonder of the Day®.
My question is, do you have any Wonders on horses? Please comment back, and answer my question!!!!!!THANKS! Oh, and goodbye!
You know we’ll always answer your comments, Missy! We really appreciate you leaving us great questions, too! There are TWO Wonders about HORSES! One of them is past Wonder #216 – Are Horses Predators or Prey? You can visit it here: http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/are-horses-predators-or-prey/. The other one is past Wonder #56 – Do Horses Sleep Standing Up? You can check it out here: http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/do-horses-sleep-standing-up/.
We hope you enjoy WONDERing more about horses and hope you learn some new things!
I LOOOOVE THIS WONDER!!!! I THINK THAT THE NEXT WONDER IS, “whats the coldest place on the planet. I’m STILL wondering!!!
We think it’s GREAT that you loved today’s Wonder, Zion, and also that you’re WONDERing about tomorrow’s, too! You’ll have to check back tomorrow to see if you were right about Wonder #380!
I looove Wonderopolis!!! Thank you for this website!!!!
Thank YOU for another super comment, Zion! We’re so glad that you enjoy visiting Wonderopolis! You’re an AWESOME Wonder Friend!
I liked the video because of the creepy music and candy corn. I think candy corn is delicious. It is weird that there are other types of candy corn like Valentine’s Day and Easter candy corn. I think that it would be fun to make candy corn by hand or to visit the manufacturing facility that makes it today.
We think it would be really fun to visit a candy corn manufacturing facility, too, Noah! We bet they give out free samples of candy corn at the end of the tour…YUM! Thank you for letting us know you liked the video for this Wonder of the Day®!
No! You cannot grow candy corn! You can only eat it! It is very yummy!
Maddie Rich!
Hello, Maddie! You’re right…candy corn IS very yummy! Thank you for your comment and for visiting Wonderopolis!
I love candy corn, but this kept me wondering,”can you actually grow candy corn?” But, I think Wonderopolis is awesome!
Hi, Abigail! Thanks so much for your comment and question! You can’t actually GROW candy corn in the ground like other vegetables, but it can be MADE in a candy factory! We think EATING candy corn is the best part of the whole process, though, don’t you?
WOW!! We LOVED this WONDER! We actually had a field trip to a farm yesterday and we did a lot of WONDERing there!! Did you know that feed corn (which is normally what you see on farms) is only for animals to eat. It is very hard and would taste like dirt- yuck! That’s not the sweet corn (or even the candy corn) that we love so much! We also learned that only ONE EAR of corn grows on a stalk!! That seems like a lot of work for just one ear of corn!
We also got a chance to see some pigs and we made connections to a past WONDER where we learned about pigs. We learned that pumpkins were like candy to a pig- they were a sweet treat but not good to have all the time.
We also got a rabbit for our classroom and learned that rabbits cannot have too many carrots–the sugar in them can cause them to go into a diabetic coma.
Lastly, we learned that 24-28 footballs or 160 baseballs can be made from a full grown cow!! That left us WONDERing alongside our bus drivers for the day…. If a football is made from a cow, why do we call it a “pigskin”?? hhmmmm…..
Your comment is like a Wonder of the Day® for us today, Kerrick Elementary School! We learned so much from your visit to the farm, too! Thank you for sharing such interesting information with us! We never knew that feed corn is different from the corn we buy and eat from the store! We will be careful not to share a meal with any farm animals in the future!
We think it is really WONDERful that you got a rabbit for your classroom! Have you named him/her yet? Also, you can find out why a football is called a “pigskin” by visiting past Wonder #336! Here is a link: http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/are-footballs-really-made-of-pigskin/. THANK YOU for your awesome comment today!
Hi, Wonderopolis, I want to say THANK YOU for ALL OF THE AWESOME WONDERS YOU GUYS DO, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You’re very welcome, Zion! We want to say THANK YOU to you for always being so positive with your comments and excited about visiting Wonderopolis!
I would grow candy corn at Willy Wonka’s factory if I could!
That sounds like the best place to plant it, but that is my opinion.
If we could REALLY grow candy corn, we bet Mr. Wonka’s factory WOULD be the best place to plant it, Kailee! You are super smart and we really appreciate your AWESOME comments!
I don’t think you can grow candy, but I know I luvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv Wonderopolis!
That’s such a NICE thing to say, Marquise! It makes us very happy when our Wonder Friends let us know how much they love Wonderopolis!
I am in Sharon Ricklic’s class, and I was wondering how much candy corn is sold a year?
Thank You!
We know a LOT of candy corn is produced and sold each year, Madison…more than 35 million pounds (or about 9 billion kernels)! That’s a SWEET fact, isn’t it?
Yummmmm, candy corn! Thanks for letting me know how to make candy corn!
Hi, Amya! We think candy corn is YUMMMMMM, too! Thanks so much for leaving us this awesome comment today!
Today was our first day exploring Wonderopolis as a class! Here are some of our thoughts…
Why is candy corn so popular?
Why can’t they make them in more shapes?
Why did they choose those three colors?
What inspired George Renninger to make it?
We didn’t know it had been around for 130 years!
We learned that it happens to be fat free!!
Thanks for the great website!
WOW! That’s a lot of awesome WONDERing about candy corn, Mrs. Williams’s 5th Grade! We’re so happy you visited this Wonder of the Day® and let us know what other SWEET questions you have after exploring it!
Thanks for the wonder of the day. I LOVE CANDY CORN, especially for Halloween. Thanks again and the important facts were very helpful
!!!!
We really enjoyed hearing that you liked this Wonder of the Day® about candy corn, Madison! Thanks for letting us know!
Hi, do you know where to buy the Valentine’s Day candy corn? I’m not a big fan, but my best friend is ADDICTED to candy corn. Just asking if you know the answer thank you, and if you don’t that’s also ok, too!
But, I also wanted know if you like candy corn? Do you? My favorite type of candy is well, I actually HATE candy because it makes you gain weight. I actually just really weighed myself! Bye, please write back.
Hi, Leilani! We think you’ll have to wait until near Valentine’s Day to see the special red, pink and white candy corn in the stores. You should be able to buy it at most candy stores in February! That’s really sweet of you to ask for your friend!
Thanks for sharing that you don’t like candy. It is OK to eat candy as a special treat sometimes, but it’s WAY more important to eat foods rich in the nutrients your body needs to grow at a HEALTHY rate and to maintain a HEALTHY weight!
I really want to try some candy corn. Where do you buy them if you live in Korea?
Hi, Nicole! Thank you for leaving us a comment today! We’re not sure where to buy candy corn in Korea, but maybe a grown-up close to you (like a parent or a teacher) might be able to help you find out where to buy it? We hope you get to try some…it’s really yummy!
Can you play in a big pool of candy?
We’re not sure if there is a big pool of candy somewhere out there to swim in, Brooke, but that sounds like it would be a LOT of fun!
Mix a container of candy corn with a container of dry roasted peanuts…eat them! Tastes just like a Payday candy bar
Thank you so much for sharing this tasty recipe, Cheri! With just two ingredients, it’s easy enough for our younger Wonder Friends to make, but yummy enough for ALL Wonder Friends to enjoy!
Hello, Wonderopolis! My name is Ekaterina.
I LOVE CANDY CORN…SERIOUSLY!!!!
By the way, I have never heard of other candy corn except for the Halloween candy corn!
Hello, Ekaterina! Thank you for letting us know how much you love candy corn! We’re glad you visited this Wonder and learned that there are other types of candy corn out there to be enjoyed year-round!
Hey, do you know how they make candy corn? I hope they make it with a lot of sugar!
That’s a great question, Kate! They use computers and machines to make modern candy corn in huge candy factories now! You can see the process for yourself in a cool video if you click on the “corn starch modeling” link in the “Did you know?” section of this Wonder of the Day®!
I love candy…………………..
Corn!
Hello, Helena! Thank you for visiting Wonderopolis and for letting us know that you love candy corn! We love it, too! We thought it was really interesting to see how they make it in the candy factory, didn’t you?
Candy corn rocks!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE candy corn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We’re guessing you’re pretty fond of candy corn, right, Casey?
Thank you so much for leaving us such a happy comment! You’re a GREAT Wonder Friend! 
I DON’T KNOW IF YOU CAN GROW CANDY CORN, I JUST LIKE IT.
We like candy corn too, Wonder Friend 18! So do a LOT of other Wonder Friends…it’s a really popular candy around the world! Thank you for sharing your thoughts about this Wonder!
I wish candy corn grew as a plant. It’s my favorite candy, I’ll eat it year around!!!
That would be really neat, Rebecca! Then everyone could plant candy corn in their gardens along with the yummy fruits and veggies!
Candy corn is my favorite candy in the world. I ate 12 bags today.
WOW, Joshua! Twelve bags of candy corn is a LOT! Are you sure you don’t have a stomach ache? We hope you ate some healthy treats today, too!
Hi wonderopolis! You have amazing wonders! I think you can’t grow
candy corn, if you could, I would by some! I learned candy corn
can be Kind of healthy!
thanks,
Audrey.
We sure appreciate your comment today, Audrey! It would be REALLY fun if we COULD grow candy corn, though! We would be able to harvest and snack on some whenever we wanted to!
NO, you can’t grow candy corn. Yes, it’s called corn, but it’s candy. I LOVE CANDY.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on candy corn, Peanut! We’re glad you visited Wonderopolis today!
I love candy corn!!!
Hi there, Jade! Thanks for sharing that you love candy corn and also for stopping by this Wonder of the Day® today!
I LOVE CANDY CORN.
We like candy corn, too, Wonder Friend! It’s an AWESOME treat all year round!
We agree! Candy corn is a tasty sweet treat.
Hey there Wonderopolis!
I love this wonder on candy corn! I learned that there is more than one type of candy corn, and that there is different colors of candy corn. I love how candy corn is tricolor and was revolutionary! When candy corn was brand new to people, did they think that they could grow it? Anyways, I love this wonder and I love candy corn! I will always keep on WONDERing! Bye!
It makes us SUPER happy to hear that you will keep on WONDERing, Team Unger 7! We think that’s AWESOME!
Wonderopolis,
This wonder was very interesting! I learned some new vocabulary words, including, stalk and kernel. I never knew that there were different kinds of candy corn for different holidays!! I will have to keep my eye open. I was also interested in knowing that candy corn has basically nothing to do with corn, except for the fact that it contains corn syrup! To go even farther why do you think they made candy corn in the shape of kernels? THANKS!!
We’ve often WONDERed about candy corn, too, Team Unger #12! We WONDER if people would be as interested in candy green beans, candy peppers or candy tomatoes?
WE LOVE CANDY CORNS!!
Warning: don’t eat too many candy corns or you will turn into candy corn.
Sebastian and Kyra.
Thanks for sharing your advice about candy corn with your friends in Wonderopolis today, Sebastian and Kyra! We will certainly heed your warning…we don’t want to turn into candy corn (although it might be WONDERfully SWEET to be candy…at least for one day!)!
I was a candy corn fairy for Halloween last year!
What a creative idea, Ashley B! We think you are a creative Wonder Friend!
Hey Wonderopolis! Happy Halloween! I love candy corn! It is so good! Thanks for this wonder I really appreciate it! Oh P.S. Happy Halloween to everyone who reads this especially my school LDMS!
Happy early Halloween to you, too, Sydney! We think you are a SUPER Wonder Friend– we wish you a great day of trick-or-treating! Thanks for sharing your comment!
Also I’m being Wily Wonka for Halloween this year! He is super awesome! I love Wonka nerds!!!!!
That sounds like a SUPER costume idea! We hope you have a great time… hopefully you’ll meet up with an oompaloompa while you’re trick-or-treating!
Candy Corn tastes good!
YUM, we love your comment about that tasty treat, Skye! We can’t wait for Halloween to arrive! Have a SUPER day!
I think you guys should interview Josh Hutcherson from the Hunger Games.
Thanks for sharing your idea for a Wonder, Candy Corn! We Wonder if you are getting ready for Halloween? Will you be celebrating and trick-or-treating this year?
If there was a candy corn plant, I would have a bunch of them and eat them all like crazy until I’m sick…… okay I would not do that. I probably have it as a nightly snack.
He he, you’ve got us giggling, Tyler J! We think a candy corn plant would give some of us an upset stomach, too! We like your style– a little snack at night is a great way to end the day!
My friend just put a new wonder on your website and she’s at freedom trail elementary and I love your website!
I heart candy corn I love it so much I can’t have it because my gram says I get hyper.
Hey there, Amaiya, we love candy of all kinds, too! However, if we have too much of it, we bet your gram would tell us the same thing! We’re glad you’re enjoying our candy corn Wonder– we hope to Wonder with you again soon!
Question: Why is candy corn fat free?
That’s a WONDERful question, Trinity! Some candy is fat free, but there are lots of calories and sugar in it! It’s important to remember “everything in moderation”. This means it’s okay to have a little bit of foods you enjoy, like sweets and treats, but make room for the good stuff, too, like fruits, vegetables and grains!
Do you think people have ever even tried to grow candy corn?
That’s an excellent question, Trinity! While we don’t know for sure, we bet many scientists have tried to grow candy or all sorts! We think it would be cool if there was a delicious treat that grew from the ground? We think it sounds a lot like fruit!
Hello to all wonderers! I have recently read this story and I think it is interesting. I always knew that candy corn didn’t grow on a planet but I just wanted to see what you guys said.
Hey Allyson, thanks for sharing your comment with us! It’s great that you’ve been WONDERing about candy corn- we are happy to learn more about that famous Halloween candy! Thanks for visiting us, Allyson!
Great job
Thanks so much, Destiny! We are glad you enjoyed this Wonder!
No you can’t grow candy corn it’s candy.
Thank you for sharing your awesome comment, Romi! We Wonder if you have a favorite type of candy?
I like candy corn and turtles
I liked the SWEET new thing I learned
But it would be cool if you grow it yourself.
Thanks for sharing your Wonder, Angel! We’re sorry to learn that you cannot grow candy corn in a garden, but perhaps there is a plant, fruit or vegetable that you can grow on your own! It might not taste like candy corn, but we bet it will be delicious!