Old Fashioned Candy – A Sweet Trip In The Past

Remembering old fashioned candy is indeed a great way to take you back to the 20th century and remind you of who you were. Why? Because candy often brings back memories of our loved ones and happy times.

Do you recall how we used to save up our nickels to buy candy necklaces at the pharmacy? Or you may remember the candy dish that Nana always had on the counter with the cinnamon bears in it. Or maybe your father loved the Zero Bars? 

Let’s travel back in time and explore old fashioned candy that has been loved for decades.

Names of Old Fashioned Candy

1. Necco Wafers
2. Cow Tales
3. Abba Zaba
4. Cracker Jacks
5. Cherry Blossom
6. Popeye Candy Sticks
7. Charleston Chew
8. Mackintosh Toffee

Top 8 Old Fashioned Candy

1. Necco Wafers

Candy lovers have been enjoying the simple and delicious retro candy known as Necco Wafers since 1847. The same recipe from 1847 is being used to make Necco Wafers today. The savory flavors of orange, lemon, lime, clove, chocolate, cinnamon, licorice, and wintergreen come to mind. A pioneering old fashioned candy, they’re a favorite among children and adults. 

The Necco Wafers’ original recipe has practically not been altered throughout the years because of their continuing appeal. The eight most popular tastes and colors are back, including brown chocolate, licorice, which is dark gray; light purple clove; yellow lemon; green lime; orange, obviously orange; and brown lime.

Seven of the eight tastes were created to be exact replicas of their original counterparts. Due to a modest modification in the cooking process, true Necco Wafers lovers may notice a deeper cocoa flavor in the chocolate wafers. 

Since their invention, Necco Wafers have literally been loved all over the world. During the Civil War, troops carried them. Necco Wafers were brought by explorer Donald MacMillan in 1913 and shared with Eskimo children while he was exploring the Arctic. Later in the 1930s, 2.5 tons of Necco Wafers were transported on an expedition to the South Pole.

2. Cow Tales

A distinctive old fashioned candy from the 1980s is called Cow Tales. A cream center is encircled by a chewy and delectable caramel. Cow Tales are available in four delicious flavors: strawberry, caramel apple, vanilla, and chocolate. The famed Goetze Candy Company, founded in 1896, is the manufacturer of Cow Tales.

Many people wonder why Goetze’s Candy Company chose the moniker “Cow Tales” instead of “Cow Tails” for these candies. Since Goetze’s is a more modern and jovial version of Caramel Creams, they chose “Tales” rather than “Tails” to allude to the whimsical and nostalgic nature of children’s bedtime stories. Early packaging included a cow leaping over the moon in a reference to the “Hey Diddle Diddle” children’s song, highlighting Goetze’s decision to use “Tales” rather than “Tails.”

3. Abba Zaba

A bar of creamy peanut butter-filled vanilla taffy that is chewy and elastic is known as Abba Zaba. The company’s motto, “One won’t do, you better purchase two,”  sums up its taste perfectly. They are quite addicting. The movie Half Baked, in which Dave Chappell’s character claims that Abba Zaba is his sole buddy, has lately increased awareness of Abba Zaba.

Abba Zaba is a highly popular old fashioned candy that has been around since the 1920s. It is tasty and has endured the test of time.

Annabelle Candy Co., Inc. was established in 1950 by Sam Altshuler, a Russian immigrant who came to America in 1917. After years of developing his formula and mastering the art of candy manufacturing, he eventually found success with his Rocky Road candy bar. He started making Rocky Road in San Francisco and named his company the Annabelle Candy Company after his daughter. 

The product, which is presently listed among the top-selling chocolate bars on the West Coast, soon acquired popularity throughout the western United States, where it has the strongest grip. The Cardinet Candy Co., which produced the Abba Zaba candy bar, was bought by Annabelle in 1978.

What began as a family business is still going strong today as one of the biggest privately held American candy producers, producing some of the most well-known and iconic West Coast products on the market.

4. Cracker Jacks

You may be sure that every delectable Cracker Jack bite will bring back pleasant memories. Old fashioned candy called Cracker Jack consists of crunchy peanuts and caramel-coated popcorn with a hint of a molasses taste. It is a traditional and well-liked delicacy that still has a gift inside each box. 

Previously known as candied popcorn and peanuts, the snack was given the formal name Cracker Jack in 1896. In 1900, the business changed its name once more to become The Cracker Jack Company.

Frito-Lay is the manufacturer of Cracker Jacks today. At baseball games, they continue to be popular favorites and continue to enchant both young people and adults. Therefore, even though the prizes may have changed over time, you can be sure that the candy inside hasn’t.

5. Cherry Blossom

One of the most popular candies in Canada is cherry blossom. maraschino cherry in a delicious bite, with coconut, toasted peanuts, and, of course, chocolate all around. A really old fashioned candy delicacy, Cherry Blossom has been loved for over 50 years.

The Walter M. Lowney firm was established by its proprietor and namesake, Walter M. Lowney, in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1883. Lowney’s business established a branch in Canada in the middle of the 1890s, and by 1905 it had a factory running out of Montreal. 

The Cherry Blossom expanded along with Lowney’s business as the 20th century went on. Contrary to common perception, no injections are made into the cherry blossoms inside. A coating of the invertase enzyme covers the chocolate, encasing the cherries. This layer then remains on the cherries for one or two weeks before becoming liquid.

Midway through the 20th century, Hershey acquired the Smiths Falls division and started producing Cherry Blossoms as a subsidiary brand. With a constantly identifiable name, Cherry Blossoms may still be found at grocery shops, dollar stores, and gas stations throughout the country.

6. Popeye Candy Sticks

Popeye Candy Sticks are a classic, old-fashioned candy that can always make us feel young at heart if you’re looking for something crunchy, sweet, and powdery. Since they were first produced in the late 19th century, they are also known as “candy cigarettes” and have gained a lot of popularity.

However, because of the widespread belief that they encouraged young people to smoke and become adult smokers, these sweets were finally outlawed everywhere but in the US. Candy Sticks, a similar version produced by World Candies, had cartoon character pictures on the packaging as opposed to looking like cigarette packs like the earlier product did. 

There are boxes with characters from Warner Bros., like Spider-Man and Popeye, as well as DC Superheroes, Scooby-Doo, and The Flintstones.

7. Charleston Chew

Old fashioned candy known as “Charleston Chew” has been around since 1925, when the “Charleston” dance became increasingly popular among young people. You can enjoy the tasty old fashioned candy flavor of the Charleston Chew bar even if you aren’t old enough to remember it or can’t perform the Charleston dance. 

This old fashioned candy was initially created in 1922 by the Fox Cross Candy Company. The initial confection from this Boston, Massachusetts-based business was a milk chocolate-covered nougat with vanilla flavoring. This confection that comprehends the emotions of the moment is just absolutely fantastic. Consuming it feels hip and enjoyable, and it also livens up your typical sweets habit. Consider how the Charleston Chew’s arrival in town must have made the populace of the 1920s feel. 

Over time, the taste profiles grew to include flavors like chocolate and strawberry nougat. At one point, there was even a banana flavor. However, only the vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry flavors are still available, along with the little chews. The ability to somewhat personalize this confectionery, like the dance, is one of its best features. While some prefer to eat theirs frozen, others prefer to consume them at room temperature. You ought to carry it out however you see fit.

8. Mackintosh Toffee

One of the greatest old-fashioned candy Canada has ever had is Mackintosh Toffee — rich and creamy vintage toffee that is smooth and just the right amount of sweet. Since it has been around since 1890, Macintosh Toffee is a traditional, retro candy treat.

The idea for Mackintosh’s Toffee, which is neither too hard nor too soft, originated soon after John Mackintosh opened his confectionery in Halifax, Yorkshire, England, in 1890. Rowntree Mackintosh, formed in 1969 by the merger of rivals Mackintosh and Rowntree, merged with Nestlé in 1988. It is frequently said that the product is over 100 years old.

The toffee is sold in bags that have a haphazard collection of individually wrapped flavor toffees. The flavors include malt (blue), harrogate (yellow), mint (green), egg and cream (orange), coconut (pink), and toffee (maroon). In order to mask the strong flavor of the town’s therapeutic waters, confectioners in the Yorkshire spa town of Harrogate created the flavor Harrogate.

Bottom Line – Old Fashioned Candy

Candy is an inseparable part of our lives. We have enjoyed sweet treats since childhood, which is why they are associated with happiness and loved ones. That is why we decided to bring your sweet memories to the surface by reminding you of some of the most famous old fashioned candy. Above, you will find retro candy brands that managed to endure the test of time, and many of them are still manufactured today.