Easter Candy Facts: The History of Jelly Beans

The delectable jelly bean, with its chewy center and shiny semi-hard shell, is not only one of the world's favorite sweets, but a popular Easter candy as well. Jelly beans have an interesting - indeed illustrious - past. Read on to learn about the history of this fascinating candy.

The Origin of Jelly Beans

While nobody knows exactly when jelly beans were invented, food historians agree that they are derived from a confection known as Turkish Delight, which originated in Istanbul, Turkey in the late 1700s. Turkish Delight is a jellied candy that is coated with powdered sugar. It is frequently flavored with rose water and lemon, and some varieties contain small pieces of nuts, such as almonds or pistachios.

The connection to Turkish Delight explains the origin of the jelly bean's chewy center, but jelly beans are also characterized by a semi-hard shell. The candy's hard shell traces its origin to a process known as panning, which was developed in 17^th century France to make candy-coated almonds (commonly known as Jordan Almonds). Panning involves rocking raw almonds in a bowl filled with sugar and syrup until the almonds are coated with a candy shell.

Jelly Beans in the Early 1900s

Thankfully, the two concepts described above made their way to the United States and resulted in the jelly bean. During the early 1900s, they became a popular "penny candy" item in general stores throughout the United States. The term "penny candy" refers to candies that were contained in glass jars and sold by weight in a paper bag. During this era jelly beans were sold individually by color (e.g., a bag of red, a bag of green, etc). As a result, they became popular holiday and seasonal candies because specific colors were associated with specific seasons or holidays.

Jelly Beans and Easter

Jelly beans are now a traditional Easter candy, but they did not become associated with the holiday until the 1930s. The association derives from their egg-like shape, which renders it a symbol of fertility and birth. It is estimated that U.S. manufacturers produce about 16 billion jelly beans during the Easter holiday.

The Different Types of Jelly Beans

Until 1976, there was only one type of jelly bean (commonly referred to as the traditional jelly bean). In 1976, however, the Jelly Belly Candy Company (originally known as the Herman Goelitz Candy Co.) introduced its gourmet-style jelly beans. Unlike traditional jelly beans - which are only flavored on the shell - gourmet jelly beans are flavored on the inside and outside. Moreover, they are smaller and softer than the traditional kind. Today, Jelly Belly makes 50 different flavors of gourmet jelly beans.

Jelly Beans and President Reagan

The Jelly Belly Candy Co. owes a huge debt of gratitude to President Ronald Reagan. Jelly Belly jelly beans were President Reagan's favorite, and he was no doubt responsible for a surge in the company's sales. Blueberry jelly beans were created specifically for President Reagan so he could offer red, white and blue jelly beans to guests at his inaugural celebrations. In 1983, jelly beans were sent into space! President Reagan sent the candy to the astronauts of the Space Shuttle Challenger (which, incidentally, included Sally Ride, the first American female astronaut).

So there you have it - the history of jelly beans. Who would have ever predicted that this humble little candy would become a popular Easter candy and the favorite of one of the nation's most beloved presidents? The story of the jelly bean is an illustrious one indeed.