Carnival Candy Ideas

Traveling carnivals began in the United States in 1893 with the Chicago World's Fair. These carnivals have evolved to include rides, games and, most importantly, sweets. The longstanding tradition of carnivals has created many different carnival candies that have originated from all over the world. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Saltwater Taffy

Taffy and saltwater taffy have been sold at fairs and carnivals in the Midwest and along the Jersey Shore since 1880. Since this time, saltwater taffy has become a popular carnival candy. Taffy is made from boiled sugar and various flavorings. This boiled sugar is pulled on a taffy pulling machine until it becomes a chewy, toffee-like substance. The taffy is then cut into small pieces, wrapped and sold at carnivals. Taffy comes in almost every flavor imaginable, including popular fruity flavors such as apple, banana and cherry, as well as orange cream, licorice and root beer float.

Cotton Candy

Cotton candy is another sticky, sweet delicacy commonly served at carnivals and fairs. This carnival candy is made by melting coarse, granulated sugar --- often dyed to appear blue, green or pink --- in a cotton candy machine. As the sugar melts, a large bowl spins, aerating the candy. The melted, aerated sugar is then caught in a larger bowl and placed on a stick or in a bag for carnival-goers. Cotton candy cannot be produced without the specialized machine that melts the sugar and then aerates it. These machines can be rented or purchased through carnival suppliers.

Candied Apples

Candy apples are sweet, tart carnival delicacies eaten off of popsicle sticks. These candies may be the easiest to make at home, as they don't require the use of any specialized machinery. The caramel coating is first made at home by melting store-bought caramel candies or making your own caramel from scratch. Once the caramel has heated to a temperature of 245-250 degrees, the apple on a stick is dipped inside at an angle and rotated around so the caramel coats the entire apple. Once removed, the excess caramel drips off, while the remaining caramel hardens into a sweet, delicious coating.

Deep-Fried Candy Bars

No carnival candy could be more decadent than the deep-fried candy bar. Sweet, greasy and fatty, this incredibly unhealthy treat originated as a novelty food in Scotland and has since become a popular carnival treat throughout the United States. Any candy bar can be used --- Twinkies and Oreo cookies are also popular deep-fried carnival fare. The candy bar is chilled to prevent melting, then coated in a batter used for deep frying other commonly fried foods, and dropped into a pot of boiling oil.