Smack It, Crack It! The History of Turkish Taffy

Remember Turkish Taffy? 

It's one of the most fun retro candies you can find today...and there's still nothing else like it out there. 

Let's take a walk down memory lane! 

What Is Turkish Taffy?

Turkish Taffy is, you guessed it – taffy! But it's a little different than your typical soft taffy.

At first, it has the consistency of hard candy. That's why the package tells you to “smack it” against a hard surface – it will shatter into bite-sized pieces! 

But then, once it’s in your mouth, it changes. It melts and becomes a soft taffy! 

Pretty cool, right? 

The History of Turkish Taffy

Surprisingly, this innovative candy was invented by accident! 

In 1912, a candy maker added to many egg whites when he was trying to make marshmallows. He realized he might be on to something...and after some experimentation, Turkish Taffy was born! 

Later, the candy was sold to Victor Bonomo – and he created the "Bonomo Turkish Taffy" that we know today. For a while, it was only sold on The Coney Island boardwalk. Candy stores would break pieces from giant slabs of taffy for every customer. Then it hit candy stores everywhere – in the convenient form of a candy bar! 

Sadly, in 1989, Turkish Taffy was discontinued. But candy enthusiasts missed it so much that it was brought back in 2010!

Turkish Taffy Flavors

Turkish Taffy originally began as a vanilla flavored candy. Today, it is sold in vanilla, chocolate, banana and strawberry. 

Have you ever tried Turkish Taffy? Let us know in the comments!