Item Spotlight: The Original Candy Canes, Better Homes & Gardens, 1963

Ever since I was a small child, one of the most exciting parts of Christmastime has been the food. And by that, of course, I mean the sweets. Perhaps the most quintessential Christmas treats were Grandma Betty’s candy canes. Made of sweet yeast dough filled with cinnamon and apples, and twisted to resemble the traditional candy, these pastries represented all of the homemade magic and decadence of the holidays.

As I grew up, I was able to participate in baking the candy canes and came to appreciate the labor of love that they are. At one of our baking sessions a few years ago, Grandma shared that she still had the original recipe for the treats, a page taken from a Christmas issue of Better Homes & Gardens. I was taken by the page’s colors and design, delighted to have this record of vintage baking.

Curious to learn more, I sat down with Grandma Betty this year and asked her how the tradition started. She was kind to let me record our conversation, so there are excerpts below. Enjoy!