Move over, modern candy bars. Hershey is reaching all the way back to 1894 for its newest sweet comeback, bringing an old-school caramel recipe from the company’s earliest days back to life.
The new Milton Hershey’s Caramels are inspired by an original recipe from the year Milton Hershey founded the Hershey Chocolate Company. That’s right: while most of us are busy trying to remember what we ate yesterday, Hershey is digging through the 1800s for dessert inspiration.
The caramels are soft and chewy, with a short ingredient list built around sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, butter and brown sugar. They come individually wrapped in 12-ounce bags containing roughly 30 pieces—making them particularly dangerous to leave anywhere near an office candy bowl.
And here’s the obscure part that makes the candy comeback even more interesting: Milton Hershey started his company in 1894, but the famous HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Bar didn’t arrive until 1900. So these caramels represent a taste of the Hershey era before the chocolate bar became the cultural icon we know today.
Where Can You Get Milton Hershey’s Caramels?
For now, the nostalgic candy has a decidedly exclusive launch. Milton Hershey’s Caramels are available through HERSHEY’S CHOCOLATE WORLD and the brand’s online store.
That means you don’t necessarily have to book a Pennsylvania road trip just to try them—although visiting Hershey and returning with a bag does sound considerably more fun than simply clicking “add to cart.”
Hershey says the new candy is designed to evoke a simpler era, and the packaging and recipe certainly lean into that old-fashioned appeal.
So if you’ve ever wondered what Milton Hershey’s candy might have tasted like before the chocolate empire took over, this may be your chance.
Just remember: the recipe is from 1894.
Your self-control is considerably newer—and apparently less reliable.
