The Deliciously Imperfect Origin Of Milk Duds

Milk Duds are a chocolatey coated cluster of thick, chewy caramel. Historically speaking, they date back to 1928. The candy company F. Hoffman & Co. first made these treats in Chicago. The team coined the name "dud" because it wanted to make perfect spheres of caramel. Instead, the shape kept coming out as a dud (or as the Oxford dictionary defines a dud: "a thing that is useless, especially because it does not work correctly").

But just because the shape kept coming out imperfectly, that didn't mean the taste was lacking, so they went to market anyway. These candies were popular during trying times, like the Great Depression, because enjoying a box of these yummy confections was an affordable treat for families. In the '60s, the Hoffman brand was sold to Beatrice Food Company, and Milk Duds went hand in hand with increasingly popular baseball games. The treat was "The Official Candy of Major League Baseball Players Association" in 1971. Finally, they were sold once more to Hershey in 1996, and the company continues to make them today. While their inception is not dubbed as perfect, these treats are notoriously delicious (and one of famous baker Christina Tosi's top five Halloween candies, for good reason). With their chewy, irregularly shaped caramel disc and chocolatey coating, Milk Duds are perfect for snacking or adding to your favorite recipes.

There's no denying that a handful of these bite-sized caramel and chocolate candies are perfectly consumable. However, incorporate these long-standing treats into your recipes for a delicious spin on the classics. Enjoy milk duds in cookies by chopping them into smaller pieces and folding them into this extra-crispy chocolate chip potato chip cookie recipe. The salted crunch of the potatoes is the ideal complimentary texture to the gooey chocolate and soft, melted pools of caramel in each cookie. Can you put Milk Duds in brownies? Yes! Chopped smaller pieces work for that bake as well.

Taking inspiration from Milk Dud's run as a movie theater concession staple, toss the candies into warm popcorn. The heat from the popcorn will gently melt the chocolate coating, leaving the caramel interior slightly soft. Better yet, the candies' sweetness compliments the popcorn's salty, buttery flavor and makes the perfect snack at your next movie night. You could also add some into this vanilla and popcorn flavor combo for a sweet, indulgent take on the classic. Another fun idea is to add a small handful of Milk Duds to your favorite trail mix. Think of any crunchy snack item, like pretzels, Chex cereal, and pecans, to mimic the flavors of a Turtle — the nutty pecan, savory pretzel, buttery caramel interior of the candy with a sweet chocolate coating for a satisfying bite.