[{"id":291189227562,"handle":"all-candy","updated_at":"2025-12-04T08:57:59-05:00","published_at":"2025-01-30T08:34:32-05:00","sort_order":"best-selling","template_suffix":"","published_scope":"global","title":"All Old Fashioned Candies","body_html":""},{"id":285115940906,"handle":"top-sellers","updated_at":"2025-12-04T07:14:55-05:00","published_at":"2024-09-19T11:36:59-04:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","published_scope":"web","title":"Best Selling Old Fashioned Candies","body_html":"","image":{"created_at":"2024-09-19T11:39:01-04:00","alt":null,"width":1170,"height":833,"src":"\/\/truetreatscandy.com\/cdn\/shop\/collections\/turkish-delight-blog-photo_e7c94cdf-81b3-47e8-adac-d436d1ff84b9.jpg?v=1726760342"}},{"id":286636113962,"handle":"christmas-delights","updated_at":"2025-12-04T07:14:55-05:00","published_at":"2024-10-31T13:15:22-04:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","published_scope":"global","title":"Christmas Candies","body_html":"","image":{"created_at":"2024-10-31T13:15:19-04:00","alt":"","width":2048,"height":2030,"src":"\/\/truetreatscandy.com\/cdn\/shop\/collections\/IMG-7261.jpg?v=1762880171"}},{"id":290043822122,"handle":"quick-order","title":"Quick Order","updated_at":"2025-12-04T12:51:50-05:00","body_html":null,"published_at":"2025-01-03T14:49:08-05:00","sort_order":"best-selling","template_suffix":"quick","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"variant_price","relation":"greater_than","condition":"0"}],"published_scope":"web"},{"id":285115416618,"handle":"1500s-1700s","updated_at":"2025-12-04T07:14:55-05:00","published_at":"2024-09-19T11:36:22-04:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","published_scope":"web","title":"Retro 1500s to 1700s Candy Collections","body_html":"\u003ch5\u003eCandied Peels and petals, chocolate sticks, sugar plums, \u0026amp; other sugary treats.\u003c\/h5\u003e\r\nMany common fruits, nuts, and spices arrived in the 1500s to the 1700s and brought with them new forms of confections...and all the symbolism that went with them.","image":{"created_at":"2024-09-19T11:38:22-04:00","alt":null,"width":983,"height":888,"src":"\/\/truetreatscandy.com\/cdn\/shop\/collections\/2376410629-1_7843d4e5-e79c-4bd6-a69b-3e5798613592.jpg?v=1726760302"}},{"id":285115449386,"handle":"1800s","updated_at":"2025-12-04T20:04:24-05:00","published_at":"2024-09-19T11:36:25-04:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"depict","published_scope":"web","title":"Retro 1800s Candy Collections","body_html":"\u003ch5\u003eThe Industrial Revolution brought a tidal wave of change in sweets.\u003c\/h5\u003e\r\nThe 1800s saw the growth and demolition of enslavement with its close connection to sugar cane; the introduction of new sugars promoted by abolitionist; and the massive shifts in foods due to the Industrial Revolution, including the candy we know today.","image":{"created_at":"2024-09-19T11:38:25-04:00","alt":null,"width":1735,"height":2048,"src":"\/\/truetreatscandy.com\/cdn\/shop\/collections\/Untitled-design-2024-02-07T163445-582_e10ae7ea-2a45-4424-8199-cfe5833ac1db.jpg?v=1726760305"}},{"id":295630143530,"handle":"mothers-sweet-treats","updated_at":"2025-12-04T07:14:55-05:00","published_at":"2025-04-22T15:20:19-04:00","sort_order":"best-selling","template_suffix":"","published_scope":"global","title":"Retro Sweet Treats for Spring Collections","body_html":""},{"id":285116039210,"handle":"only-at-true-treats","updated_at":"2025-12-04T07:14:55-05:00","published_at":"2024-09-19T11:37:04-04:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","published_scope":"web","title":"Vintage Candy Only at True Treats Collections","body_html":"","image":{"created_at":"2024-09-19T11:39:07-04:00","alt":null,"width":2259,"height":2112,"src":"\/\/truetreatscandy.com\/cdn\/shop\/collections\/IMG_2267-scaled-e1657311617531_769562dd-003d-414e-be10-0757e094f8a1.jpg?v=1726760347"}}]
Why are Cream Filberts the perfect sweets? Because they are tasty, nicely textured, and a traditional treat dating back centuries, at least to theĀ 1700s. This delight contains a filbert surrounded by creamed sugar which is then surrounded by a crisp sugar shell. The flavor is sweet but not cloying, followed by the nutty taste of the filbert within. The texture is unlike any youāve had before. It starts with a gentle crunch of the sugar coating surrounding the candy, followed by a smooth, creamy sugar layer, which ends with the crunch (not too hard but not soft) of the filbert. Whatās just as exciting about handmade cream filberts is its story: cream filberts are version of sugar plums, later called "mothball candy," in the mid-1900s.
Product Details
Fondant sugar, filberts, sugar, water.
Allergen Disclaimer: Please note that our products are made in a facility that processes peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, soy, and wheat. While we take precautions to prevent cross-contamination, we cannot guarantee that our products are allergen-free.
Historical Insights
Cream filberts are a nut surrounded by a layer of creamy sugar, encompassed by a thin, crisp, layer of sugar. They werenāt as
rugged as other nut-based candies, such as Jordan almonds, and demanded intensive focus on how they were displayed. The American Food Journal of 1917 put it this way:
Ā āCream Filberts should not be displayed in open boxes or trays as
they dry out very quickly, become hard and have a chalky appearance. In airtight glass jars they will keep nice and soft and the crystal remain bright almost indefinitely.
Ā āIt seems common practice with the retailer to dump a lot of ā¦cream filberts into the show window, evidentially for the purpose of tempting someone to buy them. In a very short time, dust settles all over them, and they are dirty, unattractive, and create about as little desire to purchase, as so many
mud marbles. Might as well expect a snowball to stay white in a coal mine, as to expect cream filberts to stay white if displayed openly in a show window.ā
Cream filberts had another distinguishing characteristic ā they were frequently made at home. In the Cookās Dictionaryā
of 1830, author Richard Dolby adds quite a few iterations on the filbert theme including the āWhite Burnt Filbert.ā This recipe AKA āreceiptā calls for roasting the filbert, then dropping it into boiling sugar, removing it with a sieve, letting it dry, then dropping it into boiling sugar again.
In all fairness, Dolby, a cook at the āThatched-House Tavernā in London was writing his cookbook primarily for domestics, as were most cookbooks of the time, but applies to anyone with the means to obtain the ingredients and fuel for cooking. Ā
Please allow 3-5 business days for processing new retail orders. Many of our products are hand-made and assembled, so some orders may experience some delays depending on availability. Most orders are shipped within 5 business days. If you have any questions or concerns about your order please reach out to us.
Handmade Cream Filberts or Mothball Candy? Whatās in a Name in Civil War Era Candy & 1800s Candy?
If the term ācream filbertā doesnāt sound familiar, the alternate name might. That would be āmothball candy.ā Handmade cream filberts were a beloved part of civil war era candy traditions, later recognized among treats often found in a civil war candy box, and remained popular into the evolving world of 1800s candy. What happened is this: handmade cream filberts became a popular candy in the 19th century and early 20th century. Then, as with so many things, the venerable candyās popularity waned.
Just when it seemed that the cream filbert was all but forgotten, it rose up in the mid-1900s as the ubiquitous mothball candy. Why mothball? Because they looked like those mothballs that spared expensive clothing from the ravages of moths, although they left a scent on the clothing, homes, and individuals who used them.
Eventually, the mothball candy/cream filbert fell into anonymity, skirting the edges of those forgotten candies we now call retro. One thing is sure ā popularity, riches, and fame may waneā¦but handmade cream filberts will always belong to the True Treats family. Look at what Susan reveals about the alluring past of handmade cream filberts and their connection to 1800s candy traditions.
True Treats is the only historically accurate candy store in the world, bringing the past to life through researched sweets, teas, syrups, and more. Every product is rooted in history, telling the story of how people from all walks of life enjoyed treats through time. Leading this effort is Susan, a nationally recognized candy historian, researcher, and author who appears regularly on TV, radio, and in major publications. With over 40 years of experience, she has written ten books and founded True Treats to share the fascinating history of candy in a fun and delicious way. Susanās work uncovers the surprising origins of Americaās favorite sweets, from ancient uses of sugar to the candies of the 1900s. Through True Treats, Susan makes history an interactive experience, allowing customers to taste the past while learning the stories behind every bite.
