These handmade candy canes from Sweden have a long history: Amalia Eriksson, a young widow who had to find a way to earn a living for herself and her infant daughter Ida, began making candy and baked goods at her home in Gränna, Sweden, in 1859 after receiving a special license from the city to do so. The candy cane, which she called polkagris, was one of the first candies she made, made from the start with red and white stripes and a fresh peppermint flavor. Its popularity grew so much that she soon opened a bakery outside her home and eventually stopped baking bread so she could focus solely on making polkagris. The rest, as they say, is history. The popularity of polkagris spread throughout Sweden; so much so that Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf and his wife visited the bakery in 1915 to buy some polkagris for themselves. Amalia began exporting her candy cane creation internationally and lived a good long healthy life.

Her daughter Ida eventually took over the family business, and today, over 160 years later, these polkagris candy canes are still made by hand in Gränna, and hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the world visit the small city of 2,500 for this very reason. A statue of Amalia Erikkson stands there in Gränna, at Södra Park, in her honor. (That's a portrait of Amalia, by the way, here on this page.)

Gränna is the only place where genuine polkagris may be made: The city was given a Protected Geographical Indication by the EU in 2022. Of course, Sweden is not all that far from Lapland, where Father Christmas lives, and there is no doubt as to his favorite candy. The flavor is somewhat less sweet than you might be accustomed to if all you've ever known are American candy canes. These beauties are handmade in Sweden, one at a time. Each is about 1.76 oz (50 grams) and about 6" tall x 2 1/2" wide x 3/4" thick. Individually and beautifully packaged in clear bags with sturdy paper backers by Nordic Sweets; "Handmade in Gränna, Sweden" right on the label.

One of our most popular items each year. These are the perfect candy canes for stocking stuffers. They also make lovely little thoughtful gifts. N.B.: The swirled red lines of these candy canes sometimes can get a little blurred... keep in mind these polkagris are each made by hand, so they lack the "perfection" that comes with machine-made candy canes. But love and care is so much better than perfection.

Imported from Sweden. Ingredients: Sugar, glucose syrup, carmine, peppermint oil.

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