Tootsie Pop

What it is

A hard candy lollipop with a chewy Tootsie Roll center.

The story

• 1931: first made by The Sweets Company of America (later renamed Tootsie Roll Industries).

Fun facts

• The "How many licks?" ad with Mr. Owl debuted in 1970 and is called the longest-running TV commercial in US history.
• A 1996 Swarthmore student study counted a median of 146 licks to the center.
• The rumor that a wrapper with a star and an unbroken circle earned a free pop was never true.

Is Tootsie Pop still made?

Yes. Tootsie Pop is still made, by Tootsie Roll Industries. Look for it at candy shops that stock old-fashioned candy, or search for Tootsie Pop on Amazon.

If you like Tootsie Pop

• Sugar Daddy (1925): A hard, slow-melting block of caramel on a stick.
• Dum Dums (1924): Small, bright lollipops on a looped stick, in a long list of flavors.
• Astro Pops (1963): A tall, see-through, three-color cone lollipop shaped like a rocket.
• Blow Pop (1973): A hard candy lollipop with bubble gum in the middle.

See every candy from the 1930s or all lollipops.