Forty flavors, that’s how many different kinds of candy canes you’ll find neatly arranged in metal pails around Hammond’s Candies headquarters in Denver, Colorado.

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Hooked – Very Berry, Gingerbread, Birthday Cake, Wintergreen, Eggnog, Cotton Candy, Apple Pie, Caramel Filled with Crème, Sugar Plum, Strawberry Cheesecake, Cranberry and Blueberry Candy Canes

Clove, pumpkin pie, coconut and even milk & cookies are just a few of the quirky kinds of canes you’ll discover. Many of the canes are even filled with crème, chocolate, cherry, etc.

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Clove Candy Canes, Yep, It’s a Thing

There are also more traditional flavors. Hammond’s best sellers year round are peppermint, cinnamon and cherry. In the shop you’ll see candy cane trees, ribbon candies, candy stirrers for your favorite drinks, peppermints filled with chocolate and even tree shaped candy cane lollipops. In short, Hammond’s HQ is a veritable factory filled to the brim with fantastic sweets.

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What the Elf, Candy Cane Trees!

The factory tour typically lasts about 30 minutes and is kid friendly. (You’ll ease into the informative tour with a free candy cane and kids can snag a hat.) Unlike Charlie in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, you won’t need a golden ticket to satiate your sweet tooth. Hammond’s location in the Mile High City offers free tours Monday through Saturday.

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Sweet Gig – Confectioners Hard at Work on Candy Orders at the Factory

It’s wonderful watching Hammond’s expert confectioners heave, twist and pull giant batches of candy into lovely lollipops and other candy creations. The factory employs more than 120 candy makers.

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Candy Making Requires Serious Strength – This 70 Pound Block Will Make About 560 Pieces of Candy

Hammond’s sweet spot is making the largest and thickest candy canes in the world. Each year more than 10 million canes are handcrafted at the factory.

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Birthday Cake Candy Canes Are a Tasty Treat Any Day of the Year

Candy cane production runs year round. You’re just as likely to spot confectioners hard at work on peppermint, bubblegum and root beer candy canes in June as you are in December.

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Sugar Rush – Cinnamon is Added to a Fresh Candy Batch

Candy making at Hammond’s still closely mirrors many of the same techniques that were used when Hammond’s first opened in 1920. Red colored candy is naturally colored by beets. Batches of candy are a mixture of half Colorado beet sugar and half corn syrup. It’s heated up to a steamy 324 degrees in a large copper kettle.

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Sweet! Hammond’s Burns Through 2,500 Pounds of Sugar Daily Crafting Candy

Every piece is made by hand for quality control. It’s because of this artisanal element that during our visit in December, Hammond’s crew was already hard at work on their chocolate bunny stash in preparation for Easter.

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Snow Bunnies – Hammond’s Easter Bunnies Stand at Attention in December

In addition to candy canes, you’ll spy lollipops in fun flavors like caramel apple and watermelon.

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Sweet Escape – Grape, Pomegranate, Strawberry Banana and Pink Lemonade Lollipops

For chocoholics, there are bars in wild flavors like cinnamon horchata, devil’s food donut and even pigs n’ taters.

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Hammond’s Remedy for Chocoholics

Even grinches are likely to get stuck on something sweet at Hammond’s.

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Hammond’s Candies in Denver, Colorado

Hammond’s Candies
5735 North Washington Street
Denver, Colorado 80216 United States of America
Monday Through Friday 9:00am to 4:30pm & Saturday 10:00am to 4:00pm. Closed Sundays. Factory Tours run until 3:00pm.
Phone: (888) 226-3999