The Unlikely Story of the Dentist Who Invented Cotton Candy

Cotton candy is definitely a popular treat at fairs, loved by people with a sweet tooth at circuses and amusement parks everywhere. But have you ever wondered who first thought of the clever idea to transform sugar into a bright, fluffy cloud?

For a long time, people have enjoyed eating spun sugar, which they would melt and twist into shapes like strands and nests, kind of like cotton candy. However, it was only in 1897 that William J. Morrison and John C. Wharton invented the first machine for making “fairy floss,” making this delicious treat accessible to everyone.

A surprising pair, made up of a dentist and a candy maker, invented a machine that could shoot out sugar strands faster and more easily than anything else. In just a few decades, cotton candy became a favorite treat all around the globe.

Here’s the history of cotton candy.

The origins of spun sugar

A long time ago, before we had machines to make cotton candy, there was something called spun sugar. In 15th-century Italy, chefs would melt big pots of sugar and then use a fork to flick the melted sugar onto a broom handle. This technique made crunchy little twigs and nests of sugar that are kind of like the cotton candy we enjoy now.

Back in early modern Europe, sugar was really expensive, so spun sugar wasn’t something everyone could enjoy. It was mostly a fancy treat for kings and the super wealthy. When Henry III of France visited Venice, he probably knew this, especially when he was given a huge platter with over 1,000 different spun sugar creations.

Cotton candy looks a lot like other sugary snacks from different countries. One example is ‘dragon’s beard candy’ from China, which is made of sugar strands and has been enjoyed for hundreds of years. There are also similar treats like the Turkish dessert called pişmaniye.

The early versions of cotton candy are a bit different from the kind we enjoy at fairs today. They vary in shape, texture, and what they’re made of. Plus, making them takes a lot more effort compared to the cotton candy made by machines. This is where William J. Morrison comes into play.

William Morrison

Morrison finished his dental studies in Tennessee in 1890. Instead of avoiding sugar because he was a dentist, he began looking for quick methods to create spun sugar.

After doing some research, Morrison got assistance from a candy maker in Tennessee named John C. Wharton to create a test version of a cotton candy machine.

In 1897, a dentist and a candy maker teamed up to create the first working cotton candy machine. This cool invention melted sugar crystals in a bowl, then used compressed air to push the liquid sugar through a wire screen. As the sugar spun around in a rotating drum, it cooled quickly and turned into fluffy strands, forming a nest of cotton candy. Soon after, Morrison and Wharton got a patent for their awesome machine.

The ‘fairy floss’ craze

After creating and patenting their cotton candy machine, Morrison and Wharton just had to find customers. They discovered their audience in 1904 at the St. Louis World’s Fair.

The two friends sold their treat, which they called ‘fairy floss’, to the huge crowds at the fair for just 25 cents a box. It turned out to be a huge hit, and they ended up selling over 60,000 servings. This is how the ‘fairy floss’ craze kicked off in America.

Many years later, in 1940, Gold Metal Products Co. created a new cotton candy machine that could produce the fluffy treats even quicker than the one made by Morrison and Wharton.

A global treat

At some point, people in America started calling ‘fairy floss’ by the name ‘cotton candy’, but in Australia, they still like to stick with ‘fairy floss’. In Britain and New Zealand, they use a mix of both and usually say ‘candy floss’.

Other countries have come up with some really fun names for cotton candy. For example, in Afrikaans, they call it spookasem, which means “ghost breath” and sounds super cool! On the other hand, the French call it la barbe à papa, which means “dad’s beard.” It’s not as magical, but it’s still interesting!

In the end, the various names for cotton candy found in different countries show just how popular this sweet treat is all over the world.

Before Morrison and Wharton’s invention, spun sugar was something only rich people could enjoy, and it took a long time to make. But with their clever machine, cotton candy became a popular treat at fairs, amusement parks, and circuses everywhere.