When Good Lollipops Go Bad

If you're thinking ahead about buying lollipops for holiday presents or as event favors, you might wonder, "How long do lollipops last?" Sugar is a natural preservative (think: fruit jams, jellies, etc.) so in general, lollipops have very good shelf life.

They're naturally dairy-free and fat-free and they don't "go bad" in the sense of becoming spoiled or otherwise dangerous to eat. We ship them to you in a zip-top bag and you can expect them to last a few months at normal room temperature conditions. If you're getting them a few months before you expect to eat or give them, you could put them in an airtight storage container for some extra protection.

Eventually, hard candy pulls enough moisture from the air to begin melting itself. While browsing the photo archives for the Salted Caramel retrospective, I came across this beast from 2010:

Heat and humidity are the enemies of hard candy.
But stored properly they'll last for months in fine condition.
photo by Kevin Keeker

Startling, no? If I remember correctly, Kev & I were hanging out and decided to do an impromptu photo shoot outside so we could start to understand how to take pictures in that environment. All we had on hand were some very old models, at least a year old or more. Given that it's purple candy on a black stick, it is probably an early prototype of the Honey Jasmine flavor. It looks like not only has it been melting, it's crystallizing too - the sugar is reverting to a granulated state.

Tens of thousands of lollipops have passed through my custody since I began this business, and I really can't remember the last time I've seen a lollipop in such wretched condition!