Bonbon

The word "bonbon" arose from the reduplication of the word bon, meaning "good" in the French language. Its use originated in the seventeenth century within the French royal court and spread to other European countries by the eighteenth century. Bonbons began to be served in ornate containers by the middle of the eighteenth century, which would be given as gifts at festivals and on holidays such as New Year's Day.^[3]

The word bonbons first appeared in a seventeenth century text by pediatrician Jean Héroard while he was documenting Louis XIII’s wellbeing:

“"I don't want to see Papa," says the prince. We tell him that Papa will give him a bon bon , he allows himself to be persuaded”^[4]

While bonbons still held a medicinal purpose to them, their transition into children’s confectionery became evident. Bon bon is a childish way to denote sweets in French. The word bonbons was likely informally used by nannies and mothers until it was officialized in written French. Bonbon made its first formal appearance in Antoine Oudin’s 1640 and 1645 dictionaries. Entries pertaining to bonbons define the term “bon bon” or “bonbons” as a “childish expression pertaining to a sweet snack offered to children.”^[4]

Bonbons appear in a 1890 English opinion piece by The Lancet, under an article titled “MEDICINAL BONBONS.” The article, while recognizing bonbons' role as a palatable way to eat medicine, warns against building a dependence on sweets for the sake of one’s health.^[5]

In a 1857 article from American Journal of Pharmacy, mentions of bonbons as being a vehicle of medicine delivery were mentioned. The foul odor and bitter taste of tonics could be covered up using the sweetness of medicine.^[6]

Johann Strauss II wrote the waltz Wiener Bonbons in 1866. The title page shows the composition's name in the form of twisted bonbon wrappers.^[3]

The production of bonbons typically occurs in four steps: colouring, moulding, filling, and capping.^[7]

Once a desired mould is selected and cleaned, warm coloured cocoa butter no more than 21℃ is used to decorate the inner cavities. Various colours and a plethora of techniques, such as airbrushing, splashing, or swirling, can be used to create a variety of decorative effects. Afterwards, the mould is turned upside down, scraped to remove any colouring outside of the cavities, and then left to dry for a few hours. Additionally, layers of colouring are typically performed to ensure sufficient coverage.^[7]

Next, chocolate is tempered and poured into the cavities with the help of a piping bag. After hard tapping against a worktop to remove trapped air at the bottom, the mould is turned upside down to let excess chocolate run out. Once again, the mould is scraped to remove chocolate left outside of the cavities, and the newly formed chocolate shells are left to set in a cool environment, known as a process called crystallization.^[7]

Afterwards, a multitude of fillings are piped into the shells until just below the rim. This step is usually followed by a longer resting period to ensure proper crystallization of the filling and easier filling process.^[7]

Lastly, tempered chocolate is poured into the cavities again, brought to room temperature no more than 21℃, followed by scraping of excess chocolate. The mould is left to cool so the chocolate can set one last time before the finished bonbons are ready to release.^[7]

Once bonbons are made, they can be stored in airtight containers away from direct light for about one month. However, their shelf life typically depends on the composition of their filling, assuming the production process was performed correctly, so fluctuations may exist.^[7]

Throughout the Western world, bonbons are usually small candies but vary by region in their ingredients, flavours, and shape.^[3] In France, bonbons have been made with a fruit centre, and may contain brittle, nougat, dragée, or caramel.^[3] Other possible fillings include butterscotch, fondant, fudge, ganache, gianduja, marzipan, praline, and truffle.^[8]

According to French law, a bonbon de chocolat must be at least 25% chocolate and can come in several forms:^[9]

• a bite-sized chocolate
• a selection of different chocolates
• a mixture of chocolate and other edible ingredients

Specifically in the United States, "Bon Bon" is The Hershey Company's trademarked name for a frozen confection made from vanilla ice cream and covered in chocolate.^[3]

In the United Kingdom, a bonbon is a hard candy with a chewy centre and coated in icing sugar. British bonbons are available in flavours such as strawberry, lemon, blue raspberry, and toffee.

The bonbon originated in France during the 17th century, since bonbon is a derivative of ‘bon pour bon’, meaning ‘good for good’.^[10] This confectionery treat was often composed of candied nuts, fruit pastes, or almond paste coated in sugar in the 17th century and has evolved into a globally loved treat with a vast variety of classifications. This includes but is not limited to; ganache, almond (marzipan), fruit, hazelnuts (whole or Gianduja), pralines, caramel, fondant, and liqueur, each reflecting a specific national tradition.^[11]

• One of the most common forms is the ganache-filled bonbons, which contain a smooth chocolate and cream combination that melts in your mouth. This bonbon is most commonly associated with France.^[10]
• Almond-filled bonbons are usually made with marzipan which is composed of ground sweet almonds (Prunus amygdalus var. dulcis) and sugar.^[12][13] This type of bonbon originates from Germany and Austria.
• Hazelnut-filled bonbons, most common in Spain, Italy and Belgium, are made up of roasted hazelnuts or hazel paste, depending on texture desired, either crunchy or smooth. A specialty specific to Spain, is the use of four hazelnut varieties, Negret, Pauetet, T. Griffoni and Tomboul, which are combined and coated in dark, milk, and white chocolate to produce a bonbon rich in flavour.^[11]
• Gianduja-filled bonbons have the same ingredient of hazelnuts used for their filling, however, this Italian speciality blends chocolate with finely ground roasted hazelnut paste into a smooth silky texture.^[14][11]
• Praline-filled bonbons, originating from both French and Belgian tradition, consist of caramelized almonds or hazelnuts ground into a nut paste.^[10]
• Fruit-filled bonbons, most common in France, are made up of fruit purees, pate de fruits, or jams.^[10]
• Another French specialty is the caramel-filled bonbons, which uses cooked sugar combined with cream and butter to create a soft, chewy centre.
• Fondant-filled bonbons are associated most commonly with Britain. These have a sugar-based creamy center, giving them a sweeter and more crystalline texture.^[10]
• The most geographically broad type of bonbon is the liqueur-filled bonbon, with France, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland all taking credit for its creation. This bonbon contains an alcoholic center, which can differ between cognac, kirsch, or rum.^[10]

These classifications align each different bonbon with their origin and emphasize that they all share defining features; small sweet treat, with a chocolate base and filling.^[11]

Bonbons carry cultural significance as tokens of festive indulgence, affection, and folklore stories.

In the UK, tracing back to the 19th century, bonbons play a role in Christmas traditions. In 1847, British confectioner Tom Smith invented the Christmas cracker, originally designed as “sweet wrappers that would hold candy inside”^[15] At the beginning of the holiday meal, is it customary for each guest at the dinner table to hold one end of the cracker and pull it apart with a loud "crack." Although over time Christmas crackers evolved away from containing bonbons to instead holding a small trinket, a paper hat, and a joke.

In Hungary and Romania, it is very common to hang szaloncukor (chocolate bonbons wrapped in shiny, coloured paper) as decorations on the Christmas tree. Children often sneakily unwrap them to eat the candy and re-wrap the empty paper, leaving it on the tree.^[16]

Around the world–but particularly in bonbons’ place of origin, France–bonbons are often used as party favors and given to guests at special events. Bonbons also symbolize “sweet” romantic gestures because they have long been a traditional gift from suitors and loved ones.^[17]

Also, throughout history, several cultural myths and folktales have been associated with bonbons. One of the most prevalent includes “The Magic Bonbons”, a fantasy short story published in American Fairy Tales by L. Frank Baum that details a chemist who creates different colored bonbons which instantly grant specialized talents to consumers.^[18]

Bonbons are part of the global chocolate and confectionery industry. The confectionery sector represents a major segment of the global food market, valued at approximately USD 220.85 billion in 2025. This market size is expected to grow significantly, projected to exceed USD 300 billion by 2034.^[19]

Europe and North America account for a large portion of global chocolate consumption, with established industries and long traditions of confectionery production. Market share is predominantly controlled by Europe which accounts for 38% of the sector in 2025. North America has also experienced growth in recent years as consumer demand increases. The market is dominated by multinational chocolate manufacturers, while smaller specialty producers also contribute to the premium confectionery segment.^[20]

• Chocolate praline