Last updated 4 months ago | Originally Published: September 4, 2021

A Long Time Ago In A Galaxy Far, Far Away – The Milky Way Candy Bar Was Born

The Milky Way Candy Bar, similar to other brand names of the era, has been through countless changes that brought about the product consumers know and love today.

During the 1920s, malted milkshakes were all the rage. Indeed, this widespread frenzy was in part due to a grocers improvisation with an already existing milkshake mix. Of course, this wouldn’t have been possible without Steven Poplawski’s invention of the blender!

Prior to his innovation, milkshakes weren’t blended and were often grainy. As a result, his invention paved the way for many blended creations, including that of Ivar’s.

That’s right; Ivar Coulson stumbled upon the malted milkshake after throwing ice cream into his malt milkshake drink powder. Customers enjoyed his usual shakes, but this advancement made a remarkable, widely appreciated difference.

A Legacy In The Making

One employee and a couple of scoops of ice cream later, a wildly popular recipe began to make its way around the world.

As with many trends in the 1900s, food brands took to capitalizing on the era’s hits not long after they became mainstream.

However, a man named Frank was the brain behind this business venture. In total, his creation led to billions of dollars in revenue and a stamp in history that would last his entire lifetime and beyond.

In fact, generations of his family have felt the impact of his successful candy bar and even created other household names consumers know and love today!

Who Created The Milky Way Candy Bar?

Frank C. Mars, who soon became a renowned Minneapolis, MN manufacturer, was known as a man of his time. In Hancock, Minnesota, Frank’s love for chocolate grew. This passion was nurtured at home by his mother, and after some time, Frank opened a candy store in MN.

It was then that the Milky Way candy bar came about. He put a creative spin on the in-demand malted milkshake and developed the Milky Way, a candy bar that is still prevalent until this very day. It resides in the hall of fame amongst many household names, including Snickers, M&M’s, Hershey’s, the Mars bar, and more.

The development of M&M’s and the Mars bar is credited to Forrest Edward Mars, the son of Frank, who carried on his father’s legacy long after his passing. Their longstanding empire within the candy industry is showing no signs of slowing, even in their absence.

On top of Frank’s revenue, M&M’s and the Mars bar have raked in billions more. Milk chocolate, Peanut, Fudge Brownies, and Peanut Butter candy variations make M&Ms popular among the young and old from all walks of life.

Popular Variants

Aside from the most common Milky Way variants, numerous others have developed and are in circulation today. In fact, Midnight Dark and Simply Caramel are the two most notable versions. The Midnight Dark bar has evolved over decades, with its original name being “Forever Yours.”

Its size has not been static either, with existing versions including minis, wrapped bites, salted caramel, king-size, snowmen, and unwrapped minis. This is an extreme change from the two options that were available in the mid-1920s. At the time, the only bars were the chocolate and vanilla versions.

Quick Candy Facts

Originality In Earlier Years

While chocolate bars were not entirely new during the creation of the Milky Way, it was still the first of its kind. Prior to its development, there were no other candy bars such as this one available to the public. This step was pivotal in the candy industry, leading to additional attempts at a bar as well-known as the Milky Way.

Global Candy Bar Differences

Interestingly enough, the candy bar is not the same across the globe. Other countries have milky ways in circulation, but their makeup and look are vastly different. In Europe, this candy bar is not as thick or condensed as the US version.

The Mars confectionary company has two bars in circulation, explaining why the bars seem so different. The 3 Musketeers is the Canada and United States marketed version of this bar, and the basic Milky Way is sold as-is across the globe.

A Reborn Milky Way Variant

Food item variations face cancellation at every turn. Their profitability often seems to be promising but falls through, leading to the removal of the product. Other situations will also result in adaptations leaving the publics’ reach. This issue has occurred within many companies over the years, including soda, chip, cookie, and soup brands alike.

The “Forever Yours” Milky Way that preceded the 1980s was one of these cancellations. It was only off-market for a few years and eventually came back under a different name. This bar is now known as the Midnight bar.

The Milky Ways Catch Phrase Development

This candy bar’s catchphrase has been through quite the makeover, similar to the bar itself. At the beginning of the Milky Ways journey, its catchphrase was a bit long and clunky.

It read “A Chocolate Malted Milk in a Candy Bar.” Now, the bars tag line is short, sweet, and to the point. “Life’s better the Milky Way” has proved to be much more on-brand for the Mars confectionery company.

Fun Milky Way Candy Bar Recipe

Milky ways are great for more than a quick sugary treat. For cookie and candy lovers alike, this recipe is one sent from heaven. Chocolate-stuffed cookies are glorious, but what about a Milky Way stuffed cookie? When it comes to chocolate and caramel combos, this uber-soft cookie recipe from Inspired Taste takes the cake.

Less than an hour of preparation and baking is required in total. Ingredient substitutes can be made as needed. If you need to speed up the process, a pre-made store cookie dough will work in place of the handmade dough detailed below. Follow these instructions closely for a fabulous final product!

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

All detailed ingredients make a batch of 12 to 14 cookies

Ingredients:

12 to 14 fun-size Milky Way bars

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

16 tablespoons butter, softened (2 sticks)

2 large eggs

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup lightly packed brown sugar

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon sea salt

10 ounces chocolate chips

Instructions For Prep And Cooking:

Dough Preparation

• Begin preheating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place parchment paper on two baking sheets.

• Add butter, vanilla extract, and both sugars to a large bowl. Mix for about two minutes or until the consistency is fluffy, light, and creamy. Then, add and fully incorporate each egg one at a time.

• Add baking soda, salt, and flour to a separate, smaller bowl. Mix the dry ingredients until thoroughly blended.

• Slowly add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, fully incorporating the ingredients as you go. If necessary, scrape the mixture from the sides of the bowl and incorporate.

• Lastly, mix in the chocolate chips.

Cookie Building

Separate the dough into sections of 2 tablespoons each, rolling each section into a ball with your hands. One by one, flatten the dough balls, place a milky way in the center, and put a second flattened dough ball on top. Press around the edges to seal each cookie. Repeat this process until a complete batch of cookies has been stuffed and sealed shut. Place prepped cookies on the baking sheets and put them into the preheated oven.

Cook And Serve

Bake the cookies for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are a light golden brown. Rotating the baking sheets midway through the cooking process may aid in providing optimal results. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Allow cookies to cool entirely, or enjoy them while warm! This recipe is versatile and can accommodate substitutes. Stick with a Milky Way center, or switch it out for your favorite chocolate bar.

Some Legacy’s Live Forever

Much has changed in the candy industry over the last few decades, and the Milky Way is proof of that. Frank C. Mars created a product that still captures the attention of consumers worldwide. He passed that same legacy down to his son.

In regards to the advancements of many large companies, clear connections demonstrate one thing; without the existence of company A, company B would not have existed in its present form.

M&M’s are in stock in gas stations, grocery stores, and supermarkets. They also sell at events, contests, and theme parks globally. The Mars family left a profound impact on the world and continues to as their products flourish in stores worldwide!