Who invented the Tootsie Roll in 1896?

Leo Hirschfield invented the Tootsie Roll in 1896.

Hirschfield was an Austrian-born confectioner who developed the chewy chocolate candy in New York City. He named it after his daughter, Clara, whose nickname was Tootsie. The candy’s distinctive texture came from a recipe designed to remain stable and resist melting as easily as many chocolate products.

The original Tootsie Roll was made before modern individually wrapped candy became commonplace. Its long shelf life helped it become a practical inexpensive treat, and the company later expanded into Tootsie Pops and other confectionery products.

A common mix-up is confusing Hirschfield with the later owners of the company. The Tootsie Roll brand became associated with the Tootsie Roll Industries corporation, but the candy’s inventor was Hirschfield. The name “Tootsie” refers to his daughter, not to a place or a manufacturing process.