Five little sugar-coated almonds tucked in a tulle bag — and every single one of them means something. Here's the history, the symbolism and the surprisingly hands-on craft behind the candy that has been showing up at weddings for centuries.
Quick answer: Jordan almonds are whole almonds coated in a hard sugar shell, and they're a wedding tradition because the bittersweet almond represents life while the sugar coating represents the hope that a couple's life together will be more sweet than bitter. They're traditionally given in groups of five, symbolising five wishes for the newlyweds: health, wealth, happiness, children and long life. Color matters too — white for weddings, pastel blue or pink for christenings, silver for a 25th anniversary and gold for a 50th.
Have you ever asked yourself, "Why are Jordan almonds such popular favors for big events like weddings?" or "How are Jordan almonds even made?" So have we at Bulk Candy Store. So we did a little digging, and here's what we learned.
What each Jordan almond color means
| Color | Traditional meaning | Occasion |
|---|---|---|
| White | Purity | Weddings, first communions |
| Pastel blue | New life, a baby boy | Christenings, baby showers |
| Pastel pink | New life, a baby girl | Christenings, baby showers |
| Silver | 25 years together | Silver anniversary |
| Gold | 50 years together | Golden anniversary |
| Red | Achievement and success | Graduations |
| Green | Hope and a promise ahead | Engagements |
| Assorted pastels | Celebration, all-purpose | Showers, parties, candy buffets |
The history of Jordan almonds
Romantic! In many cultures the almond represents life and love, which is exactly why it became such a popular wedding favor. One of the earliest associations of almonds with love appears in Ovid's Heroides, in the story of Demophoon and Phyllis. After the Trojan War the two fell in love, but Demophoon had to sail away before their marriage, promising to return soon. When he failed to come back, Phyllis died and turned into an almond tree — and the tree would not bloom. When Demophoon finally returned and learned of her death, he embraced the almond tree she had become, and out of his despair it burst into blossom. To this day, the blossoming almond continues to symbolise love.
The candy itself is ancient too. Honey-coated almonds called dragati were being made in Rome as far back as 177 BCE — you can read more about those in our post on ancient candy around the world. That Roman confection is very likely where the modern word dragée comes from.
What Jordan almonds symbolize
Candy almonds, now known as Jordan almonds, are often given out in small tulle bags or floral-style arrangements as a wedding favor. Fresh almonds have a bittersweet taste, which is said to represent life. The candy shell is added with the hope that the life of the newlyweds will be more sweet than bitter. Nowadays Jordan almonds come in every color imaginable, but white is still the classic wedding choice, since white represents purity.
Jordan almonds are traditionally clustered in groups of five, to signify the five wishes for the new couple: health, wealth, happiness, children and a long life. Five is also an odd number, which cannot be divided evenly — a lovely little symbol of a couple who stays undivided.
The Italian word for these almond arrangements is bomboniere, meaning favors, and they're often personalised with the couple's names and wedding date. Several Middle Eastern cultures also believe that Jordan almonds are aphrodisiacs — make of that what you will!
Besides weddings, Jordan almonds show up at all kinds of celebrations of life and love: silver for 25th anniversaries and gold for 50th; pastel blue or pink for christenings; red for graduations; and green for engagements. As more and more colors become available — including gorgeous modern finishes like shimmer opal — Jordan almonds are appearing at every kind of event imaginable.
And though Jordan almonds are beautiful on their own, there are plenty of ways to dress them up. Wrap a cluster
in tulle tied with ribbon, pack them in pretty boxes, tuck them into decorative bags, or pour a handful into champagne glasses or glass bowls for an instant centerpiece.
How Jordan almonds are made
Here's the part that surprises people: the process of making Jordan almonds is so delicate that it can never be completely automated. Almonds are peeled in a special machine and then loaded into large rotating basins. In a process known as panning, the almonds tumble in a flat pan while a mixture of liquefied sugar, flavoring and coloring is poured over them, layer by layer. The pan shakes continuously for two reasons — so the almonds don't stick together, and so each one gets an even coat. Then they're left to dry overnight. It takes constant attention to detail, and the payoff is a candy that carries on a beautiful centuries-old tradition.
The different grades of Jordan almonds
It's worth knowing the grades before you buy, because they aren't all the same candy. Jordan almonds are graded by the thickness of the sugar coating on each almond.
| Grade | Almond size | Coating | What that means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Fine | Largest almonds | Very thin | The most almonds per pound and the easiest on your teeth |
| Extra Fine | Medium almonds | Slightly thicker | A more rounded shape — a nice middle ground |
| Fine | Smallest almonds | Thickest | More candy shell per bite, the most economical grade |
Super Fine
The largest almonds are chosen and given a very thin layer of coating. You actually get the most almonds per pound compared with fine and extra fine, and they're the easiest on your teeth.
Extra Fine
A medium grade of almond with a more rounded shape and slightly more coating than super fine.
Fine
Fine is the smallest and lowest grade of almond, covered with more candy coating than super or extra fine.
Why Jordan almonds are back in style right now
Jordan almonds spent a few years being written off as the fussy favor at your grandmother's wedding — and then the whole wedding world swung back toward tradition, texture and color. Candy buffets and dessert tables have made pastel dragées a design element rather than an afterthought, modern finishes like shimmer and opal photograph beautifully, and couples are leaning hard into favors that actually mean something. There's a practical angle too: shoppers watching their sugar have discovered reduced sugar Jordan almonds, which let you keep the tradition without the full sugar load. A 2,000-year-old candy that also happens to look incredible on a dessert table? That's a comeback.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Jordan almonds given at weddings?
Because they tell a story in one bite. The almond is naturally bittersweet, symbolising life, and the sugar coating represents the wish that the couple's life together will be more sweet than bitter. Handing out five of them wishes the newlyweds health, wealth, happiness, children and a long life.
Why five Jordan almonds?
Five stands for the five traditional wishes for the couple, and five is an odd number that cannot be divided evenly — a symbol of a marriage that stays whole.
Are Jordan almonds actually from Jordan?
No. Despite the name, they aren't from the country of Jordan. The confection descends from honey-coated Roman almonds and the sugared European dragée tradition, and today's almonds are typically Mediterranean or Californian.
What's the difference between super fine, extra fine and fine Jordan almonds?
It comes down to the almond size and how thick the candy shell is. Super fine uses the largest almonds with the thinnest coating, so you get the most almonds per pound and a softer bite. Fine uses the smallest almonds with the thickest coating. Extra fine sits in between.
How many Jordan almonds do I need for a wedding?
A traditional favor is five almonds per guest, so a 150-guest wedding needs roughly 750 almonds — usually somewhere in the range of four to five pounds, depending on the grade. Buying assorted or white in bulk is the easiest way to cover it, and it's smart to order a little extra for the candy dish.
Ready to pick your colors?
So the next time someone hands you a little bag of pastel almonds, you'll know exactly what all five of them mean. Here at Bulk Candy Store we carry a wide selection of Jordan almonds: traditional white and assorted, pastel blue and pink, elegant shimmer opal, and even reduced sugar for guests watching their intake.
Check out our entire selection of Jordan almonds and give your celebration a tradition worth passing on!