Saying goodbye to a sweet treat is never easy but sometimes necessary to lean into the things that will help you move forward. The item that started it all here at Hot Lollies, our spicy lollipops, will unfortunately be removed from our product catalog. I remember the first lollipops I made back in 2012 and how much these lollipops evolved over the years. The very first lollipop I made was a hand poured, mango habanero lollipop made on Silpat (silicone) sheets. Little did I know they were potential hazards because when pouring the candy, the edges became like sharp blades. I switched to candy molds soon after when I cut the side of my mouth!
This all brings back so many good memories of discovery, experimentation and the thrill of sharing new flavors with anyone who would try them. It is bittersweet, and a reminder that sometimes things have to end when they no longer serve your growth. It’s been a year in the making and now is the time. I also have been fighting a 2 year battle with cancer which put the business and my life temporarily on hold. While I did not have the energy to make my products, I knew I had to make a few quick decisions about the future of Hot Lollies. While I am stronger now, I still need to be more disciplined with my time and put forth products that are going to maximize my bottom line. The lollipops are gone but I am re-aligning, focused and fulfilling this dream of having Hot Lollies on shelves all over the US and globally!
Hot Lollies is truly a labor of love. If you have not tried my spicy almond and pepitas brittles yet, get them this month. I am currently running a buy one, get one at 50% sale until 5/31/25. I have two versions, a regular made with butter and a Vegan version made with coconut oil. The brittles have been doing well so I am super excited about possibly expanding this line. You can also get other seasonal items like my spicy raspberry marshmallows, s’mores kit and chamoy peach rings
I do not blog anymore and may eventually convert this blog to a static site dedicated to Hot Lollies but if you want to stay up to date on happenings, follow me on Instagram and Facebook. I was just at Asbury Fresh in Asbury Park, NJ this past Sunday and hopefully will make it to a few more this market season. You can also still get all Hot Lollies exclusively online at my Hot Stuff Subscription spicy goods shop. There you will also be able to get my spicy food subscription boxes, my fiery t-shirts that I design, seasonal goods and everything spicy. My spicy food obsession started over 30 years ago and Hot Lollies over 10 years ago. This spicy food love isn’t going anywhere, it may just evolve into something better, so stay tuned! Thanks for reading this far!
XO,
Maria
