Mrs. Kelly's Old-Fashioned Caramels

Nestled in Clarendon Hills, Illinois, my dad had a life-changing Christmas as a kid thanks to his neighbor. 

Every year during the holidays, Mrs. Kelly would go door-to-door and deliver homemade caramels to the neighborhood. These creamy treats were the highlight of everyone’s year. 

The caramels quickly became a hot commodity because she only gave away a handful at a time. Being a family of six, my dad had tough competition to get his hands on them, but the few times he did were unforgettable. 

Fast forward some decades and my dad was still dreaming about them. He decided to locate Mrs. Kelly and courageously asked for her special recipe. To his surprise, she didn’t request him to take it to his grave and was excited to share it with him. 

Since then he has carried on the tradition and shared the joy of these caramels every holiday season for over 20 years. Sometimes even shipping them to family out of state. 

For as long as I can remember my brother and I have been in the kitchen prepping for the holidays with my dad crafting the perfect caramels. I’ll never forget sitting on the kitchen island watching my dad because I was too young to see over the countertop. 

My parents taught my brother and me how to cook at a young age, it’s always been a way for us to spend time together and bond. These treats have continued to be very special to my family and something that relatives, friends, neighbors, teachers, and everyone have looked forward to. They are another reminder of how food can bring people together and spread so much love and joy. 

I refuse to look up another caramel recipe. Ours may be a generic version, but to me, they’ll always be a secret concoction. It’s remained the same throughout the years and they will forever be called “Mrs. Kelly’s old-fashioned caramels.”