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Homemade Hard Candy Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.4 from 57 reviews
  • Author: Emily
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Yield: 20 servings 1x
  • Category: Candy
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Homemade Hard Candy recipe provides a classic, sweet treat made from sugar, corn syrup, and water, flavored with your choice of oil flavoring and colored with food coloring. Perfect for candy lovers, these hard candies are easy to make at home with simple ingredients and can be customized in flavor and color. The candy is cooked on the stovetop to the hard crack stage, cooled on cookie sheets, then broken into bite-sized pieces and dusted with powdered sugar to prevent sticking.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

  • 3 ¾ cups granulated white sugar
  • 1 ⅓ cups light corn syrup (Karo syrup)
  • 1 cup water

Flavor and Finishing

  • 1 teaspoon oil flavoring (or up to 1 teaspoon for stronger flavor)
  • 7-10 drops food coloring, depending on desired color
  • Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. Prepare the cookie sheets: Line cookie sheets (preferably with a lip) with silicone liners, parchment paper, or aluminum foil. Sprinkle the lining generously with powdered sugar and set aside. This prevents the candy from sticking.
  2. Dissolve sugar mixture: Combine granulated sugar, light corn syrup, and water in a medium saucepan. Stir continuously over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely, ensuring a smooth syrup.
  3. Cook the candy mixture: Insert a candy thermometer into the saucepan, making sure its tip is about an inch above the pan’s bottom and away from stirring. Cook the syrup without stirring further until it reaches 295°F (hard crack stage), which typically takes 35 to 45 minutes. Monitoring temperature is critical to achieve the proper candy texture.
  4. Add flavor and color: Remove the pan from heat carefully. Add your chosen food coloring (7 to 10 drops) and 1 teaspoon of oil flavoring to the hot syrup. Mix gently to combine, being cautious of the hot steam that may rise.
  5. Pour and cool: Immediately pour the hot candy mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet, spreading it evenly if needed. Allow the candy to cool and harden completely, about 30 minutes at room temperature.
  6. Break into pieces: Once cooled, cover the candy with parchment or wax paper and gently break it into bite-sized pieces using a hammer, meat tenderizer, or mallet. This helps to create rustic candy shards.
  7. Finish with powdered sugar: Place the broken candy pieces in a bowl and sprinkle them with powdered sugar. Toss them gently to coat all surfaces and prevent sticking.
  8. Repeat for multiple flavors: If making different flavors and colors, repeat the process from step 2 for each batch.

Notes

  • One batch fills one cookie sheet and can be broken into any size pieces you prefer.
  • Oil flavorings tend to be more potent than extracts, so use sparingly.
  • Avoid leaning over the pot when adding oil flavorings to prevent inhaling strong steam.
  • You can also use candy molds or make hard candy suckers with this recipe.
  • Up to 1 teaspoon of oils can be used depending on flavor strength desired; extracts require roughly 1 tablespoon for comparable flavor.
  • Flavor combinations include Strawberry oil with red coloring, Lemon oil with yellow, Orange oil with orange, and Spearmint or Wintergreen oil with green coloring.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 piece (approx. 15g)
  • Calories: 60
  • Sugar: 15g
  • Sodium: 0mg
  • Fat: 0g
  • Saturated Fat: 0g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 15g
  • Fiber: 0g
  • Protein: 0g
  • Cholesterol: 0mg

Find it online: https://emilyquickdinners.com/homemade-hard-candy-recipe/