This post may contain affiliate links. Please read the disclosure policy to learn more.
Thank you for supporting this blog!
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
This old-fashioned hard candy recipe is a family favorite!
I’m not sure how long the recipe has been in the family, but growing up I can remember my mom making it every year for Christmas. There were different varieties, one of which was always cinnamon. (And for some reason, in our family the cinnamon flavor was traditionally yellow rather than red!) We would give some of the sweets away as gifts, and enjoy the rest ourselves during the holiday season.
For this batch I made five colors and flavors of old-fashioned hard candy:
- Red (cherry flavor)
- Orange (orange flavor)
- Yellow (banana flavor)
- Green (pear flavor)
- Blue (blueberry flavor)
How Much Does This Homemade Hard Candy Recipe Make?
For each flavor I made 1/4 batch of candy, resulting in about 2 cups of candy pieces per flavor. So, if you make one full batch of this recipe in a single flavor, you’ll end up with about 8 total cups of candy.
Notes on Making Hard Candy at Home
This recipe is fairly easy to make. It requires just a handful of ingredients, and the only special equipment you’ll need is a candy thermometer. (I love my digital and infrared thermometers, but for this recipe your best bet is a manual candy thermometer which clips to the side of the pan.)
These candies ship well and stay fresh for a long time, so they’re ideal for holiday gift-gifting. Perfect for care packages, too, since nothing will melt or spoil. (Plus the candy is already “broken,” so no worries about it being damaged in transit!) And if you are gifting locally, try packaging your homemade sweets in a pretty mason jar.
I chose fruit flavors in rainbow colors. But, this recipe also works quite well with non-fruity flavors such as licorice, cinnamon, chocolate, root beer, or coconut. I used super strength flavor oils from LorAnn Oils.
Homemade Hard Candy Tips & Tricks
For this recipe, I recommend using super strength flavor oils (LorAnn is my go-to brand) rather than grocery store extracts. Extracts are much weaker, so you’d need a lot more product to produce a flavorful piece of candy,
For best results, pour the hot sugar mixture directly onto a silicone baking mat. Do not use wax paper; your candy mixture will stick to the paper and be very difficult to remove!
To break this candy apart, I put it in a large Ziploc bag and use a kitchen mallet to crack it into smaller pieces. This is so much easier than breaking it with your hands, and it prevents candy pieces from flying everywhere! Just be sure to place a folded towel underneath the plastic bag, to avoid damaging your countertops.
Other homemade hard candy recipes you might enjoy:
Chocolate Peppermint Lollipops
Lemon Drops
Caramel Apple Lollipops
And if you make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star
No reviews
- Author: becky
- Total Time: 15-20 minutes (+ cooling time)
- Yield: 8 cups 1x
Description
An old-fashioned hard candy recipe based on an old family tradition. With endless color and flavor options, this old fashioned hard candy with powdered sugar keeps and ships well, and is perfect for Christmas gifting. Learn how to make hard candy with this easy recipe!
Ingredients
Scale
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup water
1/2–1 teaspoon flavoring (I use the LorAnn Oils brand)
1–2 drops gel food coloring (optional)
1 cup confectioner’s sugar, for coating the candies
Instructions
In a large saucepan*, combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and water.
Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until temperature reaches 300° F / 149° C on a candy thermometer.
Remove from heat. Stir in flavoring and gel food coloring.
Immediately pour hot candy mixture onto a silicone baking mat, and allow to cool. (This will happen very quickly, about 15-20 minutes.)
Once candy is completely cool, use your hands or a kitchen mallet to break the slab** into bite-size pieces. Toss pieces in confectioner’s sugar to coat.
Store hard candy in an airtight container at room temperature for up to six weeks.
Notes
*Choose a stainless steel pan for this recipe. Avoid pans with nonstick coating.
**To break the candy apart, I put it in a large ziploc bag and use a mallet to crack it into smaller pieces. This is easier than breaking it with your hands, and it prevents candy pieces from flying everywhere! Just be sure to place a folded towel under the bag to avoid damaging your countertops.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Candy and Confectionery
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Sweets
