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Sugar is the base of most candy, but there are a few types that highlight the beauty of its texture and the delicious simplicity of its taste.[1] Make sugar candy to celebrate a holiday, a birthday, or to have a special treat on hand for whenever you're in the mood. Read on to find out how to make three classic types of sugar candy: lollipops, rock candy, and butterscotch candy.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (225 g; 7.9 oz) sugar
  • 1/2 cup (150 g; 5.3 oz) light corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml; 2 fl oz) water
  • 1 teaspoon of flavored extract, such as vanilla, rose, cinnamon, or orange
  • A few drops of food coloring
  • 2 cups (500 ml; 1.1 pints) water
  • 4 cups (900 g; 2 lb) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of flavored extract, such as peppermint or lemon
  • 5 drops of food coloring
  • 1 glass jar
  • Wooden skewers
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Making Lollipops

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  1. Spray them with nonstick cooking spray so you'll be able to remove the finished lollipops without them cracking. Put the lollipop sticks in the molds.[2]
    • This recipe works with any type of hard candy molds. You can use drop molds, start or heart-shaped molds, or any other mold you like.
    • Be sure to use candy molds, and not other types of food molds, since candy molds are designed to prevent the candy from sticking.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sugar Candy
    Place the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a saucepan. Put the saucepan on the stove over medium high heat.[3]
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sugar Candy
    Scrape down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush to keep it from sticking.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sugar Candy
    Stop stirring and check the temperature with a candy thermometer. Let the mixture keep boiling until it reaches 295 °F (146 °C), then immediately remove it from heat.
    • It's important to remove the sugar mixture from heat at this exact temperature. Use a candy thermometer, and not a meat thermometer, to be sure your measurements are exact.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sugar Candy
    [4]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Making Rock Candy

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sugar Candy
    [5]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sugar Candy
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sugar Candy
    Rock candy takes on a beautiful hue that is accentuated by it's natural rock shape. Pick a color and flavor that complement each other. You can try one of these classic combinations or come up with your own:
    • Purple rock candy with lavender flavoring.
    • Orange rock candy with tangerine flavoring.
    • Pink rock candy with rose flavoring.
    • Red rock candy with cinnamon flavoring.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sugar Candy
    Place them evenly around the jar and lean them against the lip of the jar. Secure them in place with small pieces of tape, so they don't slide against each other while the rock candy forms.
    • You can use wooden chopsticks in place of skewers.
    • A string suspended from a pencil is also a good base for rock candy.
    • Cover the jar with plastic wrap. This prevents dust and bugs from getting into the jar while the rock crystals form.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sugar Candy
    It takes a week or two for the sugar to crystallize into the shape of pretty rocks attached to the skewers.[6]
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sugar Candy
    When you're happy with the size of the rocks, remove the skewers from the jar and lay them out to dry.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Making Butterscotch Candy

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  1. If you don't have one exactly this size, find another wide, shallow pan.[7]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sugar Candy
    Place it on the stove over medium high heat, and stir until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sugar Candy
    Stop stirring and let it reach 270 degrees, making sure to check with your candy thermometer for the exact temperature. Remove it from heat.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sugar Candy
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sugar Candy
    [8]
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sugar Candy
    Use the knife to make diagonal score marks across the candy or make it as big as you want, so it'll be easier to break apart.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sugar Candy
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How to make other kind of candy?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    There are many books, websites and other resources on how to make different kinds of candy.
  • Question
    Do I add food coloring when making sugar candy?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    That's your choice. If you want to add color, food coloring is a good option.
  • Question
    How do we clean the things we used?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Soak them in very hot water to dissolve any hardened sugar, and wash as normal.
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Tips

  • Even after hardening, hard candy for lollipops tend to be really sticky and can cling on to your teeth. Using less corn syrup may help to fix this.
  • When cooling the candy, wait for it to harden naturally when you place it in the freezer or refrigerator.
  • Wrap the sugar candy in foil or plastic wrap when storing leftovers.
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Warnings

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Things You'll Need

Lollipops

  • Lollipop molds
  • Lollipop sticks
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • Candy thermometer

Rock Candy

  • Large jar
  • Wooden skewers

Butterscotch Candy

  • Wide, shallow pan
  • Candy thermometer

About This Article

Marrow Private Chefs
Reviewed by:
Culinary Experts
This article was reviewed by Marrow Private Chefs. Marrow Private Chefs are based in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. It is a chefs’ collective comprised of an ever-growing number of chefs and culinary professionals. Though regionally influenced primarily by coastal, traditional southern, cajun, and creole styles and flavors, the chefs at Marrow have a solid background in all types of cuisine with over 75 years of combined cooking experience. This article has been viewed 499,319 times.
26 votes - 79%
Co-authors: 70
Updated: September 5, 2024
Views: 499,319
Categories: Sugar Treats
Article SummaryX

To make rock candy, first mix 2 cups of water and 4 cups of sugar in a large jar. Then, add 1 teaspoon of flavored extract and 5 drops of food coloring, trying combinations like cinnamon flavoring with red food coloring or tangerine flavoring with orange food coloring. Next, put evenly spaced wooden skewers in your jar. Alternatively, you can use string suspended from a pencil as your rock candy base. Finally, cover your jar with plastic wrap and let it sit for 1-2 weeks while the sugar crystallizes. To learn how to make lollipops or butterscotch candy, keep reading!

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    Brittany Chinn

    Aug 24, 2017

    "The easy step-by-step guide is great for at home with the kids or maybe even family get-together. I've been..." more
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