Description
Homemade Rock Candy is a fun and simple DIY candy project that creates beautiful crystalline sugar sticks perfect for a sweet treat or a kids’ science activity. Using basic ingredients like sugar, water, and optional flavorings and colors, this recipe guides you through making your own shimmering rock candy at home over several days without any baking required.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- ½ to 1 teaspoon flavoring extract (such as vanilla, peppermint, or cherry)
- Food coloring (optional)
- 4 wooden skewers or strings
- Clothespins or clips
- Tall glass jars or cups
Instructions
- Prepare Sugar Syrup: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Stir constantly until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture starts to boil. Once it reaches a rolling boil, stop stirring and let it boil for 2–3 minutes.
- Add Flavoring and Color: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the flavoring extract and food coloring if using. Allow the syrup to cool for about 10 minutes to prevent melting the sugar crystals.
- Prepare Skewers: While the syrup cools, dampen each wooden skewer and roll it in granulated sugar. This seed sugar coating encourages crystal formation. Let the coated skewers dry completely.
- Set Up Jars: Pour the cooled syrup carefully into clean tall glass jars. Suspend each sugar-coated skewer into a jar using a clothespin balanced across the top of the jar, ensuring the skewer doesn’t touch the bottom or sides.
- Cultivate Crystals: Place the jars in a cool, undisturbed area. Crystals will start to form within a day and grow over 5 to 7 days to the desired size.
- Harvest Candy: Once the rock candy has grown enough, remove the skewers from the syrup and let the crystals dry for a few hours before enjoying your homemade treat.
Notes
- Ensure jars are thoroughly clean and skewers are centered for even crystal growth.
- Leftover syrup can be reheated to create additional batches of rock candy.
- Experiment with different flavor extracts and colors to customize your rock candy.
