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    Home » Our latest posts » Candy

    Homemade Candy Corn Will Make You Forget Store-Bought

    September 27, 2020 Filed Under: Candy, Desserts

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Step by step instructions for making homemade candy corn this Halloween, or anytime you need a candy corn fix. 

    Homemade Candy Corn is easy to make and tastes so much better than the store bought stuff. Make it yourself today and you will never go back.

    homemade candy corn overflowing a container with text overlay "homemade candy corn"

    I love candy corn and mellow cream pumpkins so much that my husband wisely hid the bag he bought for our son so I didn't eat them all. Who knew you could actually make them?

    I have tweaked the directions since I originally posted this. The first time I used Alton Brown's recipe and directions, but after making them a few more times I have found that it needs to be cooked a little longer or it is far too soft. And his rolling and cutting steps seemed a bit confusing and cumbersome.

    The latest batch I made for these photos used half corn syrup and half honey. The flavor was amazing! Don't feel limited by the vanilla extract either. My husband got some fruity flavored patriotic candy corn over Labor Day that was really tasty too.

    Haunted Halloween Recipes

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    I have joined up with some of my favorite bloggers to bring you fun and tasty recipes for

    • Eyeball Pasta by Making Miracles
    • Graveyard Chocolate Mousse by Art of Natural Living
    • Homemade Candy Corn by That Recipe
    • Spiced Caramel Halloween Graveyard Cupcakes by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
    • Strawberry Cheesecake Brain by A Day in the Life on the Farm
    • Witch Finger Cookies by Karen's Kitchen Stories
    • Witches Brooms by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures


    We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you're at it, join our Pinterest board, too!

    Candy Corn

    homemade candy corn overflowing a container with text overlay "homemade candy corn"
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
    • 6 ½ teaspoons nonfat dry milk
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • ⅓ cup light corn syrup ( (or add half honey half corn syrup))
    • 2 ½ tablespoons water
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • red and yellow gel paste food coloring

    Instructions
     

    • Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and grease well.
    • Sift the powdered sugar, dry milk and salt into a medium bowl and whisk together .
    • Combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup and water in a 2-quart pot. Place over medium heat, cover and cook for 4 minutes. Add the butter, clip on a candy thermometer and bring the sugar syrup to between 235-240° F, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the thermometer.
    • Add the vanilla and the dry mix and stir until well combined. Pour onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is cool enough to handle.
    • Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Pinch off about a third of one ball and add it to one of the other two balls.
      Leave the small ball white.
      Add red and yellow coloring to the medium sized ball to make orange.
      Add yellow coloring to the larger ball.
    • Roll each color of dough into a strand about 18 inches long. Cut each strand in half then roll each piece into a strand that is about ½ inch thick and 22 inches long.
    • Lay three colored strands on top of each other - yellow, orange, then white (yes, my photo is in the wrong order) and press them together using your fingers.
      homemade candy corn - www.thatrecipe.com
    • Shape each multi-colored strand into a triangular rope with white on top and yellow on the bottom.
      homemade candy corn - www.thatrecipe.com
    • Then lay it on it's side with the skinny (white) end away from you and the yellow next to you. Use a sharp thin knife dipped in water to cut each wedge into individual candies cutting from the small end through to the larger end. I found this method helps them keep their shape best.
    • Press gently to reshape and smooth out the cut edges as needed (dip fingers lightly in water if it becomes too sticky).
      homemade candy corn - www.thatrecipe.com
    • Lay the candies on a piece of parchment until dry, at least 2-3 hours. Store in an airtight container.

    Other Halloween Recipes

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    Until next time, happy eating.
    ~Audrey

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. alaynascreations

      September 18, 2015 at 8:09 am

      My husband is not a fan of candy corn but he is a fan of AB. I just might be able to get him to try this version!
      Happy to be co-hosting the #HomeMattersParty with you again this week!

      Reply
      • Audrey

        September 18, 2015 at 4:48 pm

        Thanks, Alayna.

    2. Meredith

      September 18, 2015 at 10:28 am

      This does look like a lot of work, but I bet my kids would love to help! How fun to have homemade candy corn!

      Reply
      • Audrey

        September 18, 2015 at 4:47 pm

        If you have a few people to help it goes much faster.

    3. satrntgr

      September 18, 2015 at 3:46 pm

      Those look great - I never knew you could make your own...and they probably taste so much better than the ones from the store. Thanks for linking it with the #HomeMattersParty

      Reply
      • Audrey

        September 18, 2015 at 4:39 pm

        They are so good! Thanks for stopping by.

    4. Enzie Shahmiri

      September 19, 2015 at 4:37 pm

      I have never tried candy corn. Looks tasty! Happy to be co-hosting the #HomeMattersParty with you again this week!

      Reply
    5. Jane @SustainMyCraftHabit

      September 19, 2015 at 8:40 pm

      Have never been a big fan of candy corn and to confess, I thought it was made with corn kernels! Ha ha, learned something new today. Thank you for sharing and co-hosting the #HomeMattersParty with us!

      Reply
    6. Shann Eva

      September 20, 2015 at 8:13 pm

      My kids love candy corn and they would get a kick out of watching me try to make it. It's really great to be co-hosting #HomeMattersParty with you this month!

      Reply
    7. Sarena @ Teal Inspiration

      September 21, 2015 at 12:07 am

      I bet these taste better than the store bought version! It's been great co-hosting the #HomeMattersParty with you!

      Reply
    8. Sahana

      September 21, 2015 at 1:15 pm

      Seems like a fun to make homemade Candy Corn. Thank you for sharing the process. It's great to be co-hosting with you.#HomeMattersParty

      Reply
    9. thejohnsonplusdog

      September 21, 2015 at 2:37 pm

      Wow, looks fun! It's been fun co-hosting with you at the #HomeMattersParty

      Reply
    10. Melissa Vera

      September 21, 2015 at 8:40 pm

      Wow I would never have thought to make my own candy corn. Thanks for the recipe. Love having you as a cohost on #HomeMattersParty

      Reply
    11. Michelle James

      September 23, 2015 at 3:19 am

      This is one of those things I am happy to purchase. LOL! It really does look like work but you make it look fairly easy. If I was going to attempt such a thing I am grateful for your tips and suggestions from the original recipe. I just thought these things always came in a bag. Haha!

      You are amazing to even try it!

      Reply
    12. drone news

      October 18, 2015 at 10:40 pm

      A good software program would have awesome realism. They wouldn't make him a general
      for I-told-you-so. "I see it on the screen," Dawn's voice interrupted.

      Reply
    13. Lisa Pomerantz

      October 09, 2016 at 2:20 pm

      OK, so I have to be honest, this is clearly one of those foods that I never thought of as being made, by like people... Like there was some giant candy corn stash somewhenre and it opens up and comes out each year at halloween to feed the wee ones and their mums! Brilliant! and gluten free? WHo knew! #FridayFrivolity

      Reply
      • Audrey

        October 09, 2016 at 7:12 pm

        I thought the same thing when I saw the recipe. I am not much of a candy maker.

    14. Beverly

      October 13, 2016 at 6:54 am

      I love candy corn. Never thought of making it however. I am sure it would be fun to try it.
      Thanks for sharing at Over The Moon party,
      Bev

      Reply
    15. Krisitne

      October 14, 2016 at 12:28 pm

      WOW! So cool! I wil try this, thanks! #smallvictoriessundaylikup

      Reply
      • Audrey

        October 16, 2016 at 6:53 pm

        It is fun, but a bit of work.

    16. Wendy Klik

      October 20, 2016 at 8:36 pm

      I love these. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    17. Lisa/Syncopated Mama

      October 27, 2016 at 7:55 pm

      HOmemade candy corn? How fun! Pinned to try someday when Gv gets older.

      Reply
    18. Wendy Klik

      September 27, 2020 at 5:45 am

      Homemade candy corn....what a fantastic idea!!

      Reply
    19. Hezzi-D

      September 27, 2020 at 1:28 pm

      I'm TOTALLY intrigued by this. Definitely going to have to try it this year!

      Reply
    20. Karen

      September 27, 2020 at 3:10 pm

      This looks like such a fun project. Yours totally look like the real thing.

      Reply
    21. Inger @ Art of Natural Liivng

      September 27, 2020 at 9:25 pm

      I have seen lots of homemade candy but this one is new! Totally cute and it has to taste better!

      Reply
    22. Christie

      October 25, 2020 at 12:55 pm

      I would never have even thought to try to make them. I'm a minority and LOVE candy corn. So, you know I'll be trying this.

      Reply

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