Our Best Homemade Candy Recipes for a Do-It-Yourself Sugar Fix (2024)

We know that everybody (ok, not everybody, but you know what we mean) loves classic Halloween candies like candy corn and Reeses cups, but at SAVEUR, we encourage thinking outside the wrapper. When you make your Halloween candy from scratch, the possibilities are endless. From chocolatey bites to fruity delights, you can recreate the sweet sensations of your favorite treats all from the comfort of your kitchen.

First, learn about the different kinds of sugars you can use with our guide to sugar around the world. Perfect for special occasions like Halloween and Thanksgiving, candies make for quick and easy desserts you can whip up to share (or keep all for yourself).

We've prepared our best homemade Halloween candy recipes, from chocolate and peanut butter buckeyes to cherry fizz hard candy, because nothing on the shelf can beat a piece of candy made by your own two hands. And if you don't want to share with those trick-or-treaters, we don't blame you.

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Cherry Fizzy Candy

This simple candy’s bright fruity flavor and effervescent feel on your tongue is a surprisingly perfect pairing for the cold sweetness of a scoop of vanilla. Pastry chef Tracy Obolsky taught us the recipe when she came by our test kitchen; the flavor is easy to customize by switching out any variety of powdered Kool-Aid or powdered, fruit-flavored gelatin. Citric acid is often sold as lemon salt in grocery stores; if you can’t find it, it can be omitted. Get the recipe for Cherry Fizzy Candy »

Homemade Mallomars

With a dense chocolate coating and a soft, cakelike cookie base, we think these homemade mallomars are even better than the original. Get the recipe for Homemade Mallomars »

Smoked Almond S'mores with Whiskey Marshmallows

Pastry chef Mindy Segal has made a successful career out of tinkering with, and improving, classic desserts. At her Chicago restaurant HotChocolate (and in her book, Cookie Love, from Ten Speed Press), she rejiggers icons like pineapple upside-down cake and baked Alaska with thoughtful, contemporary updates. So we gave her a challenge: Take the s’more, that beloved summer bonfire dessert assembled from store-bought components, and make it even better. Here’s her fantastic homemade version. Get the recipe for Smoked Almond S’mores with Whiskey Marshmallows »

Peanut Butter Buckeyes

Earl Grey and Lavender Chocolate Truffles

Infused with subtle floral aromas and rolled in earthy-sweet almonds, these are a sophisticated take on the classic chocolate truffle. Get the recipe for Earl Grey and Lavender Chocolate Truffles »

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Dark Chocolate Matzo Brittle

Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls)

You can find many versions of brigadieros, but chocolate is the traditional flavor for these dense, chewy fudge balls rolled in sprinkles, a treasured treat in Brazil. Get the recipe for Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls) »

When making these truffles, use supermarket-quality white chocolate, which has more stabilizers than expensive brands and sets up better.

Candied Pecans

A combination of balsamic vinegar, sea salt, and brown sugar turns pecans into a toasty, addictive snack that’s perfect for nibbling alongside apéritifs. Get the recipe for Candied Pecans »

Alice Medrich's House Truffles

These classically simple chocolate truffles are enriched with egg yolks—Medrich’s special touch. Get the recipe for Alice Medrich’s House Truffles »

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Yellow Man (Irish Honeycomb Candy)

We adapted this recipe from the Irish food authority Darina Allen’s book The Complete Book of Irish Country Cooking (Penguin Studio, 1996). Get the recipe for Yellow Man »

Classic Caramel Corn

Crunchy, sweet homemade caramel corn can be made even better with the addition of nuts or chocolate chips. This recipe first appeared in our Jan/Feb 2013 issue along with our article Caramel Corn. Get the recipe for Classic Caramel Corn »

Homemade Black Licorice Twists

These licorice twists can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. To serve, just microwave them briefly. This recipe first appeared in our Jan/Feb 2013 issue along with our article Homemade Licorice. Get the recipe for Homemade Black Licorice Twists »

Glazed Pecans

Coated with a sour cream-based glaze and baked in the oven, pecans become a toasty, sweet snack. This recipe first appeared in our November 2013 issue along with Wendell Brock’s story Southern Belle. Get the recipe for Southern Belle »

Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cordials

Invertase, a liquid enzyme that’s found in small bottles at most candy-making supply stores, is used in these candies to liquefy the luscious fondant filling. Once you’ve made the cordials, it will take about ten days for the filling to liquefy. We based this recipe on one found in Peter Greweling’s Chocolates and Confections (Wiley, 2010). For more Valentine’s Day recipes, check out our guide. Get the recipe for Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cordials »

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White Truffle-Pistachio Caramel Corn

A combination of earthy white truffles and salty pistachios puts a decadent twist on classic caramel corn. Get the recipe for White Truffle-Pistachio Caramel Corn »

Chocolate Marshmallows

We use Dutch-process cocoa powder here because it’s mild and won’t overwhelm the sweetness of the marshmallows. Get the recipe for Chocolate Marshmallows »

Pine Nut Brittle

Kimberly Hasselbrink, the writer and photographer behind The Year in Food, tuned us into this great recipe for pine nuts in a crunchy, salty, rosemary-scented brittle. Get the recipe for Pine Nut Brittle »

Vanilla Cream Fudge

We based this recipe on one that appears in Peter Greweling’s Chocolates and Confections (Wiley, 2010). Get the recipe for Vanilla Cream Fudge »

Salted Caramels

Michael Laiskonis, executive pastry chef at New York City’s Le Bernardin, gave us the recipe for these caramel candies. Be sure to wrap them individually in wax paper to store them. Get the recipe for Salted Caramels »

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Strawberry Marshmallows

Dried strawberries give these fluffy treats a remarkably deep fruit flavor. Get the recipe for Strawberry Marshmallows »

Chocolate Truffles

Adding rolled oats that have first been ground in the food processor helps hold these chocolate balls together while giving them an earthy note. Get the recipe for Chocolate Truffles »

Ginger Curry Candied Almonds

Sweet, salty and just a little spicy, these glazed almonds are a popular addition to holiday gift baskets and party spreads. Always make more than you think you’ll need as it’s hard to resist snacking on them when they’re still warm. This recipe comes to us from Marisa McClellan, author of Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year-Round. Get the recipe for Ginger Curry Candied Almonds »

Pecan Pie Brittle

This twist on traditional pecan pie provides a snack-able ending to the holiday feast. This recipe first appeared in our November 2012 issue along with Ben Mims’s story Sugar and Spice. Get the recipe for Pecan Pie Brittle »

Smoky Whiskey Balls

This recipe, from Eatocracy managing editor Kat Kinsman, appeared in our 2012 Cookie Advent Calendar. Kat says: “I’m a freak for bourbon balls and for smoke, so I decided to play around with them a tad a while back. The result is this recipe: rich with chocolate and the smoky vanilla notes of the whiskey, with an added kick from bourbon-soaked pecans.” Get the recipe for Smoky Whiskey Balls »

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Cardamom-Laced Milk Chocolate Truffles

We based this recipe on one that appears in Peter Greweling’s Chocolates and Confections (Wiley, 2010). Feel free to improvise with the coating, using other kinds of ground spices, nuts, or chili powder. Make sure to keep all your materials cold while you’re mixing and shaping the truffles, so that the candies keep their shape; if they get too warm, refrigerate ingredients for 5-10 minutes. Get the recipe for Cardamom-Laced Milk Chocolate Truffles »

Our Best Homemade Candy Recipes for a Do-It-Yourself Sugar Fix (2024)

FAQs

How long does homemade candy stay fresh? ›

Most candies will keep 2 to 3 weeks (if not longer) if stored tightly covered in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator. It's best to avoid storing different types of candy together in the same container because hard candies will become soft and sticky, and soft candies will dry out.

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How to make hard candy soft? ›

To speed that process along, leave the candy in a loosely covered container with a damp paper towel. If the candy is not wrapped, place a double sheet of plastic wrap between the damp towel and the candy. Change the damp towel every two to three days. It will still probably take a month or so for the candy to soften.

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Should you stir sugar when making candy? ›

Combine your sugar and water off the heat, and stir it just until the sugar is evenly moistened. Avoid stirring the sugar if at all possible once you put it on the stove. Agitation can cause the sugar to crystallize.

What is sweet and used to make candy? ›

Corn Syrup: Solid sugars aren't the only sweeteners used in candy making. Liquid sweeteners like corn syrup are incredibly common for making hard candies since using corn syrup creates a smooth texture. Invert Sugar: If you're making candy in bulk, consider using invert sugar, a sugar made primarily of sucrose.

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What candy has the longest shelf life? ›

Candy Shelf Life Guidelines:

Hard Candy: 12 months.
Jelly Beans: six months.
Jordan Almonds: two months.
Licorice: two months.
Lollipops: 12 months.
Milk or White Chocolate: three months.
Mints: 24 months.
Novelty Candy: 12 months.

More items...

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Why won't my homemade candy harden? ›

If the sugar mixture is not cooked to the proper temperature (the hard-crack stage 300-310° F {149-154° C.} or if you are working in a kitchen with high humidity, chances are your candy is retaining too much moisture.

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What does cream of tartar do in hard candy? ›

It is useful in this recipe because it's an acid, another form of "interfering agent," which inverts sucrose into fructose and glucose and thereby helps to prevent crystallization of the sugar syrup.

What's the difference between caramel and butterscotch? ›

The main difference between caramel and butterscotch is that caramel is made by heating white, granulated sugar to various stages, while butterscotch is made with brown sugar and butter, which gives it a deeper, more rounded flavor, thanks to the butter and molasses.

What are the two main ingredients in candy? ›

Candy is made by dissolving sugar in water or milk to form a syrup, which is boiled until it reaches the desired concentration or starts to caramelize. The type of candy depends on the ingredients and how long the mixture is boiled.

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What was used to make candy before sugar was available? ›

Before sugar was readily available, candy was based on honey. Honey was used in Ancient China, the Middle East, Egypt, Greece and the Roman Empire to coat fruits and flowers to preserve them or to create forms of candy. Candy is still served in this form today, though now it is more typically seen as a type of garnish.

Is corn syrup used to make candy? ›

Provides Smooth Texture: Corn syrup helps to create a smooth and glossy texture in candies, ensuring that they are not grainy or gritty. 3. Adds Moisture and Shine: Beyond candy making, corn syrup can be used to add moisture and a glossy finish to dessert sauces and frostings.

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How long can you store homemade hard candy? ›

Hard Candy

Hard candies can last up to a year when stored at room temperature or in a cool, dry location.

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How do you keep candy fresh in a jar? ›

Hard candies can last up to one year if they're stored in a cool, dry place away from humidity and heat. To keep hard candies from absorbing moisture from the air and other nearby treats, sprinkle them with finely ground sugar before stashing them in an airtight glass jar.

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How long will homemade caramels stay fresh? ›

Homemade caramel typically lasts about 2 weeks when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Refrigerating homemade caramel can extend its shelf life to about a month, and freezing it can further prolong its usability up to a year. However, the texture may change slightly upon thawing.

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Does homemade chocolate candy go bad? ›

Chocolate won't necessarily go bad, but when exposed to extreme temperatures, moisture, or other elements, it can become discolored, brittle, and develop an unpleasant taste. Storing chocolate improperly can also cause it to melt and stick together, making it much less enjoyable.

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