Go Back Email Link
+ servings
A glass bowl full of homemade jolly rancher candy -clear square shaped hard candy in orange, red, green, and purple
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe
4.80 from 24 votes

Homemade Jolly Rancher Candy

Homemade Jolly Rancher Candy is sweet, a bit tart, and easy to make. Choose your own flavours and colours to customize it as you like!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Cooling time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 - about 1.5 Lbs of Candy
Calories: 377kcal
Author: Marie Porter

Equipment

  • Candy Thermometer
  • Square Candy Mold
  • Baking Sheet
  • Parchment Paper

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Granulated Sugar
  • 1 ½ cups Corn Syrup
  • ¾ cup Water
  • Several drops food coloring*
  • 1 tablespoon LorAnn Flavour Oils or 2 tablespoon flavour extract of choice)
  • 2 teaspoon Citric Acid Powder

Instructions

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, if you're not using a mold. Set aside.
  • In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water.
    Stir well, bring to a boil on medium or medium-high heat. Affix candy thermometer to pan.
  • Boil mixture, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 310 degrees.
  • Remove from heat, quickly stir in food coloring, flavoring, and citric acid.
    Stir mixture until it stops boiling, and most of the “bubbles” disappear – this will minimize texture in your finished candies.

If using a Mold:

  • Carefully pour molten candy into into mold cavities.
  • Allow to fully cool and harden.

If using a Cookie Sheet:

  • Carefully pour molten candy into prepared cookie sheet.
    Allow to cool until still very warm to the touch, slightly malleable, and firm (not brittle).
  • Turn slab of candy out onto a cutting board, taking care not to stretch it. Using a large knife, score candy slab into rows about 1″ apart. Turn slab 90 degrees, and score again – ½″ for long skinny candies, 1″ for square ones.
  • Working quickly, cut all the way through the candy slab along the score lines, separating candies into rows, then individual candies.
    You will need to have all of your cutting done while the candy is still fairly warm and malleable, or it could shatter when you attempt to cut it.

Notes

Hard candy is very hydrophilic – it pulls moisture out of the air, and absorbs it. This will result in sticky or “sweaty” candy – you’ll want to either wrap them individually, or keep them sealed in an airtight container

Nutrition

Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 99g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 33mg | Sugar: 99g | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg