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Colorful pieces of assorted hard candy coated in powdered sugar, arranged closely together.

Seasonal Hard Candy Duo

There’s something timeless about homemade hard candy — the sparkle, the crack, the way a single piece can transport you straight into a memory. I’ve adapted my mom’s classic holiday hard candy recipe into a single base that now gives me two seasonal favorites: the traditional Holiday Hard Candy Blend and a bright Summer Fruit Blend.
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Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp LorAnn SS Flavors 1 drams
  • 1/2 tsp food coloring match to flavor
  • 1/2 cup Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Instructions

  • Foil‑lined baking tray coated with a layer of confectioners’ sugar, prepared for pouring hot hard‑candy syrup.
    Line a half-sheet pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, then roll the edges to form a shallow tray. Generously sprinkle the tray with confectioners’ sugar.
  • A pot of heating sugar syrup with a candy thermometer inserted and a red spatula resting inside, showing the temperature‑monitoring stage of hard‑candy making.
    In a large saucepan, attach a candy thermometer. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
  • Adding food color to Hard Candy Syrup — Step 3
    Bring to a boil; do not stir at this stage. At 260℉ add the food coloring; continue boiling until the mixture reaches 300°F (hard-crack stage).
  • A hand holding a red silicone spatula above a bubbling pot of hot sugar syrup with a red spatula inside, showing the moment just before adding LorAnn flavoring in Step 4 of hard‑candy making.
    Remove from heat and quickly stir in LorAnn oil.
  • A pot of hot red candy syrup being poured onto a foil‑lined sheet pan dusted with confectioners’ sugar during the hard‑candy making process.
    Pour onto prepared half-sheet pan and let cool completely.
  • Cutting bright red cinnamon holiday hard candy into squares with a pizza cutter.
    Once the candy begins to firm up, use a pizza cutter to score it into your desired piece sizes. Once fully hardened, break along the scored lines and toss the pieces in confectioners’ sugar to keep them from sticking.

Notes

Holiday Hard Candy Blend: A double batch of cinnamon, and the single batches I have used are anise, butter rum, butterscotch, clove, English toffee, pecan, peppermint, pralines & cream, and maple.
Summer Fruit Blend: blueberry, cherry, green apple, peach, pear, pomegranate, orange cream, strawberry, and watermelon.
There are endless flavor possibilities—mix and match to create your perfect candy blend, then share it with family and friends!