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Rock Candy For Christmas: A Long Forgotten Favorite

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December 19, 2014

Seems this is a long forgotten candy that years ago was a staple in everyone’s home at Christmas time. Maybe it was because it took longer to eat? Sucking on those candies certainly saves you some calories! I used to make this all the time using a recipe I got from my mother-in-law. It was so easy to make and each batch made enough so you could package some as small gifts for neighbors, teachers or the mailman (see how old this recipe is? Who gives gifts to mailman or paper boy anymore?)

You can make these all year round in all your favorite flavors. The oils that you use in this recipe are very strong so you only need a couple drops each time. Purchase your favorite oils on eBay or Amazon for as little as $1.00 a bottle.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup light Karo Syrup
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 cups sugar
  • Flavored oil
  • Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Directions:

  1. Spread a thin layer of powdered sugar on 2+ cookie sheets.
  2. Add Karo syrup, water and sugar to a pan. Cook on high to 290 degrees (use a candy thermometer).
  3. Remove from stove and add ½ teaspoon of the flavored oil.
  4. Add enough food coloring drops to obtain the color you want. (You must work fast as this gets very sticky at this stage.)
  5. Pour at once onto the cookie sheets. It is best to pour in a zigzag (S or Z shape) so that the candy can spread. Sprinkle with more powdered sugar and let harden. Then break into pieces.

Use food coloring so you can distinguish the flavors but it becomes a challenge when you have several that be the same color – like cherry, cinnamon and strawberry. You have to get creative with how light or dark you make the color. We used to forget which made it fun to just guess to see if we could pick them out!

Here is a list of just some of the many flavors:

  • Almond
  • Amaretto
  • Anise
  • Apple
  • Apricot
  • Banana Cream
  • Bavarian Creme
  • Blackberry
  • Black Walnut
  • Blueberry
  • Brandy
  • Bubble Gum
  • Butter
  • Butter Rum
  • Buttered Popcorn
  • Butterscotch
  • Caramel
  • Champagne/Sparkling Wine
  • Cheesecake
  • Cherry
  • Chocolate
  • Chocolate Hazelnut
  • Cinnamon
  • Cinnamon Roll
  • Clove
  • Coconut
  • Coffee
  • Cola
  • Cotton Candy
  • Cranberry
  • Creme de Menthe
  • Egg Nog
  • English Toffee
  • Grape
  • Green Apple
  • Key Lime
  • Lemon
  • Lemonade
  • Licorice
  • Lime
  • Mango
  • Maple
  • Marshmallow
  • Melon
  • Mint Chocolate Chip
  • Orange Cream
  • Orange
  • Peach
  • Peanut Butter
  • Pear
  • Pecan
  • Peppermint
  • Pina Colada
  • Pineapple
  • Pistachio
  • Pomegranate
  • Praline Cream
  • Raspberry
  • Red Licorice
  • Root Beer
  • Sassafras
  • Spearmint
  • Strawberry
  • Strawberry Kiwi
  • Tangerine
  • Tropical Punch
  • Tutti Frutti
  • Vanilla Butternut
  • Watermelon
  • Wintergreen

There is a flavor for everyone!

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