Homemade Lollipops
Do you love hard candies and lollipops? Have you ever wanted to make your own at home? If so, you're in luck! This recipe for homemade lollipops is quick and easy, and the results are delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup white corn syrup
- ½ cup water
- ½ tsp flavoring use 1/2 tsp for opaque colors
- food coloring optional
- ⅛ tsp citric acid optional for fruit flavors
Instructions
- Before you begin, make sure to wash your molds thoroughly and grease the inside with a cooking spray, like Pam. Place the molds on a flat surface, such as a marble slab or a flat cookie sheet. Place a clip over the tabs of the molds and insert a sucker stick between the tabs.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup. Cook on medium-high heat until the mixture reaches 300°F (the hard crack stage). Use a candy thermometer to ensure accuracy.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool to 275°F. Then, add the flavoring and food coloring (if using) and stir until blended. If you're making fruit-flavored lollipops, you can also add citric acid at this time to add tartness.
- Pour the candy mixture into the molds and allow it to cool until the candy is set. Then, remove the clip from the mold and carefully remove the mold from the lollipop.
- Cover lollipops with a clear treat bag.
- That's it! Your homemade lollipops are now ready to enjoy. This recipe makes approximately 8-10 lollipops, depending on the size of your molds.
Notes
- Make sure to have all of your equipment on hand before tackling this recipe. In addition to the molds and sticks, you will need a straight-sided saucepan with a heavy bottom and a wooden spoon with a long handle.
- Save yourself some hassle (as well as possible skin burns) by using a candy thermometer with a clamp that secures it to the side of the saucepan.
- Since sugar attracts water, the weather can have an effect on candy making. Humidity can ruin an otherwise perfectly good lollipop by making it nearly impossible to reach the hard-crack stage. Even though a rainy day is perfect for a kitchen project, it is not ideal for this one.
- Vary the flavor of the lollipops by changing the extracts. Feel free to try out interesting flavor combinations but be sure to taste the mixture first before you make a whole batch.
- You can also alter the colors, matching them to the flavors so they are easy to decipher from each other. Cinnamon pairs well with red food coloring, vanilla pops can be yellow, and mint pops look good in green.