Homemade Candy Corn Recipe
This homemade candy corn recipe is a classic chewy candy made with sugar and light corn syrup. The ingredients are simple, and the how-to steps are straightforward: cook the syrup, knead in the dry ingredients, tint the dough, then cut into small triangles.
Ingredients
Ingredients
Step-by-Step Method
Start the syrup base
Add sugar, light corn syrup, and butter to a medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture looks uniform.
Cook gently
Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat and cook for 5–8 minutes, stirring often so it doesn’t scorch around the edges.
Flavor it
Remove from the heat. Stir in vanilla and salt, then let the bubbling calm down for a few seconds.
Add dry ingredients
Mix in powdered milk. Then add powdered sugar gradually, stirring until a soft dough forms and pulls away from the pan.
Knead and adjust texture
Dust the counter with powdered sugar, transfer the dough, and knead briefly. If it’s sticky, work in a bit more powdered sugar; if it feels too stiff, rest it for 1–2 minutes.
Tint the dough (optional)
Divide into 3 portions. Leave one plain; color the other two with yellow and orange food coloring, kneading each until the color is even.
Build the candy corn stripes
Roll each portion into a similar-length rope. Press the three ropes together side by side so you get the classic striped look.
Shape and slice
Gently flatten the long strip, then cut into small triangles about 1–1.5 cm wide. Set pieces on parchment paper.
Set and store
Let the candies sit at room temperature for 1–2 hours so the surface dries slightly. Store in an airtight container.