How to Make Homemade Candy Canes

Candy canes are a sweet treat, commonly enjoyed during the Christmas season. Making homemade candy canes is a project the whole family can enjoy. This method requires only a few household ingredients, and can be completed in about an hour. This recipe for making homemade candy canes yields between 12 and 18 pieces, depending on the length that they are cut.

Things You'll Need

• Cream of tartar
• Light corn syrup
• Sugar
• Saucepans
• Cooking thermometer
• Peppermint extract
• Red food coloring
• Vegetable oil
• Plastic cutting board
• Knife

Instructions

1. Mix ½ cup of water, 3 cups of sugar, ¾ cup of corn syrup and ¼ tsp. of cream of tartar in a small saucepan. Heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves completely.

2. Pour half of the sugar mixture into a separate, equally sized pan. Use a cooking thermometer to monitor the temperature. Heat both pans until the mixtures reach 280 degrees F. Do not stir during this step.

3. Add ½ tsp. of peppermint extract to each pan. Mix ¾ tsp. of red food coloring into only one of the pans.

4. Apply a light coat of vegetable oil to a large, heavy-duty, plastic cutting board. Pour the contents of one pan onto the board and let it sit until it reaches a temperature safe to touch. Carefully stretch the mixture into a rope shape.

5. Pour the other pan onto the cutting board. Pull and stretch it gently into a rope shape. Once both ropes have been formed, twist the candy ropes around each other, forming a thicker, red and white swirled rope.

6. Cut the rope at desired intervals to form individual sticks. Shape them into cane shapes. Apply another coating of oil onto the cutting board and set the candy canes on it to harden, for about two hours.

Tips & Warnings

• Try using different food colorings and flavors. For example, use green food coloring with spearmint extract for a different style. Candy thermometers can be used instead of a cooking thermometer. If a heavy duty plastic cutting board is not available, you can use a large cookie sheet or any other surface that can be oiled, and won't be damaged by the heat of the hot candy.