How to Melt Red Hots Candy

Red Hots add a spicy cinnamon flavor and a pinkish tinge to a variety of drinks, sauces and other recipes. A variety of recipes call for Red Hots candy, but you can also add them to other recipes to punch up the flavor. The candies dissolve easily in hot liquids, so you can melt them by simply adding them to something that is cooking. Vary the amount of Red Hots to find a level of spice that suits your taste.

Instructions

1. Stir Red Hots into glazes or sugary sauces while they cook to add a spicy cinnamon flavor.

2. Add a few Red Hots to individual servings of hot beverages such as cider, hot cocoa or tea and stir to dissolve.

3. Melt 1/2 cup of Red Hots in 3/4 cup of water to add to a punch recipe. Melt the Red Hots on the stove or in the microwave; if you microwave them, stir the mixture every 30 seconds to 1 minute.

4. Add Red Hots to homemade applesauce or apple butter as it simmers. Use about 10 red hots per pint of finished product.

Tips & Warnings

• Reduce the sugar slightly if you add Red Hots to a recipe, because they contain sugar.

• Handle any hot substance containing melted Red Hots carefully, as melted sugar can burn.

References

• National Public Radio: Red Hots Spice Up Everyday Cooking
• "The Washington Post": I Spice: Red Hots (Really)
• University of Wisconsin-Madison: Make Sure Your Holiday Party Packs a Little Punch ... Non-Alcoholic Punch, That Is!