Grandma's Best Christmas Candy Recipes
It's time to break out the candy thermometer!
While you probably don't even think about making homemade candy during the rest of the year, there's just something about the holiday season that'll have you in the kitchen whipping up a batch (or two!) from scratch. These classic Southern candies are even better when they're made with love instead of purchased at the store.
Whether you want to make candy to gift to friends and neighbors, are looking for a recipe to share with your family, or simply want to enjoy it yourself, you can't go wrong with any of Grandma's favorite Christmas candy recipes.
Grab your candy thermometer and the cute Christmas tins, and whip up these homemade candy recipes that you'll love just as much as Grandma does.
Homemade Turtles
Antonis Achilleos, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
To be successful making homemade turtles, we recommend getting your pan ready and having all of your ingredients ready to go as you'll need to work quickly. You'll also want to make sure you have a candy thermometer on hand.
Rum Balls
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Not only are Rum Balls a favorite of Grandma's but they're also the most-searched Christmas candy in the South. The flavors will continue to develop over time, so they're an easy make-ahead option as well.
Potato Candy
Yes, this candy recipe actually starts with a mashed potato! But trust us (and Grandma!), that it can actually be turned into a sweet candy treat.
Christmas Butter Mints
It's not a Southern celebration without butter mints! This Christmasy version comes together with no cooking and gets a cheery red color from food coloring. Just make sure to allow plenty of time for them to dry.
Cracker Toffee
Abbi Wilt
Ah, saltines! Is there anything they can't do? The versatile cracker is one of the five ingredients used to make this easy candy recipe.
Pecan Pralines
Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Torie Cox
A candy thermometer is key to ensuring your pralines come together successfully. Just make sure you're prepared to work quickly once the candy is ready to be set.
Stained Glass Candy
Reminiscent of a stained glass window, this classic Christmas candy is almost too pretty to eat. You can use red or green food coloring, or make a batch of both!
Saltine Peppermint Bark
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
If you're looking for a candy that you can make without needing a candy thermometer, this peppermint bark is for you. It just needs at least one hour to chill before it's broken into pieces.
Classic Peanut Brittle
When trying your hand at making homemade peanut brittle on the stovetop, just make sure to follow the instructions and keep stirring continuously. We also included directions to make different variations like Pecan Brittle and Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Brittle.
Homemade Peppermint Patties
Crushed candy canes make the perfect seasonal garnish to add colors and even more minty flavor to these classic candies.
Millionaire Candy
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
We use premade caramels to help make this recipe for old-fashioned Millionaire Candy a little easier. We suggest using a double boiler to melt the chocolate so that each candy has a nice, shiny finish.
Honeycomb Candy
Alison Miksch; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This classic candy comes together with just five ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand in your pantry during the holiday season. It's not complicated to make, just ensure that you keep an eye on the sugars the whole time they're cooking!
Divinity Candy
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
Not to be confused with meringue, divinity is cooked to a higher temperature to create a candy that has more structure. That means, a candy thermometer is key for the best results.
Pulled Candy
If you want to involve kids in the candy making, they can help with the pulling process to make this homemade candy. You can choose to flavor the candy with orange extract, peppermint extract, or make batches of both.
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Read the original article on Southern Living.
