Salt Water Taffy
Indulge in the nostalgic sweetness of homemade Salt Water Taffy, a chewy, melt-in-your-mouth treat perfect for satisfying your candy cravings. This classic confection combines simple pantry staples like granulated sugar, light corn syrup, and unsalted butter, creating a rich base that's expertly heated to the hard-ball stage for the perfect taffy texture. With a touch of vanilla extract and the option to add playful food coloring, you can customize these soft, stretchy candies to suit any occasion. The taffy-pulling process is a fun, hands-on step that transforms the mixture into a glossy masterpiece before cutting it into bite-sized pieces and wrapping them in wax paper. This easy-to-follow recipe yields 50 servings of freshly made taffy that’s ideal for parties, gift-giving, or a sweet indulgence at home. Get ready to dip into homemade candy-making with this nostalgic recipe that’s sure to delight kids and adults alike!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2 cups Granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons Light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 0.5 teaspoons Salt
- 0.75 cups Water
- 1 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 0.5 teaspoons Food coloring (optional)
- 0.25 cups Powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
Line a 9x9-inch baking dish with parchment paper and lightly grease it with nonstick spray or butter. Set it aside.
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine granulated sugar, light corn syrup, unsalted butter, salt, and water.
Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring gently until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture begins to boil.
Once boiling, stop stirring and attach a candy thermometer to the saucepan. Allow the mixture to cook until it reaches 250°F (hard-ball stage). This takes around 10–15 minutes. Remove from heat immediately when the temperature is reached.
Stir in the vanilla extract and food coloring (if using). Be careful, as the mixture will bubble when you add these.
Pour the hot mixture into the prepared baking dish. Let it cool for about 10–15 minutes, or until it's warm but not hot to the touch.
Lightly dust your hands with powdered sugar. Remove the taffy from the dish and gently pull it, stretching it out and then folding it over and over. Continue this pulling process for about 10 minutes, or until the taffy becomes glossy and firm.
Shape the taffy into a long rope and cut it into small bite-sized pieces using scissors greased with nonstick spray.
Wrap each piece of taffy in wax paper squares, twisting the ends to secure. Store the taffy in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
1970 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 24.0 g | 31% | |
| Saturated Fat | 14.0 g | 70% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 62 mg | 21% | |
| Sodium | 1195 mg | 52% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 459.9 g | 167% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.0 g | 0% | |
| Total Sugars | 459.9 g | ||
| Protein | 0.2 g | 0% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 17 mg | 1% | |
| Iron | 0.0 mg | 0% | |
| Potassium | 15 mg | 0% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
