Classic Melt-In-Mouth Peppermint (Printable View)

Smooth, melt-in-mouth peppermint candies with a refreshing touch, perfect for gifting or sweet enjoyment.

# Ingredient List:

→ Sugar Syrup

01 - 2 cups granulated sugar
02 - 1/2 cup water
03 - 1/4 cup light corn syrup

→ Flavor & Color

04 - 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
05 - 2-3 drops red food coloring (optional)

→ For Dusting

06 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar

# How to Make It:

01 - Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust lightly with powdered sugar.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine granulated sugar, water, and corn syrup. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
03 - Increase heat and bring mixture to a boil. Cook without stirring until syrup reaches 300°F (150°C) on a candy thermometer.
04 - Remove from heat immediately. Stir in peppermint extract and optional red food coloring, mixing quickly and carefully as mixture will be extremely hot.
05 - Use a teaspoon or small cookie scoop to drop small mounds of hot syrup onto prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart.
06 - Allow candies to cool and harden completely, approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour.
07 - Toss cooled candies lightly in powdered sugar to prevent sticking. Store in an airtight container.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They taste like winter itself, clear and bright and nothing fancy, just pure peppermint joy.
  • No mixer, no special equipment beyond a candy thermometer, so you're done faster than you'd think.
  • Homemade gifts that actually impress people because they taste nothing like store-bought candies.
02 -
  • Don't stir once the mixture starts boiling, no matter how nervous you feel watching it bubble—stirring causes crystallization and ruins the entire batch.
  • A candy thermometer is non-negotiable here; eyeballing the temperature will give you chewy candy instead of hard candy, and that's disappointing.
03 -
  • If your candies turn out chewy instead of hard, your temperature didn't reach 300°F—next time stick with the thermometer and don't guess.
  • A small offset spatula or butter knife slipped underneath makes it easier to lift cooled candies off the parchment without breaking them.

Go Back