8 Customizable Homemade Candy Recipes

Whether you’re hosting a Halloween party or attending one, homemade candy is a seriously impressive dessert, host gift, or party favor. Making your own candy can take considerable time but ensures that you know all of the ingredients that go into each treat. Opt for natural food coloring if desired and use your favorite fruit flavors for marshmallows and jelly candy. Customize how you individually wrap caramels, lollipops, or rock candy for gifting or presenting in a bowl for guests to treat themselves. Whatever occasion calls for candy — from spooky season to birthday parties and holiday gatherings — these recipes are your chance to contribute a unique and sweet treat.

Red Hot Lollipops

Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Cinnamon oil and optional cayenne for spice lovers bring warming flavor to these lollipops created by F&W food editor Paige Grandjean that are naturally colored with dried hibiscus flowers. Cool time is a half hour and the leftover dye can be stirred into cocktails or tea.

Peppermint Rock Candy

Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

F&W’s Paige Grandjean walks you through the process of suspending lollipop sticks into a sugar solution flavored with a splash of cool, refreshing peppermint oil to make these elegant candies. Be warned that the crystals take five to 14 days to form, so plan ahead.

Tamarind Jelly Candies

Farrah Skeiky

If you’ve never made jelly candies before, this recipe from pastry chef Paola Velez is a great place to start. You’ll use frozen tamarind pulp, fresh lime juice, and liquid pectin to create the jiggly, fun sweet, coating the squares or rounds in homemade flavored sugars. Prepare to cool the candies for eight hours or overnight.

Vegan Coconut-Ginger Caramels

Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Plant-based fat from coconut replaces the typical butter for these ginger- and Thai chile-spiked caramels. The fragrant candy has to cool for eight hours or overnight, so plan ahead.

Turkish Delight

Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Also known as lokum, Turkish Delight is a jelled, chewy candy traditionally made from a sugar syrup mixed with starch, often dotted with chopped nuts or dates. This version from the Food & Wine test kitchen has a citrusy, floral flavor from rosewater, lemon juice, and orange blossom water. Plan for 12 hours of cooling time.

Soft Apple Cider Caramels

Channel the flavor of caramel apples with this recipe for homemade candies with apple cider, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. The recipe makes 150 candies, so you’ll have enough for a crowd; just remember to build in time to refrigerate the treats overnight before serving.

Riesling Pâte de Fruit

Justin Walker

Enhance the apricot flavor and give these candies by Justin Chapple a little extra sophistication by swapping water with Riesling. Plan for eight hours to overnight for refrigeration before you can enjoy or gift these bright treats.