Old-Fashioned Saltwater Taffy Is Worth the Homemade Effort (2024)

Saltwater taffy is a classic American candy that might bring back lots of fond childhood memories. It's soft and chewy in texture with fun swirls of color and a seemingly endless variety of flavors that you can add into taffy. Although the legend says that saltwater taffy was born in the late 18th century when a candy store got flooded with ocean water, ruining the prepared soft taffy, which was then sold as "saltwater taffy," there is no way of knowing the truth. But take our word for it that this candy is simply marvelous—seawater or not.

Taffy-making may seem like a fun activity to do with your kids, but you will need to exercise caution, and it can be a bit more work than you anticipate. The syrup will get very hot, and the pulling and stretching can become a bit arduous. Pulling taffy is a big job—and a long job, too—so if possible, recruit an adult friend or family member to help. It will make the job faster and even more fun. A candy thermometer is strongly recommended to achieve the best results

Be mindful of the weather when planning to make saltwater taffy. Humidity can cause the candy to absorb moisture and not harden in the way it's supposed to. This recipe calls for the flavoring extract of your preference, such as lemon, vanilla, mint, or chocolate. You can easily change the flavor and color by using different food coloring. Homemade saltwater taffy can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. You can keep it longer, but it will start to lose its soft and chewy texture over time.

Of course, there are plenty of places to buy saltwater taffy online, as well.

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
1 cup light corn syrup
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon flavoring extract
1/4 cup marshmallow cream
3 to 4 drops gel food coloring

Steps to Make It

Make the Candy

Gather the ingredients.
Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
See Also
How to Make Salt Water Taffy Candy911 Everything You Need To Know About the Invention of Candy How Long Does Salt Water Taffy Last? [Shelf Life Guide]
Combine the water, corn syrup, granulated sugar, and salt in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
Wash down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming.
When the sugar syrup comes to a boil, insert a candy thermometer.
Cook the syrup, without stirring, until the thermometer reaches 255 F (123 C). This temperature will produce a wonderfully soft and chewy taffy. If you like your taffy stiffer, cook it to 260 F for a medium-firm taffy or 265 F for a very firm taffy.
Once the candy has reached the proper temperature, remove the pan from the heat, add the butter and flavoring, and stir until the butter melts and everything is well mixed.

Fold in Marshmallow Cream and Food Coloring

Pour the candy onto the prepared baking sheet and let it spread out.
Add the marshmallow cream and food coloring on top.
Let the candy cool until it starts to set around the edges, about 5 to 10 minutes.
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Slide a spatula under one edge of the candy and fold it into the center, over the marshmallow cream.
Then, fold the other edges of the candy into the middle, making a compact package.
Put on food-safe plastic gloves to protect your hands and spray them with nonstick spray.
Gather up the candy and knead it together until the marshmallow cream and coloring are mixed in.

Pull the Taffy

Holding the candy in both hands, pull your hands apart, stretching the candy into a rope between them.
Bring your hands back together, twist the candy together, and repeat the pulling process. At first, the taffy will droop and fall, but as you continue to pull the taffy, it will cool down and become firmer and easier to manipulate. Continue topull the taffy for 20 minutes until it holds its shape well and becomes difficult to pull. You will start to see parallel ridges in the pulled candy toward the end of the process; this is a sign the taffy is ready.
Divide the taffy into quarters to make it easier to work with.
Roll all 4 balls of taffy into long thin ropes of about 1/2 inch in diameter.
Use oiled kitchen shears or a sharp knife to cut all ropes into small 1-inch pieces.
Wrap the taffy in waxed paper to help it keep its shape and prevent it from sticking together.
Enjoy.

Striped Taffy

To make striped taffy:

Prepare two baking sheets and divide the sugar syrup evenly between them.
Add half of the marshmallow cream to each batchand different colors of food coloring on top.
Pull each batch individually and roll them into long, thin ropes.
Twist the ropes of different colored taffy together, then pull them thin so that the colors blend.
Cut and wrap the striped taffy as instructed.

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Candy
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Recipe Tags:

taffy
dessert
american
back to school

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