Homemade Caramels ~ An Easy and Favorite Holiday Candy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best thing to wrap homemade caramels in? ›

Most caramels will need a little time at room temperature in order to cut more easily. Cut in squares and wrap in waxed paper or parchment paper. Wrapped caramels can also be frozen.

If caramels are too soft, that means the temperature didn't get high enough. Again place the caramel back into a sauce pan with a couple of tablespoons of water and heat to 244°F. If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can test with a cold water test.

Homemade caramel typically lasts about 2 weeks when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

When you remove it from the pan, let it sit at room temp for an hour or so, then run a sharp knife around the edge and then turn out onto a cutting mat. I use an old cutting mat that I can no longer use for fabric. I use a pizza cutter to cut the caramel.

Dry caramel is quicker to make than wet caramel, but it's also trickier: Without additional liquid, the sugar can caramelize very quickly, burning before you realize it.

In general the paper sold for home use is too light weight, the grain of the paper isn't made to withstand twisting (it tears), and the wax coating is too light to prevent the moisture from the candy from seaping into the paper and weakening it thus causing it to tear and stick.

Once the sugar has all dissolved and turned brown, we add butter. The heat of the caramel will melt the butter and create even more wonderful flavors.

Homemade Caramel Sauce can be kept at room temperature for 3 days or for a longer shelf life, in the refrigerator for up to three weeks or frozen for up to three months (see below).

* Caramel: When stored properly at room temperature and away from the heat and light, caramel candy can last six to nine months -- and even up to a year in some cases.

How long does homemade Christmas candy last? ›

Most candies will keep 2 to 3 weeks (if not longer) if stored tightly covered in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator. It's best to avoid storing different types of candy together in the same container because hard candies will become soft and sticky, and soft candies will dry out.

For these homemade caramels you want a heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan. I recommend using a pan that does NOT have a nonstick coating. Heavy-bottomed simply means the pot or pan has a thicker base. It shouldn't be thin and tinny.

Line a 9×13” pan or jelly roll pan with parchment paper. (If you don't have parchment paper you can generously butter the pan.) Either size pan will work–9×13” will yield thicker caramels. Add 2 sticks butter, sugar, and karo syrup to a large heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat.

Why do I line with parchment? Because the caramel doesn't stick to it. Wax paper would melt and disintegrate under the high heat. The caramel sticks to foil, even if it is buttered (ask me how I know this …

After the caramels have set, use a sharp, buttered knife to cut it into squares. For gift giving, wrap each square into a piece of parchment paper, twisting the ends in opposite directions.

I dust mine lightly with rice flour before wrapping as that will prevent sticking for a time but if they are left for any extended period they will still stick. If you want to make sure they don't stick you can cut the Reynolds Release foil into squares and use that. It works great for sticky candy.

Professional caramel wrappers don't stick to your caramels or taffy, resist tearing, and hold their twist. These cellophane caramel wrappers meet FDA standards for direct food contact. Bulk package of 1000 cellophane wrappers. Great for twist wrapping individual hard candies or suckers.