Before Candy Came in a Wrapper: 18 Homemade Halloween Candy Recipes From Grandma’s Kitchen

In the 1950s and 60s, plenty of Halloween candy came out of a home kitchen: popcorn balls still warm, red candy apples cooling on wax paper, and taffy pulled by every kid in the house. Most of this Halloween candy needs only sugar, butter and a little patience. Homemade candy is having a moment again too, and one pastry chef’s video making peanut butter cups from scratch has more than 9 million views on YouTube. These recipes are for a Halloween party, a movie night or a candy afternoon with the grandkids. One note: many parents only accept wrapped store candy at the door, so save these for family and friends. Here is the old-fashioned Halloween candy worth bringing back..

Homemade Halloween Candy Basics: Your Candy Thermometer Is Your Friend

Grandma could tell hard crack from soft ball by dropping syrup into cold water, but a candy thermometer makes homemade Halloween candy easy for everyone. Clip it to the side of a heavy pot so the tip sits in the syrup, not on the bottom. Hot sugar is much hotter than boiling water, so grown ups handle the stove and the pouring, and kids help with the fun cooled steps like pulling, rolling and wrapping. Ready to get sticky?

You will need: 1 candy thermometer, 1 heavy 3 quart saucepan, a silicone spatula, parchment or wax paper, butter or nonstick spray for pans and hands, a pastry brush and a cup of water.

How to make it: 1. Test your thermometer in boiling water: it should read 212F at sea level. 2. Measure everything before you start, because candy moves fast. 3. Wash sugar crystals off the sides of the pot with a wet pastry brush. 4. Stop stirring once the syrup boils unless the recipe says otherwise. 5. Let hot candy cool where kids and pets cannot reach it.

Red Cinnamon Candy Apples, the Original Halloween Candy

Before caramel apples took over, the shiny red candy apple was the star of every fall festival. The glassy shell is just sugar, corn syrup and water cooked to the hard crack stage with a few drops of cinnamon flavor and red color. Tart, crisp apples balance the sweet coating, and no Halloween candy looks prettier on a table. Did you get candy apples at the fair growing up?

You will need: 8 small tart apples (washed and very dry), 8 wooden sticks, 2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup light corn syrup, 1 cup water, 1/2 tsp cinnamon extract or a few drops cinnamon oil, red gel food coloring.

How to make it: 1. Push sticks into the apples and set them on a buttered sheet pan. 2. Cook sugar, corn syrup and water, stirring until the sugar dissolves. 3. Boil without stirring to 300F. 4. Off the heat, stir in cinnamon and color. 5. Tilt the pot and dip each apple, twirling to coat. 6. Let harden for 20 minutes.

Molasses Popcorn Balls, the Classic Halloween Candy

Popcorn balls were the classic homemade Halloween treat for generations, often wrapped in wax paper with a twist. Molasses gives them a deep, old-fashioned flavor that tastes like a fall afternoon at grandma’s. Butter your hands well and work quickly while the syrup is warm. Who in your family made the best popcorn balls?

You will need: 12 cups popped popcorn (unsalted), 1/2 cup molasses, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup light corn syrup, 1/4 cup water, 2 tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp baking soda.

How to make it: 1. Put popcorn in a large buttered bowl. 2. Cook molasses, sugar, corn syrup and water to 260F. 3. Off the heat, stir in butter, salt and baking soda. 4. Pour over the popcorn and stir with a buttered spoon. 5. When cool enough to touch, shape into balls with buttered hands. 6. Wrap in wax paper.

Homemade Candy Corn, the Most Famous Halloween Candy

Here is the surprise: candy corn is mostly sugar, corn syrup and butter, plus powdered sugar and a little dry milk for that soft, creamy bite. Homemade candy corn tastes like vanilla and honey, softer than the bagged kind. Shaping the stripes of this Halloween candy is the fun part for kids once the dough has cooled. Candy corn: love it or hate it?

You will need: 1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup light corn syrup, 1/3 cup butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder, 1/4 tsp salt, yellow and orange gel food coloring.

How to make it: 1. Whisk powdered sugar, milk powder and salt in a bowl. 2. Boil sugar, corn syrup and butter to 230F. 3. Off the heat, stir in vanilla, then the dry mix. 4. Cool until you can handle it and divide in 3. 5. Color one yellow and one orange, leave one white. 6. Roll into ropes, press together and cut into triangles.

Saltwater Taffy Pull Party

A taffy pull was a real party in the old days, and it still works: butter your hands, grab a partner and stretch the warm candy until it turns light and shiny. Despite the name, there is no seawater in saltwater taffy, just a little salt. Wrap each piece of this Halloween candy in wax paper so it stays soft. Would your family enjoy a taffy pull?

You will need: 2 cups sugar, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 2/3 cup light corn syrup, 3/4 cup water, 2 tbsp butter, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla or peppermint extract, gel food coloring.

How to make it: 1. Mix sugar and cornstarch in a pot. 2. Add corn syrup, water, butter and salt. 3. Boil to 255F. 4. Off the heat, add flavor and color. 5. Pour onto a buttered sheet pan and cool until you can handle it. 6. Pull with buttered hands for 10 to 15 minutes. 7. Roll into ropes, cut and wrap.

Old-Fashioned Molasses Taffy

This is the taffy of the 1800s and early 1900s, the one great grandmothers pulled in the farmhouse kitchen. Molasses gives it a deep, caramel-like flavor and a pretty golden color once it is pulled. A splash of vinegar keeps it from getting grainy. It is the Halloween candy that sticks to your teeth in the best way. Have you ever tasted real molasses taffy?

You will need: 1 cup molasses, 1 cup sugar, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, 2 tbsp butter, 1/4 tsp baking soda, pinch of salt.

How to make it: 1. Cook molasses, sugar and vinegar to 260F, stirring now and then. 2. Off the heat, stir in butter, baking soda and salt. 3. Pour onto a buttered pan. 4. When cool enough to touch, pull with buttered hands until golden and stiff. 5. Twist into a rope, cut with buttered scissors and wrap.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

No candy thermometer needed for this one. Melted chocolate goes into paper liners, then a sweet peanut butter filling, then more chocolate on top. This Halloween candy tastes richer than store bought, and kids can help with every step. A pinch of salt in the filling makes all the difference. Smooth or crunchy peanut butter?

You will need: 2 cups semisweet or milk chocolate chips, 1 tbsp coconut oil, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1 tbsp soft butter, pinch of salt, 12 mini muffin liners.

How to make it: 1. Melt chocolate with coconut oil in 30 second bursts. 2. Spoon 1 tsp into each liner and chill 10 minutes. 3. Mix peanut butter, powdered sugar, butter and salt. 4. Press a small disk of filling into each cup. 5. Cover with more chocolate. 6. Chill 30 minutes.

Chocolate-Dipped Honeycomb Candy

Honeycomb candy, also called sponge candy, feels like a science experiment. You cook sugar to the hard crack stage, whisk in baking soda, and the syrup foams up into a golden, airy candy full of bubbles. Break it into pieces and dip in chocolate for a homemade candy bar the whole family will love. Have you tried sponge candy?

You will need: 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup light corn syrup, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp water, 1 tbsp baking soda (sifted), 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (melted).

How to make it: 1. Line an 8 inch pan with buttered parchment. 2. Cook sugar, corn syrup, honey and water to 300F. 3. Off the heat, whisk in the baking soda quickly. 4. Pour into the pan right away and do not spread it. 5. Cool 1 hour, then break into pieces. 6. Dip in melted chocolate and set on parchment.

Old-World Pistachio Nougat

Nougat is one of the oldest candies in the world, made with whipped egg whites, honey and hot sugar syrup. It turns soft, chewy and snowy white, and the pistachios make every slice pretty. It takes a stand mixer and some patience, but the result looks like it came from a fancy candy shop. Would you try making nougat?

You will need: 2 egg whites, pinch of salt, 1/2 cup honey, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup light corn syrup, 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 cup shelled pistachios, powdered sugar for dusting.

How to make it: 1. Line an 8 inch pan with greased parchment. 2. Whip egg whites and salt to soft peaks. 3. Heat honey to 250F and stream into the whites while beating. 4. Cook sugar, corn syrup and water to 300F and stream in. 5. Beat 5 to 8 minutes until thick, add vanilla and nuts. 6. Press into the pan and set overnight.

Peanut Brittle, Grandma’s Favorite Halloween Candy

Peanut brittle is grandma candy at its finest: thin, golden glass full of roasted peanuts. The secret is a spoon of baking soda at the end. It makes tiny bubbles so the brittle breaks easily and does not hurt your teeth. Stretch it thin with two forks while it is hot. Do you like your brittle thick or thin?

You will need: 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup light corn syrup, 1/4 cup water, 1 cup raw peanuts, 1 tbsp butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt.

How to make it: 1. Butter a sheet pan. 2. Cook sugar, corn syrup and water to 240F. 3. Stir in peanuts and cook to 300F, stirring. 4. Off the heat, quickly stir in butter, vanilla, salt and baking soda. 5. Pour onto the pan and spread thin. 6. Cool and break into pieces.

Soft Vanilla Caramels in Wax Paper

Homemade caramels melt in your mouth in a way store caramels never do. Butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk cook low and slow to the firm ball stage. Keep stirring so the bottom does not scorch, and wrap each square in wax paper. This Halloween candy makes a lovely gift too. If you want more ideas, try our candy shop caramel apples. Soft and chewy or firm?

You will need: 1 cup butter, 2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp salt.

How to make it: 1. Line a 9×13 pan with buttered parchment. 2. Melt butter, then add brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. 3. Stir in condensed milk. 4. Cook over medium heat, stirring all the time, to 245F. 5. Stir in vanilla and pour into the pan. 6. Cool completely, cut and wrap.

Chocolate Peanut Clusters

Church bake sales and holiday tins were never complete without peanut clusters. They are the easiest Halloween candy on this list: melt chocolate, stir in roasted peanuts and drop spoonfuls onto parchment. Use a mix of milk and dark chocolate for the best flavor. A slow cooker version is great for a big batch. Salted or unsalted peanuts?

You will need: 2 cups milk chocolate chips, 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, 1 tbsp butter, 2 1/2 cups roasted salted peanuts.

How to make it: 1. Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl over simmering water or in the microwave. 2. Stir in the peanuts. 3. Drop spoonfuls onto parchment or into small paper cups. 4. Chill 30 minutes until set.

Southern Divinity

Divinity is a fluffy, snow white candy made by beating hot sugar syrup into egg whites. In the South it has been a holiday tradition for generations, and grandmas always said to make it on a dry, sunny day because humid air keeps it soft. Topped with a pecan half, it melts on your tongue. Have you ever had divinity?

You will need: 2 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup light corn syrup, 1/2 cup water, 2 egg whites, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 cup chopped pecans plus pecan halves.

How to make it: 1. Cook sugar, corn syrup and water to 260F. 2. Meanwhile, beat egg whites and salt to stiff peaks. 3. Slowly stream the hot syrup into the whites while beating. 4. Add vanilla and beat until it loses its shine, 5 to 10 minutes. 5. Fold in pecans and drop spoonfuls onto wax paper. 6. Top with pecan halves.

Old-Fashioned Lollipops, the Prettiest Halloween Candy

Homemade lollipops look like little stained glass windows. The syrup is cooked to the hard crack stage, then colored, flavored and poured into molds or right onto a silicone mat with sticks. Kids love choosing the colors and flavors, from cherry to root beer. What flavor would you make first?

You will need: 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup light corn syrup, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 tsp candy flavoring oil, gel food coloring, lollipop sticks, molds or a silicone mat.

How to make it: 1. Lay out sticks in molds or on a silicone mat. 2. Cook sugar, corn syrup and water to 300F. 3. Off the heat, stir in flavor and color. 4. Pour carefully over the end of each stick. 5. Cool 15 minutes until hard. 6. Wrap in small cellophane bags.

Homemade Marshmallows

Once you make marshmallows, the bag kind will never taste the same. Gelatin and hot sugar syrup are whipped for about 12 minutes until they turn into a fluffy white cloud. Cut them into squares, or use small cookie cutters for bats and pumpkins. They are perfect in hot cocoa on a cold Halloween night. Square or shaped?

You will need: 3 envelopes (3/4 oz) unflavored gelatin, 1 cup cold water (divided), 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tbsp vanilla, 1/2 cup powdered sugar mixed with 1/2 cup cornstarch.

How to make it: 1. Bloom gelatin in 1/2 cup water in a mixer bowl. 2. Cook sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/2 cup water to 240F. 3. With the mixer on low, stream in the syrup. 4. Beat on high 12 minutes, add vanilla. 5. Spread into a dusted 9×13 pan. 6. Set 4 hours, cut and dust.

Peanut Butter Chews Like the Old Penny Candy

Remember the chewy peanut butter candies from the penny candy jar? This homemade version gets close: a molasses taffy base with creamy peanut butter stirred in, poured thin, then cut and wrapped. This Halloween candy is soft, sticky and tastes like the five and dime. Did you have a penny candy store in your town?

You will need: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup light corn syrup, 1/4 cup molasses, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 tbsp butter, 1/4 tsp salt, wax paper squares.

How to make it: 1. Butter an 8 inch pan. 2. Cook sugar, corn syrup and molasses to 250F. 3. Off the heat, stir in peanut butter, butter and salt. 4. Pour into the pan. 5. Cool until firm but still soft. 6. Cut into small rectangles and wrap in wax paper.

Oven Caramel Corn

Caramel corn baked low in the oven stays crunchy for days, unlike the soft kind. A quick butter and brown sugar caramel coats the popcorn, then you bake and stir it every 15 minutes. It fills the house with the best smell. Pack it in paper bags for a Halloween movie night. Do you add peanuts or keep it plain?

You will need: 16 cups popped popcorn, 1 cup butter, 2 cups packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup light corn syrup, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 250F and spread popcorn in two roasting pans. 2. Boil butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt for 4 minutes. 3. Off the heat, stir in baking soda and vanilla. 4. Pour over the popcorn and stir. 5. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. 6. Cool on parchment and break apart.

Sugared Spiced Nuts for the Grown-Ups

Every candy table needs something for the grown ups. These nuts get a light egg white coating, then cinnamon sugar with a pinch of cayenne, and a slow bake until crunchy. They go fast at parties, and a jar makes a perfect hostess gift. Sweet, salty and a little spicy: which nut is your favorite?

You will need: 1 egg white, 1 tbsp water, 4 cups mixed nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts), 1 cup sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cayenne.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 250F. 2. Whisk egg white and water until foamy. 3. Toss the nuts in it. 4. Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt and cayenne and toss with the nuts. 5. Spread on a lined pan. 6. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.