Description
This Cinnamon Rock Candy recipe offers a delightful homemade treat with a perfect hard crack texture infused with warm cinnamon flavor. Easy to prepare with simple ingredients, it’s a fun candy-making project that results in a crunchy sweet snack or gift.
Ingredients
Scale
Preparation
- Butter for preparing the pan and parchment paper
Main Ingredients
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup purified water
- 1 teaspoon water based red food coloring (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon candy oil
Finishing
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the Pan: Grease a 15”x10”x1” baking sheet (jelly roll pan) with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper and butter the parchment paper as well to prevent sticking.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large saucepan, add the granulated sugar, light corn syrup, purified water, and red food coloring if using. Stir the mixture to combine.
- Heat the Mixture: Cover the saucepan and heat over medium heat until boiling, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar evenly.
- Dissolve Sugar: Once boiling, uncover and let it boil for 3 minutes while stirring occasionally to fully dissolve sugar crystals.
- Cook to Hard Crack Stage: Insert a candy thermometer and continue cooking without stirring until the temperature reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit, the hard crack stage. This takes about 20-25 minutes. When close to 300 degrees, remove from heat, give it a quick stir to prevent burning, then return to heat and watch carefully.
- Add Cinnamon Oil: Once the mixture reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit, immediately remove from heat and quickly stir in the cinnamon candy oil in a well-ventilated area to avoid overwhelming fragrance.
- Pour and Cool: Carefully pour the hot candy mixture into the prepared pan. Allow it to cool and harden for 1.5 to 2.5 hours at room temperature.
- Decorate with Powdered Sugar: Sprinkle confectioner’s sugar generously over the top surface of the cooled candy. Flip it over and sprinkle the other side as well to prevent stickiness.
- Break into Pieces: Wrap the head of a hammer with a zippered plastic bag and gently break the candy into pieces of desired size. Optionally, sprinkle more powdered sugar on broken pieces to keep edges clean.
Notes
- Use a candy thermometer for accurate temperature to get the perfect hard crack texture.
- Butter the pan and parchment paper thoroughly to ensure easy removal of candy.
- Cook in a well-ventilated area when adding cinnamon oil as the scent is potent.
- If you do not have cinnamon candy oil, substitute with cinnamon extract but use less as it may vary in strength.
- Store broken candy pieces in an airtight container to keep them crisp and fresh.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 55 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
