Classic Homemade Orange Candy Recipe

I perfected an old fashioned orange Candy Recipe using pantry staples and one clever step that may surprise you.

I never thought candy could make me pause but this old fashioned orange candy does. Using just granulated sugar and a splash of orange extract the result is glassy little discs that catch the light like tiny sunsets.

There’s a clean citrus pop that surprises your tongue, then a slow melt that keeps you staring at the sugar sheen wondering how something so simple got so nostalgic. It’s one of those Candy Recipe I keep in my back pocket for when I want folks to stop talking and actually taste something.

Try it once and you’ll be quietly hooked, I promise.

Ingredients

• Granulated sugar: Pure carbs, gives the candy sweetness and structure, offers no vitamins or fiber.
• Light corn syrup: Mostly glucose, prevents crystallization so candies stay smooth, adds extra sweetness quickly.
• Orange juice: Adds real citrus flavor, some vitamin C, small amount of natural sugars and acid.
• Orange zest or extract: Zest gives oils and bright aroma, extract concentrates flavor with negligible calories.
• Citric acid or lemon juice: Brightens taste with acid, gives tang, tiny vitamin C when using lemon juice.
• Butter: A little fat reduces foam while cooking, improves mouthfeel, shine and texture.
• Food coloring: Purely cosmetic, zero nutrients, makes candies vivid but changes nothing else nutritionally.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) light corn syrup
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) water
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (about 1 medium orange)
• 1 teaspoon orange extract or 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest for a more natural flavor
• 1/4 teaspoon citric acid (or 1 teaspoon lemon juice) for bright tang, optional but recommended
• a few drops orange food coloring, optional if you want vivid color
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to reduce foaming while cooking, or a little neutral oil to grease molds
• extra granulated sugar or powdered sugar for dusting finished candies, optional

How to Make this

1. Lightly grease candy molds or a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or a little neutral oil, and dust with a bit of extra granulated sugar or powdered sugar so the candies wont stick; measure everything first so you’re ready.

2. In a heavy saucepan combine 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar, 2/3 cup (160 ml) light corn syrup, 2/3 cup (160 ml) water and the 1 tablespoon butter (this helps cut down on foaming while it cooks); stir over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves.

3. Once it starts to boil, stop stirring. Use a wet pastry brush to wash down any sugar crystals on the sides, and let it come up to a full rolling boil; swirl the pan gently if you need to mix but dont stir.

4. Clip a candy thermometer to the pan and boil until the syrup reaches the hard crack stage, 300 to 310°F (149 to 154°C). If you dont have a thermometer, drop a tiny bit into very cold water and it should form hard, brittle threads that snap.

5. Remove the pan from heat immediately. Wait a few seconds to calm the bubbling, then carefully stir in 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice, 1 teaspoon orange extract or 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest, and 1/4 teaspoon citric acid or 1 teaspoon lemon juice for a bright tang. Add a few drops of orange food coloring if you want vivid color.

6. Work fast but be careful, the mixture is extremely hot. Pour the syrup into your prepared molds or pour onto the greased baking sheet and spread thinly with an oiled spatula to the thickness you want.

7. Let the candy cool completely at room temperature until fully set. If you used a sheet, you can score the candy while still slightly warm or let it harden and break into pieces.

8. Dust finished pieces lightly with extra granulated or powdered sugar to keep them from sticking, then store in an airtight container layered with parchment or powdered sugar so they dont clump.

9. Quick tips: use a heavy pot to avoid hot spots, keep a wet brush handy to prevent recrystallization on the sides, dont walk away while it cooks, and test temperature in cold water if you dont own a thermometer. If any sticky residue forms on your tools, soak them in hot water right away so it doesnt harden.

Equipment Needed

1. Heavy bottomed saucepan (2 to 3 quart) — gives even heat and helps avoid hot spots
2. Candy thermometer with a clip to attach to the pan
3. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you like precision
4. Wet pastry brush to wash down sugar crystals while it boils
5. Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or flexible candy molds, lightly greased
6. Oiled heatproof silicone spatula for spreading the syrup thinly
7. Small heatproof bowl of ice cold water for the cold water test
8. Oven mitts or heatproof gloves, the syrup is extremely hot so be careful
9. Bench scraper or sturdy knife for scoring or breaking the cooled candy into pieces

FAQ

Classic Homemade Orange Candy Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Light corn syrup: swap with golden syrup or glucose syrup, use 1:1. Honey will work in a pinch but it adds flavor and makes the candy softer, so use less and watch color.
• Granulated sugar: use superfine (caster) sugar to dissolve faster, or replace up to 25% with invert sugar or glucose to cut down on graininess. Avoid powdered sugar since the cornstarch will mess up the texture.
• Orange extract: replace with 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (about 1 medium orange) or 1 teaspoon orange oil. Fresh zest gives a brighter, more natural flavor but if you add lots of zest reduce the extra juice so you dont add too much liquid.
• Citric acid: replace with 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or about 1/4 teaspoon ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Lemon juice adds a bit more water and a slightly different tang, so account for that when cooking.

Pro Tips

– Use a heavy, even-heating pot and stay by the stove, hot spots will bite you and ruin the batch. If your thermometer seems off, test it in boiling water first so you know it’s telling the truth, and have a backup test method ready just in case.

– Keep the sides of the pan wiped clean with a wet brush so crystals dont seed the whole syrup, and once it starts boiling don’t go poking around with a spoon or you’ll invite recrystallization.

– Add the fresh juice/zest and flavoring only after the worst of the bubbling calms, work quick but safe, wear oven mitts or use a long-handled tool because that syrup will spit and it hurts.

– Finish and store smart: powdered sugar gives a softer, less gritty coating while granulated makes a crunchy shell, and you must keep the candies in a cool dry airtight container with layers of parchment or sugar if you want them to stay separate in humid weather.