Who knew that making such beautiful, tasty, sugary Rock Candy at home would be so easy and FUN! It also doubles as a bit of a Science Experiment too!
Using only 3 ingredients, the goodies made from this fun ‘experiment’ can be used for kids parties, wedding favours or just a fun treat!
Now I wanted to make a HUGE batch of these for my son’s party, but you don’t need to make the amount I did! The general rule of thumb is 2 – 3 cups of sugar to 1 cup of water. I ended up using 10 cups of sugar and 4 cups of water. I will give you the basic recipe and you can double it, triple it, whatever you like!
You will need:
2-3 cups white sugar
1 cup water
Food colouring
Flavouring (optional) I had some ‘Bubblegum Essence’ so I used that
You will also need:
Jars/champagne flutes
Pegs
Skewers
Large saucepan
Method
Add your water to the saucepan and bring to the boil
Start adding the sugar a 1/2 cup at a time, until it no longer dissolves (making a saturated sugar solution). The more sugar you add, the longer it will take to dissolve. Be patient and try to get as much to dissolve as possible.
Add a few drops of your flavouring.
Take your mixture off the heat and allow to cool – approximately 15 minutes.
While you are waiting, take a plate and add some sugar to it. Get your skewers and dip them into the liquid sugar mixture then dip it into the plain sugar to coat the stick. This will give your Rock Candy something to ‘grow on’. Let them dry for a few minutes until they are completely dry – if they are still too wet when you put them into the hot sugar solution, all of the sugar coating will fall off, and the new crystals will have nothing to grow on.
Set out your champagne flutes/jars and add a few drops of food colouring to the bottom of each.
Carefully add the sugary solution to each glass/jar and give it a little stir. I happened to have a baster on hand which made this task much easier, but you could use a gravy boat, funnel or small cup.
Take your sugary skewers & place a peg at the top of each and place into the glasses (make sure they do not touch the bottom or sides as this will hinder the ‘growing process’.
Now it’s time to be patient. The crystals will start growing in 2 – 3 days, but depending on how big you want your Rock Candy sticks will depend on how long you will need to keep them in the glasses (we let ours grow for 2 weeks). The kids loved checking in on the candy to see how much it had grown each day!
We also used a food cover to cover the glasses to stop any nasties venturing in!
When you are ready to remove them, gently break the top with a butter knife or other sharp object. Gently remove the skewer and hang it upside down until the excess liquid drips off and it dries. You can pour out the liquid from the glass and use the glass to hang the skewer and catch the excess liquid.
Ta Da! Beautiful, home grown rock candy!
You may also like some of our other Fun Science Ideas:
christi langerhr says
August 20, 2013 at 6:25 pmI didn’t know u could make rock candy at home I think that’s really cool this was & still is one of my favorite childhood, carnival, fair, amusement park ect… treats
pagingfunmums says
August 21, 2013 at 4:31 amYou sure can Christi and it’s super easy too! Give it a try and let us know how you go! Jenni x
Judy kunnuk says
February 12, 2014 at 5:52 amCan you make a video making one?
I’m not good at reading and making, I make things worse doing that! And wonder if it works on “tang” juice?- Judy
Abigail Burk says
April 7, 2018 at 3:16 pmHi, I was wondering how hard it is and how you cleaned the flutes
Jac says
November 15, 2013 at 7:41 amHi!I can’t wait to try them.i am just wondering if the coloured sugar rock candy will stain the tongue?is it possible to make a non-coloured rock sugar candy?
pagingfunmums says
November 15, 2013 at 11:20 pmHi there,
You certainly can make the rock candy without the food colouring, it just won’t be as pretty : ( We haven’t had too much trouble with it staining the tongue…they are the same as most lollipops. Jenni x
jesse says
December 6, 2013 at 4:54 amjust dont add the colouring very simple
Nita mcclanahannitamcclanahan says
February 4, 2019 at 8:12 amYes just dont put in any food coloring.
Desiree says
August 25, 2013 at 9:10 amYou could speed up the growing process by adding more saturated sugar solution after a couple of days. The more sugar in the solution the quicker it will grow.
Monstruos en la cocina says
August 25, 2013 at 7:03 pmMe parece una idea increible, y perfecta para hacer con los mas pequeños. GRacias por compartir !
Lili says
August 26, 2013 at 4:25 amThis is really cool. I will give it a try.
anita says
August 30, 2013 at 2:32 pmThe Rock Candy recipe sounds like a good project to do with my grandkids while they are out of school over certain hollidays…like around Christmas…ty for sharing
jennifer barker says
September 16, 2013 at 2:06 amWe tried this just one week ago today and followed the directions just as they were written. I haven’t seen any change in the solution as of yet. Did we do something wrong?
pagingfunmums says
September 17, 2013 at 1:07 amHi Jennifer, so glad you are trying this. It’s fantastic fun for the kids! Mine took 2 weeks to get to the stage they are at in the photos. I did however see crystals forming prior to that. Leave it the full two weeks & then let us know how you go! Jenni x
Jenni Hallet says
September 19, 2013 at 12:39 pmI have seen since pretty cute Valentine’s Day gifts with the rock candy- a bit card with “you rock” written on it. I’ll have to share this with my sister to have my nieces do it for a school treat.
pagingfunmums says
September 20, 2013 at 2:36 amWhat a great idea! Thanks for sharing : ) Jenni x
Aviary says
August 11, 2019 at 3:50 pmFantastic idea at any child’s birthday party either themed or radom colors. Instead of a lpot candy gift bag or box this is a great gift for guests as they leave the party. Or as a class gift for fellow students even at Christmas time red.and green would look great and halloween orange ones for trick or treatThanks for the great idea ans recipe im inspired to give these a go.
Jan says
September 21, 2013 at 1:13 pmHi – we are making this for a school project. We doubled the recipe – 2 cups water and 6 cups sugar. Everything absorbed really well and the solution was pretty clear. Added food color to the flutes and set it up as you did. It is day 2 and the solution has crusted over and the sugar is one large mass around the skewers. Will this eventually shrink down to the sharp squared off crystals or do we need to start over? Thanks!
Heather says
October 8, 2013 at 7:26 pmThis has been fun, but the liquid is no longer clear. It was starting to cloud over before I put it in the flutes. Is this supposed to happen?-Heather
pagingfunmums says
October 8, 2013 at 10:55 pmThat’s fine Heather, it won’t make a difference. We look forward to hearing how it all went : ) Jenni x
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile says
October 18, 2013 at 10:02 pmWhat a fantastic idea! I will definitely be pinching this idea to use with my class! Love your great ideas! Thanks 🙂
pagingfunmums says
October 19, 2013 at 1:18 amThat’s great Lucy!! It’s a great experiment for the kiddies! Jenni x
Anonymous says
November 11, 2013 at 3:46 pmDo we have to put it in the fridge??? PLEASE REPLY!!
pagingfunmums says
November 13, 2013 at 10:07 amNope, no need to refrigerate.
Jac says
November 15, 2013 at 8:08 amHi,I can’t wait to try them.I am wondering if the food colouring will stain the tongue?n is it possible to make rock sugar candy without the food colouring?
Carissa Goldfuss says
November 19, 2013 at 11:44 pmHi! Love the recipe but my mixture turns completely dark brown….what should I do to avoid that?
pagingfunmums says
November 19, 2013 at 11:46 pmI’m so sorry Carissa, I am not sure what to tell you, I haven’t had that problem before. Have you followed all of the steps correctly? Jenni x
Shannon says
December 5, 2013 at 1:17 pmFrom what it sounds like is that the sugar is caramelizing. Try reducing the heat. If the heat is to high the water will completely evaporate and the sugar will start to caramelize. I hope this helps.
John says
December 5, 2013 at 1:34 pmtypically sugar solutions turn brown when cooked longer and hotter. this is what carmelizing is. really don’t need to have soln boiling. The reason to heat the water to boiling is so that the maximum amount of sugar will dissolve.
Linda Grant-Trottier says
December 7, 2013 at 12:38 amIf the sugar caramalized will it still make rock candy because wouldn’t that be yummy! Caramel Rock Candy! YUMMY!
Kristen says
December 5, 2013 at 6:51 pmIt sounds like your heat could be too high on the sugar and that you are caramelizing the sugar instead of just dissolving it. Try heating over a lower temp would be my suggestion.
Rebecca says
December 13, 2013 at 2:19 amYou are cooking your solution to long try lowering the heat…your sugar is caramelizing.
Mat says
December 17, 2013 at 7:37 pmSounds like it became caramel if it turned brown…might have your heat too high…
Heather says
November 22, 2013 at 4:10 pmDo you think it would be possible to use jello to flavor and color the rock candy?
Jaccie says
December 6, 2013 at 9:24 pmI’ve heard of using Kool Aid packets for color and flavor! That’s what I’m going to try!
Linda Grant-Trottier says
December 7, 2013 at 12:41 amI do not know for certain but the gelatin may cause some issues. Koolaid would probably be a safer alternative to food coloring and flavorings, I am going to try this without coloring but with some hot
cinnamon…. yummy
F says
November 26, 2013 at 5:43 pmWhat do you mean by “break the tops” in “When you are ready to remove them, gently break the top with a butter knife or other sharp object. Gently remove the skewer and hang it upside down until the excess liquid drips off and it dries. You can pour out the liquid from the glass and use the glass to hang the skewer and catch the excess liquid.”
What are you breaking the ‘tops’ off? Sorry! Just curious! Beautiful photos and a wonderful idea! 🙂
pagingfunmums says
November 28, 2013 at 2:46 amGood question! Sometimes the sugar will grow around the skewers but also grow across the top of the glass, so sometimes you will need to chip this away before you can remove the skewers : ) I hope this makes more sense now. Jenni x
Kristine says
November 30, 2013 at 8:37 amI made this last holidays with my boys and can’t wait to do it again. I’m also thinking of doing this with my Joey Scouts as a Christmas activity. Thanks for the great idea.
pagingfunmums says
November 30, 2013 at 11:27 pmThat’s great Kristine!! Jenni x
Alex Arthur says
December 2, 2013 at 6:04 amThis should be piece of cake too. Making a rock candy will be the great recipe.
mango says
December 4, 2013 at 12:59 amhey thank’s for showing us
Reesha Ramesar says
December 4, 2013 at 12:20 pmCant wait to see more
Michelle H. says
December 4, 2013 at 10:17 pmI saw someone asked about jello for flavoring, I was wondering about koolaid powder to flavor and color the solution. Do you think that would work? Have you ever tried making it on strings?
pagingfunmums says
December 4, 2013 at 10:54 pmHi Michelle, sorry I haven’t tested it out with Jello or Koolaid nor have I tried making this on strings…I have only used the method in this post. I’d love to hear how you go should you have some success in another ‘experiment’! Jenni x
Cynthia Davidson says
December 5, 2013 at 12:11 amI made this as a kid over 40 years ago … we used kitchen string (turkey tie down string) .. tied the string to a pencil and hung it in a tall glass not allowing it to touch bottom .. poured in the solution and food coloring and just waited.
Angela Smither says
December 5, 2013 at 9:23 pmI have made it with string with my mom when I was younger.. everything is the same we just used string If I remember right it was more like a cord than a string..
Kitty says
December 6, 2013 at 11:50 pmWhen we were kids many years ago, about 50 give or take, we made these on strings. I like the stick idea and plan to try it for my grandkids.
LadyAmy says
December 4, 2013 at 11:49 pmThanks for the Rock Candy recipe! This will make great stocking stuffers. I was wondering, Is it possible to make multi-colored Rock Candy? If so, How? Maybe like an Easter egg? Let it dry, then put it in a different color? Would that work?
Momma Jorje says
December 19, 2013 at 4:25 pmThat would be so cool!
Michelle Menard says
December 5, 2013 at 1:17 amDo you have to stir it while its boiling? And you only dip the skewer once in the sugar right? You dont repeat each time it dries?
pagingfunmums says
December 6, 2013 at 12:00 amYou leave the sticks in the dissolved solution until the crystals grow. Louise x
Michelle Menard says
December 10, 2013 at 12:31 pmThanks
freon says
December 5, 2013 at 1:35 pmYes my DAD made this on string about about 65 years ago.
Sara says
December 5, 2013 at 1:52 pmi made rock candy one year. Not like this but i used peppermint flavoring let me share my horror story. i did not read the full directions and when it came time to add flavor i poured the whole bottle of peppermint flavor in to the mix! you only need a few drops. my house smelled like peppermint til February and i made this at Christmas time
dawn says
December 5, 2013 at 8:41 pmi let it dry on skewers but seems to ALWAYS fall off once in jar..any idea why?
pagingfunmums says
December 5, 2013 at 11:59 pmI’m not sure why this would happen. Maybe the climate could effect this?? Louise x
Lesia says
December 5, 2013 at 8:54 pmI am wondering if you could wait to put a liquid flavoring in each individual flute? That way you could add flavor according to the color you are making, to have a variety of flavors as well???
pagingfunmums says
December 5, 2013 at 11:58 pmWe have yet to try that but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work. Just don’t add too much :). Louise x
Katt says
December 6, 2013 at 3:38 amWhat type of flavorings can you use? Like Vanilla and Banana extract? Would that work?
Brandie says
December 6, 2013 at 3:37 pmCan this be made with Stevia or Splenda type “sugar”??? My son is severely ADHD and I have him on a restricted sugar diet but would LOVE to make these with him….
pagingfunmums says
December 6, 2013 at 9:47 pmI’m not sure if those ingredients ‘crystalise’ like sugar does. If you try it out we would love to hear how it goes :). Louise x
Teresa says
February 3, 2014 at 3:39 amHey Brandie, I am diabetic, and I have tried several sugar free sweeteners. I do not think that stevia will crystallize. I have discovered Xylitol sweetener. It is a crystal like sugar is, it has a low glycemic rating, and it has been used to prevent cavities and ear infections. It cost around $10.00 a pound around here, and is difficult to find. I have to go to a health food store to find it. I have made a simple syrup with it and it tasted like sugar in my tea this way. I do not know if it will work, but I would if any sugar free sweeteners would, I am guessing that it would. Another low glycemic sweetener to consider is coconut sugar.
Rebekah says
February 12, 2014 at 4:08 amSplenda or Stevia won’t work. They don’t crystallize like sugar. This only works with real sugar. Try using raw sugar. My son is ADHD and raw sugar doesn’t hype him up.
Terri says
December 6, 2013 at 4:07 pmI used to love going to Williamsburg, VA knowing I’d get some rock candy~ Now I can make it on my own!! Thank you!!
Tracy says
December 6, 2013 at 7:14 pmOne thing I have found when making rock candy, either this way or the pour out on a pan and break in pieces way,,,, is use GOOD quality sugar. Use a good brand like Domino. Do NOT use any of the super fine almost powdery type. It has a anti caking agent added to it so it doesn’t clump up. It will ruin your candy, make it cloudy and won’t harden correctly. It is worth a few extra $$ to get GOOD sugar. I will only use Domino when I make this.
Blake says
December 7, 2013 at 12:36 amI am amazed how this turned out the way I did it. I must have did something wrong for it crystalize over night. I went to check on it the next day after work and I pulled one out and it was a huge crystal sugar rock. Hmph! I’m confuggled. How did I speed up the process x1000? I followed your exact directions. I even have pictures. I am amazed!
Lisa says
December 7, 2013 at 4:17 amYou must have got a lot of sugar into that water mixture!!! Congrats! =)
amu says
December 8, 2013 at 1:26 pmDid u by chance add more sugar it will speed up growing process much faster?
Felicia says
January 2, 2014 at 8:51 pmMine also crystalized extremely fast. Within a few hours we noticed they were growing! The ONLY problem I had was that the sugar was starting to harden at the bottom of my jars. I used mason jars. When I took out the skewers there was about an inch of rock candy at the bottom. What did I do wrong? Other than that they came out awesome and very big!
pagingfunmums says
December 7, 2013 at 1:50 amSo great to hear so many other Fun Mums are giving this a go!
We are curious how you found us and this recipe? Was it via a Facebook Page in particular?
Thank you
Jenni & Louise 🙂
Michelle Menard says
December 10, 2013 at 12:33 pmYes
Jess Kingery says
December 14, 2013 at 3:33 pmYes, I saw this as a Facebook post and it looks like a great idea and so much fun to try with my girls. I also like some of the ideas and tips I’ve read in the other comments. I am going to also post to Pinterest, if you don’t mind. Thanks for sharing! Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas! 🙂
lora says
December 7, 2013 at 2:18 amis the length of the crystal determined by how much of the stick is submerged in the solution?
pagingfunmums says
December 7, 2013 at 4:05 amHi Lora, yes it is :). Louise x
Jonetta says
December 7, 2013 at 3:21 amSince I’m not very good at science I’m trying to figure how to make this a science lesson. What questions would need to be asked? This seems like a very fun project to do with my kids.
scott says
December 8, 2013 at 2:50 amim going to use a camcorder that way i catch this growing from start to finshed should be interesting for the kids too watch there always like these things illjust speed up the video
pagingfunmums says
December 8, 2013 at 11:33 amAwesome idea! Ww would love to see it when it’s done :). Maybe you could share it on our Facebook Page? Louise
Mustang says
December 8, 2013 at 6:33 pmMany variables enter into this so called simple experiment. Cleanliness of flutes & all equipment, purity of sugar, good food coloring, & don’t disturb the solution once you pour it into flutes & all is set up. Allow plenty of time for crystals to grow. Enjoy!
Mustang says
December 8, 2013 at 6:37 pmLook up growing sugar crystals on the internet. The experiment is probably listed on someone’s page.
Here’s one: what if we used brown sugar?
scott says
December 8, 2013 at 2:47 amnice making this
Sheri says
December 9, 2013 at 2:52 amI was wondering if instead of glass flute can we use the plastic one’s..I like to try this n rather use plastic if I can so that there is no accidents of broken glasses 🙂
pagingfunmums says
December 9, 2013 at 7:58 amSure! I’m almost positive that would work : ) Jenni x
Kaycee Nicole says
December 9, 2013 at 11:12 amThese look cool ,
Can you upload a video for those who learn better via vdeo rather than written instructions please,
Beverly says
December 9, 2013 at 2:04 pmLove these idead
Mary Handy says
December 9, 2013 at 10:53 pmLove it! I did this for a middle school science project. My science teacher also had a bunch of other crystal projects we could make. My first one didn’t take, so I did one with borax. I kept the recipes for a while and made the sugar one so we could eat it with my little brothers later. So fun!
Harmony Hanrahan says
December 10, 2013 at 10:54 amI think this is the coolest&easiest recipe ever! I love it. I hope my kids to too! Thank you.
Rebecca says
December 13, 2013 at 2:26 amI did this using a Mason Jar and a Piece of yarn…It works and the kids love the candy…You can do it without coloring, or with coloring, and its awesome with or without flavor…The best part is…It is a great way to kids interested in science.
Kim says
December 14, 2013 at 12:51 pmWhat are pegs and where do you get them? ALSO do you only put one skewer in each glass? Please respond..TIA
pagingfunmums says
December 16, 2013 at 10:00 pmHi there, you can get pegs from the grocery store or $2 shops (they are what you use to hang your washing on the line). I have used more than one skewer in a glass & they have worked fine : ) Jenni x
Merrill says
January 15, 2014 at 6:23 amWe called them clothes pins. Sometimes I use them like chip clips (to keep open bags closed), also. 🙂
Bety says
December 14, 2013 at 9:17 pmHas anyone made this with the flavored koolaid so there is different flavors?
pagingfunmums says
December 16, 2013 at 7:00 amWe haven’t but we’d love to hear if it would work! Let us know how you go! Jenni x
Vikki says
December 19, 2013 at 10:46 am“Pegs” are clothespins in the US 🙂
Stephanie Ealy says
January 13, 2014 at 2:42 pmI’m so excited to have stumbled upon this recipe. My kids are adults now, but will always be my “kids”! My 22 year old son absolutely loves rock candy and can’t wait to try this. I will also be making the little ones in my community very happy! Thanks for these amazing ideas!
nikki says
January 21, 2014 at 3:30 pmDo you think you could do these in plastic disposable cups? We don’t have that much glass wear.
pagingfunmums says
January 21, 2014 at 10:01 pmHi Nikki, plastic cups should work fine – just make sure the liquid is cool before you fill them. Louise x
Anne Schultz says
February 12, 2014 at 12:40 amWill try this for my granddaughters for Easter.
Michele Wilson says
February 12, 2014 at 1:18 amUsing your recipe, how many rock candy sticks did this make?
pagingfunmums says
February 16, 2014 at 4:07 amAprox 11.
Jessica (Savory Experiments) says
February 12, 2014 at 1:34 amLet’s be honest… I don’t have kids and I am going to try this! I will be the one anxiously going to see how my sugar grows. Great post!
Steve says
February 12, 2014 at 1:34 amTks for posting this, I love rock candy and I work at an assisted living facility and asked the residents about how many remember it. They had so many great memories of it from when they were young . So this is gonna be a project i am gonna start with the residents this weekend. Cant wait . Tks again.
pagingfunmums says
February 16, 2014 at 4:05 amHi Steve, that’s wonderful! So lovely to hear :). Thank you.
Nikki Hall says
February 12, 2014 at 5:36 amCan I use a sugar substitute? My niece is diabetic.
Andrew says
March 9, 2014 at 6:11 amI dont think so, the sugar is what actually crystallizes.
Campbell says
July 1, 2014 at 12:39 pmI bet you could… why not give it a try?
Ali Cat says
October 18, 2014 at 10:49 amHi Nikki,
Growing the crystals is almost as much fun as eating them.
You could always try SEA SALT, they are still fun to make and sort of ‘edible’.
Dana says
February 17, 2015 at 7:22 amYou might be able to use splenda but get a hold of the manufacture
Misty says
February 19, 2014 at 4:24 amDidn’t see a reply to Nikki Hall’s question in regards to using sugar substitute. My daughter is a diabetic but she would so love to try this. Thanks
pagingfunmums says
February 20, 2014 at 5:01 amI am very sorry Misty, but I haven’t tried this recipe with a sugar substitute as yet…I will be sure to let you know if I do! Jenni x
Misty says
February 20, 2014 at 11:56 amThank you. I’ll let you know if it does.
Terri Burton says
February 19, 2014 at 5:49 amwhen u say white sugar u are talking about the stuff u would put in coffee right
pagingfunmums says
February 20, 2014 at 2:50 amYes Terri that’s right!
Patricia Fortner says
February 20, 2014 at 12:00 amFound that myself and the grandkids lived to make this
Kirbijo says
February 21, 2014 at 2:24 amOh I can’t wait to try this! I want to use green rock candy as kryptonite for my son’s super hero birthday party this year. Thank you, this will be so much cheaper!
pagingfunmums says
February 21, 2014 at 5:06 amThat’s a fantastic idea!! Love it! Jen x
Campbell says
July 1, 2014 at 12:41 pmOh my goodness, thats such a great idea!!! Can we all admit that sugar IS our kryptonite?
Heather says
February 22, 2014 at 2:19 pmGreen for St Pattys Day, Red for Valentines Day, etc! Great for holidays! I get grandkids on weekends, something for them to look forward to each time. Each week start a new batch so in 3’ish weeks you can enjoy them each time they are here! Love these in warm milk at bedtime!
Karen Fortin says
February 24, 2014 at 4:06 amI well be make these look like it would be fun to make.
Karen Fortin says
February 24, 2014 at 4:08 amI well be make this soon. It look like it will be fun to make.
Jen says
March 2, 2014 at 4:27 amI saw somewhere they have to be in the sun? Did you have to put the glasses in sun to make them grow ?
pagingfunmums says
March 2, 2014 at 6:15 amHi there, no I had them inside & they grew just fine : ) Jenni x
jaymii says
March 2, 2014 at 11:29 amI have literally just finished making these. Brilliant idea 🙂 quick question though as I have turned the lights off to go to bed I noticed sugary sediment forming at the bottom & liquid sitting at the top on a few is this normal?
Thanks in advance!
pagingfunmums says
March 6, 2014 at 8:07 amYes that can sometimes happen. Just lift the sticks every day or so to make sure they don’t stick : ) Jenni x
Stacey says
March 3, 2014 at 4:21 amWhere did you find the flavouring?
pagingfunmums says
March 6, 2014 at 8:07 amAt my local cake shop…you can get them online too : ) Jenni x
Angela says
May 1, 2014 at 5:47 amJust found some at my local Hobby Lobby! Sheesh, that store has everything 😉
Lorrie says
July 15, 2014 at 4:44 amMost all of your local pharmacies carry’s the candy flavorings
Aunt Barbara says
November 28, 2015 at 1:07 amAt your local pharmacies as well.
Ilein says
March 9, 2014 at 5:16 pmI love it Im crazy to do this with my kids, Thanks for this idea
candie says
March 13, 2014 at 10:26 pmHi I really what to try this for my daughter’s birthday but its a few months away. Do you know how long they will stay good for?? I just want to try them know so I know I can make them right lol
pagingfunmums says
April 1, 2014 at 6:31 pmWe have made them a month in advance – just swirl them every couple of days, then when they’re ready keep them in a sealed container. Louise x
kerry says
April 4, 2014 at 9:30 amSilly question but which end of the skewers do you put in the liquid the end that you have coated in sugar then dipped into the liquid or the end with nothing on it? Thanks
pagingfunmums says
April 11, 2014 at 9:14 amHi Kerry, the end that has already been dipped into the liquid : ) Jenni x
Mel says
April 10, 2014 at 1:51 pmwhat do you mean by surgery solution? and where do i find this?
pagingfunmums says
April 10, 2014 at 9:17 pmIt’s the melted solution that’s made in the saucepan :). Louise x
Uzma Najia says
April 14, 2014 at 2:45 amgreat ideas for great kids
Angela says
May 2, 2014 at 2:31 amHow many does the original recipe yield?
Can says
May 4, 2014 at 3:29 pmWill gel food coloring work?
pagingfunmums says
May 8, 2014 at 11:50 amYes, that should be fine :).
Chai says
May 19, 2014 at 3:08 pmI’m planning on making this for my daughter’s birthday, can is there any way for me to use two stick in one glass? That way I can make about 3 dozen? or maybe even use a plastic champagne flute that i can get at the dollar store?
pagingfunmums says
May 20, 2014 at 3:39 pmHi Chai, yes I have made them with two or three sticks in each glass… just make sure you move them around every now and then to make sure they don’t ‘grow together’. Plastic is also fine too : ) Jenni x
maryse labbé says
May 20, 2014 at 12:29 amsuper
Sharon says
June 4, 2014 at 10:29 pmJust wanted to say. ..for everyone…thank you for being patient and answering every question. you seem like a genuinely nice person. I will try this soon..was wondering if this would work with those plastic popsicle makers??? does the stick have to be wood? thanks again.
pagingfunmums says
June 7, 2014 at 1:02 pmI think the wood helps the first ‘crystals’ to form and hold but I have seen images of them made on plastic. Can’t be 100% certain but worth a try Louise x
Seth says
June 15, 2014 at 1:41 amI made these when I was a kid and we used a kite string rather than a stick and it worked great.
Mary says
June 7, 2014 at 3:13 pmIs there a way to get a printer friendly version of any of these ideas?
pagingfunmums says
June 9, 2014 at 2:14 pmHi Mary, we will look into adding that feature to our site at some stage, but for now there isn’t – sorry. Louise x
wendy says
September 5, 2014 at 5:19 pmMary, If you want to print a friendly version=
right click by the recipe ….SELECT…. Print Preview from the list
You will see the page #”s at the bottom
scroll thru the pages and count how many you want…. That way you only have to print it….not all the 10 pages of reply’s
Then click out of that—Because U can’t select pages there. Back to the recipe—
Then right click again…select…. PRINT….then look down to (Page Range)….Click…(Pages)…..
In box to right of that ENTER the page #’s you want… Like 1-3….
Then Click…Apply and then…PRINT
Sound like a lot…but it’s not. 🙂
If you want to print a picture….Just right click (on) the picture…. and go from there.
krystal says
September 11, 2014 at 1:26 pmTo have a printer friendly version select the text of the recipe go too file and select print preview. You actually only need page 1-6. I just went through the steps without printing, did that before awhile back.
Kathy Fair says
October 18, 2014 at 1:21 amI just copy and paste the recipe/procedure into a word document. Then I can print it out and have it handy.
Melody Sickles says
June 12, 2014 at 9:03 amI wonder if you can use the same flavoring as you would for hard tack candy in this?
Holley says
September 3, 2014 at 12:01 pmI have used the flavorings that I use to make hard tack candy and it tastes great (I get my flavorings at WalMart).
I am going to have to try Stevia and see if it will work because my hubby loves these and he is diabetic!
Machelle says
June 21, 2014 at 2:17 amI made a big batch of blue, and big batch of yellow for my sons despicable me birthday party. They were a HUGE hit 🙂
nancy says
June 23, 2014 at 3:05 amloved this idea
thank you
renee says
July 6, 2014 at 11:31 amthis looks awesome I might try it today
Diana says
July 14, 2014 at 1:39 amGot to try this with the grandson
Tabatha says
July 24, 2014 at 8:50 amI have a week. Will they grow enough in that time? Thank you in advance!
Sherry says
February 17, 2015 at 4:50 amTabatha,
Did you try? I noticed you wanted to do it and only had a week. Wondering how much “growth” you noticed after only a week. We have a baby boy shower Sunday. Would love to make today for that, but wondering if that 6 days wouldn’t be worth the growth time.
Rachel says
August 5, 2014 at 5:20 amI want to make some for a baby shower. How many does the above recipe make?
Denise shelving says
August 12, 2014 at 2:56 pmWould like to use it for an afterschool activity. How long does it take?
pagingfunmums says
August 12, 2014 at 5:12 pmHi Denise, it will take a few weeks for the crystals to grow : )
Katie says
September 18, 2014 at 12:07 amWhere do you buy the flavoring?
pagingfunmums says
September 18, 2014 at 1:42 pmI bought mine from my local cake making shop 🙂 Jenni
pagingfunmums says
October 23, 2014 at 10:02 amHi Ashley, I always use the bamboo skewers…I think the wooden dowels would be too big for the Crystal to grow on. Any cup is fine, you can use plastic, glass, styrofoam…what ever tickles your fancy! Good luck and have fun! Jenni x
Sophie Harrison says
October 25, 2014 at 10:16 amHow can you store them? and
How long could you store them for?
Jessica says
October 30, 2014 at 1:19 amCould you reuse the liquid in the glasses for a second batch, right after you take out the first?
pagingfunmums says
October 30, 2014 at 5:33 pmI don’t see why not Jessica, sounds like a great plan! Jenni x
Betty Nils says
November 6, 2014 at 12:50 pmOver 60 years ago I can remember my Dad doing this same project with us… He used a piece of string like candle string, and dangled it over the jar by tying it to a spoon handle. He also used peppermint candy to flavor them.
pagingfunmums says
November 6, 2014 at 1:27 pmHi Betty, what a lovely and FUN Dad!! Louise x
David says
November 6, 2014 at 11:30 pmTo those asking about sugar substitutes, Splenda (which has been approved by the ADA for all three types of diabetes), should work since it’s actually sugar with only three of the atoms removed and replaced with chlorine. There’s no reason why the nucleation process shouldn’t produce some nice crystallization. 🙂
Best of luck!
Katie says
November 7, 2014 at 9:37 amHey! I tried to make this candy and instead of the crystals growing on the sticks they grew in the glasses and I can’t get the crystals out with out ruining the glass. Please help!
Kathy says
November 26, 2014 at 2:00 amHi Katy,
Mine did the same thing. I soaked them in hot water for a while and that took care of most of it, then used a butter knife to break up the rest and it came right out. Hope this helps!
R. mitchell says
November 8, 2014 at 6:55 amfantastic going to try this for a science project
April says
November 11, 2014 at 10:19 pmI can’t Waite to try this for christmas
Debra says
November 17, 2014 at 6:29 amI once saw this done with spoons, to stir in coffee or tea. I can’t remember if the spoon was wooden or not. Has anyone tried this on a spoon and if so, wood or plastic? Curious. I believe they were flavored.. like vanilla, cinnamon, peppermint, etc..
Thanks in Advance for any helpful comments.
Happy Holidays.
cassandra says
November 22, 2014 at 1:58 amSome of mine grew I made a total of 26 the ones that haven’t grown much are the ones where the water is evaporating and crystallizing can I make more solution and move them?
PATT says
December 9, 2014 at 10:22 amI REMEMBER THESE AS KIDS……….. OH THE MEMORIES! AND THEY LASTED SO LONG! IT WAS A REAL CHRISTMAS………..
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES AND MOSTLY THE RECIPE. GOD BLESS, AND MERRY CHRISTMAS
Elisa says
January 21, 2015 at 4:53 amHi, I’m wondering if these will work in mason jars? I do not have champagne flutes. Thanks so much
pagingfunmums says
January 21, 2015 at 7:13 amHi Elisa, that should be fine :). Louise x
Jessica says
January 29, 2015 at 8:09 amHi I was wondering if cane sugar would work also? Thanks
Holley says
February 4, 2015 at 5:35 pmHow many does the recipe make approx?
Thanks!
Ghostbusters says
January 8, 2017 at 4:04 pm6
Lstryland@gmail. Com says
February 11, 2015 at 2:48 amMake petite ones to stir into coffee or tea. Looks lovely on the buffet table or the saucer as you serve. Will try brown sugar.
Nimfa Olaes Brewer says
February 10, 2016 at 1:10 pmI would like to supply that to the coffee shop, with your recipe it turn out how many sticks.
Greer says
February 15, 2015 at 11:18 pmSuch great ideas!
Greer says
February 15, 2015 at 11:19 pmThe kids I care for will love this!
Alesha says
February 16, 2015 at 4:42 pmHow many times are you supposed to dip the skewer from the sugary solution over to the dry sugar?
Cynthia says
February 17, 2015 at 6:42 amWhen I was in school and we did this for science class we used cotton string instead of skewers.
Michelle Simpson says
February 17, 2015 at 9:54 amHi
How many candies did your 10 cups of sugar make?
Thanks Michelle
Rena Bagley says
February 18, 2015 at 7:19 amI would like this for I have a lot of grandchildren,
Rena Bagley says
February 18, 2015 at 7:21 amI know they will have so much funn learning new things.
Cheri Miller says
February 18, 2015 at 9:10 amVery interesting and looks like loads of fun!
Kathy Carrell says
February 19, 2015 at 1:33 amHow fun!!
Jessica Hurley says
February 19, 2015 at 8:43 amLove this page lot good idea on here
Candi Weber says
February 19, 2015 at 5:29 pmI have been looking for this recipe for months? Thank you.
Carol Persico says
February 19, 2015 at 6:26 pmLooks really good
Holly Hawkins says
February 20, 2015 at 1:20 amLove the crafts, looks like fun to do with grandkids. Thanks.
Kay Bickford says
February 21, 2015 at 12:45 pmLooks like it would be a blast to make rock candy on a stick.
KENNYA SOSA says
February 22, 2015 at 11:06 pmGREAT IDEA, I WOULD TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION OF YOUR WEBSITE. dO YOU HAVE ANY NEWSLETTERS i WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE IT. THANKS
Yourworstnightmare says
April 12, 2016 at 2:33 pmM8 caps lock much
Linda Gibson says
February 23, 2015 at 4:19 amI think my grandkids and would love to do this all of my grandkids loves to do home made craft and goods like this thank you needed something different
Linda says
February 23, 2015 at 9:50 pmAwesome these are great for different drinks also
Bonnie Mascarenas says
February 24, 2015 at 5:39 amWant to receive these awesome. Receipes
Abigail Ansell says
February 24, 2015 at 10:00 pmI’m having my birthday soon and this is AWESOME
Sarah says
February 25, 2015 at 12:24 pmHow long will they stay good?
pagingfunmums says
February 26, 2015 at 7:41 amThat’s a good question Sarah…they have never lasted long in my house if you know what I mean 😉 I dare say they would last quite a few weeks though! Jen x
Michael says
February 25, 2015 at 8:45 pmOne more trick that you can use with this recipe…: Save/clean some old spaghetti sauce jars that you had left over from dinner one night(any glass jar with a metal/plastic top, really… I just happen to have like 20 spaghetti jars!), and you can drill a hole right in the middle of the top that is slightly smaller than the skewers you’re going to use. You can then slide the sugar coated skewer into the hole(much easier to adjust so that it doesn’t touch the sides/bottom), and then screw the top on to the jar once it’s full of the sugar solution. Not only will this succeed in “keeping the yuckies out”, it also allows you to move it to a different spot, in case you suddenly need to relocate it without making a mess, or having to remove whatever clothe you had draped over it!! Just a thought…
pagingfunmums says
February 26, 2015 at 7:40 amWhat a fantastic idea! Thanks Michael! You are a genius! 🙂
Cine says
July 31, 2015 at 10:11 amThat is a great idea Michael. Recycle… and sanitary.
Rachael says
February 25, 2015 at 10:18 pmYay!!! Looks like fun! Will have to try it today!
Bailey Smith says
November 18, 2015 at 5:08 amMe and a friend is doing it for our science fair idea!!!!
Kim says
February 26, 2015 at 6:15 amjust looks like a cool activity they would be pretty anyplace weddings, parties, a anyplace you want to make a colorful statement ! Cute cool and educational!!
Karly says
March 3, 2015 at 7:03 amWould you be able to put different flavors in the glasses/jars instead of putting in the water in the very beginning?
Ash says
March 14, 2015 at 3:42 amWish I would have thought about that before I made mine. I think it would work. I am getting ready to take mine out after growing for 11 days 🙂 They are for my kids’ birthday parties on Sunday. They turned out really good from what I can tell. I only did 4 colors, but I will do more in the future. My kids check on them every day to see how they are growing.
Ellie says
June 18, 2015 at 10:38 amHow many candies does the “General rule of thumb” make? This looks like a great idea do do with my brother. We want to make about 4.
Sharon schumacher says
July 1, 2015 at 10:37 pmI think it would be fun to do with my grandkids .when they come to visit. Thank you for sharing your wonderful ideals
Rebecca says
July 2, 2015 at 8:00 pmI’m excited about trying this! I just need to get some of the tools needed. Thank you for sharing. =)
Cammily says
July 11, 2015 at 5:45 amI love the colors! Thank you for the detailed instructions and pictures – I will definitely give it a try and maybe add them to my next “end of term” student gifts.
Julie says
January 4, 2016 at 3:47 amI ws wondering can u use plastic cups clear ones instead of glass jars?
pagingfunmums says
January 4, 2016 at 9:52 amI don’t think that would be a problem Julie 🙂 Jen x
Tyrtl says
March 29, 2016 at 2:21 pmI got a bit creative and found rubber grommets that fir the size of my skewers and drilled holes in mason jar lids allowing me to slide the skewer to the right height.
dave says
April 11, 2016 at 6:11 amhas anyone tried to just use cool-ade for flavor and coloring?
Tonya says
May 18, 2016 at 2:43 amCan’t wait to do this with the kids this summer. Thank you for sharing
albert says
November 9, 2016 at 8:42 ammy dad made this for me back in the 40s but we did not use food coloring.
holly says
November 23, 2016 at 8:46 amcant wait to do these for christmas goodies. but i still havent seen how many your batch generally makes. i need like 25
Brooke says
November 30, 2016 at 2:29 pmShould you leave your rock candy in the sunlight or someplace dark?
leah says
December 1, 2016 at 6:02 pmI dont think this a great using sharp sticks other then that im trying this out now.
Lee Orlian says
February 7, 2017 at 5:36 amThank you for posting this! We had a great time creating our own Rock Candy. My daughters learned a lot about sugar and crystals and most of all about the rewards of patience. My favorite part was when we dipped the skewers in the sugary color!
Camryn says
March 6, 2018 at 1:47 amIf I’m having a party how many weeks away do I start them?
TY,
Camryn
THE gray mountain says
April 26, 2018 at 12:40 amI tried the recipe and put in 2 1/2 cups of sugar but the mixture seemed a little to thick, will it be ok, or do I have to start again?
Catherine Spry says
May 30, 2019 at 3:43 amSo sad that with this many people posting here I’d be only the 2nd to even ask about using xylitol instead of white sugar. And I understand no one wanting to even try it without knowing it will work. That stuff is so expensive. I’ve tried substituting it in a few of my favorite recipes and only succeeded in ruining a large amount of the xylitol. Anyway, just hoping – still no one has tried this out?