Old-Fashioned Molasses Candy

Total Time

Prep/Total Time: 25 min.

Makes

1-1/2 pounds

Updated: Oct. 23, 2022
This hard candy was always the first thing to sell out at fundraisers we held back when I was in high school. I still make the melt-in-your-mouth morsels every Christmas.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
  • 3/4 cup molasses
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

  1. Grease a 15x10x1-in. pan with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and vinegar. Cook over low heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium; cook until a candy thermometer reads 245° (firm-ball stage), stirring occasionally.
  2. Add molasses and remaining butter. Cook, uncovered, until a candy thermometer reads 260° (hard-ball stage), stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Add baking soda; beat well.
  3. Pour into prepared pan. Let stand for 5 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Butter fingers; quickly pull candy until firm by pliable (color will be light tan). When candy is ready for cutting, pull into a 1/2-in. rope. Cut into 1-in. pieces. Wrap each in waxed paper or colored candy wrappers.

Nutrition Facts

2 ounces: 202 calories, 3g fat (2g saturated fat), 8mg cholesterol, 88mg sodium, 47g carbohydrate (39g sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein.