Old-Fashioned Molasses Candy

Total Time:Prep/Total Time: 25 min.

By Taste Of Home Editorial Team

Recipe by Laurie Pester

Tested by Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Updated on 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.

TEST KITCHEN APPROVED

Old-Fashioned Molasses Candy

Yield:1-1/2 pounds
Prep:25 min

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
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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.