If you've seen the viral videos and wondered how to make CANDY GRAPES (or Galaxy Grapes), I've got you covered! This recipe is so fun and you can make them in any flavor/color combo your heart desires!
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How to make candy grapes:
You want to start with grapes that have been washed and dried. I chose green grapes because the red ones tend to bleed a bit of color in the hot sugar but you can use what you prefer.
Once your grapes are dry, you can skewer them. I let my kids Coco and Ash help with this part since they're a little older now but you'll definitely want to supervise. The skewer should be inserted as far as you can go without poking out of the top.
Now it's time for the sugar mixture. It's very easy but you do need a candy thermometer and you will need to keep an eye on the temperature as it cooks. You'll just combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a pot and stir it together.
Once mixed together, you set in your thermometer. You don't want it to be touching the bottom of the pot since this can throw off the reading of the actual sugar. You just want the tip of the thermometer to be inserted just into the sugar mixture. You'll boil the sugar until the temperature reads 300 degrees then remove it from the heat. And you don't need to stir it at all while it's bubbling. Just let it do it's thing.
After you've removed the sugar from the heat (be very careful!), you can stir in your flavoring, then the white food coloring. The white food coloring is what gives you a blank canvas for the other colors you'll add. If you want to keep the sugar clear, you won't need this. But the opacity that the white adds looks so pretty!
What flavors are best for candied grapes?
- Cotton candy
- Tropical punch
- Grape
- Caramel (taste like a caramel apple!)
- Watermelon
- Anything your heart desires!!
I use these candy flavor oils that are super concentrated. You can order them here on amazon or find them at Michaels and Hobby Lobby. They have so many flavor options!! We used bubble gum for this batch but honestly, I think the fruity flavors are even better!
I used neon pink and sky blue coloring for this batch but you can use any colors you like. Be careful adding too much though because the sugar can start to thicken. Just a few drops of gel coloring should be potent enough. After adding in your drops, just swirl everything together with a clean skewer or a spoon. Again, be very careful with the hot sugar!
As you swirl the grapes in the sugar mixture, you'll want to work quickly. The longer the sugar sits and cools, the thicker it becomes and you just want a thin layer of sugar on each candied grape. And I forgot too take a photo but we did have a few sprinkles that we also added after swirling. Just be sure not to get the sprinkles in the sugar mixture. We just swirled, then dipped onto a plate of sprinkles quickly. You'll then want to lay the grapes on a sheet of parchment paper or silicon mat to dry.
Tips for making candy grapes:
- Most importantly, be very careful with the hot sugar!
- Make sure your grapes are washed and completely dry before swirling
- Prep everything before cooking the sugar mixture
- Work quickly since the sugar cools quickly
- Pop them in the fridge to cool faster
- Remove the skewer after they've cooled
Candy Grapes
Equipment
- 20-25 Skewers
- candy thermometer (find it here)
- parchment paper or silicon mat (find the mats here)
Ingredients
- 20-25 grapes washed and completely dried
- 2 cups white sugar
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- white gel food coloring Find it here
- other gel colors of your choice (I used neon pink and sky blue)
- 2 teaspoons flavored oil of your choice These are what I use
- Sprinkles for decorating (optional)
Instructions
- Wash your grapes thoroughly by using a fruit wash or just soaking them in water with a splash of white vinegar for about 5 minutes. Rinse them well and dry completely.
- Insert a skewer into each grape and set them aside.
- In a sauce pan, combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup and stir to combine.
- Set the pot over medium to medium/high heat and insert the candy thermometer. The thermometer should not touch the bottom of the pan but just have the tip in the sugar mixture. Cook (not stirring) until the thermometer reaches 300°.
- As soon as the mixture reaches 300°, remove the pot from the heat. Stir in a few drops of the white coloring and your flavoring (I use an entire .125 ounce mini bottle of flavoring or about 2 teaspoons)
- Then add in 3-4 drops of your gel colors and swirl with a spoon or skewer. You could also do one solid color or more than 2 colors..it's totally up to you!
- Dip each skewered grape into the mixture while you spin the grape to coat it fully. Let the excess drip off and roll in sprinkles if desired.
- Place the coated grapes on a sheet of parchment paper or silicon mat to dry for about 15 minutes. You could also place them in the fridge for about 10 minutes to get fully hardened.
Notes
- Cotton candy
- Tropical punch
- Grape
- Caramel (taste like a caramel apple!)
- Watermelon
Lovely says
Hello I have a question how do I maintain it do I freeze it or just place them in the refrigerator and how long does it last ?
coco says
either way will maintain the grapes but i've found that freezing them works best..they should last about a good 3wks in the freezer.also coating them with candied toppings on top of the sugar coat helps them to last longer.hope this helps.
Missy Tinsley says
Once you take them out of the freezer how long before they get soggy or sticky
Mark says
Use Carnuba wax on them same that they use on gobstoppers candy for the shinieness and coats them to make last longer
penny hebert says
I couldn't get the wax off the grapes for the candy to stick all the way
Melissa Sutton says
How do you keep the candy/ sugar part from hardening so quickly to dip all of the grapes?
Coco and Ash says
Have absolutely everything prepped and lined up ahead of time and dip quickly!
You can also keep it on a very low heat if that helps 🙂
Muhammad Javed says
Nice and good information about Candy Grapes...... Thanks
Brittany says
Can you reuse the extra candy?
Coco and Ash says
Unfortunately no. It won't re-melt properly
the guest says
you can i have been doing this for 10 years
TT's Candied Creations says
Hi, umm do you use corn syrup in your candy mixture
Annette Gomez says
Can i reheat hardened candy mixture
TT's Candied Creations says
yes you can but make sure that you watch it
TT's Candied Creations says
Yes, you can as long as the hardened mixture isn't burn't
Stephanie Pokorny says
Made these today and followed process and recipe exactly. They turned out perfectly! Thank you!
Andrea says
How long should it take for the candy mixture to reach 300*? Mine heats really quickly to 250* and then seems to top out/never get any hotter
Wendy Lyon says
Your recipe was so easy to follow and they turned out great! How do you store them. I put mine( for just a few hours) in my fridge's fruit/veggie drawer. Air tight container with parchment paper and paper towels and they were a soggy mess. People say “freeze them” but when they are out doesn’t the candy shell turn into a soggy mess as it defrosts?
Thanks again! I am so impressed with your recipes!!
Wendy
Maria says
either way will maintain the grapes but i’ve found that freezing them works best..they should last about a good 3wks in the freezer.also coating them with candied toppings on top of the sugar coat helps them to last longer.hope this helps.
*copied and posted from a reply above*
Larnz says
You can eat them frozen!! They're delicious. Taste like little slushy goodness coated in candy
Pel says
Taste good but did not store well overnight for next day followed all instructions and they were stuck to paper towel bled all over candy candy was coming off grapes
Katie says
You definitely do not want to use paper towels! Just parchment paper or a silicon mat. ☺️ Also, did you make sure your grapes were super dry?
Francesca Furfari says
How do you store them
Becky says
Came out perfectly and taste great! But I do have a question, How can I store these ? My fault we did a 2 hr drive but they didn’t really melt I put in the fridge and they melted overnight. I’d like to make these as party favors but I don’t want them to melt on them overnight . Any help?
Jade says
Sounds like the fridge might be making the grapes condensate and it ruins the candy?
David Jonson says
So delicious Dieses Candy Grapes
ANGELA says
Are they supposed to be so hard you can't eat them?
Coco and Ash says
No, your coating may be too thick
Zavion says
I need some candy grapes cause I heard they good ass f
Shannon O. says
I am reading a book and it's set in the early 1900's. One of the protagonist's writes about sharing a box of "Fondant covered grapes" with her lover. I have been "googling" for a while now and coming up empty until I considered terms may have shifted in 100 years. I noticed your beautiful Candied Grapes and checked your recipe against the recipe for fondant and found they are the same. I'm wondering maybe your candied grapes accurately capture a delectable treat enjoyed on special occasions was back then. Thank you for sharing and I can't wait to try this with my daughters.
scott claxton says
I love this candy
Norah Salazar says
They are good but they are very hard and crunchy but I have a question how would we save all of these candy grapes cause there so good but you can't save them and I want to save them for another day
Demiyah says
saving can be hard but you just have to try your best to save some when i eat sweets they be so good i be like i am going to save them but they also end up gone.
yaboy says
yum
TT's Candied Creations says
maybe 25 minutes
Lauren says
The sugar mixture turned into crumble 90 seconds into dipping the grapes! I suppose leaving it on the heat is necessary?